Board: Jones Ultra Mountain Twin
Size: 157
Camber Option: Camrocker. Camber underfoot with rocker in the tips.
Bindings: K2 Indy
Stance: 21.5 Wide 18 Negative 15 Goofy
Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10
My Weight: 177lbs
Resort: Arapahoe Basin
Conditions: Sunny bluebird skies, warmer temps, snow that was perfect for ripping hard carves as well as slashing around.
Flex: This board ranks as one of the more stiffer all mountain freestyle boards I’ve been on. There’s a little bit of torsional flex and I do mean a little. The tips are just a smidgen softer.
Stability: This board is lively and stable. Where it lacks in dampening it makes up for in just sheer aggressive stability. So while you might feel those annoying micro vibrations, you won’t give two shits when you plow through a chunder field and bust out the other side.
Ollies: This board wants to be in the air. The camber profile really lets you load up the tail and bust out some serious snap. Hitting side hits this board went higher and further than others I have been testing.
Pop On Jumps: As mentioned this board likes to be in the air. Set up is easy to initiate and once you snap the tail you’re off that lip and in the air.
Butterability: I will say this isn’t the board strong suit. You have to get your weight way over the tips to get the desired performance you want, but it’s not impossible.
Jibbing: Don’t even waste your time unless you’re going huge and fast. This board just doesn’t like to jib.
Carving: Ripping a hard aggressive turn takes next to nothing to start and finish. I attribute this to two things: having a Spoon shape in the tips and the mellow Magnetraction. If you want to rip short quick turns this board doesn’t slouch either.
Rider in Mind: Someone that wants a slightly directional twin snowboard that rips hard, fast, and won’t settle for a lesser performing board.
Personal Thoughts: This is definitely a step up from the Mountain Twin. You have to ride this board fast and aggressive, but it performs just that way.
Comparable Boards: Rome Sawtooth, Rossignol Jibsaw HD, Ride Berzerker
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This board was loaned to us for review from Jones Snowboards marketing department.
37 Comments
I had the year 2 mt twin.
It was slow and soft with very little camber.
Sounds like this is the ferrari version of that years later.
Angry — would you say this is one of the faster more lively directional twins you rode last year?
Jones website says no spoon on UMT….
I go with what the engineers and reps tell me when we talk. I also wouldn’t call it a Ferrari by any means. It’s lively for sure. Faster? That’s a bit subjective.
Any comments to compare this to the Salomon Man’s Board?
Equally aggressive for charging groomers?
One board more well-rounded for overall all-mountain freestyle riding?
You would be better off looking at the regular Mountain Twin if you want something more all mountain freestyle.
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Any comments on the UMT 154 vs the Burton Easy Livin 155?
currently deciding between the two for an all mountain freestyle board
Easy Livin is more freestyle focuses than all mountain freestyle focused in my opinion. The Twin will excel more at pow riding due to the camber/rocker profile.
Yo! Thanks for the reviews.
Looking for a more aggressive directional twin. The mercury has a similar profile and I take it that for your kind of riding is the superior board.
As far as locking into a turn and/or carve and overall confidence on ice, which would you rate the better board, ie. deathgrip vs. magne? I understand the Mercury plows through uneven stuff with ease, but the UMT does that probably pretty good as well. I do a lot of freestyle freeriding and see ice a lot and concerned whether the Capita would choke on ice.
Appreciate the input!
For you, you probably want the UMT over the Capita.
Hand flexing the UMT it feels stupid stiff, but haven’t seen the Mercury on display here anywhere, although I’m intrigued. Have good experience with magne in shitty situations, even though on groomers it doesn’t really matter. UMT seems the way to go! Thanks a lot.
Angry Thanks for the review.
I’m a more of a sturdy rider 6’2 and 250 pounds. All the reviews say this board is a lot stiffer and you need to ride it aggressively. Would this board have any issues carrying my weight and would that make it a bit less aggressive if a size down a size.
No issues carrying your weight and yes it would be less aggressive because you have the girth to drive it.
Great job you are doing here!
I’m tempted by this board and the regular Mountain Twin. I’m 6′ size 11 boot and 75kg. Riding in europe, often Chamonix where even some of the inbounds terrain is serious and can be icy so I want good edge hold for gnarly traverses etc. That said, I want something I can just blast around the resort/sidecountry carving and popping off whatever I can. No jibbing, maybe a quick run through the park now and then but nothing more than a 360. Basically a solid all-rounder that I can ride switch, is not too soft and has good edge hold. I grew up on camber but am intrigued by a bit of rocker in the tips for powder ease and high speed goofing with less consequence. Was thinking 160 but not sure if that is too big and about whether to go for the ultra. I can probably find 2017 models of both on discount. Would greatly appreciate your thoughts.
You’re on the right track for what you’re looking for. The UMT is stiffer and the 2017 is stiffer than the 2018. In my opinion the new 2018 is a better ride as you get more torsional flex to it. 160 is definitely in your size range and should be solid for everything you’re looking to get out of it.
I’ve worked in a shop out in Utah for the last few seasons. The UMT has proven to be my personal weapon of choice. Yes, I do have access to many boards and do have a quiver of boards – consisting of Jones, Capita, and Lib Tech. My JUMT158 is again my go to. I’ve rode my Jones boards on both the east and west coasts… the mellow magne at high speeds(riding properly in this deck) does just fine in the the heavy and crunchy stuff – I’m truthfully comfortable in every situation I’ve been in on the board. Esepecially All over the Cottonwoods, Uinta, and Wasatch Ranges of Utah! The board slashed up Hunter Mountain in NY as well for all you weekend warriors out there wondering what to get for your company ski weekend this year.
2018 version is better.
Is the 2018 version much softer flex? Did you rank it higher on your list? I need a freestyle deck that can carve like a mofo too.
It has more torsional flex to it, which over all makes it a bit more playful.
What would be better ? I’m coming from a burton custom. 6 ft 3. 210 lbs size 12
Only east coast. Freestyle skateboard syle but also get real into my carving been riding 20 years. Lots of switch riding too. Yes typo ?
Or one of the Jones twins?
Thanks
Capita Mercury actually.
Yeah that board sounds great . Can It handle a size 12 though? Specs say no. And I’m at the top of the weight range.
Depends on which boot you’re really in.
Burton concord.. I want to lay the bitch over
Then get the UMT if you really want to lay it over.
Wow I just got the 2018 board in the mail. Hardly any camber. Has just as much camber as my sons “flat “ board . I have a feeling this boards gonna suck. Compared to my custom which is actually lighter even at 10 years old. And a solid 1/2 inch of camber
It shouldn’t have 0 camber, I’d be a bit speculative that someone pulled it off the mold early.
I guess it’s not zero , just surprised at how mellow. The weight of bindings almost flatten it out. I emailed you some pics
I was wrong . This board rips . Your Review is spot on. I got the 2018 model though
2018 is better.
How do you think this compares to a oz woody, or Proto 2. Want a fun board to run around the mountain on and have some playfulness but also lay an fast edge down on the east coast. Maybe even the yes typo? I’m 5’10 215lbs been riding 25years
I think it’ll be better than both of those choices.
2018 UMT better than MT? or you still favoring the non-ultra models?
It got so much better.
So which one is better now, the ultra or the regular for 2017/2018 boards.
They’re both good.
[…] out the past reviews of the 2017 Ultra Mountain […]