Hello and welcome to my Jones Dream Catcher snowboard review.
In this review, I will take a look at the Dream Catcher as a freeride snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Dream Catcher a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other women's freeride snowboards.
Overall Rating
Board: Jones Dream Catcher
Price: $479
Style: Freeride
Flex Rating: Medium (6/10)
Flex Feel on Snow: Medium (6/10)
Rating Score: 82.2/100
Compared to other Women’s Freeride Boards
Out of the 19 women’s freeride snowboards that I rated:
Overview of the Dream Catcher’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Dream Catcher’s specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | Freeride |
Price: | $479 |
Ability Level: |  |
Flex: |  |
Feel: |  |
Turn Initiation: | Medium-Fast |
Edge-hold: |  |
Camber Profile: | |
Shape: | |
Setback Stance: | Setback 20mm |
Base: | Sintered |
Weight: | Normal |
Sizing
LENGTH (cm) | Waist Width (mm) | Rec Rider Weight (lb) | Rec Rider Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
142 | 236 | 90-140 | 41-63 |
145 | 238 | 100-150 | 45-68 |
148 | 240 | 100-150 | 45-68 |
151 | 242 | 110-160 | 49-73 |
154 | 244 | 120-170 | 54-77 |
Who is the Dream Catcher Most Suited To?
The Dream Catcher is great for anyone looking for that board that is half way between an all-mountain board and a freeride board. It's a little softer flexing than the average freeride board, but more directional than the average all-mountain board.
Good for anyone from Intermediate to Advanced. Not quite suitable for a beginner though.
The Dream Catcher in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Dream Catcher is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: Jones Dream Catcher 2020, 148cm (240mm waist width)
Date: March 15, 2019
Conditions: The day started off quite soft and a little sticky, but by the evening time, as it cooled down, it started to harden up. The Dream Catcher was the 2nd board that Ash got on and by that time most of the sticky was gone - everything sped up and was quite firm in most areas.
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Stance width: 490mm (19.3″)
Stance Setback: Setback 20mm
Width at Inserts: 253mm (9.96") at front insert and 255mm (10.04")
Weight: 2500g
Weight per cm: 16.89 grams/cm
Average Weight per cm: 16.48 grams/cm*
*based on a very small sample size of just 8 boards. A little over average but in a normal range for sure. On snow Ashly felt that the Dream Catcher felt lighter than the Twin Sister - even though on the scales the Twin Sister was actually lighter.
Rider Height: 5"6" (168cm)
Rider Weight: 130lbs (59kg)
Rider Boot Size: Women's US8.5 Ride Hera
Bindings Used: NOW Vetta, Small
Powder
No powder to speak of on the day, but based on specs, and on getting the Explorer (men's equivalent) of the Dream Catcher in some good powder, the Dream Catcher is really good in there. Not a specialist powder board, but better than most all-mountain boards out there, which is one of the reasons it's a nice in between all-mountain and freeride board.
Carving & Turning
Carving: Ashly felt that the Dream Catcher was nice on a carve. Not an uber-aggressive carver but very good none-the-less.
Maneuverability at slow speeds: Not ultra-agile at slow speeds, but not sluggish either. Just prefers to go faster a little more than it prefers to ride slow.
S Turns and Skidded Turns: Not the easiest to skid turns on but not the worst either - but not beginner friendly in that sense. S turns felt smooth and controlled. Ashly described them as feeling smoother but not as sharp as her own board (GNU Gloss).
Speed
Ashly commented on how good the glide on flats was, which is nice to have. But she also felt really stable on it, when riding at speed.
Uneven Terrain
In undulating terrain and through crud, Ashly really enjoyed the Dream Catcher. She said it was one of the better she had ridden in uneven terrain - better than the Twin Sister she had ridden that day - and better than her board.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
Jumps
Overall, Ashly preferred her own board for jumps overall, but the Dream Catcher had some aspects that were a little better.
Pop: Ashly felt the Dream Catcher had less pop than her Gloss
Approach: For trickier side-hits it wasn't as nimble as her board, but was more stable at speed - which helps for the approach to larger jumps.
