Positives
- Stable and forgiving but not boring.
- Good base for the price point.
- Good Set Back Float For a Directional Twin
- Tracks well into jumps.
Negatives
- Not as good float as some All-Mtn boards these days
- Spoon nose/tail can be a little washy on a butter or a carve in hard snow
Summary
The Jones Mountain Twin rides a little softer and closer to a twin vs. the Jones Frontier but still has a little extra setback on board vs. a true twin. Update 2025: The Jones Mountain Twin got a slight upgrade, with the addition of Basalt stringers to give it a little more pop, but it's almost the same ride as before. The Ultra Mountain Twin changed to the Mountain Twin Pro, and the Rally Cat joined the line. Check the write-up below to learn more.Where To Buy
No obligation, but these links support the site.
Blauer Board Shop
Favorite StoreJones
evo
REI
Christy Sports
Stoked Board Shop
BlueTomato Belgium
BlueTomato France
BlueTomato Sweden
BlueTomato Denmark
PRFO Sports Canada
Riding Style | All Mountain |
Riding Level | Beginner - Expert |
Fits Boot size (US) | < 8, 8-10, 10-12, > 12 |
Manufactured in | Dubai by SWS |
Shape | Directional Twin |
Camber Profile | Hybrid Camber |
Stance | Centered |
Approx. Weight | Feels Normal |
Split | Comes in split |
On Snow Feel | |
Turn Initiation | |
Skidded Turns |
Flex | |
Buttering | |
Edge Hold |
Where To Buy
No obligation, but these links support the site.
Blauer Board Shop
Favorite StoreJones
evo
REI
Christy Sports
Dreamruns
Public Lands
Stoked Board Shop
BlueTomato Belgium
BlueTomato France
BlueTomato Sweden
BlueTomato Denmark
BlueTomato Finland
BlueTomato Italy
BlueTomato UK
BlueTomato Netherlands
BlueTomato Austria
BlueTomato Germany
BlueTomato Spain
SnowCountry
PRFO Sports Canada
Jones Mountain Twin 2024 Snowboard Written Review Review by The Good Ride
A Detailed Breakdown Of How The Jones Mountain Twin It Rides And Who It Is For
So this is a short update for 2025. The Jones Mountain Twin didn’t change but the line did. There are some new choices.
- The Mountain Twin Pro is similar to the Ultra Mountain Twin but feels a little lighter and poppier. It does have more chatter, though.
- The Jones Rally Cat- Review is coming soon, but to give you a little spoiler, it’s a softer flexing version of the Aviator 2.0. It really shined against the Ultra Mountain Twin on same-day tests. It also shined when compared to many other exceptional all-mountain boards. If you are a Patreon Member, you can learn a lot more about it. The Jones Mountain Twin is still a good board, but I liked the extra pop
How The Jones Mountain Twin Was Tested
I borrowed the Jones Mountain Twin for an extended demo and sent it back.
Size: 159
Days: 4
Conditions: Some decent pow, good groomers, and a couple of days with varied conditions.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10”, 185-190lbs)
Boots: Ride Torrent, Ride Fuse, Ride Deadbolt, Nidecker Rift Lace
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Atlas
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Jones Mtn Surf Anorak, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Jacket
Pant: Jones Mountain Surf Bib, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Bib
Helmet: Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt,
James’s Set Up: 21.5” Wide. Sance Angles +15/-15, +18/-9. Close to Reference on groomers and Set all the way back in powder.
Similar Boards (but not the same)
Korua Otto, Jones Ultra Mountain Twin, K2 Manifest, Jones Mountain Twin, Ride Algorythm, Ride Wild Life, Yes Basic Uninc, Cardiff Lynx,
Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews, and this is our unfiltered opinion. We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average rider’s perspective.
If this review helped, we’d appreciate it if you:
- Become a Patron and get early access to reviews well before they are published. https://www.patreon.com/thegoodride
- Donate to https://venmo.com/TheGoodRide (@TheGoodRide) or https://paypal.me/thegoodride
- Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/thegoodride
- Like & Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thegoodridesnow
I’ve owned and ridden this board extensively in various designs since it came out. This year I mainly tested it against the Ultra Mountain Twin and Frontier same, boots, bindings, and runs.
Approximate Weight
The Jones Mountain Twin is right in the middle weight-wise. (We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores, there is no consistency in a boards weight)
Sizing
The 157 Jones Mountain Twin is the right size for me. I’ve tried and owned the 160 in the past, and it fits my weight a little better, but it felt slow to turn. On top of that, the extra 3cm just felt a little too big for a directional twin. I can easily handle it, but I just don’t like the way it turns compared to the 157. Also the 157
Here are some ideal US boot sizes for the Jones Mountain Twin. You can, of course, go bigger or smaller depending on your riding style and boot’s footprint. These suggestions just work best for not turning the board slower than it should be and not having the dreaded Toe and heel Drag.
