Jones Howler Snowboard Review

An In Depth and Objective Breakdown of the Jones Howler Review by The Good Ride

• User Reviews
• Product Specs
• Product Images
• Questions?

How The Jones Howler Was Tested:

I borrowed the Jones Howler for an extended demo and sent it back.

Size: 158
Days: 3
Conditions: I rode the Jones Howler in good groomers, uneven wet messy snow, and even 6-12” of wet thick but pretty fun pow
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10”, 185-195lbs). I’ve tested and compared 800+ boards and close to 1,000 if you count different versions of the same Model over the years.
Boots: Nitro Team TLS
Insoles: Footprint Kingfoam Orthotic Elite
Bindings: Union Force
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Skyline Fuse 3L Jacket
Pant: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant
Helmet: Smith Method, Smith Scout
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt

James’s Set Up

21.5” Wide. Stance Angles +18/-3, +18/-9. Close to Reference on groomers and Set all the way back in powder.

Similar Boards We Like (but not the same):

Amplid Souly Grail, United Shapes Cadet, Burton Counterbalance, Jones Flagship Pro, Stranda Descender, YES Pick Your Line, United Shapes Cadet Limited, Korua Otto, Capita Black Snowboard Of Death, Cardiff Lynx, Nitro Alternator, United Shapes Horizon, Gnu Antigravity, Lib Tech Dynamo, K2 Commonwealth

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Construction / Durability / Weight

The Jones Howler is pretty well made and seems like it’s on the upper middle in terms of reliability and it’s not super heavy either. The Top Sheet was prone to minor scuffing but that’s common with most rides out there. (We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores, there is no consistency in a board’s weight)

Sizing

When it comes to sizing, this 158 felt just right. I like a board I can easily control in all conditions. If I wanted more speed, stability, and carving power, I could go up one size, but I really wouldn’t want to go down from this with my specs.

Jones is pretty liberal with their boot sizes but ok to a little too conservative with their recommended weight. You have to be very careful with the larger or smaller end of their recommended boot sizing as it starts to get very dependent on how hard you turn, stance angle and your boots footprint. At least Jones is recommending boot size which is really good.

The Good Ride’s Conservative / Safe Boot Size Recommendation

These are sizes that will keep you from booting out (super bad) or be too wide to turn quickly in critical situations.

152:7.5-8.5
155:8-9
158: 8.5-9.5
161: 9-10
157w: 10-11
160w: 10.5-11.5
163w:11-12

There is often more than one size that will work for your specs and how you like to ride. Size down for more control and size up for more speed/stability/carving power.. If it comes down to boot size or weight, I would ensure it fits your boot first and then your weight a close second.

Shape & Setback

This is tapered and directional with a little bigger nose than tail, but there’s still a lot of tail. There’s eight millimeters of taper and two centimeters back on sidecut. At the reference stance, you’re looking at two inches back from the center of the board at a 22-inch stance width. If you choose to ride the Jones Howler in powder and set it all the way back, you can get 3.125 inches back from center at about a 22.75-inch stance width. That’s pretty wide, and most people won’t do that, but you can see your stance is set back without being extreme.

Camber/On Snow Feel

There is so much camber here, leading into a touch of early rise into the spoon nose. It seems to be more lifted sides/spoon nose vs. early rise. The new spoon tech is mostly in the nose and tail without bleeding into the effective edge and contact area . This makes nose presses and tail butters easier than before because of a flatter section in the middle with more aggressive lift on the sides. While this is more technical and catchy than many hybrid camber boards, it doesn’t feel as gnarly as full camber. Many riders will appreciate the stability and consistency of the Jones Howler while still finding it manageable.

Edge Hold

There’s a mellow disruption to the sidecut that grips very well. The Jones Howler is competent in hard snow without the washy feel you often get with 3D tech. It doesn’t let go near the tip and tail in hard conditions, which is a big plus.

Flex Personality

The flex is interesting. The middle has an easy flex, but the tail is pretty stiff, and the nose is a little softer. Combined with all that camber, this board is very poppy and lively. It launches off everything with tons of pop. It’s not as easy to butter as you’d expect because of the stiff camber in the tip and tail, but still more doable than it looks thanks to that softer flex in the middle.

Switch & Park

When it comes to riding switch, it’s no Aviator, but for a tapered directional board, it does very well. At reference stance, it rode switch pretty well. In the park, you can go big, small, or medium. I liked how it launched off side hits, and it enhances your jumping performance, making you look better than you are. Jibs are not ideal due to the flex and edges, and while I didn’t ride it in the pipe, I think some riders would like it there since it boosts well out of the coping.

Uneven Snow

This poppy personality can buck and bounce a bit in uneven snow, but it’s manageable. It has good travel and some shock absorption that makes it more predictable and comfortable for all-day riding. If you see a lot of uneven snow and like a damper board you can for sure do better.

Turning/Carving

Turn initiation is pretty quick, and once on edge, the balanced sidecut makes all types of turns fun. Medium radius turns are its sweet spot, but it can also handle down-the-line and cross-groomer carves well. With so much camber and spring, plus the softer flex in the middle, it’s easy to engage torsionally. If you like twisting the board and engaging your feet differently, the Jones Howler will feel great. The spring out of a turn is very satisfying. I wouldn’t say this is the best for more higher speed, harder carvers. The harder and faster you push made it sometimes over flex and bottom out pretty easy but for those who mainly like medium speed carves, like me, it was pretty fun.

Speed

The Jones Howler maintains composure really well on short to medium straight lines. It’s not ideal for really long, sustained lines, but it’s better than many boards I’ve tried.

Base Glide

The base is very good. It’s clear with text and PDX gun repair keeps it looking good. That said, I do miss the old all-black bases on Jones boards.

Powder

In powder, this board isn’t bad. The spoon nose and tail make for a fun turning experience. However, there are much better powder boards in the Jones lineup. If you like a more centered cambered feel in powder, know how to keep speed, and enjoy launching with good landing gear, this will work. I was surprised it did better than expected, but I’d still reach for a Stratos, Flagship, or Mind Expander on a powder day.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Jones Howler is a niche board and for me the softer flex in the middle wasn’t personally for me. I’d like to see the carbon come down more into the waist to give the middle a little less flex and a little more pop. It could work for those who love the Aviator but always wanted it in a more tapered directional shape, this is it. It pops incredibly well on an Ollie, carves hard, and airs with ease. If that’s your style, the Jones Howler could be a great addition to your quiver and possibly even a daily driver.