I recently had the chance to get out on the Jones Howler during a trip and after a day and a half of putting it through its paces, I’ve got some thoughts on where this board sits in the current landscape. For context, I’m not a pro I just love trying out different gear. Conditions on the mountain were far from ideal for a powder test, looking at a heavy freeze-thaw cycle with zero fresh snow, which meant anything off-piste was basically a no-go. However, that created the perfect environment to see how a board like the Howler handles the daily grind of groomers and park laps.
From the first chair, the board felt intuitive. Some boards require a learning curve or a specific technique to unlock their potential, but the Howler is a very 'plug-and-play' experience. On the groomers, the board was remarkably stable. Even when the morning corduroy turned into that chatter-heavy, refrozen crust later in the day, the Howler gripped well. It didn’t feel like it wanted to wash out on me when I laid into a turn, which is always a confidence booster when you're dealing with variable conditions.
What really stood out to me, though, was the pop. Transitioning from carving on the blue runs into the park, the Howler showed its more playful side. It’s got a energetic snap to it that makes side hits and park features a lot of fun. It’s stable at speed, so you don't feel like you're on a noodle when you're charging toward a jump, but it’s still maneuverable enough to feel 'fun' to turn. It doesn’t feel like work to ride this board, which is a major plus if you’re looking for something to spend all day on without exhausting your legs.
Now, let's talk about the 'one-board-to-do-it-all' promise. The Howler definitely falls into that quiver-killer category. It has decent rocker on the tips, which suggests it could handle a bit of the soft stuff, but honestly, looking at the profile, I wouldn’t pick this as my primary weapon for a deep powder day. It looks like it would handle a few inches of fresh snow just fine, and if you set the bindings way back, you could probably survive a storm, but it doesn’t scream 'float' the way a dedicated freeride board does. It feels like a board designed for the rider who doesn't know what the mountain is going to throw at them and wants to be prepared for 80% of it.
Because it tries to be a jack-of-all-trades, I did find that it wasn't necessarily 'fantastic' at any one specific thing. Similarly, if I knew I was heading into deep powder, I’d grab a K2 Excavator over this any day. The Howler is the middle ground. It’s for the guy who isn’t looking to pop 720s off cliffs in the backcountry but wants a reliable, fun, and poppy deck that can handle a bit of everything.
One thing I noticed while riding was how stable it felt at high speeds. Sometimes boards that are poppy and fun in the park can get a bit twitchy when you really open them up on a long downhill run, but the Howler stayed damp and composed. It’s a very safe feeling underfoot. You can push it, and it responds without any nasty surprises. It’s the kind of board that makes you feel like a better rider because it’s so predictable.
In the end, while I had a blast on it, the Howler didn't end up being a 'must-buy' for my personal quiver. That’s not a knock on the board's quality or performance—it’s just a reflection of where I am with my gear. I tend to prefer specialized boards for specific conditions. However, if I were looking to downsize to just one board that could handle my morning groomer laps, some midday park runs, and the occasional light powder stash, the Howler would be at the top of the list. It’s a versatile, high-energy board that offers a lot of 'fun factor' without requiring expert-level technique to enjoy.
