Where the Stratos really comes into its own is when it’s up on it edges, digging fat trenches on hardpack. Every part of the carve is thought through and aided by the board. The 3D Contour Base features bevels in the nose to smooth out turn initiation, transitioning into an aggressive camber dominant body to power up the sidecut through the arc of the turn, with the Traction Tech edges increasing bite and gripping even when the conditions are less than ideal.

“Where the Stratos really comes into its own is when it’s up on it edges, digging fat trenches on hardpack”

The benefits felt with the 3D Contour Base are tenfold, from flowy edge to edge transitions to added float in the deep stuff. V shaped basalt stringers work in conjunction with this spoon like shape, transferring energy from the inserts out to the contact points in the nose and tail, right where the edges start to lift.

It won’t ride switch as well as something like the Mountain Twin but set your stance to centre and thanks to the full-sized tail you can certainly bust out a few runs. This is where you’re getting that little bit of extra freestyle flair that you don’t always get with a board of this calibre.

The Stratos is an amalgamation of concepts, combining top shelf materials with the wildly innovative manufacturing methods that created the Project X, just specc’d down slightly to avoid the eye watering price tag. With recycled edges and ABS sidewalls, bio resin and a castor bean topsheet, the Stratos has all the hallmarks of Jones’ sustainable manufacturing methods. Jeremy’s practicing what he preaches with his aims to reduce the carbon footprint in the industry.

After rave reviews following an initial late release last season, the Stratos has shot up our list of best buys. Variety is the spice of life, and the Stratos can do a bit of everything, you can line up the narrowest of chutes and bomb the iciest pistes with sangfroid when you’ve got the Stratos strapped to your feet.