Jones Rally Cat Snowboard Review vs. Aviator 2.0, Jones Mtn Twin Pro, Mtn Twin and Frontier

[@darkieca]

Perfect review as always ! Seems that you are on a trail of reviewing Jones 2025 boards. Hope to see an update on the review of the Storm Wolf in 158. For the 2022 model you constantly said that you would like to try the 158 instead of the 162. Hope to see a review of the Freecarver 6000 as well to compare with the 9000 :D See ya

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks! So rode the 158 and liked it way better for my specs. Cant find the review and footage anywhere...fuck!...sorry. 6000s is coming and so is the Flagship Pro but its not coming next. Soon though.

[@brianp9268]

@@thegoodridesnowim excited for the mountain twin pro review. I would also like to put in a request for you test the full line of gentemstick, moss, and offshore boards lol.

[@BlakeyB777]

Hi James! so ive ridden a good chunk of my life but have been out of the game for a couple years. im getting back into it! im a decent rider who just likes to carve around at decent speeds and do little stuff in the park. based on your review would you agree this would be a good board for me?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Happy to help and based on the limited info I have yeah it would be a great board to get back into the swing of things and then some but would need to know a lot more to give you a throbbing thumbs up. If you want to get into it more, hit me here to give me the info I need to help you much better. shop.thegoodride.com/merchandise/gear-advice/

[@troybolton7479]

How would you compare the rally cat to the Jones Mind Expander Twin as an all day do everything board?

[@thegoodridesnow]

I like the Rally Cat Much better on non-pow days. There is a lot more pop and it's just a more energetic/playful ride. If you see a lot of powder and like a twin in it the MET is the call.

[@joshuaturner5604]

Looking at getting a jones looking at the rally cat or the tweaker which would you recommend?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Go Rally Cat if you want a more well rounded board that you can set back in pow for a little easier float. Go Tweaker if you see a lot of park in your future.

[@joshuaturner5604]

@ went for the tweaker, do a lot of freestyle/ parks in an indoor slope just trying to find some bindings to go with, was looking at clew for the step ons but so many mixed reviews I’ve backed out 😂

[@nicolaswarnier-i6p]

Hi James ! Great review ! Between the Rally Cat, the Indoor Survival ant the Spring Break Resort Twin. What do you think is the best all-mountain / freestyle snowboard ? I already have the mind expander as my freeride board. And I looking a board to improve my Ollie, butter and my freestyle

[@thegoodridesnow]

I really like the Indoor Survival for Ollies and it's got the best pop. The SB Resort Twin is great for buttering and is the most forgiving ride but has the least pop of the three. It's got good pop but just isn't there with the other 2. The Rally Cat is a nice balance between the two.

[@dragos5357]

I could see that on thegoodride website the camber profile is "hybrid camber" but on the jones website it says "true camber", does it fill like a hybrid or where does the discrepancy is coming from?

[@thegoodridesnow]

@dragos5357 Yes. Look at the Camber pic on the review and 2:03 on the vid to see the early rise and lifted sides. True Camber has neither. Probably a marketing generalization by Jones thats close but not accurate. Its much more forgiving than full/true camber.

[@Need-For-Swede]

Clear preference on this board for the Jones lineup. Do you prefer this over the YES Basic UnInc for a one board quiver? Seems like the major draw is a bit more flex and pop for the Rally Cat and a more hard carving edge on the Basic?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yes. It's a Favorite on The Good Ride. I like the Basic Uninc 2025 (another favorite) over this for turning and hard snow because it's stiffer between the feet, has more grip and a little more spring. The Jones is more fun to butter, is more forgiving and an easier all day ride.

[@MrRobvanzutphen1]

Hi Beasty, thanks for your great in-depth review!! I currently ride a 2013 Bataleon Whatever 156. I like the flexibility but I feel it doesn't hold an edge really well on harder snow. I have ridden the Mountain Twin 154 (i think 2019 model) last week and really liked it. It surprised me that i really enjoyed that stiffer flex for faster riding and I found the edge hold much more confident. Therefor, I thought to go out and buy the Mountain Twin. But then a 156. And now I saw your review of the Rally Cat. Would you say the edge hold is comparable between MT and RC? Also, when going relatively fast, let's say 35mph-45mph, is the Rally Cat still as solid as the Mountain Twin? Looking forward to your reaction. Thanks in advance Keep up the good work!

