Jeremy Jones leaves Rossignol to start Jones Snowboards
On October 1st just as Rossignol were due to release the most innovative high-end freeride snowboard they’ve ever produced it seems their wonder boy Jeremy Jones has had a change of heart. Mr Jones, not to be confused with the Forum/Burton rider, who has been at the forefront of Freeride Snowboarding for the past decade finally decided to leave Rossignol, after 19 years, to begin his own company ‘Jones Snowboards’. In a statement on Jeremy’s blog site he thanked Rossignol for their years of support but stated he needed to make this move to take his involvement in product development to the next level.
After much speculation it appears that Nidecker will be helping to develop and manufacture Jones Snowboards. Only last year Nidecker began developing ‘Yes We Can’ Snowboards with former Uninc/Burton legends DCP, JP Solberg and Romain De Marchi. Snowboard-Review aren’t too surprised to hear that they’ve jumped at the chance to develop a brand/product with Jeremy who has over 25 years’ involvement in the industry and whose most recent board design has allowed him to dominate the freeride circuit at the grand old age of 34.
Jones had recently written an article which stated he’d literally developed the perfect freeride snowboard with Rossignol; ‘the end result is a board that instantly made me a better rider and other than the first time I used highbacks, this is the biggest advancement I have felt in 20 years of snowboarding’. Coincidentally Nidecker, who have quietly been at the forefront of snowboard innovation for the past few years, have all the technology which Jones used to develop his Rossignol boards. Magnetraction will undoubtedly be replaced with Nidecker’s ‘Ultimate Grip’ and the Rossignol ‘Amptek’ system will be replaced by the Nidecker ‘CamRock’. Unsurprisingly Jones snowboards are also likely to be very environmentally sustainable, Jones being the founder of Protect Our Winters, so we expect to see technologies like teak sidewalls and linseed organic fibre.
We can’t wait to get our hands on these boards, which are due to hit shops during the 2010/2011 season. Jeremy plans to start testing prototype boards as early as December when we expect lots of time spent in Alaska where Jones boards will be put through the most rigorous R&D regime on the planet. If you can’t wait ‘til next year then don’t fail to look at this year’s Rossignol Jeremy Jones…..it’s an absolute corker!
Posted by Tom Ewbank in Blog & News.
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on October 06, 2009 at 11:32 PM
Mr. Jones sure made a big step there; ‘That’s kinda like a big deal’ just to quote some recent rap title.
But reading about more and more snowboard brands being started, one question continues to come to my mind- is this necessarily a good thing? To me, it seems like the market is quite overrun already. Couldn’t he just stay at Rossi and build his boards there? I don’t know.. if this is going on and on this way, snowboard shops will need to double their exhibition area soon!
on October 07, 2009 at 11:55 AM
I hear what you’re saying Zorfyl but I have a different conclusion:
1) More brands equals more competition. 2) More competition equals more innovation and lower prices. 3) More competition equals more choice. 4) Freeride specific boards are still a relatively small niche compared to park and all-mountain boards. 5) Jones has more control over brand direction and board development…which is a good thing. He’s not the kind of guy that is doing this for a quick buck, he’s doing this to progress the sport he loves. 6) If you’re a freerider…..this is probably the most exciting brand to come about since Winterstick!
This is just my opinion though.
on October 07, 2009 at 02:27 PM
Sucks for Rossignol though… They’ve got some great freeriders but Jeremy Jones was their most high profile rider especially in the US.