Splitboard.com Forums

Press Release on the homepage

http://www.splitboard.com/index.php/fea ... -fall-2013

Neat board, but my 2 cents on the Hovy...
I have a Hovy split, which is a BLAST to ride. However, in deep snow i find it a bit more difficult to skin with on steeps. The toe attachments are placed at the middle of the camber, which makes sense. But because of the size difference of the nose/tail, your foot is placed rather far back on the board when in skin mode.

Check out this pic (http://jonessnowboards.com/index.php/pr ... raft-split) and then imagine a foot placed on the ski... there is a ton of board in front of your foot, compared to behind it. Now imagine snow stacked up on the front of the ski. You can see how the front of ski would be much heavier than the back.

When skinning on steeps with deep snow, I find it takes a lot more effort to kick turn. I have a somewhat difficult time with it - its led me to become oversensitive to any snow stacking up on the front of that ski, which I stomp off PRONTO. That is not so with my other splits.

ANYONE ELSE? Or am I just being a poon?
Maybe just something to get used to on all swallowtails (this is my only one)?

I have only had a handful of days on it, but the above difference was very apparent. I have now twice left it at home because of this.

(Don't mean to poo on this thread, but just curious about anyone else's experience!!)

It states this will be a 156. Why only a shorty?

Hoping to demo a Hovercraft at Baker fest. Never ridden one, but this super light version definitely has the wheels turning.

Oh yea, and this:

"Unlike traditional splits designed around a solid board platform, then sliced down the middle, the Ultracraft is one of the first splitboards designed as individual split skis before being transformed into a solid board. "

That is a bit worry-some. I'd prefer my board to ride well as a snowboard...

Around 8 lbs with K-ram Superlights. That's insane! Now we're talking equal weight of a resort set up. It just needs a white top sheet so snow doesn't stick as much while touring. All splits should be light colored!!! Black sticks. White wicks. (lol I made that up)

acopa, isn't your foot supposed to sit back on skis??? All my splits are like that

Hovercraft does skin a little nose high, especially in the deep, but I have found the shorter tail and lighter weight to make kick turns much easier.

I hate marketing bullshit. Voile did this for years and years thus the four cap edges on the old voile boards. Super stoked on the weight of this thing, but I just can't really get behind anything from jones. I applaud the direction this is going though.

I hear you, kinda tacky for sure. I am having a bit of a hard time getting behind them as well. Growing pains hopefully, because they are definitely pushing it and I dig this board and their new RAS pack.

I have a splitting friend who really wants to buy a Jones as his next board because of "everything JJ has done for the sport." While on some level he does have a point, what about all the folks out there on defective Jones boards? What has JJ done for them?

That thing would be fun to demo though.

Yes, and what about all the companies who showed dedication to the backcountry by building and selling splits long before it blew up?

I have more attachment to small companies, probably because I run a small business, but I certainly feel that the ones who've been in the game longest deserve more payback than they probably recieve.

I would expect that the intent behind a board this light is split mountaineering. I was up on Shuksan a few weeks back and ran into Russman and we got to talking about kits for days like that one and he said something along the lines of this board with the lightest K'ram bindings on it with a target under 9 pounds. I would not expect great durability from such a featherweight set up but with the right objectives and riding style it could be a great addition to the quiver. Don't charge hard on it and expect it to last more than a handful of days.

That goes along with the "designed as skis" idea too. For splitmo a lot of the hairy stuff is on the way up and 90% of the day is about getting to where you're going.

I sold my hovercraft split because it was terrible for skinning. For the person who said your foot should be back in the board, your toe pivot pint should be 1inch ahead of the boards true centre. I would slide back on the hovey split in pathetically low angle terrain. Compared with my Odin, which skins like a dream, this was unacceptable and made the board unusable. Really unfortunate as it is so much fun on the downhill.