* Remember there are bumps on each side of the middle of the board, so subtract 3-4mm from the waist width*
149: 6.5-7.5
151: 7-8
154: 8-9
157: 8.5-9.5
160: 9.5-10.5
163: 10-11
153w: 9.5-10.5
156w: 10-11
159w: 10.5-11.5
162w: 11-12
165w: 11.5-12.5
168w: 12-13
For weight, I would stay close to Jones’ recommended weight ranges when it comes to the Mountain Twin. If it comes down to boot size or weight, I would make sure it fits your boot first and then your weight a close second because it can handle a rider heavier than the recommended weight range.
Shape
The Jones Mountain Twin is a directional twin with a nose a little longer than the tail. So when set up on the Freestyle stance marker (centered on the sidecut), it feels really close to a true twin. When set on the Freeride stance marker (set back 20mm), it feels a little less twin, but overall, it’s a very centered ride compared to the Frontier.
Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level
There is a camber from a good bit past the inserts and then rocker to spoon tech in the tip/tail. The Spoon Tech does mostly stays away from the camber park, but it can feel a touch washy in hard to icy snow or on a really hard carve. Besides that, it’s a very stable one-footing and flat basing, and it’s a decent all-conditions ride.
Flex Personality
The Jones Mountain Twin has a pretty medium flex and a decent pop, but I wouldn’t call this super poppy. The addition of basalt stringers helps a little, and it’s more poppy than before but still very similar to the 2024 model. It’s not dead either, but it’s a good bit behind the Aviator and similar boards like it. The spoon nose can wash a little buttering if you aren’t perfectly centered on the nose, and it can take some getting used to.
If you like a stiffer flex, the Ultra Mtn Twin will be better for you, and you don’t sacrifice much in uneven terrain. However, if you like to butter and want a little better ride in all conditions, the Mtn Twin is the choice.
Uneven Terrain
The Jones Mountain Twin does very well in hard, uneven, and soft uneven snow. It’s not an ultra-damp board for charging, but most will find this great for all-day riding.
Edge Hold
There is a mellow but pretty pronounced sidecut disruption that gives a very competent grip in hard snow without grabbing in soft snow.
Base Glide
The Jones Mountain Twin has a really fast base for this price point and has a really easy mid-winter glide. It’s on the same level as the Frontier but behind the Ultra Mtn Twin.
Speed
This isn’t a straight-liner, but it really tracks well going straight. You can see it’s made to handle kickers of any size. The Ultra Mountain Twin is better for going bigger but most riders like me need any more than what you get with the Mountain Twin.
Turning Experience/Carving
The turn initiation is medium, bordering on medium/fast, and this newer shape is a little quicker edge-to-edge vs. the old. That being said, it’s still not as quick edge to edge as the Jones Frontier. In comparing the 159 Frontier to the 157 Mountain Twin (same suggested size), the Frontier initiated a turn faster and is more on the turny side of balanced. The Jones Mountain Twin and Ultra Mountain Twin are more on the straight-line side of balanced. There is a good but not amazing spring out of a turn on a really hard carve.
Powder
So, I’ve ridden the Jones Mountain twin in a lot of powder over the years. The spoon nose tech doesn’t help as much with float, but it sure does make the turning experience better. You still get some early rise to help with float. I like the base better of the Ultra Mountain Twin but it’s not any easier in float. The Frontier is much better in pow, and I like the float better when set all the way back.
If you set the Jones Mountain Twin all the way back, you get 1.75” back from the center of the board at a 22.75” stance width. That is much better than 1.75” on the Jones Mountain Twin.
Switch/Pipe/Jumps
Very doable switch. It tracks well into a jump and rides pipe very well. If you want to jib all the time, get the tweaker, but this will work if you like to jib on occasion.
Conclusion
Overall, I really like the Jones Mountain Twin, but I seem to be recommending the Jones Frontier a lot more lately. It’s more of a directional ride, and people seem to want that more these days. There is better float, and most prefer the turning experience as well. That being said, this is a super fun board and great for those who want to ride switch a lot hit jumps in the park/mountain but still get a little directional float in pow vs. a normal twin.
Jones Mountain Twin Past Reviews
2021-2023 Jones Mountain Twin Snowboard Review
Jones Mountain Twin Snowboard Video and Written Review
You are about to read and watch the Jones Mountain Twin Snowboard Review from an average rider with an exceptionally objective perspective.
Update 2023: The Jones Mountain Twin hasn’t changed since 2021 so this review still stands.
Turn Ons/Swipe Right: Stable, tracks well into jumps, fast base, turns easier in soft snow. Great one board quiver.
Turn Offs/Swipe Left: Needs a little more responsive binding.
Summary
The 2021 Jones Mountain Twin has a longer effective edge and spoon tech in the nose tail, making it for an easier turning, poppier ride than past models.
Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews, and this is our unfiltered opinion. We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average rider’s perspective.
A Break Down of How it rides and who it is for
How This Review Happened: We borrowed this for an extended demo, sent it back, but then liked it so much I bought it…and I bought the split for some me time in the spring when the reviews are over.
Size: 157
Days: 3, but more to come.