[@thegoodridesnow]

Oh yeah, that doesn't grip well. You might like the camber of the Rally Cat Better for ollies and slower speed turns but the stiffer flex better for riding faster with the Mtn Twin.

[@MrRobvanzutphen1]

​@@thegoodridesnowthanks for the reply! Is the edge hold comparable between MT and RC?;

[@thegoodridesnow]

@MrRobvanzutphen1 yep

[@MrRobvanzutphen1]

​@@thegoodridesnow Thanks!!

[@monicagustafsson3316]

How would you compare it to Korua Otto?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Otto is more stiff, much more directional and has much more set back on board for pow. This is much more centered and much more playful.

[@monicagustafsson3316]

Thanks for the reply. Which one would you prefer on hard snow?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Rally Cat.

[@zackbutler950]

For the rally cat, what union bindings would you recommend? All mountain riding, little bit of freestyle emphasis on the mountain (side hits, learning butters etc) but not really into park. Higher end beginner rider, so definitely not testing the limits lol. I’m between the new force, ultra and strata.

[@thegoodridesnow]

The Ultra will work really well if you want an even easier board to butter and a better board in the park.

[@zackbutler950]

@ I won’t be going into the park anytime soon. Not to say I never will but I don’t plan on it, just not where my interest is. Which would you say would be the best between the ultra, strata and force for all mountain use of this board with a some freestyle thrown in around the mountain?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Force

[@Fadesign100]

Nice Blue jacket.

[@konstantinvalter8544]

I think the cat rally has no the Traction Tech... or am i wrong. Did you find the Cat better than the frontier for an all-day board?

[@thegoodridesnow]

No it does. check Edge Hold 3:20. I found them about the same and both provide very competent grip.

[@AnotherDaveInParadise]

Geometry is slightly different to the Aviator 2.0, with a wider waist/tip/tail and shorter tip/tail lengths. The ends are much more rounded too. Also, on the table (0:41s) the tail looks to have slighly more volume than the nose. Like a reverse Yes Standard. Could be my poor eyesight though. Great looking board at a very reasonable price point. Win.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yeah I think I said it's similar but not the same. On snow it felt very much like a mellow Aviatior 2.0 more than any other all mtn board I've tried. It's softer like the Standard but that's about it. They feel very different on snow. Regardless, I love this board. It's Very fun and hope you get to try it.

[@AnotherDaveInParadise]

@@thegoodridesnow Sure will, as I'm looking at picking one up as a daily driver. Got a 148 Service Dog for powder/party, so lack of float isn't an issue. Looks like a lot of board for the money, and who doesn't like a bit of orange on their topsheet.

[@AnotherDaveInParadise]

@@thegoodridesnow One thing on sizing James, I'm a little taller/heavier than you and wear US10 Vans (so not particularly reduced footprint). The 156 would be my usual choice, however I leaning towards the 155W. 258mm waist, but like the Mercury the bump in the middle adds a few mm. I prefer shorter boards so don't want the 158 or above. 155W a good call?

[@Scruffy_Shredder]

Hi James, long time lurker here. Asking for some additional comment on the spoon/3D base relative to park riding. So-Cal based so riding hard/slushy park by default. You say in the vid that it tracks well into jumps and didn’t feel washy. I’m unfamiliar with Jones 3D bases, daily drivers have been Ultrafear and Indoor Survival. For example when S turning into a larger jump, did you have to focus on center pressure to avoid contact point slippage? Does the 3D start before/at/after the contact point? Any additional thoughts appreciated.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Ha! Thanks for lurking. Yep you got it correct. Jones seemed to tweak the mold of the Rally Cat to make the spoon nose/tail not really bleed into the effective edge so it doesn't really need that center weighted pressure. With the other Jones boards like the Aviator and Mtn Twin/Twin Pro that's mainly in firm to harder snow and not as prevalent in softer snow. I barely felt anything with the Rally Cat vs. the other boards mentioned. Does that help?

