Hello and welcome to my Jones Stratos review.
In this review, I will take a look at the Stratos as a freeride snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Stratos a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other freeride snowboards.
Overall Rating
Board: Jones Stratos 2021
Price: $579
Style: Freeride
Flex Rating: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Flex Feel on Snow: Medium-Stiff (7.5/10)
Rating Score: 85.2/100
Compared to other Men’s Freeride Boards
Out of the 32 men’s freeride snowboards that I rated:
Overview of the Stratos’ Specs
Check out the tables for the Stratos’ specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | Freeride |
Price: | $579 |
Ability Level: |  |
Flex: |  |
Feel: |  |
Turn Initiation: | Medium-Fast |
Edge-hold: |  |
Camber Profile: | Directional Hybrid Camber |
Shape: | |
Setback Stance: | Setback 20mm |
Base: | Sintered 9900 |
Weight: | Felt slightly heavier than normal |
Sizing
LENGTH (cm) | Waist Width (mm) | Rec Rider Weight (lb) | Rec Rider Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
153 | 248 | 120-170 | 54-77 |
156 | 254 | 120-170 | 54-77 |
159 | 256 | 140-190 | 64-86 |
161W | 264 | 150-200 | 67-91 |
162 | 258 | 150-200 | 67-91 |
164W | 265 | 160-210+ | 73-95+ |
Who is the Stratos Most Suited To?
The Stratos is best suited to those looking for a freeride board that can carve, bomb and float effortlessly in powder. It's a carvy freeride board, that's relatively stiff, so if you like things a little stiffer (not ultra stiffer) and carvy, but want to be able to hit powder when it comes, then this is a great option.
Not for a beginner and even most intermediate riders probably aren't suited to this board.
The Stratos in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Stratos is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: Jones Stratos 2021, 159cm (256mm waist width)
Date: March 4, 2020
Conditions: Sunny. Perfect vis.
On groomer really well groomed in parts and rutty and ice balls in others. Some medium spots and some hard and even icy spots.
Off groomer medium for the most part but with some harder spots. Relatively cold on hands and face but overall quite warm in sun.
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Stance width: 560mm (22″) - but note that the reference stance is 600mm (23.6")
Stance Setback: Setback 20mm
Width at Inserts: 271mm (10.7") at front insert and 270mm (10.6") at back insert
Rider Height: 6'0"
Rider Weight: 175lbs
Rider Boot Size: US10 Salomon Lo-Fi
Bindings Used: Burton Malavita M
Weight: 3060grams (6lbs 12oz)
Weight per cm: 19.25 grams/cm
Average Weight per cm: 18.36 grams/cm*
*based on a small sample size of roughly 80 models that I've weighed in 2019, 2020 & 2021 models. So, a little heavier than average and felt a little heavier than average on snow too.
Flex
Jones rate this as 7/10. They rate the Flagship at 8/10 and the UMT at 9/10. This board felt subtly stiffer to me vs the UMT and Flagship - but that doesn't mean it's like a 9.5! The UMT to me felt closer to a 7 or pushing 7.5 and the Flagship more like and the Flagship about 7.5/10.
I felt the UMT stiffer in the past (an 8/10) but for the 2021 model more like a 7/10. I rode the UMT right before the Stratos, and the Stratos felt that little bit stiffer overall and certainly stiffer in the tip and tail, but overall flex closer to 7.5 by my feel - and more like 8 in the tip/tail.
Damp or Chattery?
Really quite damp - a fair way up the Damp side of the scale.
Smooth or Snappy?
Definitely more smooth than snappy - and again quite far up the smooth side of the scale
Powder
Feels really good in powder. Just nice effortless float. And the specs back that up too.
It's directional, has a setback stance, has taper, has rocker both at tip and tail, but more so in the tip and it has Jones' 3D Contour 3.0 base (the sides are spooned up).
Carving & Turning
Carving: Really nice on a carve. Has a carvy feeling and doesn't feel washy, even when carving at speed.
Turning: It's not an effortless turner - you've got to put some energy into it - but you do get it back from putting it in - and it's not something you've got to throw everything into or anything like that.
Maneuverability at slow speeds: Not bad at slow speeds at all. Much better than I was expecting for sure. Making this a really decent option for powder days in the trees.
Skidded Turns: It's doable but not super easy to skid turns on. It prefers to be properly on edge - but it's not something that fights you to get it on edge - it gets on edge easily.
Speed
Nice and stable at speed. This board was fun to open out and bomb with.
And typical of Jones boards, particularly those with the Sintered 9900 bases, the glide on this thing is incredible. When it's this noticeable how good the board glides compared to the average board, it's impressive.
Uneven Terrain
Good maneuverability for it's flex - so getting through tight spaces was actually pretty good, and going over bumps was fine too.
And it feels really damp in crud and does a good job crashing through it.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
Jumps
OK for straight air, but not really what this board is made for.
Pop: Nothing amazing but there's some there. It's not super easy to access though.
Approach: Nice and stable on faster approaches. Not super maneuverable for trickier approaches but not bad either.
Landing: Solid on landings.
Side-hits: OK but not amazing.
Small jumps/Big jumps: Large is what it's best at. Something where you just send it without thinking too much about popping or spinning. Medium and small fine too, though just not that much energy for popping as you might want on those small guys, side hits etc
Switch
Not the best!