Conditions: Some pretty rough, wet hard to ride spring conditions, some ok groomers, and some early summer slackountry time with Drift Boards.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs), Peter (Size 8, 5’11” 185lbs)
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV, Northwave Decades
Insoles: Sandsole Custom Insoles, F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Atlas, Union Strata
Similar Boards (but not the same): Korua Otto, Lib Tech Terrain Wrecker, Capita Mercury, YES NSB, Endeavor Pioneer, Jones Mountain Twin, Endeavor Ranger, K2 Manifest, Yes Typo, Jones Frontier, Ride Algorythm, Ride Wild Life,
Set-Up: 21”, 21.5”, 22” Wide. 21 front -6 back. Close to Reference and Set all the way back. 22” Wide. 15 front, -15 back.
Approximate Weight:
Feels Normal, bordering on light.
(We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores, there is no consistency in a boards weight)
Sizing
Here are some ideal US boot sizes for these Jones Mountain Twin sizes. You can, of course, go bigger or smaller, but these work best for not turning the board slower than it should be and not having the dreaded Toe and heel Drag.
151: 8-9
154: 8-9
157: 9-10 Width over inserts. Front Inserts: 27(Top), 26.7( Freestyle Ref), 26.3 (Freeride Ref) & 26.1(Bottom) Back Inserts: 26.2(Top), 26.6( Freestyle Ref), 26.8 (Freeride Ref) & 27.2(Bottom)
160: 10-10.5
163: 10-11
156W: 10-11
159W: 10.5-11.5
162W: 10.5-12
165W: 12-13
168W: 12-13
Check Their sizes as well for their take and especially so for weight.
Shape/Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level
It has a shorter spooned nose/tail, a longer effective edge, slightly tweaked traction tech, and a new base. Despite all the changes, it still defines what we call a one-board quiver/all-mountain board. The shape of the Jones Mountain Twin is still a directional twin, still has a longer nose than tail, and still has more setback on board than most directional twins with a centered stance.
The new shape has spoon tech in the nose tail but it seems to mellow out or straight up stop right about where the camber ends. So it still feels like a hybrid camber ride in harder snow, but the spoon tech kicks in while in softer snow, making it turn a little easier than before. This makes for a very consistent feel underfoot in all conditions when one-footing off the chair or flat basing. The Jones Mountain Twin can skid turns, too.
Flex/Pop/Buttering
The Jones Mountain Twin has a medium flex between the bindings with a little softer flex in the nose. It makes for a board that is pretty easy to butter because the rocker in the tip/tail already gets you started. The pop has improved for 2021, and we feel like we can get a little more air out of an Ollie with the 2021 over past models. It was one area where we felt Jones could improve the ride in the past. It tracks really well into jumps too.
Speed
The base of the Jones Mountain Twin is super fast for this price point. Jones always puts out a board with a fast base.
Uneven Terrain
This isn’t going to power over chunder and tracked up snow like some Jones boards, but it has this really fatigue-free all-day ride that we really like.
Edge Hold
The traction tech changed from 2.0 to 3.0. What does that mean? It is hard to say, but there is still a mellow disruption in the side cut, similar to the older model. It held great in the hard patches we encountered and didn’t grab in even the wettest, messy snow we had, which was most of our time on this.
Turn Initiation
So before the Jones Mountain Twin was bordering on the slow side of medium. Now, it is more in the middle. This is great for tracking in a stable, easy way to a natural feature on the mountain or a kicker in the park when you want to get air because it doesn’t feel like the board is asking you to turn. It just says…yeah…ok…I’m in. What is cool, though, is it borders on being medium/fast in softer snow and in powder. It just helps you initiate the turn a little faster and makes it easier in messy bumps or in the trees on a powder day. This is a nice change from the past models. Still, we like going with medium to med/fast response bindings with this board.
Turning Experience/Carving
Really engaging the sidecut makes the Jones Mountain Twin grip and carve well in most conditions you want to ride. It powers through a hard turn well enough but doesn’t have that ultra-satisfying, mostly camber carve either. That is the price you pay for being so forgiving a ride.
Powder
The Jones Mountain Twin can’t hang with the more directional Jones boards in the line but really does well for a Directional Twin with a centered stance. You can actually set it back 1.75″ back from the center of the board with a 22.8″ stance width and get close to 1″ with the 22.8 Freeride Reference Stance Width. If you choose the freestyle stance of 22.8″ as well, you can get .25″ back on board and ride it more like a true twin in powder if that is what you are into. This is what makes this such a versatile one-board quiver to us. On top of that, there is an early rise in the nose/tail, and the mellow spoon tech helps this board roll more easily into a turn in powder.
Conclusion
So there are lots of changes to the 2021 Jones Mountain Twin, but the main takeaway is more pop and a board that turns a little faster. It is a solid recommendation for those who can only get one board and want it to do a little of everything. Especially good directional float in powder.
If this review helped, we’d appreciate if you:
- Become a Patron and get early access to reviews well before they are published. https://www.patreon.com/thegoodride
- Donate to https://venmo.com/TheGoodRide (@TheGoodRide) or https://paypal.me/thegoodride
- Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/thegoodride?