[@Scruffy_Shredder]

@@thegoodridesnow yes thanks. It’s very difficult to find a good daily driver park board for my wife who is 4’10” and ~95lbs experienced rider w/ W5 boot. Capita Birds 140 is criminally narrow for its length (along with DOA, Equalizer, etc- compare these waists to other brands, you will be stunned), Rossi Diva 140 has better dims but is super stiff. Kids boards tend to have full rocker or are noodles. Thought the Rally Cat 142 would be a good fit for her, possibly a 155W or 156 for me @ 9.5 boot.

[@Scruffy_Shredder]

Forgot to mention: love the black t shirt in the Mountain Twin/Pro review. If you haven’t already, highly recommend reading the ‘Leviathan Wakes’ series by James S.A. Corey. Turned into ‘The Expanse’ tv show on Amazon Prime.

[@thegoodridesnow]

@Scruffy_Shredder thanks man! Love the Expanse. I watched the show, read all the books and even the shorts. Love those writers.

[@robikanobi]

Great reviews! however I see you rate the frontier as a good(better) bomber then the mountain twin pro while on Jones website it says the frontier is very soft comoared to the mtw pro.... hows that possible?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks, but you are mistaken. I don't have the Mtn Twin Pro review up and this is a different board from the Ultra Mountain Twin which I do have up right now. I will have the Mtn Twin Pro review up in the coming weeks and it's a little more damp than the Ultra Mtn Twin. One thing to know is I go by real world testing, same day, same boots, same bindings and often same runs. Jones might be ratting flex and base glide over dampness and stability at speed. But here is the thing. Don't get either if you want a bomber board. Get either the Flagship or Flagship Pro.

[@robikanobi]

@@thegoodridesnow Alright I will wait for the mtn pro review then... dont like the flagship myself as it feels like a boat(not very nimble) frontier not stable enough up to 65mph?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Really depends on many factors so this is very hard to answer because I know nothing about you, your specs, your equipment, ability level and what size Flagship you rode and many other factors that could help me answer this question properly and especially suggest the right board for you. If you want a quick answer neither the Mtn Twin Pro or Frontier are good choices for going 65mph or faster. If you want to get real help hit me here. shop.thegoodride.com/merchandise/gear-advice/

[@robikanobi]

@@thegoodridesnow Yes you are right... Thanks for that will do!!

[@pewpewpro3309]

I have MTN twin and a Frontier. I love the powder/carving performance of the Frontier but also enjoy the more locked in feel of the MTN Twin. Would this be that board?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Might work and yes it has more camber than both but a much softer flex than the JMT and especially the Frontier. What sizes are each of the boards you own?

[@pewpewpro3309]

@@thegoodridesnow My MTN Twin is 160 and my Frontier is 162. I’m 6’4, 192 and size 10 boot.

[@aprilzhang5122]

Hi James i am a average dad here coming back to this after 15 years, to enjoy as much as possible as freestyle all mountain average speed guy , my old board is 2008 156 flow Infinity stiff anyway.. Thank you for all your vedio and you reply everyone ,i am now your fan,also because we have same shoes size and weight 😊 Freestyle all mountain guy deciding between shadowban 157and rallycat158 to re gain my confidence and progress, Base on your description for Shadowban it is a cake for turn control. How does that compare to Rallycat? maybe cat too soft *Will eventually get a yes great if i progress enough

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks for your good words and the info. Need your weight and height for confirming sizing. Both will work well but if you want a softer flex between the feet and is closer to being a twin, has more pop and has a little faster base. The Shadowban has a stiffer flex better for the mtn, better float in powder and is a better ride in uneven snow.

[@aprilzhang5122]

@thegoodridesnow same as you 185 lb-+, size 9 is very easy for me to flowing you as we have the same spec =)

[@thegoodridesnow]

Oh cool. Those are good sizes so it comes down to what I described above.

[@aprilzhang5122]

@@thegoodridesnow thanks I think the able to run better in un even snow is very beneficial for me, I will go with the shadowban then thanks you very much !!

