I'm no pro, but I ride pretty hard and was able to keep up with my buddy on his full suspension GT through all those shelves and stutters on Porcupine Rim with no problem. Good riders will get the gist of this bad boy and reap the benefits. It takes some time, though. I definitely ride faster with this fork. A great Cross-country option, espescially if your trails have rough downhills, but fire trail riders who put a foot out and skid their turns might find themselves folding it up.
Legs are too weak.
I don't have much to compare to as this is really the firt suspension bike I've owned. Granted I ride fairly hard, but I am no pro, and I don't consider myself overly extreme, so I am to the point now where I am about to try a different fork. I tried to get the legs warrantied and of course fell on deaf ears, but I can't afford to keep buying new legs for my fork every six months. I would give the fork a five if they could just keep the fork from going dog-legged on me. A realy good value.