The Lowdown on the YES boys’ big mountain performance board.

Last year YES had one line with different board shapes and characteristics depending on which length you opted for, but for the 10/11 season the boys went back to the future and released 5 lines with a bunch of lengths in each. In keeping with their team, the boards are mostly focussed on park and backcountry freestyle, but there is however a model that’s there to be taken out for speed mission and those first bin days – the Optimistic.

Built with a directional shape and flex to give it the perfect characteristics for shredders wanting to up their game on the big mountain’s wide canvas, there’s what they dub a freeride CamRock base profile (mixing camber under the feet for pop with rocker in the nose and tail to float you in pow and give a fun ride) to give you performance no matter how steep and deep it gets. It’s got high-tech guts too – a full tip-to-tail wood core is wrapped in torsionally responsive N-Tech custom weave glass and topped with carbon stringers to increase snap and satisfy demanding riders, and it’s bottomed off with a high-grade stoneground sintered base for a super slick glide.

We had a razz on the more powder-focussed YES back at the Shops First Try board test, so here’s what we made of it:

“Not for rookies, but if you’re a decent rider this would be a good choice for someone who wants to do it all. Though directional in shape it feels twin-ish so switch stomps will be handled and when going forwards felt solid, stable and lively for ollies while edge-to-edge was smooth and quick. Not very twitchy and fairly friendly but requires bit off effect to reign in. Rocker felt fun and floatey. A nice all mountain stick.”

Lengths: 156, 159, 162

They’re in stores now, so if you think the Optimistic’s up your street, you can buy it now.