[@erikhellebaut]

Hello James, Thanks for all your nice and interesting reviews! I would like to buy this Rally Cat. I'm 5'9", boots 8.5, 154lbs. Riding in Les 3 Vallées, France, mostly groomers seeking side hits, carving at moderate speeds, switch, sometimes 2 or 3 runs in the park: small and medium kickers. I hesitate between a 154 or a 156. What size would you advise me?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks. What make/model/size/year board do you have now and how do you like it?

[@erikhellebaut]

@@thegoodridesnowCapita Mercury 155 2022

[@thegoodridesnow]

...and how do u like it? Especially size wise?

[@erikhellebaut]

@@thegoodridesnow With the Mercury 155 it was a stable and versatile ride in good conditions. . Pretty nimble too. but I was bucked around in uneven snow and sometimes twitchy at low speeds flatbase on harder snow conditions. So I was asking myself if the Rally Cat had a more stable ride in uneven snow. Once I’ve tried a Jones Stratos and I liked it so much carving on groomers or in deep powder it was great but later in the day when the groomers were messed up, just like the Mercury it was so chattery. So I completely agree with your review about the Stratos

[@thegoodridesnow]

Ok cool. Glad we see eye to eye. I think you should go 156 Rally Cat then and it should solve most of your problems.

[@JakubNosal]

Hello do you think rally cat would be a good addition to my K2 Passport for more laid back chill days to pop of some side hits but still maintaining nice edge on reds? I am 187cm 93 kg , 44.5 EU boot 162w would be fine :) ?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yeah that would work well. You are in between the 162w and 166w. Since you have a more directional Passport you might like something shorter for side hits and it should grip very well.

[@terryguan4314]

Is’t the Rally Cat fit for a beginner board ? As the flex at “4” , and seems a quite forgiving and easy to turning. I’m considering to the Rally Cat or the Nidecker Play. 😅

[@thegoodridesnow]

2:59 and then watch the whole chapter on camber. Great choice vs. the Play.

[@cubicice-x5k]

Hi James! Thanks for the great review! Is the 151cm too long for a 65kg 5'6 girl with shoe size US 8? I know there is a women version but I really like the men's color.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks for watching and the women's range is for sure a better fit but I guess it depends on what make/model/size/year board you are used to now?

[@davemitchell3998]

Is this forgiving/ catch free ride? Looking for this after a massive edge catch a couple of years ago which freaked me out.. was looking at Bataleon with their 3BT but can’t get a demo so will have to buy blind ..

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yes very forgiving and catch free but before I recommend it let me know what make/model/size/year board you had the massive edge catch on so we can make sure this is the right board for you. Or, If you want to get into it more, hit me here to give me the info I need to help you much better. shop.thegoodride.com/merchandise/gear-advice/

[@davemitchell3998]

@@thegoodridesnow 159 yes typo 2017 I think

[@davemitchell3998]

Was bombing some flat land and got a heal edge slam ( big time)

[@davemitchell3998]

I’m 5’9 approx 170-75 lbs size 9.5 US boot

[@davemitchell3998]

Board in Europe, mainly resort riding , no park ( I’m 64 so to old for that)

[@debarros777]

Patreon here, What about the mountain twin pro vs aviator 2.0? best all rounder that can carve and some pow

[@thegoodridesnow]

Hit you back on Patreon, and you can fill out the free advice form and get much better advice than on YT. Both are good boards, so it comes down to your specs, riding style, where you ride, etc. The Aviator is a much better carver and has more pop, but the Mtn Twin Pro is more centered and a little more playful with the extra rocker.

[@KostyaSanSnowboarding]

Finally, you started bending boards and talking about flex correctly! Because before that it sounded like nonsense. You took the board in the middle, pressed it and said how hard it was between the inserts)) In any case, it was good, because you pressed it and everyone saw what they needed.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yeah, I never cared too much about how a board flexes in studio vs. talking about how it rides on snow. I should have, though, and will do in the future. One thing, though, @KostyaSanSnowboarding. Please keep it constructive but friendly if you plan to comment here again.