After over two months of waiting (past the originally scheduled ship date), I’m happy to say I have finally received my Jones Hovercraft Splitboard!

Unfortunately after pulling off the plastic, I was immediately disappointed. The first thing that stood out was that the edges were rusty. Not all the way around, but definitely noticeable in several spots. Now rust isn’t uncommon, but brand new board that was pre-ordered and shipped as soon as it was built I’m a little surprised for it to have rust already.

I continued to inspect the board, and found a nice sized gap in the edge near the tail.

I’ve seen gaps like these before, but they are always filled with plastic base material. Having a gap like this open leaves it free to catch on anything you ride over, and possibly cause more damage!

So on my brand new board, the first thing I’m going to do is rub off the rust with a gummy stone and try my best to fill the gap with ptex!

All said, I am still excited to ride this board on the first available powder day. However for a $700 board, I am disappointed. If you are considering purchasing this board, be prepared for a long back order wait and possibly some questionable craftsmanship. I would recommend waiting for this board to start appearing in stores, where they can be inspected in person before purchase.