- Like & Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thegoodridesnow
Jones Mountain Twin 2018 Review
The Jones Mountain Twin doesn’t stand out in any one category, but it’s got a consistency underfoot in any condition or terrain that makes it pretty fun almost anywhere you go. If you want a damper faster version of this board then check out the Jones Ultra Mountain Twin. Or, if you want something a bit more directional, faster turning, and more floaty, the Jones Frontier is a great choice.
What has changed
We didn’t ride the 2020 Jones Mountain Twin, but other than a change to a more eco-friendly resin and a slightly updated core, it’s the same ride as before. So the 2018 review still stands, and the changes weren’t big enough to tax Jones to borrow the board again.
The 2019 and 2018 Jones Mountain Twin are pretty much the same rides, and the only thing really new for 2019 is the addition of a 167w for the tall, big-footed rider. Also, we mention how much stiffer it is than the past year, but our demo model turned out to be stiffer than the production models we have encountered. It’s still a bit stiffer torsionally than the past models, but they are not as stiff as the 2018 demo we tried.
Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews. We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average rider’s perspective.
How It Was Tested
We borrowed this for an extended demo and then returned it.
Size: 157
Days: 4
Conditions: Pretty good Sierra snow.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-195lbs), Jimbo (Size 11, 5’11” 160lbs), Zobel (Size 11.5, 6’ 180lbs, Peter (Size 8, 5’11” 185lbs)
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV, Adidas Acerra, Burton SLX, Burton Almighty, Burton Rover,
Insoles: Footprint Insole Technology Gamechangers, Footprint Insole Technology Gamechangers Lite,
Bindings: Union Atlas, Burton Genesis X,
Set Up: 22.75” Centered 15 front, -15 back
Approximate Weight: Feels pretty normal.
Flex/Pop/Buttering
It’s got a pretty medium-ish flex across the board, but on snow, the tip/tail feels softer. It is pretty easy to butter, too. One thing we would like to see is a little more pop-through, a little more camber, or some other tech that can help this snap harder.
Sizing
The 157 works for my specs. You know me…Biesty…the guy who writes all this shit. Works well for Peter, too. However, for Jimbo and Zobel the 158w is for sure the call.
On Snow Feel/Skidded Turns
The Jones Mountain Twin is a super stable ride but isn’t catchy. It tracks super well when one foots off a chair or down a long flat cat track without the fear of catching an edge. It’s got a very smooth cruising type of personality that blends with a wide variety of riders and really defines the one-board quiver ride well. Ride it like a mountain freestyle twin on groomers, but then set it back in powder and get some pretty good directional float if you don’t feel like riding a switch. It is super easy to skid a turn, and it works for just about any ability-level rider.
Edge Hold
Really strong grip without being grabby. Might not be perfect for those that see a lot of ice but for most of us at good West Coast or Central mountains in the good old US of A this is all we need.
Turn Initiation
One of the biggest complaints with the Jones Mountain Twin is the edge-to-edge transitioning. It needs a pretty responsive binding and boot to start to respond, and many of us have felt it a little slow in the trees. Some love this ultra-stable feel, but others, including most of the crew at The Good Ride, would like a little faster turn initiation.
Turning/Carving
These days, it’s not quite as exciting as it used to be, but that’s mainly because many boards in the industry have added boards with a little more camber and a little less rocker, but it’s still fun. It holds through a carve rather well, though.
Speed
Very stable and easy at speed between the feet, but the nose tail does bounce around a bit more than we would like. The real strong point for us is this base seems to push the Jones Mountain Twin past most of those long flats you can often see at resorts. Even though it’s not the fastest base Jones makes, it has really good glide to it.
Uneven Terrain
We actually like the Jones Mountain Twin better here with uneven terrain than the Jones Ultra Mountain Twin. Both are a bit sluggish turning through the bumps, but the MT handles the crowded, messy resort snow a bit better than the UMT.
Powder
There is a very good directional float when you set it all the way back at a 22.75″ stance width. If you do, you get a 3.5″ difference between nose and tail or a 1.75″ set back from the center of the board. That, combined with the early rise rocker in the nose, gives much better float than most mountain freestyle twins that have minimal setback on board and are often closer to 1″ back from the center of the board.
It’s pretty strong if you want to center it up for switch powder riding, so it’s a pretty versatile powder ride. It’s no powder specialist, but like any good all-mountain board, it’s competent almost anywhere, and powder is no exception. We have had many days on the Jones Mountain Twin in Powder, and it does a good job acting like a more directional powder board when you set it back.
Buttering
For the flex, you would think the Jones Mountain Twin would be tough to butter, but it’s pretty easy and fun.
Switch
Really good switch and just a little shy of a true twin. If you like to center it up and ride groomers/park switch this is a great call.
Jumps
I wish there was a little more pop, but everything else about the Jones Mountain Twin does great on kickers of any size. It picks up speed quickly, is very stable approaching, and is very easy/forgiving when landing.
