Jones Women’s Tweaker Women’s Snowboard Review by Jordan

Size: 148
Days: 2
Conditions: Early spring PNW conditions, ice, pockets of shallow powder 2-3″, soft groomers.
Riders: Jordan (size 7.5, 135lbs, 5’6″
Boots: K2 Kinsley
Insoles:Custom
Bindings: Union Trilogy
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.

Jordan’s Set Up: 19.5” Wide. Stance Angles +15/-9, +15/-15, +18/+6. Close to Reference on groomers and Set as far back as my stance width will allow

Similar Boards We Like (but not the same):

Capita Space Metal Fantasy, Jones Airheart, K2 Coldshoulder, Jones Mind Expander, Jones Dream Weaver, Gnu Velvet, Gnu B-Nice

Approximate Weight

(We don’t put in the exact weight because, with wood cores, there is no consistency in a board’s weight)

Sizing

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 3rd. Some prefer control, so matching the boot size is the priority. Others prefer dampness over control and like to size up.

I would stay close to the brand’s recommended weight ranges for weight. 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

The W’s Tweaker is a Truetwin freestyle shape that features Jones 3D Contour Base and full tip-to-tail camber. There is no setback on inserts, and it feels like a true twin that requires a centered stance.

Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level

Jones classifies the camber profile as a positive true camber from tip to tail; however, it appears to have a slight early rise in the tip and tail, possibly due to the 3D contour. This camber profile gives the board a stable feel at speeds, but can feel catchy on flat base or when skating. It feels the most consistent and predictable on edge and in softer conditions. It requires micro-adjustments to stay secure when flat base riding or skid turning, and can feel insecure on variable hard conditions. For this reason, I would recommend the board to intermediate to advanced riders who are comfortable with camber.

Edge Hold

The Jones Women’s Tweaker has a disrupted edge andmedium camber profile, giving the board exceptional edge hold at speeds even as a mid soft flex. I felt less confident in the edge hold when the conditions were hard/icy and found myself skid-turning more often, which made the board feel insecure and unpredictable. I was more confident in my edge when the conditions softened up, and I was able to push into the snow.

Flex Personality

The flex of 2/5 on the Jones Women’s Tweaker gives the board a soft and maneuverable feel. The addition of power basalt stringers under the inserts creates extra stiffness underfoot, keeping it from slipping out when pressing into the nose or tail. The softer nose and tail and stiffness between the feet lent itself to great pop from the base and performed well when ollieing off the edge. The addition of the basalt stringers gave the Tweaker an obvious advantage when buttering, compared to its Flex counterpart, the Rally Cat, which has a similar shape, flex, and camber profile. However, they also gave the board a disconnected feel between the feet, and I found that I had a harder time feeling when I was flexing the middle of the board. This kept me from leveraging the whole board and instead just using the board outside the inserts for buttering and ollies.

Uneven Snow

I found this board to be challenging on uneven snow. It required a lot of on-the-fly adjustments to keep the board underfoot. It handles better in softer conditions and smoother surfac

Speed

This board felt fast when transferring from edge to edge, but was less secure at speeds when riding flat based. The softer flex profile and camber past the inserts kept this board from feeling secure at high speeds. It performs better at slow to medium speeds and when on edge.

Base Glide

The Tweaker has the same sintered 8000 base as another Jones high-performance women’s board, the Airheart. On a slope, it takes off quickly and moves well when skating through the lift line and onto the chair.

Turning Experience/Carving

It took me a few runs to get comfortable being centered on a board and in a freestyle stance/width, as I typically ride directional boards and have developed a more back footed riding style. When I was able to shift my weight more forward, I found the turning experience to be fun, but conditions dictated where my weight was on the board. In variable conditions and uneven snow, I had to sit back in the board to give the nose some lift. This made it harder to turn and resulted in more skidded turns. When I was able to ride centered (i.e., in the park) the Tweaker was quick underfoot and turny. It shined when doing short radius turns where the 3D contour in the nose and tip created a smooth transition entering a turn and popping out of the turn. I tried to carve with the board, but the stance, width, and conditions never aligned enough to get the board on a strong edge. Given its flex profile, it is unlikely that it would hold a traditional carve at speed.

Powder

The Jones Women’s Tweaker is a centered, true twin board. This means that the rider’s weight sits directly in the middle of the board and presses straight down in the snow. True twin shape is great for freestyle/park riding but not so great in powder conditions where the rider’s weight is better in the back of the board. Someone riding this board in 8+ inches of new snow will find themselves either fatiguing in the back leg or catching the front of the board and flipping, or both.

Switch/Jumps/Pipe/Jibs

This board is the premier freestyle board in Jones’s women’s lineup. It is soft enough to push and pull into the nose and tail, but stiff enough underfoot to give the board a strong pop. The center stance and twin nose and tail make this board easy to land and ride switch. I was able to get on a few boxes and hit a few small jumps in the park, and found it comfortable to ride. The basalt stringers underfoot give this board the structure it needs to get the compounding pop effect of a stiffer board when ollieing from a flat base or directly off the edge underfoot. However, if you miss the sweetspot under the inserts, the board can slip out from under the foot and send you flying. The same effect was observed when buttering and slipping to the outside of the nose or tail.

Final Thoughts

Its true twin shape and camber profile allow this board to be ridden either direction with control and speed. The addition of basalt stringers under the inserts gives the board additional stiffness and response, while the 3D contour in the tip and tail makes the turning experience quite enjoyable on softer, smoother snow. The board is limited by its ability to adapt to changing snow conditions and can feel unstable and even a little catchy when navigating uneven snow. If you are looking for a more all-mountain snowboard, check out the Rally Cat by Jones, which features a directional shape with the same camber and flex.