First, everyone liked Mr. (Eric) Pollard' s artwork. After that, stunning discrepancies of opinion. The Opus had highly vocal detractors; they disliked the soft flex and forward mount. But it' s champions ranked it among the best. (Six of 11 put it in their top five). It feels small at first, but skis big. It' s nimble, but not at the expense of power. The tapered tip and tail keep things loose in deep snow, making it one of the more forgiving fatties. And there' s always something to stand on underfoot.