Performance
To be a legit “one-board quiver,” I want a board that will keep me happy all day long, from deep untracked pow in the morning, tracked powder and crud in the afternoon, and firm/icy groomers once the sun goes down and the lights come on. The One Magtek seemed to excel at both untracked powder and firm/icy groomers, while lacking a bit during the intermediate “afternoon” period, here’s why:
Powder
For me, one of the most important aspects of an all-mountain snowboard is how well it rides in powder. After all, powder is typically what brings me to the resort in the first place. The One Magtek handles all depths and densities of powder very well (although lighter snow is much more enjoyable than really dense snow given the Magtek’s softer flex). The board turns very easily in deeper snow, and the nose has no problem floating on top. Although hucking and landing in deep snow took some time to get used to (as mentioned before, I had a rather vicious tomahawking break-in period), the softer rockered nose has no issues porpoising through the snow and staying afloat.
The softer flex aids in making explosive slashes and effortless turning in tight terrain and trees. I am impressed with how agile and light the board feels, making it easy to turn and control. I have noticed the One Magtek is not very stable while riding tracked powder, specifically at higher speeds. Perhaps the Wide option (which should be slightly stiffer) would better suited for riding at higher speeds in open terrain and through tracked powder.
Crud, Firm Chop & Tracked Powder
The One Magtek is not an ideal candidate for firmer chop, crud, or tracked snow due to its softer nose and generally softer flex. When riding these conditions, a stiffer board is generally easier to help blast through rough and choppy snow. Even though the board does a good job of smoothing out bumps and chatter, the soft nose and lack of spine seemed to be the Achilles heel when riding bumpy, tracked powder. I felt as though I really had to slow down and make more conservative choices once the trail got rough, which in all fairness, is something I experience with most snowboards to some degree.
Groomers
One of the most impressive attributes of the One Magtek is how well this board rips groomers and icy trails and traverses. When I first felt the Magne-Traction engage on ice, I was surprised and very impressed. While making a hard heel side edge (which often plagues snowboarders), I felt the board skip over ice and then instantly engage, driving me quickly and under control through the icy section.
It took a few runs to figure out how to load and weight the board properly to engage the Radcut and Magne-Traction. The edge really drives deep and gets good penetration on soft corduroy and ice for a very controlled ride at both high and lower speeds. As of now, I have not found a board that carves groomers and icy snow to the same degree as the One Magtek.
Park & Rails
Although I have not been able to spend a lot of time in the park and on rails with the One Magtek, the carving attributes make it an excellent choice for booters and tables. Its softer nose makes buttering and popping extremely smooth yet powerful. The impressive edge-abilty promotes confidence when spinning off rough or icy jumps. I have not used the One Magtek much on rails, but from what I have experienced, the flex is pretty ideal for popping and pressing boxes and rails.
Who’s It For?
Rossignol’s One Magtek would be an excellent choice for beginner to expert riders who are looking for a board that will jib and cruise the whole mountain well.
If you simply want to charge the mountain at mach speeds, you probably should opt for a stiffer board, like the Rossignol Krypto Magtek. And at the very least, bigger, heavier, or more aggressive riders should not hesitate to size up on the One Magtek or try the wide option.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a good all-condition, one-board-quiver that can grip and rip powder and groomers, but is still very playful, the One Magtek is an excellent choice, especially if you enjoy a more freestyle/ jib-oriented style of riding.I feel as though Rossignol is extremely close to having one of the best all-mountain boards I’ve used in the One Magtek.
I feel as though Rossignol is extremely close to having one of the best all-mountain boards I’ve used in the One Magtek. My only gripe with this board is its softer flex — which admittedly, some riders will appreciate. But if this board was closer to an 8-9 on Rossignol’s flex scale, it would perform better in chopped-up conditions and be an excellent all-around crusher.
Bottom Line
When I was looking at boards for Blister’s Mt. Bachelor trip, I was hoping to find something that could make all conditions enjoyable, everything from tree runs to the park. Overall, the Rossignol One Magtek was a good choice and has proved to be an excellent daily driver and one-board-quiver. It is an extremely fun, jibby, and playful board in powder, while its sidecut will allow you to charge confidently over groomers and icy terrain.