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, 3 October 2026: New review, from the field notes of our snowboard crews at Whistler Blackcomb.
Amy charged the heavy afternoon chop on Peak to Creek on the Jones Women's Howler. It is heavy, damp and very fast. It scores 86 out of 100 and ranks #5 in our best snowboards guide as our best snowboard for hard charging.
Best Snowboard for Hard Charging
Jones Women's Howler
Bottom Line : Heavy, damp and fast: raw power for charging afternoon chop, for riders who ride with intent and stiff boots to match.
Pros
- Powers through heavy chop
- Damp and fast
- Same tough build as the men's
Cons
- Demanding for beginners
- Needs stiff boots and bindings
On the Mountain
Amy loved the raw power of this board charging through the heavy afternoon chop on Peak to Creek. It rides heavy, damp and very fast.
Where It Asks Something of You
It is demanding.
Spec Sheet vs Our Test
- High Power Camber: Heavy, damp and fast through chop
- Directional flex: Rewards riders who ride with intent
Should You Buy the Jones Women's Howler?
Yes, if you ride aggressively and have the gear for it. Reviewers stress pairing it with stiff freeride boots and responsive bindings; with soft, broken-in park boots it feels sluggish and slow to turn. Jones is adding a Women's Howler Split for 2027.
Strong women who charge variable snow, with stiff boots and responsive bindings to match.
Compare With
- Jones Flagship Pro: our best snowboard for steep terrain.
- Rome Ravine Pro: our best snowboard for powder.
- Jones Howler: our best snowboard for carving.
- 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.
- 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, 20 October 2026: Our snowboard guide is now ranked highest score first, so this board moves from #8 to #5. Its score is unchanged.
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.
