# Hovercraft Split vs Solution



## Robots are Nice (Sep 2, 2016)

Hey you guys.
This season will be my intro to riding in the backcountry. I'm pretty set on a hovy 160 but thought I should get some input before pulling the trigger. I'm 6' 170lbs (with out gear.... or, you know, nude) size 11 boots and ride with a more surfy style (ideal day would be glades, pillow lines....Japan basically) but also want to not feel sketchy if find myself in a steep chute....hence considering the solution, though I've been drooling over the hovercraft for years. I currently live in Salt Lake and will probably ride back home in the PNW about once a season.....yeah that's about it I'd love some feed back!


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

Robots are Nice said:


> Hey you guys.
> This season will be my intro to riding in the backcountry. I'm pretty set on a hovy 160 but thought I should get some input before pulling the trigger. I'm 6' 170lbs (with out gear.... or, you know, nude) size 11 boots and ride with a more surfy style (ideal day would be glades, pillow lines....Japan basically) but also want to not feel sketchy if find myself in a steep chute....hence considering the solution, though I've been drooling over the hovercraft for years. I currently live in Salt Lake and will probably ride back home in the PNW about once a season.....yeah that's about it I'd love some feed back!


Hovercraft.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

OMG... K should not have looked at this thread cos it led me to open the jones homepage and see the '17 Flagship... noooo... do.not.buy.another.one.do.not.buy.another.one... but it looks soooo sweet! No, I don't need yet another one! But... it is turquoise!!!! I love turquoise!

OP: Soluion is more of a point n shood high alpine board. I love it in that type of terrain, but in tight trees, it's a bit of work. Hovy sounds like your track.


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## robotfood99 (Mar 19, 2016)

neni said:


> it led me to open the jones homepage and see the '17 Flagship... noooo... But... it is turquoise!!!! I love turquoise!



Which in turn led me to open it and jump in. Gotta say the ladies flag color is more attractive than men's this year!


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## Robots are Nice (Sep 2, 2016)

Okay so the solutions out....now I'm trying to decide between a 156 or 160 Hovercraft....or if it'd be forth it to spring for an Ultracraft......


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## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

Robots are Nice said:


> Hey you guys.
> This season will be my intro to riding in the backcountry. I'm pretty set on a hovy 160 but thought I should get some input before pulling the trigger. I'm 6' 170lbs (with out gear.... or, you know, nude) size 11 boots and ride with a more surfy style (ideal day would be glades, pillow lines....Japan basically) but also want to not feel sketchy if find myself in a steep chute....hence considering the solution, though I've been drooling over the hovercraft for years. I currently live in Salt Lake and will probably ride back home in the PNW about once a season.....yeah that's about it I'd love some feed back!


No question HoverCraft, I have a solution split and wish I had a HC split instead.


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## WasabiCanuck (Apr 29, 2015)

neni said:


> OMG... K should not have looked at this thread cos it led me to open the jones homepage and see the '17 Flagship... noooo... do.not.buy.another.one.do.not.buy.another.one... but it looks soooo sweet! No, I don't need yet another one! But... it is turquoise!!!! I love turquoise!
> 
> OP: Soluion is more of a point n shood high alpine board. I love it in that type of terrain, but in tight trees, it's a bit of work. Hovy sounds like your track.


I know exactly how you feel. I have been drooling over the Ultra Mountain Twin ever since I saw it in a catalog a few months back. Sweet top sheet graphic. I'm dying to get that board.


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## Powhunter (May 10, 2015)

Be aware of the supposed QC issues with Jones. You'll have half the people come in here and say they own one and its bomber and I'm full of shit while the other half will come in and confirm what I'm saying here, but I hear alot of reports of bases softer than butter and core shots galore. For something like splitting where you never really know whats underneath, and for something that costs a good bit of cash, I'd recommend against Jones altogether. There's a reason you can find last year's Jones online everywhere for cheap...

With that being said, if you're dead set on one of them, I'd go with the Hovercraft for what you're asking for, especially since you've been wanting one for awhile. Have fun and enjoy your purchase whatever it may be.


