[sperry]

First thing to note: you don't have a front LSD like the STi folks, so keep that in mind when talking about loss of traction up front. The STi will just transfer power to the other wheel if there's a little front hop/loss of traction, so they may actually have the same issue with the suspension but no traction loss because of the LSD. i.e. What works on the STi may not work on the WRX, like going to that massive sway-bar... (though I think a stiffer FSW actually wouldn't hurt).

Now, with regards to the suspension... how stiff are your springs? I would agree it sounds like you're under-dampened. But the solution might not be more damper, but less spring. A general rule of thumb is that you want to add grip to fix handling issues, rather then remove grip. A softer front end, might actually solve the wheel hop problem *and* gain you turning/braking traction. But a soft front-end might make the car too tail-happy as well... how's the handling balance outside of the corner-exit wheel-hop?

If you want to try some Koni's, I've still got that set of Koni/GC coilovers, and a butt-load of springs. They might be a little stiff of a match to your rears, but if we slap 'em on w/ the softest springs I've got, you might be able to get a feeling for whether or not your issue is damping related or spring rate related. Either way, if you want to try 'em out, I'd be happy to let you borrow 'em (since no one seems interested in buying them).

Another idea: camber. Do you have camber plates? Too much or too little might reduce traction on the tire allowing it to spin... maybe the "hop" is actually a side effect of wheel spin, instead of the other way around.

Finally, it may just be the nature of putting that much power down through the WRX 5MT. That open diff sucks... you may just have to be "more educated" with your throttle application. You might be able to drive around the limitation, though it would be faster of course if you can figure out a mechanical fix and just stop on the throttle like usual.