Jibbing
It’s a little on the stiff side for jibbing, but you can make it happen. Even I don’t have issues with mellow features.
Pipe
We have ridden a lot of pipe with the Jones Mountain Twin and like it.
So all and all, the Jones Mountain Twin from years 2017-2020 is a fun ride that will fit a wide variety of riders. So, if you are ok with the mid-level pop, it has a very consistent personality in all conditions, and it still remains one of the best one-board quivers you can get your hands on these days. Lately, we have been liking the easier, uneven snow performance on the Mtn Twin a little more than the Ultra Mountain Twin, but it can go either way.
2015-2017 Jones Mountain Twin Review
There isn’t much difference in terms of ride between the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Jones Mountain Twin in terms of ride, so the 15 review is pretty much the same. Just some very minor tweaks. There are more sizes, though.
** The 2015 Jones Mountain Twin is not centered. The product brochure had a typo. It’s still set back like it’s been for years now **
The 2015 Jones Mountain Twin is very much like the 2014 except it has a lighter more lively core. It’s still pretty much the same ride but just pops a little better on an ollie and springs out of a turn a little better. Also the tip and tail seem to chatter a little less than previous models. It’s just another improvement on the existing ride. Nevertheless, here is our take on how the 15’s lighter core played on snow compared to the 2014 and 2013 models.
Size: 157
Days: 15+
Conditions: Really good snow, some lighter leftover Rockies powder, some leftover Sierra powder, along with hard snow slowly changing to slush over the day.
Riders: James, Jimbo, Peter, Mary, Kristi,
Boots: Burton SLX, Burton Fiend LTD, Salomon F3.0, Burton Fiend, Burton Ion, Salomon Synapse
Bindings: Burton Cartel, Burton Genesis, Burton Diode, Flux SF, Flux DS, Flux TT, Union Factory, Union Contact Pro, Salomon Hologram, Salomon Defender
Set Up: Guys- Centered approx 23″ wide, 15 front -15 back. Girls- Set Back 10 mm 15 front -6 back.
Approximate Weight
The 2015 Jones Mountain Twin 157 weighed in at 6.0 lbs, which is .4 lbs lighter than the 2014. Now, this is just a comparison between my board from last year and my board from this year. Wood Cores vary in weight, so your board could weigh less or more.
On Snow Feel
The personality of the board never changes from powder to ice or from peak to jib park. You always know exactly what you are going to feel underfoot. Many board’s personalities change according to the conditions, but the Jones Mountain Twin does not, and that’s hard to do in this hybrid world of snowboards.
The Jones Mountain Twin has the stability of the camber and the catch-free feel of a rocker. It’s easy one footing off a chair or flat basing on a long flat run. Skidding a turn is easy and it’s a forgiving board that applies to a wide variety of riding styles. It’s the kind of board that can butter, carve, ollie, and ride switch all over the mountain. It can also stop in the pipe and jump park with no problem, as well as hit some mellow jibs. There are no surprises
So, just to get a little into the tech, the Jones Mountain Twin has about a 50/50 camber rocker combo and a set-back camber, so there is more rocker in the nose than the tail. Also, the nose length is longer than the tail length. Then, with a setback of -20mm, it’s kind of a stretch for Jones to call this a twin. I’d actually like to see them call this the Jones All Mountain. This design hasn’t changed since 2013, and it’s the same great on-snow feel.
Turn Initiation
Same middle ground turn initiation that isn’t instantaneous but isn’t hard either. Maybe it’s the mellow Magne traction bump in the middle, but it just doesn’t snap edge to edge super quick. Still, turns are fun on all radius levels.
Flex
This year, the flex is a little bit more stiff in the tip and tail, but it seems about the same in the middle. Still, it’s easy to butter. I would disagree with the 7 out of 10 flex and say it feels a little more on the medium side instead of med/stiff.
Edge Hold
A step below magnetraction, for sure. The mellow mag has no grab in powder or soft snow, which this board excels in, and it holds pretty well in hard conditions. I wouldn’t call it an ice specialist, though. It’s the kind of edge hold that I really like because it performs well in just about any condition the average rider wants to ride.
Powder
Every Jones board knows the importance of easy float in powder, and the more powder days I get, the more I appreciate the Jones Mountain Twin. I’d say my only complaint with the Mtn Twin is the turn initiation is not that fast in tighter tree situations. I’d love to see them make it a little faster edge to edge. It stays above the snow well even when it’s centered.
It’s -20mm set back on the effective edge but more like -38 mm (1.5″) set back on the board. That, combined with the directional rocker and larger nose it float really easily when set all the way back and so when set all the way back with an approximately 22.75″ stance width I’m 3.5″ back on board which is pretty far. This is a stand out when it comes to powder riding compared to most all-mountain boards out there.
Carving
It’s not a dedicated carver but it’s got some good qualities. The extra rocker in the nose takes away some camber from the profile that could have made it a better carver, but then you sacrifice some float in powder. Again, it’s all about compromising with a one-quiver board, and I think most prefer the extra float in powder.
