REASONS TO BUY
Fantastic for powder
Phenomenal float
REASONS TO AVOID
Not as versatile as other options
Not as playful
Weston Japow Review
A superior swallowtail snowboard for the steepest terrain and deepest snow
Credit: Weston
Our Verdict
While the Weston Japow is far from being an all-mountain quiver killer, it is a truly excellent board for the biggest pow days. This fast and aggressive board is a blast for big mountain riding. It has great edge hold and is stable at speed. However, it is relatively limited compared to most of the other boards we have tested when it comes to being a true all-mountain board. It's not the most playful board out there and doesn't have a ton of pop, but it's hard to beat when the conditions are right.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on September 30, 2022, to showcase the Japow's current graphics.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Weston Japow | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | |  | ||
| Price | $629 List | $384.96 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at REI Compare at 4 sellers | $440.99 at Evo Compare at 3 sellers | $489.83 at REI Compare at 4 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A great option for big mountain riding on the biggest powder days | This is one of our absolute favorite all-mountain boards | Earning one of the top scores we have seen to date, we highly recommend this board | If you are looking for a true twin-tip freestyle snowboard that thrives both in the park and across the mountain, this might be your No. 1 | For aggressive riding and deep snow, this is a phenomenal choice |
| Rating Categories | Weston Japow | Yes. Hel Yes - Women's | Gnu Ladies Choice | Lib Tech No. 43 | Lib Tech T.Rice Orca |
| Edge Hold (25%) | |||||
| Powder Performance (20%) | |||||
| Stability (20%) | |||||
| Playfulness (20%) | |||||
| Pop and Jumping (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Weston Japow | Yes. Hel Yes - Women's | Gnu Ladies Choice | Lib Tech No. 43 | Lib Tech T.Rice Orca |
| Shape | Directional | Directional Twin | Asymmetrical | Freestyle Twin | Directional |
| Camber/Rocker | Camber-Pow Rocker Nose | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Flex | 6/10 | 7/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Tested Length | 154 | 155 | 148.5 | 152 | 147 |
| Measured Weight (Tested Length) | 6 lbs. | 5.4 lbs. | 5.6 lbs. | 5.2 lbs. | 5.8 lbs. |
| Available Lengths | 154, 159, 164, 169 | 146, 149, 152, 155 | 142.5, 145.5, 148.5, 151.5, 153.5 | 146, 149, 152 | 138, 144, 147, 150, 153, 156, 159, 162 |
| Core Material | Poplar and bamboo wood | Poplar, paulownia, and bamboo wood | Aspen, Colombian Gold, and paulownia wood | Aspen and paulownia wood | Aspen and paulownia wood |
| Waist Width | 25.6 cm | 24.4 cm | 24.2 cm | 23.9 cm | 25.7 cm |
| Radius | 6.6 | 7.3 | 8.2/7.9 | 8 | 7 |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Weston Japow is many things, but a solid park or freestyle board isn't one of them. It excels in the deep snow and is fun on natural features but we would strongly recommend you stay out of the park.
Performance Comparison
The large nose and setback stance let the Japow slice through fresh snow like a samurai.
Credit: David Wise
Edge Hold
For our first metric, we rated and compared how well each board bites into firm snow while carving at speed, which is responsible for 25% of the final score for each board. While icy groomers are far from what this board is designed for, it fared surprisingly well.
The Japow isn't an exceptionally stiff board, but the bamboo and poplar core with reinforcing stringers made from carbon is more than sturdy enough to carve down some groomers without issues. It's quick and responsive edge to edge, letting you cut banked turns smoothly and effortlessly.
This board does a good job of biting into firmer snow.
Credit: David Wise
This snowboard is made for powder — no denying that — but it holds its own in icy conditions as well. However, we can't guarantee that you won't get some rather odd looks from the lift if you are ripping groomers on Japow when it's so clearly made for the deepest of snowfalls.
This board was designed for powder and it shows.
Credit: David Wise
Powder Performance
We were exceptionally excited to see how the Japow handled deep powder, with our series of powder tests responsible for 20% of the final score for each snowboard. As expected, the Japow completely killed it, delivering one of the best performances we have seen from just about any snowboard when it comes to deep snow.
The binding inserts are set back on this board, creating a much larger surface area under the nose of the board than its tail. The Japow has a taper running the length of the board, making it hard to keep this board from planing and floating to the top of deep powder.
The swallowtail helps lift the nose of the board and maintain the perfect angle when riding on the deepest days.
Credit: David Wise
The deep swallowtail keeps the tail of the board down and helps maintain the perfect angle for slicing through deep snow like the samurai sword printed on the top sheet.
We rarely felt nervous from chatter or speed wobbles on the Japow.
Credit: David Wise
Stability
Next, we moved back to the groomers to see how well each board handled when we opened up the throttle. This metric accounts for 20% of the Japow's overall score. While this board might not be our first choice for setting any speed records, it did a fine job when riding at top speed.
This medium flex board didn't give us any major issues with chatter or wobble at high speed. It offers plenty of control and is responsive to ride when jamming down steep runs, giving us plenty of confidence to let the Japow rip.
The setback stance on this board can feel a little awkward at first if you are really ripping down groomers.
Credit: David Wise
However, the setback stance can feel a little awkward at higher speeds until you get used to it.
The Japow isn't the most playful board but isn't so stiff that you can't do a press.
Credit: David Wise
Playfulness
While the Japow delivered excellent performances in our first three metrics, it faltered a little in these last two assessments. It's plenty playful on powder days but can't quite match some of the springier boards if the snow isn't fresh.
The Japow isn't so stiff that you can't do a press with it — with the setback stance aiding in this — but it isn't ideal for this by any means. This board is solid for freeriding but falters in the park for sure.
We liked the board for launching off natural features but wouldn't really want it in the park.
Credit: David Wise
Pop and Jumping
As mentioned above, we would strongly discourage you from taking this board in the park. It does fine off natural features in wide-open terrain, but this board definitely wants to float more than it wants to fly.
While you can ollie, and the reinforced tail does stomp landings acceptably well with this board, it really feels like you are forcing this board to do something that it simply doesn't want to do. Our advice is to stick with the Japow for the deepest days and leave the tricks to other boards.
Value
Unfortunately, the Japow isn't a great bargain option. It's a far cry from a quiver killer and usually has a higher price tag to boot. If you are shopping on a budget, then we would suggest going with a more versatile board.
Conclusion
As the name would suggest, the Japow is a practically unbeatable option if you are riding in Japan-like conditions. Unfortunately, not all of us have the luxury to routinely ride snowfall similar to Hokkaido and would be better served by a more generalist all-mountain snowboard. It's a great addition to your snowboarding collection for advanced riders but probably won't become your daily go-to board.
—
Marissa Fox
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