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

Powhunter said:


> Be aware of the supposed QC issues with Jones. You'll have half the people come in here and say they own one and its bomber and I'm full of shit while the other half will come in and confirm what I'm saying here, but I hear alot of reports of bases softer than butter and core shots galore. For something like splitting where you never really know whats underneath, and for something that costs a good bit of cash, I'd recommend against Jones altogether. There's a reason you can find last year's Jones online everywhere for cheap...


There are no 'supposed QC issues with Jones'. But thanks for playing.


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## Powhunter (May 10, 2015)

SGboarder said:


> There are no 'supposed QC issues with Jones'. But thanks for playing.


If I actually cared about your opinion, I'd link NUMEROUS accounts saying otherwise. But hey, "thanks for playing."


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

Powhunter said:


> If I actually cared about your opinion, I'd link NUMEROUS accounts saying otherwise. But hey, "thanks for playing."


My post was for the benefit of the OP not yours - people already tried to give you advice in other thread(s).


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## Robots are Nice (Sep 2, 2016)

So if anyone wants to chime in on sizing I would love that....6' 170lbs without gear, size 11 boots, riding in the Wasatch.....stuck between the 156 or 160.

Reason I'm looking at Jones boards is I can get them through work.....and if I do end up with a quality issue I'm sure that will be covered by the warenty or at least I'd hope so.


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

Robots are Nice said:


> So if anyone wants to chime in on sizing I would love that....6' 170lbs without gear, size 11 boots, riding in the Wasatch.....stuck between the 156 or 160.
> 
> Reason I'm looking at Jones boards is I can get them through work.....and if I do end up with a quality issue I'm sure that will be covered by the warenty or at least I'd hope so.


For the solid Hovercraft and riding without avy gear etc. the 156 would be fine. For the split and potentially carrying more gear you are at the upper end of the range for 156 and could go 160. Factors to consider:
- How much gear do you expect to carry? May be even multi-day tours?
- Terrain: More steep and/or wide open? Or tight trees?
- Style: Aggressive? Big sweeping turns? Quick and nimble?

What other decks do you ride?


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## Snow Hound (Jul 21, 2012)

The best sizing information from any manufacturer ever. In the history of snowboarding:

Jones Snowboards Sizing Guidelines

Ready to buy a Jones board but shaky on what size to get? Here’s the lowdown on how to size our boards based on experience from Jeremy Jones and the Jones team.

These suggested sizing guidelines are based on rider weight, rider height, boot size and intended use. Following this advice will help you maximize board performance and let you truly experience the ride feel each model was engineered to deliver. If you are too heavy or too light for a given size, the board will feel softer or stiffer than designed to be.

Big footed riders take note of the wide size options included by model.

Hovercraft / Ultracraft

Solid - 152, 156, 160, 164 (only Hovercraft) cm
Split - 152, 156, 160 cm

With a blunt nose, squat stiff tail, long sidecut radius and long effective edge, the Hovercraft and Ultracraft are compact boards that ride and float like much longer boards. They are both designed to be ridden 3-6 cm shorter than your traditional snowboard.

Lighter, smaller riders who rarely ride boards bigger than a 157 cm (even in pow), should check out the Hover/Ultra-craft 152 cm. If you normally ride a 157-162 cm board and you’re an average sized guy (most riders), you will want the Hover/Ultra-craft 156 cm. If you normally ride a 162+ cm board, or you have size US 11/11.5 boot or bigger, grab a Hover/Ultra-craft 160 cm. The Hovercraft 164 cm is a seriously big/wide board for tall/heavy guys or those with massive feet (US 12+). Note that all Hover/Ultra-craft are fairly wide for their length. Average size riders with over-sized feet are still perfect on the Hovercraft 156.

The Hover/Ultra-craft split can be sized the same as the solid. A 156 cm splitboard may sound small for riding deep pow, but the Hovercraft 156 cm actually floats like a 162 cm without the extra 6 cm of board weight to carry on the way up. Again, if you are heavier (180+ lbs / 80+ kg) or have bigger feet (US 11+), go with Hover/Ultra-craft split 160.

