The Jones Rally Cat Written Review Review by The Good Ride

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A Detailed Breakdown Of How The Jones Rally Cat Rides And Who It Is For

How It Was Tested:

I borrowed the Jones Rally Cat for an extended demo and sent it back…but I didn’t want to.

Size: 156
Days: 5
Conditions: Mostly varied spring conditions, but I got some late spring pow and good groomers.  
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10”, 185-190lbs)
Boots: Ride Deadbolt, Bataleon Acid BOA
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Atlas, Union Force
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Jones Mtn Surf Anorak, Skyline Fuse Jacket
Pant: Jones Mountain Surf Bib, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Bib,  Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant
Helmet: Smith Method & Smith Scout
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt,

Similar Boards to the Jones Rally Cat We Like (but not the same):

Korua Otto, K2 Manifest, Jones Frontier, Ride Algorythm, Ride Shadowban, Salomon Highpath, Yes Standard Uninc, Yes Basic Uninc, Cardiff Lynx

James’s Set Up: 21.5” Wide. Stance Angles +15/-15 and +18/-19. Close to Reference on groomers and set all the way back in powder.

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Approximate Weight

The Jones Rally Cat feels pretty normal and a little heavier than the Aviator 2.0. (We don’t put in the exact weight because, with wood cores, there is no consistency in a board’s weight)

Jones Rally Cat Sizing

I asked for a 158, but they didn’t have it. I was surprised that the Jones Rally Cat 156 felt a lot better for my weight than I thought it would, and it worked well for my size 9 US boots. It’s not a hard board to ride, so I could even go up to 161 for my specs, and I could turn it, but I’d lose a lot of its all-mountain/easy-to-spin/throw-around feel in its design. I think the 158 would be the size I’d get for my specs.

Sizing is all about balancing what fits your boot size and your weight for how you like to ride. If your boot is too wide, you can’t turn it; if it’s too narrow, you get the dreaded Toe & Heel Drag. Your weight is a close second to boot size because it determines how the board will feel under your foot.  Height comes in a distant 3^rd. Some prefer control, so matching the boot size is the priority. Others prefer dampness over control and like to size up.

Suggested Boot Sizes

Here are some ideal US boot sizes for the Jones Rally Cats, but you could go with bigger boots if you want to. Remember that there is a bump right in the middle of the waist, so subtract about 2-3mm from the waist width if you calculate it that way. It is best to use their width underfoot in the specs to know for sure.
151: 6.5-7.5
154: 7.5-8
156: 8-9
158: 8.5-9.5
161: 9-10
155w: 9.5-10.5
159w: 10-11
162w: 10.5-11.5
166w: 11-12
170w: 11.5-12.5

I would stay close to Jones’ weight recommendations. If it comes down to boot size or weight, I would ensure it fits your boot first and then your weight a close second. It’s ok to go a little over the recommended weight to get a better fit for your boot size and if you want more control.

Shape

The Jones Rally Cat is a directional twin with a little longer nose than tail, but it feels almost like a twin on snow.

Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level

The Jones Rally Cat’s Camber runs to just a little before the nose tail but it isn’t as high as the Aviator 2.0 and there is a little early rise before the spooon nose and tail. It’s not as unforgiving as it looks and I found it very easy to skid a turn. It tracked very well one footing and flat basing in all conditions.

Flex Personality

You have a medium flex in the nose and tail but a pretty soft flex between the feet. The Jones Rally Cat feels less soft on snow despite the soft middle flex. It’s a pretty poppy and buttery all-around ride.

Uneven Snow

The Jones Rally Cat’s soft, somewhat damp flex is a good all-day ride in everything from hard, micro-bumpy snow to soft, uneven snow. Just don’t hammer through uneven, soft snow. The Aviator 2.0 is better for that, but everything else is better than the Aviator 2.0 and Mountain Twin Pro, and I even like it better than the Jones Mountain Twin. It’s not as good as the Frontier, though.

Edge Hold

Jones does edge hold well, and I could commit to a turn in harder snow without feeling the board wash out on me. I couldn’t do the same on same-day tests with the Mountain Twin Pro 157. It washed in the tip/tail.

Speed

If you like decent speed, the Jones Rally Cat isn’t for you. The Frontier or Aviator 2.0 is a better choice.

Base Glide

The base of the Jones Rally cat had too much die-cut for my taste, and I could feel it when running my fingers over it. I would have liked a black base and a little orange Jones logo in the nose and tail.

Turning Experience/Carving

The Rally Cat can carve well if you don’t need a torsionally stiff ride to do so. I don’t, and I had fun making cruising carves in all conditions. Center weighting your turns is where this board shines, but it doesn’t feel washy in hard snow if your front foot or back foot weighs your turns. It has a more turny feel to it than the Mountain Twins and feels balanced but a touch-turny. It’s easy to initiate a turn as well.

Powder

I got a little late spring pow but didn’t get to capture all of it on film due to a corrupted memory card. It wasn’t all time, but I got a taste of how this would float in comparison to the Jones Mountain Twins. It’s not bad when set all the way back.

Speaking of setting it all the way back. You can get -2.125″ back from the center of the board at a 22” stance width, which isn’t bad for an all-board. I like it better than the Jones Mountain Twin and Mountain Twin Pro, which is -1.75″ at a 22.75″ stance width. That’s a pretty good directional float, and I feel that the spoon, nose, and tail make the turning experience a little smoother/fun in pow. It doesn’t help with float too much, but it needs a little bit of early rise before the nose/tail does.

Final Thoughts

When I looked at the catalog, this Jones Rally Cat seemed redundant at first, but after testing it, I think it’s a great addition to the Jones Line. It’s a board I wouldn’t mind owning, and I liked riding it more than the Mountain Twins. I think it will come down to personal preference if you like the Aviator 2.0 or Rally Cat more. If you are like me, you might be happier saving some cash and just getting the Rally Cat.