Spins
Landing and setting up not ideal and getting the spin around wasn't ultra hard, but not easy either. Felt a little heavy for good spinning.
Butters
Quite hard to butter on. Tip and tail feel quite stiff.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
CARVING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
TURNING | 3.5 | 7/10 |
POWDER | 4.5 | 18/20 |
SPEED | 4.5 | 18/20 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
JUMPS | 3.0 | 6/10 |
SWITCH | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
Overall, the Stratos is a really well rounded freeride board, that covers the cores of what a freeride board should excel at (Carving, Powder and Speed) really well.
It's a stick to the ground kind of board and is especially good when it comes to floating just above ground on soft fluffy pow and when you need to glide on straights, cat tracks, uphills etc to keep your speed up, it's, typical of Jones boards, one of the best in that respect.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you want to learn more about the Stratos, or if you are ready to buy, or if you just want to research prices and availability, check out the links below.
If you want to check out some other freeride snowboard options, or if you want to compare how the Stratos compares to other freeride snowboards, then check out the next link.
Hi Nate – thanks for all you do for the snowboard community – much appreciated! Would you consider the Stratos a natural progression up the freeride spectrum from the Jones Explorer? I’ve been on the Explorer for a few years and really like it’s overall ride. One area I’d like to improve on if possible is the dampness, which is why I’m looking at the Stratos. I’m an all mountain and no park rider and I rarely jump. Curious on your thoughts on the Stratos in comparison to the Explorer. Thanks in advance!
Hi dd
Yeah I think the Stratos is a natural progression up from the Explorer/Frontier. It’s a little more board, and I would say more damp than the Frontier for sure.
The Stratos is a little stiffer (7.5/10 versus 6.5/10 for the Frontier/Explorer, from my feel) and it’s a little more directional (tapered where the Frontier isn’t). Better overall in terms of stability at speed and float in powder. It also has more spoon bevel (7mm versus 2mm on the Frontier), which helps with powder too. You also get a slightly better base (Jones’ 9900 versus the 7000 on the Frontier).
Frontier/Explorer same board different name, so when I refer to Frontier, I mean both.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
Thank you Nate – that helps for sure!
Hi Nate,,
Wonderful review, very detailed and practical. I just purchased the Stratos 161 Wide. I’ll be giving it a go at Beaver Creek next week. I’m 6 feet 2 inches 205 lbs. and 49 years old. It will be fun getting speed on the groomers and with a little luck will have a chance for some powder between the trees. If conditions get washed out or too choppy I call it a day, grab a beverage and watch my kids do there thing so I may only get a little taste of the board in chunkier conditions.
Hi Martin
Thanks for your message. 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 next week.
Hi Nate, I love your reviews! I currently own a Burton Custom that has served me well but I’m ready to try something that is slightly better in powder, small jumps etc. I’m not a speed freak and I don’t like parks. But I do everything from resorts blues to double diamonds. Love carving and turning and side hits, little jumps (maybe 2-3 feet). Looking to get into more trees. I love the Custom’s stability and forgiveness. I’m 75% east coast riding and that can be quite choppy.
In my research (and talking to my local pro shop) I have narrowed it down between the Jones Strattos and the Burton Hometown Hero…any thoughts?
Your input is greatly appreciated!
Hi Francisco
Thanks for your message.
For what you’re describing, I think both of those boards would work well for you. They are both certainly better for powder than the Custom. Some things to consider between the two:
– The Stratos, by my feel is a little stiffer than the Hometown Hero (7.5/10 for Stratos and 6.5/10 for home town hero)
– Stratos a little better in powder, but only subtly, and both a good bit above the Custom
– I found Hometown Hero a little better for jumps, but again subtly
– Stratos a little more stable for out and out speed
– Both as good as each other, IMO, for carves and in uneven terrain
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
Nate,
Love your work. Pumped that this review is finally up. I’m quite surprised to see that the Stratos rode stiffer compared to the other freeride boards in Jones’ lineup.
After comparing your two board reviews, would you consider the Flagship to actually be better on jumps, as well as carving on groomers?
Thanks,
Ryan
Hi Ryan
Thanks for your message.
Yeah, the Stratos felt stiffer than what I was expecting. I think part of that might have been the weight. I think heavier boards tend to feel a little stiffer, and the Stratos is a little on the heavier side. With Jones rating it 7/10 and the Mountain Twin 7/10, but the Mountain Twin feels more like 6/10 and this more like 7.5/10 – but then looking at the weight of the MT versus this, it could be the weight that makes the difference there, at least in part. The other thing to consider is that flex ratings from manufacturers are typically reflective of the flex of the core, but don’t take into account the type of glass, laminates and those kinds of things. Whereas my ratings are purely on the feel of the board.
I found them both equally as good for carving on groomers, but the Flagship a little better for jumps. Again, I think part of that is probably down to weight as well.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate
Greeting from Indonesia,
I really enjoy your review
how you compare ?
Jones Stratos
YES Pyl
Rome Ravine Select
in terms of freeriding oriented (dampness, stabilty, speed, )
Thanks
Zakky Bagis
Hi Zakky
Thanks for your message.
I don’t currently test Rome gear, so I can’t say much about the Ravine.
But between the Stratos and PYL, I would say:
– The Stratos is a little damper
– The Pick your line is a better carver
– Both as good as each other in powder
– Both similar in terms of stability at speed
– I slightly preferred the PYL in uneven terrain
Hope this helps with your decision