Jeremy Jones is 5’8" (1.73m) tall, weighs 150 lbs (68kg) and wears a US 8 boot. Jeremy rides the Hover/Ultra-craft 156 cm.

Flagship / Carbon Flagship

Flagship: 154, 158, 159W, 161, 162W, 164, 165W, 166, 169W, 172 cm

Carbon Flagship: 158, 161, 162W, 164, 165W cm

The Flagship was designed to handle all conditions, all terrain. It’s the ultimate freeride board and excels when pointed into the fall line. The blunted nose and tail keep the Flagship compact which provides awesome float without the extra spin weight in the tips. Compared to your old round nose freeride board, the Flagship can be downsized 2-3 cm.

If you are an average sized guy with an average sized foot, chances are the Flagship 161 cm is your dream boat. The 161 cm is the perfect balance between enough board for deep pow but small enough to be maneuverable in tight situations. The 162W is about the same size board but wider for average sized guys with bigger feet (US 11+).

If you are a smaller rider or tend to ride more hard pack then the 154 or 158 cm may be your ticket. The 159W is similar sized but for smaller riders with big feet.

The Flagship 164 cm rides noticeably longer than the 161 cm. It’s great for deep pow or slightly bigger riders. Ryland Bell rides the Carbon Flagship 164 cm pretty much 24/7. You won’t catch Jeremy Jones on the Flagship 164 cm unless he is in Alaska. The 165W is similar to 164 but it’s substantially wider and fits boots US 11.5-13. The 166 is perfect for big guys with average sized feet or riders who consistently ride deep pow and need serious float. The 169W is for sasquatch-sized riders with massive feet. The Flagship 172 is not as wide as the 169W, so best for big riders who love long boards, but don’t wear big boots.

Though it depends on the terrain, in wide open situations, the bigger the Flagship, the faster you can safely throttle it. That said, going with the smaller size in the 161 vs 164 or 162W vs 165W debate will give you an all-around more nimble board in variable conditions. In hard pack you’ll often see Jeremy on a Flagship 158 cm. Team riders who are strictly Flagship folk, switch off 161 vs. 164 depending on how deep it is.

Solution / Carbon Solution

Solution: 154, 158, 159W, 161, 162W, 164, 165W, 166, 169W cm

Carbon Solution: 158, 161, 162W, 165W cm

The Solution is a hard charging and playful splitboard that is designed to excel in all snow conditions. It is the same shape, size and camber profile as the Flagship.

The Solution features a blunted, rockered nose and tail that give the board insane float for it’s length. You can downsize the Solution 2-3 cm from your old pow board. We have found that you can use the smaller size Solutions (158, 161, 162W cm) in all but stupid deep pow by just setting back the stance a bit more. The shorter size is lighter which is nice on the way up and more nimble in the inevitable backcountry jungle shred situations. The bigger sizes (164, 165W, 166, 169W) are great for taller, heavier than average riders or those with the intention of frequent overnight split trips carrying heavy tour packs.

The most popular size solution is the 161 cm. Lighter guys with small feet might benefit from a 158 cm especially if your normal board size of choice is 156-158 cm.

If you have size US 12+ boots, look to the 165W or 169W for best performance on steep, hard pack terrain. Anything smaller and you might heel out on steep terrain depending on how you set the heel/toe spacing of your split bindings. The 162W is a mid-wide and ideal for boots size US 10.5-12.


Mountain Twin / Ultra Mountain Twin

Mountain Twin: 151, 154, 155W, 157, 158W, 160, 161W, 162, 164W cm

Ultra Mountain Twin: 154, 157, 158W, 160 cm

The Mountain Twin is the most playful board in the Jones quiver and is equally at home in the park, pow or on piste. The Ultra Mountain Twin is the same size and shape as the standard Mountain Twin, but it’s super charged with carbon stringers and a faster base for more stability at speed.

