Skip to content

Cookies 🍪

This site uses cookies that need consent.

Learn more

Zur Powderguide-Startseite Zur Powderguide-Startseite
gear reviews

Gear reviews | Jones Stormchaser Splitboard

Not an all-rounder, but interesting for special applications

by Jonathan Kampmann 04/02/2018
The Jones Stormchaser Split is currently only available in a relatively short length and is therefore particularly interesting for smaller, lighter riders who are looking for a wide, maneuverable board. The shape of the nose is a matter of taste and takes some getting used to on the ascent.

Test conditions

I started snowboarding in 1998 and have been snowboarding on tour for about 10 years. I am 180 cm tall and weigh 75 kg without equipment. My previous splitboards were a Burton Freebird, a Jones Hovercraft and an Amplid Lab Carbon Split, which serve as a comparison for this review. As a setup I use a Phantom Alpha binding with a modified Atomic Backland as a boot, a very solid and good riding hardboot setup. I tested the Jones Stormchaser for three weeks in Hokkaido (Japan). Apart from one day at the resort, we were always on tour. The snow conditions for this test were therefore quite good, little to very deep powder, occasionally also wind harsh on blown-off peaks. The board was provided by Jones for this test, I organized the matching Jones climbing skins (manufacturer Pomoca) myself.

Uphill

The first thing you notice is how short the board is with its length of 147cm. This is an advantage in tight hairpin bends, but my fellow skiers jokingly complained when they walked behind me: My track almost looked like that of a snowshoe walker, as you have quite a small contact surface and therefore sink in deeper. The board can be edged relatively well despite its width, but this is generally made much easier by a hard boot setup. The width under the binding and the rocker of the Stormchaser bring the known disadvantages on hard snow. I didn't have any crampons with me for this board.

On every tour, I noticed that the nose was not bent up enough. This makes walking a lot more difficult, especially in heavier powder and windy terrain, where you can get stuck with the tip if you don't lift your foot. All in all, you can go on tour with the board, but you can tell that it wasn't built for it.

gear reviews
presented by

Downhill

Here I was very excited to see how the Stormchaser would ride, as a lot is promised and I am quite enthusiastic about the Hovercraft. The shortness is supposed to make it easier to turn when riding in narrow forest, which is why the board is extra wide to provide the necessary contact surface. Turning quickly also works well with this board and the board is relatively playful to ride.

The problem with the shortness of the split version of the Stormchaser is that the inserts for the ascent brackets are relatively far forward. This means that the front downhill binding cannot be mounted far enough back. I chose the position that gave me the most setback, otherwise the board would quickly sink when riding in powder. Unfortunately, the fishtail is no better than the less extreme swallowtail of the Hovercraft. I didn't notice any additional lift from the increased width, but in steeper conditions and in hard snow, the edge hold deteriorates noticeably and the board rides extremely spongy.

The biggest problem when riding, however, is again the lack of bend in the nose, which means you only have fun when you're going fast enough or on steep slopes. But to be honest, you can ride just as well, if not better, with any other board in these conditions.

Durability

Due to the wide nose, it is inevitable that the snowboard halves will meet from time to time on the ascent. The Stormchaser showed clear signs of wear and tear after just a few days. The topsheet doesn't seem to be very durable. In comparison, my previous splitboards - including the Hovercraft from the same manufacturer - are much more robust. I had no complaints about the rest of the board during the test and the damage described did not affect the function of the board.

General

The Stormchaser will be launched next season in lengths of 152 and 157 cm, which should make it suitable for taller riders. The shape of the nose will unfortunately remain unchanged. The weight at 147 cm length is 3303 grams (reweighed, including connectors, without bindings).

Conclusion

I can only imagine a few days per season in the European Alps when you would really have fun with this board. On all other touring days, you can do more with a different board. If you do, then I would recommend the Stormchaser for people up to 170cm/70kg, above that it simply offers too little buoyancy. I will take my hovercraft with me on my next visit to Japan. The Stormchaser is simply a very specialized board that can be ridden well and playfully in the right conditions. Unfortunately, it is not better in any discipline than its big brother, the Hovercraft, for example, and the differences (short, wide, less flared nose) have a predominantly negative effect. The durability of the topsheet is also unconvincing.

+ Turns quickly

+ Playful riding style possible

- 147cm version offers too little float

- Poor edge hold in hard snow

- The nose is not bent up enough, making it easy to get under the snow

- Durability of the topsheet is unconvincing

Photo gallery

This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

Show original (German)

Related articles

Comments

gear reviews
presented by