Share

Snowboards

Jones Discovery 2017-2018 Kids’ Snowboard Review

  • Price: £315 / €350
  • Sizes: 132, 138, 145, 150
  • Flex: 5
  • Profile: Hybrid Camber
  • Shape: Directional
  • jonessnowboards.com

The Jones Discovery might be the most ‘serious’ freeride snowboard ever made for kids (unless you count the splitboard version – yep, there’s one of those too…). They’ve parked the cartoonish graphics and mellow engineering that most other brands favour, and have instead opted for something that looks and feels unmistakably like a Jones.

“A very slight bevel on the edges makes for smoother turns and better pow float”

Young riders who already know how to charge will feel right at home with the Jones Discovery’s directional shape, not to mention a sidecut that improves turn initiation in all conditions. It’s also got a high-quality sintered base that will carry your grom as fast as they dare, provided it’s been looked after. For best results, we recommend a policy of “no dessert until you’ve waxed your board”…

A very slight bevel on the edges, similar to that of the Jones Explorer, makes for smoother turns and better pow float. Ideally, this should be taken into the deep stuff wherever possible, where it can help foster a love and respect of backcountry riding that, for most riders, would normally come much later.

Mellow Magne-Traction edges help to grip firmer snow, aided by the mostly-camber profile. The classic bend underneath the feet is perfect for charging the groomers and loading up to pop off natural hits, while the rocker sections at each end assist in the powder and generally make for a smoother, less twitchy ride.

“The Jones Discovery is the current high watermark for kid-specific freeride snowboards”

As for materials used, this goes down the ‘simple but effective’ path. After all, a lot of fancy additives will only be worth the extra cost when the rider is more powerful. A full poplar core is combined with biax fibreglass to deliver a stable, reliable ride that is easy to get to grips with.

As long as the rider is up to the challenge (and with the new 132cm size, that door is open to more groms than ever), the Jones Discovery is the current high watermark for kid-specific freeride snowboards.

Tester’s Verdict

Pinga – Whitelines Grom Team

“It’s great for carving and going fast. I really like it! I can’t do any butters on it, but it’s really good for boardercross. Can I keep it? The graphics are cool too – they make me want to ride powder.”

Dad’s Comments

“This is a ‘proper’ snowboard. Not a beginner kids board, but a board for someone who rides well but who just hasn’t grown all the way up yet. This was the board of choice for racing, and generally going as fast as possible.

As you’d expect, it’s not really for nosepressing a box, but it is for riding the mountain, and the kids loved doing just that.”

Trade Secrets

Jeremy Jones – Owner, Jones

There aren’t a lot of directional freeride boards out there in this size range.

We designed the Discovery to be a real-deal freeride board that properly fits youth and small adults. I feel like we nailed the Discovery’s flex and materials to handle choppy conditions that usually throw off smaller riders.

The Discovery is a playful and confidence-inspiring freeride board.

The Jones Discovery is a kids snowboard that will foster a love for powder riding at a young age.
The big mountain pedigree of the Jones Discovery comes through in its Teton-inspired graphics.

Share

Newsletter Terms & Conditions

Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy.

Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions.

production