Whether you lean toward riding park or riding pow may be influential in your Mountain Twin size choice. If you lean toward jibbing and hitting jumps you’ll want a slightly smaller board than if you’re looking for a new pow stick.

The 151 and 154 cm are ideal size for smaller, lighter riders (110-150 lbs / 49-86 kg). The most popular size for average size guys is the 157 cm. With the blunted tips, the 157 cm floats like a traditional 159 cm but is still a great park size. If you are little bigger or heavier than average, or your looking for a pow board, check out the 160 cm or the 162 cm.

For those with decent sized but not huge feet (US 10-11.5) check out the mid-wide 158W for park and the 161W for pow. If you have*really*big feet (US 12+) then the 164W will be your best bet to avoid heel drag.

Jones team rider Taylor Carlton is 5’8" (1.73m) tall, weighs 145 lbs (66kg) and wears a US 9 boot. He rides the Mountain Twin 157cm almost daily, both at the resort and hitting backcountry jumps.

Aviator / Aviator Split / Ultra Aviator

Aviator: 152, 156, 158, 158W, 160, 160W, 162, 164 cm
Aviator Split: 156, 160, 164 cm
Ultra Aviator: 158 cm

The Aviator is a razor sharp directional twin that features the most camber of any board in the Jones quiver. Though it excels on firm snow, the Jones team rides this board in all conditions as the 3D-Power camber keeps your edges catch free in pow or crust.

Most riders of average size choose the Aviator 156 or 158 cm. This is a great all-around size for park, pipe and carving. If you weigh over 180 lbs (80 kg) bump up to the 160 or 162 cm. Riders with boots size 10+ check out the 158W and 160W. If you wear size USA 12+ boots your best option is the 164 cm.

To keep the board nimble in tight terrain, most of our team riders ride smaller Aviators than their pow boards. Jeremy Jones rides the Aviator 152 cm on spring days at the resort.

Explorer / Explorer Split / Discovery / Discovery Split

Explorer Solid + Split: 156, 158W, 159, 161W, 162, 164W cm

Discovery Solid + Split: 138, 145 cm

The Explorer is a directional freeride board designed for maximum performance in all conditions. The rocker nose and tail deliver serious float in the deep stuff and camber between the bindings keeps the Explorer railing on hard pack. A friendly flex makes it the most jibby, playful splitboards we make.

Riders of average size should check out the Explorer 159 or 162 cm. The Explorer 159 cm is a very versatile size. Lighter, smaller riders, or those looking for a shorter board for jumping, don’t miss the 156 cm. Those with big feet stick to the wide sizes.

Same sizing story with the Explorer split. The 159 cm is a great all-around size for those under 6 feet (1.8m) / 175 lbs (78 kg). Bigger guys or those with big feet jump up to the 162 or 164W.

The Discovery solid and split come in two distinct sizes - 138 cm and 145 cm. The 138 cm is for young teenage riders who are just too small for adult sized boards. The 145 cm is for smaller young adults or women for looking for a high performance freeride board in an extra small size.

No room for the women's info but it's on the Jones site.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** **



Sent from my ONE E1001 using Tapatalk


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## Robots are Nice (Sep 2, 2016)

Alright so I'm basically right on the line between 156 and 160. Ah decisions decisions. Only other pow board I've owned was a 158 Charlie Slasher which I've loved for resort power (it could be a little better on hard pack or crud but that's not why I own it) 

I also have a K2 CarveAir 154 which isn't a pow board (it's a true twin with a funny shaped nose and tail) but it's one you can supposedly size down, and I found myself going over the bars way too often on soft landings. Again it's not a powder board but I would hate to have that happen if I got the Hovy 156, cause I love doing little drops and shit.


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

Robots are Nice said:


> Alright so I'm basically right on the line between 156 and 160. Ah decisions decisions. Only other pow board I've owned was a 158 Charlie Slasher which I've loved for resort power (it could be a little better on hard pack or crud but that's not why I own it)
> 
> I also have a K2 CarveAir 154 which isn't a pow board (it's a true twin with a funny shaped nose and tail) but it's one you can supposedly size down, and I found myself going over the bars way too often on soft landings. Again it's not a powder board but I would hate to have that happen if I got the Hovy 156, cause I love doing little drops and shit.


