Our 25/26 Jones Howler Snowboard Review Now Available

I took the Jones Howler through its paces and came away with a pretty clear impression: this thing was damp, smooth, and seriously stable - especially when things got fast or messy. It wasn’t the most playful or easy-going ride, but when I pushed it, it gave back in a big way and could take whatever I could throw at it.

In this review, I will take a look at the  Howler as a freeride snowboard.

As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the  Howler a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other freeride snowboards.

Overall Rating

Board: Jones Howler 2026 

Price: $699

Style: Freeride/Aggressive All-Mountain

Flex Rating: Mid-stiff (4/5)

Flex Feel on Snow: Mid-Stiff (7.5/10)

Rating Score: 88.6/100

Compared to other Men’s Freeride Boards

Overview of the  Howler’ Specs

Check out the tables for the  Howler’s specs and available sizes.

* weight recommendations are according to the manufacturer

Who is the  Howler Most Suited To?

The Howler is best suited to stronger intermediate and up riders who like to ride with intent and want a damp, smooth, stable board that can handle speed, crud, and rough conditions really well. It’s the kind of board that rewards aggressive riding — carving hard, bombing runs, smashing through messy snow and stomping landings — rather than casual cruising or playful freestyle.

It could work well as a freeride-leaning daily driver for someone who prioritizes stability, edge hold, and composure over quick, easy maneuverability. It should also be a good option for riders who see a decent amount of powder but don’t necessarily want a dedicated powder board.

Not one I’d recommend for beginners or more casual intermediates. It’s not overly punishing, but it does take effort and doesn’t really come alive unless you’re riding it assertively.

 Howler DetailS

O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Howler is capable of.

Demo Info

Board: Jones Howler 2026, 158cm (257mm waist width)

Date: March 5, 2025

Carving

This board really shone when I put it on edge. I wouldn’t quite call it elite-tier for carving, but it was definitely up there. At slower speeds, it felt solid but not overly exciting - but once I opened it up, it came alive.

At higher speeds, it held a carve noticeably better than a lot of boards I’ve ridden. It felt stable, predictable, and confidence-inspiring when laying down deeper carves. I felt like I could trust it not to wash out, even when really leaning into it.

Turning

Ease of Turning/Slashing:

It took more effort than I would’ve liked to initiate turns. It wasn’t super quick or slashy - it preferred a bit of speed and commitment. When I tried to be more casual or lazy with it, it didn’t respond as well. But when I rode it with a bit more intent, it behaved better.

Maneuverability at slow speeds:

At slower speeds, it felt a bit sluggish edge-to-edge. Not terrible, but definitely not quick. I had to put in some effort to move it around, especially compared to more agile boards. It wasn’t something I’d want to be stuck riding slowly all day.

Catchiness:

There was a bit of catch in there - especially in the tail at slower speeds. Nothing that made it sketchy overall, but enough that I noticed it and had to stay a bit more dialed in.

Speed

This thing liked to go fast. Even when really bombing it, it still felt composed. Stability at speed was one of its biggest strengths.

It didn’t feel twitchy or nervous - it stayed planted and smooth, even when the terrain wasn’t perfect.

Uneven Terrain

Crud/Chunder:

This was one of the standout areas for the Howler. It absolutely crushed through crud. The combination of its flex and dampness made it feel like it just absorbed everything in its path.

It actually felt heavier when riding than when I was carrying it, and I think that came down to how damp and planted it felt. That “heavier” ride feel worked in its favor here - it didn’t get knocked around easily at all.

Trees/Bumps:

In tighter terrain, it was decent but not effortless. It took some work to maneuver between bumps and trees, especially without fresh snow.

That said, it would be a lot more fun in powder-filled trees.

Powder

Speaking of that white fluffy goodness, unfortunately I didn’t get any significant amounts of it on the day, but from what I did ride and how the board felt overall, I’d expect it to perform well.