I’m probably in the minority in saying that I’d like to see the camber extended a bit to lock in and spring out of the turn better. I love that it has more camber than the older Nidecker-made model, but over the years of riding this board, I’ve kind of wanted a little more these days. So basically, it’s got about as good carving ability as you can get for the amount of float you get in powder. With a strong lean, I can lay a driving carve back uphill and have fun doing it. I’ve found that carving is better with the Twin when you set back the stance so it’s centered over the set-back camber. So if you don’t ride, switch much, set it back a bit.
Speed
There is a bit of improvement when it comes to speed, and the nose/tail doesn’t chatter as much as it used to in 2013 and even 2014. The base, when waxed, still has a great glide that holds its speed for a long ride. I find myself passing people left and right on long, flat cat tracks. I don’t worry about making it through the flats, but I do worry about weaving in and out around slower skiers and riders when I’m on this board.
Uneven Terrain
With a little extra work, it can weave in and out through bumps, but it’s not a specialist here. Dealing with small, inconsistent groomers is easy. The Jones isn’t a chunder buster, but it’s pretty good passing through a tracked-out snow line without getting messy or bucking you.
Switch
Now, as I mentioned before, the Jones Mountain Twin has a lot of directional tech with this board that makes it less than perfect to ride the switch when centered. However it still is a very easy board to get to know riding the other direction. I mainly ride this board-centered, but even when it’s a little setback to get more centered over the camber, it’s easy to ride the switch.
Jumps
The new core gave a decent improvement to the pop this year when it comes to an ollie, but it’s still not a pop master. Hitting kickers is very predictable and stable. It’s easy to approach and forgiving on the landing.
Jibbing
This is probably the weakest part of the ride, but it’s not that bad, either. I’ve had no problem on more mellow entry-level boxes and bonks, but it’s not something I’d like to ride on more technical advanced jibs. As the board softens up as it’s ridden more jibs do get easier.
Pipe
One of those boards that are forgiving, has solid edge hold and drives well from wall to wall. It’s not perfect, but it’s really fun for all, but the super technical go massively big riders. You can easily spend a whole day lapping the pipe with the Jones.
So, other than the slightly slow turn initiation, I’d say that this is a board that can make the average rider (like us) happy just about anywhere on the mountain. This is about as close as a board can get to being a quiver of one. It’s one of those boards that can wear many hats on the mountain. If I can only take one board on a road trip, this would be it.
Jones Mountain Twin 2013-2014 Snowboard Review
How the Jones Mountain Twin Changed
The 2014 Jones Mountain Twin is very much a continuation of the 2013 model, so the 2013 and 2014 reviews is pretty much the same.
The 2013 Jones Mountain Twin is a lot different than the 2011 and 2012 models. They had a centered stance and a very small camber between the feet that ended before the binding inserts. It’s an extended camber profile and set back the stance -20mm. It’s now just barely a directional twin but a much better All Mountain Ride. In addition the build quality is much better than the older models.
2013 Model Size 160 and 157
2014 Model 157, 160 and 160W
How It Was Tested
Days: 50+
Conditions: Pretty much everything from 2+ feet of powder to ice.
Riders: James, Jimbo, Peter, Kyle, Stephen, Mary, Lee, and a few other friends not on the site. I think we have about 8-10 friends of The Good Ride try this board.
Bindings: Now IPO, Now Drive, Now Select, Burton Cartel, Burton Cartel Limited, Burton Diode, Union Force, Flux DMCC, Flux SF45, Burton Genesis, Union SL, Union Atlas, Union Contact Pro, and a few others.
Boots: Burton Ion, Burton SLX, Burton Imperial, Nike Kaiju, DC Judge, Nike Zoom Ites, Burton Ambush, Burton Ruler, Salomon Synapse
Stance– 23 in wide, 12 -12 centered. 23 in wide 18 -9. 22.5 in wide 15 -15. 23 in wide 18 -3. We have tried many more, too, depending on conditions, riding styles, and moods. Centered for more all-mountain freestyle riding and directional for powder or more directional all-mountain riding. Basically, this board is very versatile.
You always compromise when choosing one board for everything, but this is one of the best one-board solutions we have come across. We lost the YES Big City but gained an updated version in the 2013 Jones Mountain Twin.
We all love the more pronounced camber upgrade along with the setback of -20mm. The camber ends at about the last binding inserts, giving the Jones Mountain Twin a whole new feel. Before the camber ended before the first binding inserts on the inside. It will be recommendable for a much wider range of riders than the previous year’s models. This is now a better extra-camber version of the now-discontinued Yes Big City and will appeal to a wide variety of riders looking for a one-board solution. No one had a bad thing to say about this board, and everyone wanted it. Needless to say, it was the unanimous favorite in the All Mountain Category.