Landing: A more solid landing platform than her board and this would certainly be appreciated on large jumps particularly.
Side-hits: Given it's not as nimble and less poppy, Ashly preferred her own board for side-hits.
Switch
It's a little more directional than most all-mountain boards and that makes it just that little bit less ideal for riding switch. Still more than doable though.
Spins
Ashly didn't enjoy this board for spinning as much as her own board. She said it felt heavier to get around on a spin. Not as good for taking off or landing switch either.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
CARVING | 3.5 | 21/30 |
POWDER | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPEED | 4.0 | 16/20 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 12/15 |
JUMPS | 3.0 | 6/10 |
SWITCH | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 82.2/100 |
Overall, the Dream Catcher is a great option if you're looking for that in between all-mountain and freeride type of board. Great in powder, really stable at speed and handles uneven terrain and crud really well.
Comes in at a great price too, so also a great option if you want to go freeriding but don't want to spend what you typically would for a freeride board.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you want to learn more about the Dream Catcher, or if you are ready to buy, or if you just want to research prices and availability, check out the links below.
- CANADA
- UK/EUROPE
If you want to check out some other women's freeride snowboard options, or if you want to compare how the Dream Catcher compares to other women's freeride snowboards, then check out the next link.
Hi Nate!
I am an intermediate rider looking for a new snowboard, something that is great with turns in the trees, speed, and powder, but also allows me to play in the park every so often. I’ve heard great things about the Dream Catcher, but am wondering your thoughts on what size I should get. I currently ride a 147 Capita Space Metal Fantasy and have ridden Capitas for the past ten years, so I’m used to something fun. I am 5’6 and weigh 121 pounds and I’m a size 8 in boots.
I’m stuck between the 145 and 148.
Thanks so much!
Hi Ana
Thanks for your message.
The Dream Catcher will certainly be a step up in terms of speed, carving and powder, over the Space Metal Fantasy, and a stiffer flex. The Space Metal Fantasy better for the park, but you can certainly still ride the Dream Catcher in the park – and overall I think it’s a good option for how you describe your riding.
Size-wise, it’s a tight call between 145 and 148 for the Dream Catcher, so I can see the debate there (and those are the size I would certainly be debating between). Neither size is wrong, but hopefully this will help you decide.
– Typically I would say 145 for your specs, rather than 148, but the Dream Catcher is a board you can ride a little longer, so the 148 does come into play.
– The 148 would give you, subtly but noticeably, better stability at speed and more float in powder and better for big arcing carves.
– The 145 will be more agile, better for trees, better in the park (unless you’re hitting really large jumps, in which case longer can sometimes be better), be more buttery and have a softer flex feel comparatively
– Both boards are good in terms of width for your boot size. It does run a little wider than average, so if you wanted to be fussy with width, then the 145 is a little better
I don’t think there’s a wrong choice between those sizes and it kind of depends on what you want to optimize between those things. If I had to choose, I would be leaning 145, just because it would temper the flex a bit (it’s not an ultra-stiff board by any means, it’s medium, but stiffer than what you’re used to in the Space Metal Fantasy) and is just that little better width-wise, IMO. But 148 certainly not wrong and if you wanted to optimize speed/powder, then that would be the better choice.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
Hello Nate!
I am intermediate rider who lives in Las Vegas. I go to Mammoth a lot. I ride mostly groomers. I would love powder but it’s elusive. I am 5 ft tall, 117 lbs 6.5 US boot size.
I am debating between Jones Dream Catcher 142cm and Jones Twin Sisters 140cm. The waist width of the (140cm)Twin Sisters is 23.8cm, too wide for my boot size? While the waist width (142cm) Dream Catcher is 23.6cm. Which one I am going to buy? So confused 🤷♀️ Thanks for your help.
Hi Lulu
Thanks for your message.
Both are wider than ideal for 6.5s. The Dream Catcher very subtly narrower overall, but pretty similar in terms of width. I think those lengths are spot on for you. I think I would be leaning Twin Sister in this case. A very close call though. If you were seeing powder more often, I would probably be leaning Dream Catcher, but if you only see if rarely, then the Twin Sister is still good in powder, so that’s the way I would be leaning. But do note, that it will be wide for your boots.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Is there much of a difference between the 19/20 and 20/21 versions of the Jones Dreamcatcher or are the graphics the only change? The 2021 version is highly regarded as a top choice for women’s boards but the 2020 version didn’t get as much praise. Thanks in advance!
