The Hovercraft 2.0 includes a little bit of serration within the edges that Jones calls Traction Tech, which bites into onerous snow however in some way doesn’t interrupt carving. I don’t suppose Traction Tech is kind of as dependable as Lib Tech’s Magne-Traction (identical idea, however with just a few extra bumps), however this board held its edge extraordinarily properly in crucial terrain.
It is also the most effective board I’ve ever used within the timber. Regardless of its width, it turns nimbly in unpacked snow, the place these fast directional adjustments are critically essential. In March 2024, I took this board on a street journey by means of Northern California, Idaho, Montana, and Washington. At a few of these stops it hadn’t snowed in days, and every little thing that was within the open was tracked out, however once I took this board into the timber I used to be at all times capable of finding some pockets of contemporary goodies. On these particular events once I obtained it into a giant, steep snowfield the board had an informal, surfy really feel to it. It glides properly over flat spots, too.
The Hovercraft 2.0 can also be arguably essentially the most sustainable snowboard ever produced. It’s the primary snowboard made with Jones’ new Re-Up Technology, which upcycles elements from used surfboards. Jones discovered that 95 % of a snowboard could be recycled, and that’s the place this board’s wooden core comes from. It additionally options recycled metal in its edges, recycled ABS in its sidewalls, a carbon-neutral flax fiber topsheet, and a bio resin that reportedly cuts CO2 emissions by 33 % in comparison with conventional epoxy. It additionally comes pretreated with a Wend pure wax that’s biodegradable and accommodates no fluorocarbon eternally chemical substances akin to PFAS.
This shouldn’t be stunning, as founder Jeremy Jones just isn’t solely a legendary snowboarder but additionally the founder and president of Protect Our Winters (aka POW). However it’s good to see firms put their cash the place their mouths are.
Finally, there’s a lot to love about this board and little or no to dislike, nevertheless it’s for a particular kind of rider searching for a particular expertise. In case you’re largely targeted on groomers, this board is nice, nevertheless it doesn’t actually stand out on the onerous pack. For intermediate to superior riders who need to spend as a lot time as attainable searching powder in ungroomed terrain, browsing down steeps, slashing large turns, exploring the timber, and nonetheless do some playful carving on their method again to the carry line, the Hovercraft 2.0 is an absolute delight.
It’s only a pure enjoyable machine that’s taken me down a number of the most memorable runs of my life. It has usurped my beloved K2 Excavator as my go-to board for powder days. If that’s your factor, this board comes extremely beneficial.
