Jones Mind Expander Split Review by Jay

An Un-Paid, Un-Biased Breakdown Of How the Jones Mind Expander Split Rides Review by The Good Ride

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A Detailed Breakdown of The Jones Mind Expander Split

How The Jones Mind Expander Split Was Tested:

I borrowed the Jones Mind Expander Split for an extended demo and sent it back.

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Size: 152cm
Days: 10+
Conditions:   Mostly spring with with variable firm up high and suncupped down low

Riders:  Jay (Size 8.5, 5’7.5” 165lbs),
Boots: K2 Ender
Bindings: Nitro Vertical

Similar Boards We Like (but not the same):

Lib Tech Orca Split, Cardiff Powgoda Split, Lib Tech BRD Split, Korua Transition Finder Split

Approximate Weight

The Jones Mind Expander Split felt pretty normal weight-wise for this width and length. (We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores, there is no consistency in a board’s weight)

Sizing

The 154 I tried earlier felt overly flexy, unstable, and didn’t float well. It was a jack-of-all-trades in the worst way. But upsizing to a 158 turned this into a jack-of-all-trades in the best way. At 165 lbs and five-foot-seven, I found that going up in size made the board come alive.

Camber

It has a spooned, wider nose and a setback camber profile. So you get a little spring on the up, but not a ton.

Shape

This board is tapered directional. I love the flex in the tail. The tail looks short, but it’s actually long for a powder-focused board. In steep chutes or must-make turns, you can pivot off the tail nicely. Firmer boards require aggressive back-foot pressure to pivot. This one smears the rear end and sets your edge with control.

Flex Profile

Looking at this board holistically, it has a very progressive ramp-up from a soft/medium-ish middle to a medium to medium-stiff tail—but it’s not a detriment.

Hardware

Jones includes their amazing hardware. Karakoram clips up front and back on the tail, keeping the board united and solid. These clips, combined with the disrupted sidecut, make the board ride more like a solid than any other split you’ve tried.

If you constantly feel splitboard edges wiggling apart, get on a Jones with a disrupted sidecut—it’s a game-changer.

Uphill Performance

How does the Mind Expander climb? It has a mostly medium width and a wide nose with taper. I found it easy to shift weight over the edges during side-hilling. The early-riser nose makes trail-breaking a no-brainer. Though it’s marketed for soft snow, I had no problems using it on major alpine missions.

You’ll notice a medium to medium-soft flex underfoot. It doesn’t give spring out of every step, but it doesn’t feel dead either. It climbs easily and efficiently. This board just lets you do your job—get up the track and enjoy your day.

Turning Experience

I loved the turning experience on this board. The tail is not super stiff but leans toward medium-stiff. In tight, steep chute turns, it’s easy to get through terrain and set your edge for control. In wide-open bowls, it has enough shock absorption to hold big, wide-open turns with ease.

Powder

The Jones Mind Expander is one of the floatiest boards around. The Jones Mind Expander Split is just as floaty. No back leg burn on this boat.

Uneven Snow

On Mount Adams, we hit the top 2,500 ft of some of the worst conditions I’ve ever seen—corrugated steel snow. Yes, the board was chattering and bouncing, but so was everyone else. I didn’t lose an edge once and felt completely in control. Once we reached the corn in the chutes below, it was unbelievable.

This board flexes just enough to soak up chatter and still float incredibly well when you do find that dreamy snow.

Base Glide

It comes with an 8000 series base. I’m a fan of simple black bases. This one has some cool graphics too.

It doesn’t glide quite like the 9000 series base on other Jones boards, but it’s still ahead of the pack. You’re not going to get stuck on runouts while your friends glide away. Just keep it waxed, and you’re good.

Final Thoughts

I had an amazing time on the Jones Mind Expander Split. I was impressed by how enjoyable the turning experience on this board is. The best boards disappear beneath you and let you do what you want. If you want great experiences with friends in the mountains, this board will let you do exactly that.