Jones Snowboards – the rumors are true (aka As the Snowboard World Turns ep. 2)

Looks like the Nidecker built/Jeremy Jones designed brand rumors are true, and the Lib dreams have been quashed.

PRESS RELEASE, Squaw Valley USA, Professional Big-Mountain Snowboarder Jeremy Jones is proud to announce his latest contribution to the world of snowboarding – Jones Snowboards.

Based in Squaw Valley, CA, Jones Snowboards is the product of Jones’s desire to develop a line of snowboards catering specifically to freeriders.

Drawing on over 25 years in the snowboard industry and the peer proven talent that won him Snowboarder Magazine’s Big Mountain Rider of the Year Award an unprecedented eight times, Jones will combine his passion for freeriding with his vast research and design experience to deliver authentic products that far exceed today’s standards of freeride snowboards.

“I have started Jones Snowboards to develop the highest performance all-mountain snowboards on the market,” says Jones. “Freeride boards that reflect everything I’ve learned both on the snow and in the factory. Every snowboard we produce will be born of my passion and our designs will mirror the performance demands of my riding matched with the environmental demands of my conscience.”

The 125-year-old, family owned Swiss manufacturer Nidecker was chosen to engineer and manufacture Jones Snowboards because of their long-standing reputation as one of the most innovative and technologically advanced snowboard producers in the world.

“Jeremy’s talents have always inspired us here at Nidecker,“ says Henry Nidecker, company president. “We are excited to collaborate with him on this new project and offer Jones Snowboards both the award-winning technologies and the commitment to quality that we’re well known for after 25 years of building boards.”

With prototypes already in production, Jones Snowboards will make their first appearance at SIA and ISPO 2010. Expect worldwide distribution for the 2010-2011 winter season.

I’m excited to see what comes of this. Nidecker is one of those brands that I’d bet 8 out of 10 kids on the snow at your local hill have ever heard of, and most of them think crazy progressive Burton rider when they hear Jeremy Jones. I, as a non-jobbonker rider with some weight behind him, am excited to see what happens when someone focuses exclusively on all-mountain boards. From a financial perspective I’m far less bullish on what they are trying to do, but I’m guessing they went into it knowing it was more of a niche play regardless.

You know if it was 95 this would be photochopped onto the side of a soda bottle and on a t-shirt

You know if it was '95 this would be photochopped onto the side of a soda bottle and on a t-shirt already

2010 Ride Slackcountry

First up in the ‘Boards I want to ride 09/10 edition’ is the 2010 Ride Slackcountry. I want to try this board for a few reasons.

1. The Schmidt beer can graphic. No, it’s not the first reason, but nothing harkens you back to those days of being a little kid and fetching your dad a can o’suds while he watched the pro bowling tour on Saturday afternoon like a Schmidt topsheet. By just looking at the topsheet I can close my eyes and smell the smell of warm, stale beer as we hit the recycling center scale to weigh our cans, cash in, and head to the baseball card shop for a couple packs of cards.
2. One of my first ‘ah-ha’ moments on a snowboard was on a Ride. Can’t recall the model now (KX? KDX?), but I do remember it had the motocross inspired graphic jobs. Oddly enough it had K2 Clickers on it as well, go figure. Was a pow day at the pass (like real pow, not mashed potatoes untracked that you called pow at the pass in 8th grade while doing tree runs at night) and I remember being stoked on being able to easily click in on the lift and go. Too bad it was a pow day at the pass instead of Baker/Crystal/etc., but at least it wasn’t raining.
3. It’s got a touch of rocker, but not retarded park rat amounts that sucks when trying to rail hardpack with speed
4. The name makes me think of long traverses to ‘hidden’ pow stashes that exist a week after the last storm
5. Looks like a good candidate for a DIY split project

Marketing speak:

Designed to dominate the deep stuff, the Slackcountry features our new HighRize rocker with HighRize specific sidecut for a loose feel that retains response. Also built with Membrain®, Silencer 7™ & REAL UL Glass to provide ultra light powder performance. Switch or regular, float in the pow like you’ve always dreamt, but don’t bother pinching yourself ‘cause this Ride’s for real.

High Rize rocker explained

HighRize Rocker Technology from Ride Snowboards on Vimeo.

Available in three nifty ‘old school man’ topsheets (think: the time before ‘men’ got manicures, pedicures, drank fruity drinks and wore tight jeans – these are hunting/fishing/beer/whiskey drinking topsheets dammit!)

161

Ride Slackcountry 161

Ride Slackcountry 161. Bass fishing and ducks, you can almost smell the Old Spice

164

Ride Slackcountry 164

Ride Slackcountry 164 and ice fishing, for when regular fishing isn't man enough

168

Ride Slackcountry 168 and biodiesel powered snowmobile topsheet

Ride Slackcountry 168 and biodiesel powered snowmobile topsheet

Your local shop should carry Ride, but if for some reason the buyers dropped the ball and didn’t order the Slackcountry this year you can grab it online at the usual suspects – Snowboard Connection, evoGear, REI and backcountry.com.