- Price: £485
- Sizes: 154, 158, 159W, 161, 162W, 164, 165, 166, 169W, 172
- Flex: 8
- Profile: Setback Camber
- Shape: Directional
- JONESSNOWBOARDS.COM
UPDATE: Check out our review of the 2018/2019 Jones Flagship here
Despite keeping the visuals of the Jones Flagship pretty consistent from year to year, Jeremy Jones will seemingly never stop perfecting what lies beneath. He’s refined a fair few features of the 2016/17 version, but the essence of what has made this board such a modern classic remains intact.
It’s still a directional beast, of course. The camber bend of the profile remains slightly set back, so there’s plenty of power and edge grip with some rocker at the nose to help you stay afloat in powder. Magne-traction technology has been licensed from the guys at Mervin, so both edges are slightly wavy to provide more contact points. It’s also nice and stiff, with bamboo stringers running from end to end.
“A 7mm bevel at the nose and tail means that the Jones Flagship will float better than ever in the pow”
One major upgrade this year is the ‘Spoon’ shaping; a 7mm bevel at the nose and tail means that the Jones Flagship will float better than ever in the pow. It also allows a slight roll as you go from edge to edge on the groomers, improving flow and making nasty catches at high speed much less likely.
The oak topsheet from last season has been replaced with one made from linseed fibres, which has plenty of dampening properties but is more environmentally friendly – and those graphics are just as clear as ever. As for the V-shaped lines that have been added this year, they pertain to another new development. Basalt stringers replace the carbon ones from last year, running from the inserts out to the ‘shoulders’ of the board to add torsional stiffness to each end. They also minimise the vibrations that can lead to foot fatigue.
Since it first appeared, the Jones Flagship has been one of the absolute must-try snowboards for the freeride community. It’s hard to think of anything for gunning wide, open faces at maximum welly. However, even if you’re just a fan of blasting the piste from dawn to dusk, this will keep your feet happy – and your heart racing.