Are you going over because you are burrying the nose? Or because the nose folds when you land? If the latter, then you definitely should go 160 for the HC (because the Carveair is a pretty stiff board already).
But I suspect you just got the weight too far forward - pow landings need to be back-foot heavy.


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## Robots are Nice (Sep 2, 2016)

Definitely just burying the nose...I'm just a little hesitant about buying a dedicated backcountry board in a length I'd usually pick for a park deck. 

But I also don't want the 160 to feel like a boat. And I ride with a more loose, splashy/surfy style but I notice here in Utah there's a lot of big, gnarly terrain that I'd want to feel stable on.......

I'm definitely overthinking it but it's a lot of money to throw down and making the leap to riding BC has me a little nervous haha.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Robots are Nice said:


> I also have a K2 CarveAir 154 which isn't a pow board (it's a true twin with a funny shaped nose and tail) but it's one you can supposedly size down, and I found myself going over the bars way too often on soft landings. Again it's not a powder board but I would hate to have that happen if I got the Hovy 156, cause I love doing little drops and shit.


You're comparing two boards with different shapes n profile n purpose only by their size... E.g. one has 0 cm setback, the other one 3cm. Apples n bananas...


I had a directional twin trad. camber 157 some years back. Float was meh. I now ride a 152 Flagship/Solution and get a the way better float even tho they're shorter. If I'd get a Hovy? I probably would trust Jones' weight rating and go for the 146 - a size which my gut considers a toy board .


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## txb0115 (Sep 20, 2015)

Buy a Prior Khyber instead... Super floaty, super nimble and super light if you get the XTC construction.. If you need to see one in person I have a bunch and am local to you here in SLC.. Plus with the CND$ being what it is, they are on a nice discount right now...

If you go to Saltys and weigh a Jones and then weigh one of the Priors I have you will see for yourself how much lighter they are.. Saves a bunch of energy on the up


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

txb0115 said:


> If you go to Saltys and weigh a Jones and then weigh one of the Priors I have you will see for yourself how much lighter they are.. Saves a bunch of energy on the up


Erm, not really. Priors tend to be light, but if you want to be a weight weenie get Jones deck with the Carbob construction. The difference in weight will negligible in practice - you are already lugging around a lot of stuff and the difference in board weight may be more than offset by boot weight or other shit.


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## txb0115 (Sep 20, 2015)

SGboarder said:


> Erm, not really. Priors tend to be light, but if you want to be a weight weenie get Jones deck with the Carbob construction. The difference in weight will negligible in practice - you are already lugging around a lot of stuff and the difference in board weight may be more than offset by boot weight or other shit.


Yea, the Priors are lighter.. See attached..




















The Carbon Solution is a much less playful deck, but obviously better on super steep and firm, but not nearly a fun or easy riding in lower angle pow or bottomless blower pow... 

I had a full thread on it with pics and full weights on Easyloungin, but obviously that is no more..

I've spent plenty of time on both decks and the Prior is a much more fun daily driver, but if you're into mountaineering type snowboarding or a heavy person the Jones definitely has its place..

The only deck that is in the same league in the weight department as a Prior is the Milligram from Amplid, and it's actually lighter, while still being easy and fun to ride like the Prior..


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

txb0115 said:


> Yea, the Priors are lighter.. See attached..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


200g is nothing. In any case, the comparison is pointless and the comments about the Carbon Solution are misleading because the OP is looking at the Hovercraft or Ultracraft which is 1) even lighter than the Carbon Solution, and 2) much more playful/surfy.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

Robots are Nice said:


> I'm definitely overthinking it but it's a lot of money to throw down and making the leap to riding BC has me a little nervous haha.


Yeah don't forget,
Hardware
Bindings
Skins
Poles
Avy 1/2
Shovel
Beacon
Probe
Backpack/Airbag
And more


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