Size 157 Weight: 6.4 lbs
On Snow Feel
The extra camber adds some stability, but it still doesn’t feel catchy. If you live to ride groomers and stay mostly on the mountain, the New Jones Mountain Twin will make you very happy. It has multiple personalities as well. With a centered stance, the Jones can act like a great all-mountain freestyle board. If you set the stance set a little bit back, it can be an all-mountain directional carver. With the stance set all the way back, it can be a pretty good, very easy floating powder board. So it’s pretty versatile and does a better job of applying the very bold name of “all mountain” to this board. It’s got a very diverse personality that can fit a wide range of riders, and it does everything very well.
Powder
The -20mm setback is now identical to the now discontinued YES Big City, so it will be a little short of borderline excellent and do a great job in powder. Even with the added camber, the board will be easy to negotiate between trees and excellent on a narrow chute that might require tight turning. This is about as good as you can get for a directional twin. The YES Optimistic was probably the only other Directional Twin shape that did better in powder, but that was only because it had a bigger setback.
Turn initiation and Carving
The turn initiation is a little more work than the older version, mainly due to more camber between the feet. It felt like a little bit of work to make quick edge-to-edge turns, but you are working harder than you would with the older version. Most of us actually liked that. It eliminated the loose feel you can have with the older Jones All Mountain Twin. The carving was fun on the old Jones, but the added camber of the 2013 and 2014 Jones makes it much more fun to carve, and it’s one of its better qualities.
Speed
The Jones Mountain Twin 2014-2013 is great at almost any speed. If you were to compare this to other all-mountain boards with a similar flex and base, it would be excellent. However, if you compare this to something like the Jones Flagship, it’s going to come up short. That’s why this has a rating of great instead of excellent. The 2013 Base is one of the fastest bases we came across and, if well waxed, can glide through almost any extended flat area without issue. All of us who rode it found us passing everyone on long, flat cat tracks. The only thing that keeps it from being excellent is the flex. It’s a little bit chattery in the tip and tail when you are bombing, but you get used to it pretty quick.
Uneven Terrain
It’s medium flex and somewhat forgiving nature, so it can handle bumpy end-of-the-day snow rather well. With a good set of bindings, it will not pass up too much shock back to your feet if you have to go through Bumps or end-of-the-day groomers with snow all sprayed around. It’s still not fun, but it’s more bearable. It’s also not bad if you have to deal with icy off-piste kind of snow that you might find on the way to a powder stash or on a slack country adventure.
Approximate Weight
Feels pretty normal or just a shade on the light side of normal. Jones pushes the environmental thing and tries to work with less toxic and more sustainable materials, and it’s still pretty light.
Edge Hold
The Jones Mountain Twin, in our opinion, has just the right amount of edge hold. It inspires confidence in harder conditions and acts just like a regular old-school side cut in soft snow, which means it doesn’t grip. The 2013 is also a slight improvement over the 2011 and 2012 models because of the added camber. If you ride in icy conditions a lot, it can hang, but you would probably want something stronger, like an aggressive magnetraction board. For the rider who rides in hard to soft and only occasional ice, you will be more than happy with the edge hold.
Flex
It’s a medium flex, and it sits right in the middle of the medium. Still, the ride of the board feels a little more aggressive than its flex. Not a lot, but a little. It’s nowhere near as easy to jib or butter around as some of the other more freestyle-focused hybrid camber boards like the YES Jackpot or even the old Jones Mtn Twin, but it isn’t bad for a board that focuses more on carving and mountain riding. It’s much easier to butter than a camber board of this flex due to the rocker at the tip and tail.
Switch
If you want to center up the stance and ride switch, it’s still a directional twin that will almost ride like a true twin. Because of the setback stance, it won’t be as easy as the older models, but it’s still pretty close.
Jibs
Probably one of the only areas where it doesn’t do very well. You can have fun on little bonks and such, but it’s no technical rail/jib board.
Pipe
It’s a great pipe board. The added camber makes it carve up the pipe wall better than the older model. If you keep the edges sharp, the Mountain Twin would be a great dedicated pipe board.
Jumps
Much better pop than the old design. Much more fun to Ollie and about the same on the roller coaster line in the park. It’s a shade less forgiving than the older model, but it’s still a great time.
2012-2011 Jones Mountain Twin Review
The Jones Mountain Twin 2012-2011 is a pretty fun ride that many of us here at The Good Ride really enjoy.
Size 159.
Groomers
The Jones Twin is a good all-conditions groomer board and works well for a directional twin. It has many similarities to the YES The Basic, but it’s a step up in tech and performance. The Jones Twin is pretty loose and playful, but when you want to step it up and make some more directional groomer riding, it does a great job.
Powder
The Jones Twin is not going to have the float that the Yes Big City does, but it floats very well for a directional twin without a setback. There seems to be more rocker in the nose/tail than many other mostly rocker hybrid twins or directional twins with a centered stance out there. Still, this is going to be a fun ride in powder.
Turn Initiation and Carving
The Jones Mountain Twin is very fun to make short radius turns. The hybrid camber under the feet makes for a very lively, easy-to-turn board. If you are new to hybrid camber, it will take a bit of getting used to, but after a few runs, it will be really fun. When it comes to long-radius turns, the Jones is almost as fun. When it comes to carving, it’s really good for a board that looks like it’s almost a continuous rocker board. It’s not going to carve like a camber board, but it’s pretty close.