Emily
Hi Emily
Thanks for your message.
As far as I can tell the only change (apart from the graphic) from the 19/20 to 20/21 is that the 20/21 model got an upgrade base (from sintered 7000 on the 19/20 to a sintered 8000 on the 20/21). That’s going to be a very subtle difference, so if you can find the 19/20 model at a good price it’s a good bet, IMO. Assuming you can find it in your best size. If you have to compromise on size to get the 19/20, then I would go 20/21 version instead.
Hope this helps
Thanks that does help! I am 5’4” and 140-145 lbs and a solid intermediate working toward getting more comfortable on harder black terrain and wanting to go faster than I do. I’m confident on blue terrain and got onto groomed black runs last season but am still the slowest one in my group (all the others are advanced.) My current board is a 149 Burton Deja Vu Flying V and while it’s been a great board to learn on it feels a little unstable at high speeds and very unstable on flats making long steep catwalks quite scary (long and flat = spin out and chattery, unstable feeling underfoot). I love the back bowls at Vail but the journey to get there on my current board is anxiety provoking! I want a board that will be playful on powder, be quick and responsive with turn initiation on steep terrain, maneuver through the trees easily, feel stable riding the catwalks, and help feel more in control at higher speeds. I don’t go to terrain parks and the jumps I do are mostly unplanned fun flying off little bumps. I’ve found the 19/20 board in a 148 but the new one is available in a 151. I think the 148 would be ok but wanted your opinion before I pull the trigger! Thanks in advance.
Hi Emily
The Dream Catcher, IMO, should definitely be more stable at speed and on cat tracks than the Deja Vu Flying V, so I think you’re good there.
Size-wise, typically I would say that around 147-149 would be a good way to go for your specs and how you describe your riding. Which would put the 148 Dream Catcher right in the middle. The Dream Catcher is a board you can ride a little longer though – it rides small for it’s size. So, that would bring the 151 into play as an option. Certainly doesn’t make the 148 wrong though. But ordinarily I would say 151 is probably too long but in this case, you could definitely consider it. Between the 148 and 151, there are some things to consider – depending on which you want to prioritize:
– The 148 will be more nimble, particularly at slower speeds – something you’ll probably enjoy more in the trees.
– The 151 will be more stable at speed and float better in powder. One thing to note is that the 148 Dream Catcher will still be a good bit more stable at speed, IMO, versus the 149 Deja Vu, but you’d get that bit more stability, at the cost of a little maneuverability, on the 151.
Hope this gives you more to go off
Thanks for review!
I’m stuck between 145 and 148, maybe you can help?
I’m 58 Kg and 165 cm tall with 8 US Burton shoes (39 EU), low intermediate rider, like to play in freeride/trees near slopes, not very agressive and prefer maneuverability over stability at high speed (because now I don’t ride at really high speed yet)
Should I get 148 to have more opportunity in the future? (if i decided to learn carving, for example)?
I saw that Dream Catcher has effective as ordinary 145-146 boards and also not too wide, so looks like 148 would be ok, but I’m still not sure
Hi Sofia
Thanks for your message.
It’s true this is a board that you can ride a little longer because of the effective edge. However, I would be leaning towards 145 for you, for this board. For a couple of reasons. Firstly, because you mention that you like to ride trees a lot and prefer maneuverability over stability and secondly because the Dream Catcher is a little wider than it appears. The width at inserts is quite wide compared to the waist width. So on waist width alone it doesn’t look that wide, but it’s wider than you think. Not so wide that it’s too wide for you, but it’s on the wider side, so going a little shorter is a good idea, IMO, particularly given that you’re looking for that extra maneuverability.
Hope this helps
Thanks a lot, Nate!
This helps a lot and I will go for 145 🙂
You’re very welcome Sofia. If you think of it at the time, let me know how you get on, once you’ve had a chance to get it out on snow. Happy riding!