Our pro crew carved trenches down the Dave Murray Downhill on the Jones Howler. It rewards a rider who stays on top of it. It scores 88 out of 100 and ranks #3 in our best snowboards guide as our best snowboard for carving.
Best Snowboard for Carving
Jones Howler
Bottom Line : A big-mountain carver that locks into a trench on hardpack. It rewards a rider who stays on top of it, and under one it is superb.
Pros
- Locks into carves on hardpack
- Damp and composed at speed
- Tough base and topsheet
Cons
- Asks for a committed, forward stance
- Not a dedicated powder board
- Rides long for its size
On the Mountain
Our pro crew laid down deep, trench-digging euro-carves on the Dave Murray Downhill. On hardpack it hunts for the next turn and holds it.
It is built to last. Owners praise the topsheet and dense base.
Where It Asks Something of You
It wants commitment. James, riding with our intermediate crew, relaxed onto his back foot on his first run and the board let him know straight away. That same directional stiffness is what makes it so locked-in for a rider who stays forward.
It is not a dedicated powder board.
Spec Sheet vs Our Test
- High Power Camber: Locked into carves on the Dave Murray Downhill
- Directional flex: Rewards a forward stance, punishes a lazy back foot
- Traction Tech edges: Held on morning hardpack
Should You Buy the Jones Howler?
Yes, if carving is what you love and you ride with intent. Jones is adding a Howler Split for 2027 if you want to tour on it.
Strong intermediates and up who carve hardpack with a committed, forward stance.
Compare With
- Jones Flagship Pro: our best snowboard for steep terrain.
- Rome Ravine Pro: our best snowboard for powder.
- Arbor El Camino: our best snowboard for intermediate riders.
- Arbor Rain: our best snowboard for park.
- Rome Women's Ravine: our best overall snowboard.
- Lib Tech Dynamiss: our best snowboard for hardpack and ice.
- Jones Women's Howler: our best snowboard for hard charging.
- CAPiTA Space Metal Fantasy: our best snowboard for butters.
- Weston Dream Machine Splitboard: our best Splitboard.
See all ten, and how we tested them, in our best snowboards of 2026/2027 guide. Heading out on two planks instead? Read our best all-mountain skis guide.
Editor's Note, 22 October 2026: We removed references to other websites and what they said about this product. The only ratings on this page are our own.
Editor's Note, 20 October 2026: Renamed this pick's award to say what it is best for, to match our updated buying guide. Scores and rankings are unchanged.
Editor's Note, 3 October 2026: New review, from the field notes of our snowboard crews at Whistler Blackcomb.
Our Testers
This review was edited by Sean Williams and tested at Whistler Blackcomb by our lead tester and snowboard crews.
- Sean Williams, Editor-in-Chief. Sean built the team of researchers and testers behind our reviews and edits every guide. His rule: we say what we actually found.
- Ryan Williams, Lead Tester. An aggressive, heavy charger on skis who hunts for steep, punishing terrain; on a snowboard, Ryan rides with our intermediate crew. He has led our field tests from Whistler Blackcomb to the shore of Lake Louise.
- James Ward, Tester. An ex-racer on skis, James rides with our beginner to intermediate crew on a snowboard. He lives in Calgary and also tested our fat bikes at Lake Tahoe.
- Shaun Taylor, Tester. One of our pro snowboarders, aged 57.
- Tony Fisher, Tester. One of our pro snowboarders. Tony lives in Morzine, in the French Alps.
- Ali Fisher, Tester. A pro snowboarder on our women's crew, Ali lives in Morzine, in the French Alps.
- Annie Ward, Tester. An intermediate snowboarder on our women's crew, Annie lives in Calgary.
- Tom Harris, Tester. Strong in bowls and glades, Tom took our powder boards into Symphony Bowl.
- Amy Carter, Tester. Our strongest snowboarder, riding at pro level. On skis she is a progressing intermediate.
- The pro and intermediate crews. Riders from Calgary, the French Alps and beyond, who met up at Whistler to ride the same boards on the same runs.
