Year Model: Women’s Jones Stratos 2022
Size: 146 cm
My Height & Weight: 5’1” & 105 lb
Bindings used: Union Juliet Bindings
Camber: Jones says the Stratos has a hybrid flex pattern defined by more tip rocker than tail rocker and camber between the bindings.
Shape: Tapered Directional
Flex: Jones rates the Stratos a 7/10, I would agree.
Carving: I love carving on this board, even groomer days put a big smile on my face. The Jones Stratos likes really tight carves and they feel effortless. Going through moguls is a breeze. I felt like there was a sweet spot on longer carves, I needed to be careful otherwise sometimes I would wash out. Jones uses Inner/Outer Traction Tech edges which means that there are three sidecut bumps on each side of the bindings. It helps when carving in some icy conditions, but I wouldn’t say it is on par with a full magne-traction board. On center stance, the bindings are over the magne-traction bumps and it does give this board a little extra bite on steeper or icier terrain. I have not gotten to try Jones skate technology bindings out yet to see if they make a difference but I plan to.
Stability: When I first got the Stratos, I was using a pair of 10-year-old Burton bindings. The Stratos felt very unstable on corduroy. I could feel every bump and the chatter was crazy. This really made me dislike the board initially. Thankfully, I threw on my newer Union Juliet bindings and I was amazed at the difference. The chatter was gone and the board felt much more stable. I would make sure you have a more damp binding for this board or you will hate the chatter. The board feels pretty stable at speed with a damp pair of bindings. It does not seem to catch an edge easily, I believe this is due to the 3d Contour Base and the wide nose.
Ollies/Pop: This board was made to be an all-mountain freeride board with a freestyle heart. It is very playful for being a stiffer board. The Stratos has a lot of pop and it is very light.
Trees: The Stratos is great at maneuvering through the trees due to its 3d Contour Base and narrow waist. It loves the tight turns!
Powder: The Jones Stratos excels in powder. It has a very wide nose and effortlessly floats. For high powder days, it has slambacks so you can set your bindings all the way back. Unless guaranteed powder all day long, I found that setting my bindings all the way back was not ideal. Having it setback all the way in the morning was awesome but as soon as the powder settled and became more choppy it bucks you around a lot. I found that the shape alone and having my stance set just a little bit back was ideal and made a full day of boarding more comfortable. For not being a powder-specific snowboard, the Stratos is really fun and definitely has that awesome surfy feel.
Butterability: It is on the stiffer side, but still butterable.
Jumps: The Stratos is very light and easy to maneuver for jumps. I felt stable on takeoff and landing.
Where it shines: The Stratos is a “quiver killer”. It really can do everything. I love it for powder days and groomer days alike. It’s fun for jumps and it’s really lightweight. If I can only bring one board with me on a trip, this is the one that makes the cut.
Who would love it: A medium to aggressive rider looking for a do-it-all board would love the Jones Stratos. If you can only afford to get one board and you want something that performs well in powder, goes fast, carves well, and is playful… this board is awesome.
Personal Thoughts: The Jones Stratos is really great at doing everything but it isn’t the best in any one area. So if you are only looking to buy one board, pick this board, it is absolutely epic. However, if you are looking to add to your quiver, you might want a more powder-specific board like the Never Summer Harpoon. My only complaint is that hardpacked ungroomed snow is the weakest area for this board. The Stratos knocks me around a lot on the chunder. This could be due to my weight or my stance on the board. I feel like I do best when I can carve around rather than power through the chunder.
