I am very lucky, in that most of my time on snow is spent testing boards – to the point where I don’t really need to buy one. I am saying this not because I want to rub your noses in it, but to help put into context just how good this snowboard is.

“For me, this is not just a powder board – this is THE powder board”

From the first run I knew I had to own one. I have ridden the Mind Expander in bottomless powder, gromed pistes, tight trees plus end-of-season slush and crud. Every single time I have left the hill thinking, ‘fuck me, that was a good day!’

I am not much of a freestyler so directional boards have always been more my thing, but the surf-inspired shape just makes everything effortless, yet still exciting – to the point that I felt invincible and started trying new things, stuff that you would not expect me or the board to be able to do. Laid-out carves, spins off side hits, even presses on boxes.

“The surf-inspired shape just makes everything effortless, yet still exciting”

Sorry this is not a tech review explaining the boards finer points; If you want that, check out the Jones website. I just wanted to get across what this board feels like to ride. For me, this is not just a powder board – this is THE powder board. In fact, I think that this is the best snowboard I have ever ridden! It truly will Expand your snowboarding Mind.”

Within minutes of stepping onto this thing I’d rechristened it The Cadillac. Smooth, stable and fast, it is a badass at cruising, although like a Caddy it is not exactly made for navigating traffic.

“Smooth, stable and fast, it is a badass at cruising”

It’s stiffish, and likes to be ridden via the back foot in deep snow, surf stylee. In fact powder is where the Mind Expander really excels (as you’d expect from a Jones), providing effortless float and long, flowy turns – you can sense the input on this thing from legendary surf shaper Chris Christenson.

“It’s stiffish, and likes to be ridden via the back foot in deep snow, surf stylee”

Hardpack riding is a little further removed from the ocean, however, and for me this is where the Mind Expander wasn’t quite as adept. Its shallow profile – featuring heaps of rocker at the nose – left me feeling a little disconnected when things got properly icy.