It had that directional feel, a solid platform, and a smooth ride that suggested it would float nicely when things got deeper. Even in small patches of fresh, it felt comfortable and natural. Not a dedicated powder surfer, but definitely capable.

In its favor, it has a nose noticeably longer than its tail, 8mm of taper, a ¾” (20mm) setback on effective edge, which becomes a 2” (52mm) setback on the overall length, at reference stance, because of the longer nose. While there is no rocker in the profile it does have 3D shaping in the nose (Jones’ Medium 3D Contour) which should really help with float.  

Jumps

This one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. But overall its reluctance to want to break its almost magnetic hold to the snow (which really helped it in other areas) outweighed its more favorable jumping characteristics.  

It wasn’t super lively or snappy, which made it less fun for smaller jumps and side hits. It felt a bit heavy in the air and took more effort to get pop out of it.

When I went bigger, when there was no need to give it impetus to get airborne and when you could set it on its path and just go straight and steady to the launch point,  it felt a lot more at home. 

Pop:

The pop wasn’t easy to access. I had to really load it up to get anything decent out of it. But when I did, there was actually a good amount of total pop there - more than I initially expected.

Approach:

Super stable on approach. It tracked well, even when things were a bit choppy. But it wasn’t the easiest to make quick adjustments.

Landing:

This was another strong point. Landings felt really solid and stable. That dampness helped absorb impact, especially on harder snow.

Even on slightly tail-heavy landings, it held up better than I expected for a directional board. The tail had enough support to stomp landings without too much issue.

Side Hits:

Wasn’t the best experience for side-hits. For getting air, it felt best with a straight path to the take off point and with a decent amount of speed under it. For anything where you wanted to quickly change direction to find a hit and then want to pop effortlessly off it, it was hard work.

Switch

Not amazing here. It felt pretty directional, and that showed when riding switch.

Transitions weren’t super smooth either - I noticed a bit of catch, especially going from nose to tail. It wasn’t unrideable switch or anything, but it definitely required more focus and didn’t feel natural.

Spins

Spins were doable, but not something this board excelled at.

It felt a bit heavy to rotate, and the lack of easy-access pop didn’t help. It also wasn’t great taking off or landing switch, which made spins more work than I prefer.

One positive was that it didn’t tend to want to continue rotating after landing  - but I did find it wasn’t the easiest to complete an under-rotation after landing – could definitely punish you for that.

Butters

Butters were okay, but not a highlight.

It wasn’t super hard to press, but it definitely required more effort than a lot of boards.

What stood out more was the difference between the nose and tail - it felt a bit unbalanced, which made certain butter tricks feel less natural.

Rotations in presses weren’t the easiest either. Had to focus to keep from catching an edge. Not a board I’d pick for buttering around all day – but that’s definitely not what it was designed for.

Overall Feel

The overall feel was semi-locked-in, bordering on stable.

It wasn’t catchy all the time, but it wasn’t loose either. It liked being ridden with intention and didn’t reward lazy riding.

In terms of personality:

• Very damp
• Very smooth
• More aggressive than playful

It wasn’t ultra-demanding, but it definitely leaned toward riders who like to push their board rather than just cruise casually.

Score Breakdown and Final Verdict

Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.

My overall impression of the Jones Howler was that it was a damp, smooth, stable machine - especially suited for speed and rough conditions.

It really stood out when I rode it aggressively. Charging through crud, carving at speed, and stomping landings were where it felt best.

On the flip side, it wasn’t the most fun at slower speeds, and it didn’t shine for freestyle-focused riding like butters, jibs, or spins. And while landings felt good for jumps, getting it off the ground was a different story. It felt like it resisted having air between its base and the snow. It had that planted feel that worked really well for carving, crashing through messy snow and stability at speed, but made things like jumps, spins, butters etc quite hard work.

If I were looking for a board to bomb runs, handle messy snow, stay composed at speed, and something that would also excel on a powder day, this would be a strong choice. If I wanted something playful and easy-going, I’d look elsewhere.