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PTO Review
We skied them. Here's how they stack up.
These snowboards span 2 categories (Freeride, All-Mountain). Scores reflect each snowboard's intended use — direct comparison across all dimensions may be misleading.
Mind Expander 2.0 — powder-leaning riders, intermediate and up, who value float and easy turn initiation over stiffness and top-end speed. Mercury — riders who want a one-board quiver that excels at carving and all-mountain riding but can still hit park features. Check the radar chart below to see where each one wins.
Each row compares all boards on one dimension. 🏆 marks the highest score.
| Dimension | Mind Expander 2.0 | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Carving | 6 | 9🏆 |
| Park | 4 | 6🏆 |
| Playfulness | 8🏆 | 7 |
| Forgiveness | 7🏆 | 6 |
| Stability | 5 | 7🏆 |
| Powder | 10🏆 | 5 |
Powder-leaning riders, intermediate and up, who value float and easy turn initiation over stiffness and top-end speed. It fits trees, soft bowls and improvised terrain — Jones's own brief for it is creative freeriding and all-terrain flow — and it makes a strong soft-snow board in a two-board setup.
Park and switch riders — the directional, medium-tapered outline is the wrong geometry, and the TwinCraft or a true twin fits better. Riders who want a stiff, damp charger for high-speed lines: this is a 3/5, not a 4/5. Riders whose season is spent on ice and firm groomers, because Jones specs no Traction Tech here and the Stratos suits that hill. First-season riders who need a forgiving twin to learn on. And deep-snow purists chasing maximum powder specialisation, who should look at the Storm Chaser.
Riders who want a one-board quiver that excels at carving and all-mountain riding but can still hit park features. Speed lovers who want edge hold and stability.
Beginners still learning to link turns. Dedicated park/jib riders — too stiff and directional. Deep powder specialists.
The Mind Expander 2.0 is best for powder-leaning riders, intermediate and up, who value float and easy turn initiation over stiffness and top-end speed. The Mercury is best for riders who want a one-board quiver that excels at carving and all-mountain riding but can still hit park features. The right choice depends on your primary terrain, ability level, and riding style.
The CAPiTA Mercury scores highest in Stability at 7/10, making it the strongest all-mountain option. It handles groomers, chop, and variable conditions without losing composure, so it's the best single-snowboard choice for riders who want one board for the whole mountain.
The CAPiTA Mercury leads in Carving with a PTO score of 9/10. Its edge grip on hard snow and groomed runs is the strongest in this comparison.
The Jones Mind Expander 2.0 is the most forgiving option with a Forgiveness score of 7/10. It doesn't punish imperfect technique, making it the easiest snowboard to progress on among these.
Not sure? Ask us.