2023 Jones Mountain Twin: Detailed Review
Jones describes the Mountain Twin as a “versatile and capable directional twin made for riders who want a playful all-mountain board that excels in any snow condition.”
It’s built with Jones’ CamRock profile, which is a pretty traditional camber profile with some lift in the tip and tail that can give you some good pop on ollies if you know how to find the sweet spot. It’s described as medium-flex, although in my experience, it feels a little stiffer than that. It has a sintered base.
Detailed Snowboard Review
What size board did you buy?
148 cm
Please rate this board on a scale from 1 (terrible) to 5 (amazing): ️️️️️️️️️️️️️5 stars
Why did you choose this board?
I learned to snowboard on a 20-year-old Lamar board that I bought on Facebook Marketplace. After riding it for two whole seasons, I was ready to get a modern board that would have better edge hold for icy conditions and would be a true twin so that I could gain more confidence riding switch. I demoed three or four different brands at Loveland Ski Area over Thanksgiving in 2022, including a Rome board that I liked a lot but couldn't bring myself to buy because the topsheet was pink, and a NeverSummer board with hybrid camber that I hated. The Mountain Twin checked all my boxes, including having a sick, gender-neutral topsheet.
What were the conditions like when you demoed the board?
When I first tried the board, the conditions were pretty hard-packed, mostly man-made snow. I also took it on some tracked-out moguls. It held an edge really well. Since then, I've ridden it in almost every kind of condition, including slow and soft mashed potatoes, granular icy bullshit, super fast snow cone slush, wet/heavy powder, tracked-out powder, and completely frozen-over ice rinks. What can I say, those are the kinds of chundery conditions you get in the Midwest. The only conditions it doesn't handle well are super deep powder (it's OK, but your back leg fatigues pretty fast), and the complete ice rink. But I don't know if any board would be able to handle that.
What's your overall impression of the board?
I really enjoy this board! I’ve liked it ever since I bought it, and now that I have two other boards in my quiver (a Rome Stale Fish and a Capita Space Metal Fantasy that I bought used) I have even more appreciation for how versatile and reliable it is.
It holds an edge really well in a wide variety of conditions. Although, if the mountain resembles a hockey rink, it will still slip out and land me on my ass. It’s super easy to ride switch, you can go really fast, and it’s easy to maneuver in the trees. I've gained a ton of confidence riding switch and I've ventured into the park and gotten somewhat comfortable with basic rails and boxes.
What is the BEST thing about this board?
The terrain and conditions where this board shines are big mountain off-piste stuff if the snow isn't fresh. It's awesome in tracked-out trees and moguls where you may get into weird situations that make you want to ride out switch. It's also super fun on groomers because you can go really fast. I also like taking jumps on it.
Are there any ways in which this board didn't meet your expectations?
It's pretty stiff, so it's hard to butter, and as I mentioned before, it's not great in powder.
Is there anything you wish you'd known before buying?
The topsheets on Jones boards seem to be more fragile than other brands. Perhaps this is because they’re made with bio-plastic made from Castor beans, which is more sustainable than traditional plastic, but in my experience, is also less chip-resistant. My wife also has a Jones board, and both of us got our first topsheet chips on the first day we rode our boards. I've mostly gotten over it and learned to ruthlessly razor off flappers and file down the edge of the top sheet to minimize future damage.
After two and a half seasons of riding, the edge of the topsheet is now more chipped than not.
About the Reviewer
Name: Olivia Barrow
What is your gender? Woman
What is your height? 5'7"
What is your weight? 135 lbs
What's your level of experience as a snowboarder? 100+ days riding
Describe your skill level: Advanced - I ride confidently on any groomed run, as well as in trees and on bumps/moguls, and I am comfortable taking small jumps, whether they're in a park or off of a side hit. I can ride some boxes and rails.
