crimecrusher

I'm upgrading from a Judy TT and have been looking at the Duke XC and MX comp ETA. I can get this fork for about the same price.

I'm 180 pounds and ride technical rocky trails with 2-3 foots drops.

Thanks,

Cornish_Rdr_UK

Marathons are XC based fork, and drops on it might be questionable, the MX Comp is a much more rounded fork, and is underrated on how good it is....

I would go for the marzocchi Coil ETA

bidnessb

See how many on mtbr.com think the same way. I have a 2004 marathon S and it's bulletproof. The MXComp is also listed as an XC fork. The "S" is a better fork.

Superior HCSV valving vs SSF.
External rebound adjuster vs Internal.
New cryofit crown vs older style (w/ 2 holes).

While I'm sure the MXComp is beefier in the long run. The Marathon S is a better product for most at the same price.

2004 MXComp ETA 105 $250 @ Bluesky
2004 Marathon S 120 $275 @ Jenson, speedgoat

My 2 cents.

Maelstrom 

Its doable. But how durable, depends on you. I know several xc race guys that rde the trails around here and kind of redefine what is possible (for me anyways, you old schoolers know) on a xc fork. 2 to 3 foot + smooth rider can be done on that fork pretty easily, but it comes down to how smooth you are.

Might be an expensive fork to figure out how smooth you are

KrisA

It'll handle 2-3 foot drops just fine, my MX Pro does, and the S is dual coil, so should be more robust. The S is a fine fork on all accounts, I was thinking of getting one of the 04 closeout deals, until everyone ran out of 105mm versions. 120 is too much for my bike and my riding style. So long as the 120 (which I asume you are looking at) is not too much for your frame I'd go for it.

swifferman

The MX Comp is an XC fork...

The Marathon is a substantially better fork then either the Duke XC or the MX Comp.