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Previous year Jones Solutions had those issues:
- Splitboard job poorly done (that goes from inserts at the wrong place to damaged clips/rivets and gap problem (I had a karakoram clip that wouldn't lock the board as the gap was too wide)
- Topsheet problem - some boards had the topsheet going away after a few rides (top sheet from fiberglass to the top!)
- Delaminating problem - some people had the board delaminated after a tiny jump...
- Base problem - not properly glued, the base is some kind of puzzle - some people had the base not properly glued and had part of the base logo/letters stuck on their skin when they pull it off...
- Wood Core is not a single piece (wood glued together)
- I even had a board with 2cm difference between the 2 skis...

To tell you the truth, I'd rather buy a 2nd hand board over a new previous year discounted one - at least you'
re sure the board worked for at least a whole year!

The Jones Solution is a pretty good ride - I've had such a hard time finding a good board that I stuck with them. This year, I'm getting a new one, build in Austria - hoping that I won't have any of the previous years problem.

To tell you the truth, I've had maybe ~15 solid boards in my life, all of them build in Austria/France and never had a single problem such as those described above. I don't know why Jones stuck with nidecker for such a long time - around here (France), they got really bad word of mouth concerning quality/durability (even if the solution is one of the best split out there...).

AFAIK they are still with Nideker, they just switched factories.

At the premiere last night the boards looked good, but the graphics on the 56 hover split didn't line up (the mountains at the tail). No noticeable gaps on the splits

Pretty sure that's standard ski/board construction right there. My grandmother's solid hickory skis haven't seen snow in the last 70 years...

A lot of the issues sound as though there was some improper techniques in the resin/FWP layup process of construction. Meh, either way I think Jones missed out on the opportunity to colab with his POW initiative and build boards in North America, by shredders, for shredders, without having to toss them on a boat from Africa to get to market.

Just got my old lady a 2013 solution split. The graphics aren't matched and the camber is off between the two halves. I doesn't seem to have an effect when in ride mode as the bindings even out the difference in camber but the build quality obviously isn't perfect.

I don't know how to translate this in English, in French, this is "abouté". Wood core in a standard snowboard are wood pieces glued together but the pieces are single wood parts from tip to tail. Nidecker wood core are made from many tiny pieces of many different lengths - the cores are much worse, they have less flex and are easy to break.

BTW, I got my hand on a 2013 Jones Solution, the graphic is a bit off in the center (blue line is not perfectly cut in half) but the board is of a MUCH better quality!
- The base is properly done (there is no gap between the different ptex (color) parts or between the base and the edge).
- The splitboard job is properly done (hooks and rivets are properly done, clips are tight, ski length are the same...)
- Topsheet quality looks much better but not perfect (some tiny defects)

Overall, that's what I expect from an average Austrian manufacturer - if this is a normal wood core (not "abouté"), I think I'll keep the board as long as I can (except if Jones releases a carbon version with real weight gain, not just carbon inserts for stiffness...)

Gotcha, I know what you mean now.

Waaaoow, crazy post.

I got a Jones Solutions last January at Tactics in Eugene, OR. I rode it a few time back in Switzerland, probably 14-15 days in total. No problems discovered when I put it back the board bag. Hmm i feel lucky. And sorry for the people who got a board with problems.

cheers,
r.

Im starting to think my Hovercraft I got last season has some QC issues

sucks to hear. Glad I didn't pay top $ for a Jones this year. Really hope he pulls it together but I have a tough time accepting the argument that he's not aware of the shortcomings. Stop riding until your personal board line is fixed in my opinion. As a matter of respect to your fans that put paychecks down on your name.

Surprising this is still going on.

the solid boards look nice, i'm just not impressed with the jones splits at all. Horrible quality from the get go, I demoed a split last year and thought it rode ok, but nothing amazing, and they are heavy! Sucks that people line up to buy a mediocre product when there a lot a grassroots brands making quality boards with 100% attention to detail (Venture, Chimera, etc...)(and made in the USA whoo!) but people are wanting to buy jones over them just because of the name.

anywho bummed to hear that there still is some QC issues. Wish they would get it together and make a decent board, then at least the hype would be justified.

Bought a new solid Hovercraft on Friday -- build quality (that, what I can assess visually -- haven't ridden it yet) seems to be excellent!


My new Prior Spearhead Split has got significant gaps in front of the front chinese clip and behind the rear chinese clip. (other than my Venture Zephyr Split)
Anyway, I don't care about that at all as I'm convinced that this doesn't affect ride quality. Just to mention that not everything is perfect with the US manufacturers.
Nevertheless I agree with you, that those grassroots companies would deserve much more consumer attention.

I got my hands on several 2012/13 Jones Splitboards & snowboards (I work in a ski shop).

The splitboard job is not comparable to that of last year. It's properly done, the skis are fitting tightly, insert & hooks are properly done. On the board side (whether it's split or solid), it now looks & feel like a high end snowboard you'd get from any respectable european brand. There are still a few tiny defects such as not perfectly fitted carbon fibre (that can be seen as the topsheet is clear) or tiny marks on the topsheet (that won't matter once it's been used once...) - those tiny defects won't affect riding & durability - and to tell the truth, I've never seen a perfect board from anyone - most brands do have these kind of defects...

The carbon boards are stiff - the solution carbon is WAY stiffer that any other stiff split I encountered (Odin, standard solution...) - this is certainly not a board for everyone, stiffness is comparable to that of my stiffest BX boards - I do love it as "mellowness" was the big problem I had with splitboards (my solid freeride boards are stiff BX boards). The carbon split is not really lighter than the standard version (maybe a couple hundred grams at most).

So don't make the mistake buying the carbon solution as if you were buying a prior with XTC carbon, the carbon is here for stiffness, not weight saving...

Last year, if I were to advise anyone on a splitboard - I couldn't recommend any of Jones splitboards as the quality and durability were not there. The boards did ride fine, they were actually among the best boards but I couldn't tell anyone "This is what's best" and have him back a few days later with a deliminated board or topsheet falling into pieces...

This year, I would't hesitate to recommand the solution to any experienced rider (there are other cheaper alternatives for beginners & average riders) - and the carbon solution is probably the best board for pro/top riders!

There's not much snow around yet so I didn't ride much but If I were to become aware of any new problems during the season, I'd let you know here...

I got my 2012/13 Hovercraft last week and it is perfect. Also it has camber compared to my last years Solution which did not. The reason I went with Jones was the shape. If Venture made a shorter fish style powder board I would be all over it.