Speed
Pretty fast. The Jones Mountain Twin’s base is pretty fast, and the board is pretty damp. It’s nothing like its bigger brother, the Jones Flagship, or its cousin, the Yes Big City, but it does a good job with the most speed. There is little to no chatter when you pick up speed, either. This is no freeride board built for speed, but it’s very good for its shape and riding style. You can straightline most runs at moderate to high speeds with confidence, and the way it rides won’t sketch you out.
Weight
The Jones Mountain Twin is not terribly heavy but definitely more on the light side of things.
Edge Hold
We like the mellow Magne traction that comes with the Jones Snowboards. Unlike normal Magnetraction, this is hardly noticeable unless you look closely. It has much more of a normal snowboard feel and isn’t over-grippy, but when you hit a hard patch, it’s definitely helpful compared to a board without it. It’s like there is a long extension of the edge at the middle of the board, and the rest is almost unnoticeable. The more we ride this board, the more it feels like the edge hold is good but closer to the excellent side of good.
Flex
This has a medium flex but it still has a very playful buttery feel for how stiff it is. We were impressed with its ability to flex when you need it on the tip/tail. We’d say this is almost on the soft side of medium.
Switch
Felt more like a twin than a directional twin when riding the switch. We did not notice a difference with the centered stance.
Rails and Jibbing
You can hit rails and go through the jib park, but there are many better boards out there than the Jones Mountain Twin. That’s why it isn’t called the Jones Park Twin. Still, this does a good job with most small to medium rails and makes for a good board if you occasionally like to hit the jib park. We’d say this is closer to the average side of good.
Pipe
Soo much fun in the pipe. The flex is perfect for the pipe. Not too stiff and not too soft. There is much more control between the feet, excellent edge hold, and a good rocker shape after the bindings to make this a great pipe board. If you are all about lapping the pipe, then the Jones Mountain Twin will do a good job for most riders out there. Well, at least it did a great job for us.
Jumps
There is good pop, and we found it pretty easy to generate our own air. It was also very easy to pop off natural terrain. We didn’t lap the roller coaster park but felt this could do a great job with just about any size kicker the average to good rider can tackle.
The Jones Mountain Twin didn’t outshine any of the other mostly rocker hybrid camber boards we tried but seemed to tie with them in terms of performance. The more we rode this, the more we liked it. So in conclusion, this is another excellent board from the Nidecker Umbrella that is Jones Snowboards.
Jones Mountain Twin Specs
Jones Mountain Twin Images
Jones Mountain Twin User Reviews
Great board - wider than specified
Dear James,
thanks for your always great reviews! And also thanks for the improved measurments of the foot placement width/board width at the binding positions, which are really helpful for all those people out there who shop snowboards online.
The Jones Mountain Twin is a good example why your measurements are important: Jones specifies the Mtn Twin 157 as 25.4 cm "shaping waist width". Actually, my 2021 157 is 25.9 cm wide, measured on the base from edge to edge. 0.5 cm can make a significant difference, as it equals nearly a full boot size, for example between US9 and US10. With a size 10, I am happy about this now that I own the board, but before I was skeptical whether 25.4 cm would be wide enough for me. Your review helded me with the buying decisions, as I learned it would be wide enough at the binding area.
BTW: Measured on the topsheet, the board has a waist width of 25.5, which is close to the catalog specs. This all sounds nitty gritty nerdy stuff, but for me, I like my boards as narrow as possible at the waist, but wide enough at the bindings to do serious carving without toe drag.
Also BTW: the 25.9cm ww might explain the impression of the reviewers and some readers, why the board is not so quick from edge to edge as expected...
I cannot say more about the Mtn Twin yet, as I haven't ridden it so far ->lockdown :-(.
But since I also own some other Jones boards, I am convinced this one will not be dissapointment either.
(...hope that the black print-on-print graphic details will not chip off too easily...)
2020 Mountain Twin
The Good Ride review could not be more spot on for this board. This board is damp when it needs to be, blasts through rutted out terrain and stays glued to the hill until you need it to. I only hit kickers and small jumps (15ft) and thankfully for my old bones it is super stable and forgiving on landings.
My only knocks on not giving this board a 5, is it’s not as quick edge to edge as hoped. Coming off a Yes Typo, where I could react at the last second to a bump, or situation, the Jones MT needs a little prep time and distance, so I had to more aware of what’s ahead in case a quick turn was needed. Also edge hold on hard pack is good but not great like underbite or magnetraction, but still competent. I’m going to keep it, but the Jones Stratos has my eye.
A solid ride
Love this board, only disappointed in it's edge to edge speed. It may not be that bad, but come from the Nitro Quiver Fury, it's noticeably replayed. That said, it's extremely stable, fun to slash on, and doesn't give me any fits. I'll absolutely keep riding Jones bc of this one
Where To Buy
No obligation, but these links support the site.