While the basic designs of the 2010/2011 Jones Snowboards lineup are the result of nearly two decades of freeriding experience, the finishing touches are the result of the last four months of non-stop product testing. From the first foot of new snow in Tahoe to the steep ancient snowpack of Antartica, Jeremy and the Jones Snowboards team have been slashing turns and boosting airs in every condition imaginable as they tweaked the final designs.

After a couple good storms in late October,  Jeremy and I chased out to a favorite North Tahoe backcountry zone to test an early prototype of the Mountain Twin. High winds had consolidated what little snow there was into a dense but edgeable base making for ideal testing conditions for the CamROCK and Mellow Mag performance on the Mountain Twin. The playfulness of the flex pattern and the edge grip of the Mellow Mag got high marks as we ripped into low-tide technical chutes.

Couple months later team rider Forrest Shearer gave the Twin a spin in much better conditions and found the pop just right for these epic pillows.

The design of the Flagship reflects Jones Snowboard’s desire for a freeride board that will allow you to step to any terrain or obstacle with total confidence. To put the prototypes through the ringer every team rider spent the last few months shredding their favorite hits and taking note of the subtle rocker and profile characteristics of the Flagship. Here Ryland Bell tests the Flagship’s stomp-ability floating a back three off a classic hit at Squaw Valley.

Team rider Ralph Backstrom had his way with the Flagship as well – sending it at a secret spot in North Tahoe on the 162 cm.

And of course…Jeremy’s favorite board to test the past month – The Hovercraft. The back to back to back storms that hit Tahoe late December and early January made for epic Hovercraft testing conditions. Let’s just say a little bit of fun was had working out the final tip rocker and nose profile of the Hovercraft…