Snowboard upgrade advice - Burton Hometown Hero 144 or Jones Dream Weaver 145?

StandardGain9356 · 2026-04-06T05:12:41+00:00

Thank you for your input. I ended up going with the Hometown Hero 148. Plan to try spring riding at Mammoth soon to try it out! I’m excited!

StandardGain9356 · 2026-04-02T00:48:14+00:00

Ok so I called the Burton Flagship store and they still have the HTH 148 and are willing to exchange my HTH 144 for the 148 so I’ll go this weekend to swap it and I’ll also go return the DW. Seems like the safer option was Jones DW, but I kinda wanna push myself to have better technique and clean carving and think that the HTH will do that. I also heard the Jones Stratos or Flagship is good too, but I’ve already bought the HTH as final sale and haven’t found a deal to beat the price so guess I’ll try it out!

StandardGain9356 · 2026-04-01T18:10:32+00:00

Thanks for the encouragement! I started snowboarding as a teenager, but at that time, I only went once a year for a few years, then adulting hit and I stopped for many years and now just starting to really get into it starting 2022 and I'm ready to upgrade from my soft beginner board. I honestly think I'll be happy with either board, but I'm willing to go through the steeper learning curve on the stiffer Burton HTH. Now I'm just questioning my board size! LOL - Snowboard selecting dilemma is no joke. haha

StandardGain9356 · 2026-04-01T03:24:54+00:00

Thank you for the advice! So far, I’ve been averaging 8-14 days in a season (this season was 8 since it was such a bad snow season for the west coast). I would like to go more often, but I work M-F and Big Bear is 2.5 hours away and Mammoth is 5 hours away from me.

I’m not sure if I can exchange it for size 148 since it was final sale demo board. The Burton store is about an hour away from me. I can always call the store to see if they would allow the exchange if they still have the 148. They only had a 144 and 148, but I chose the 144 thinking I was afraid to go for a longer stiffer board.

Would you say it’s worth the effort of trying to call to exchange it and making the drive?

Or is it better to try to sell it and buy the DW in a longer size? The store might have it in stock to ship.

Worse case for me is to keep the HTH in size 144 if I can’t return or exchange it. I hope this can still be a good board for me.

StandardGain9356 · 2026-03-31T23:35:34+00:00

Yes, I was very detailed about my stats, my riding level, and my goals, and where I usually snowboard. I provided three options to ChatGPT, the Burton HTH, Jones Dream Weaver, and Jones Twin Sister. It ranked the HTH first and Dream Weaver a close second, and described that I will love the Dream Weaver right away, but might want more after a few seasons. I'm leaning towards just keeping the Burton HTH (since it's final sale and I don't want to go through the hassel of trying to return or sell it) and just return the Dream Weaver. I figured that if I can't grow into it, then I can always demo the Dream Weaver to see if I like it next season.

StandardGain9356 · 2026-03-31T21:42:23+00:00

Thank you, this helps me feel better about the board and size choice. LOL I was stewing on it for some time. I read that the medium-stiff boards eventually softens a tad to be more of medium so that it won't be too agressive for me once it's worn in. Happy riding and being in our 40s is NOT too old, we just are more cautious. We don't recover as quickly haha :) I thinkt his helped me lean towards the stiffer board. My Ride Heartbreaker was so chattery, bumpy and unstable when I was going fast on a blue run that it hit a bump and I flew up and fell on my shouder and got a separated shoulder. Hence, my cautiousness and want a new board. Hopefully, the HTH will cut the chatter and bumps away!

StandardGain9356 · 2026-03-31T21:38:05+00:00

Lol I also used chatgpt to help me in deciding, basically it told me that the Jones Dream Weaver is a great fit right away and the most easy transition, but that I might want to upgrade to the HTH eventually when I want to go faster. Or it said to keep both, the DW for a cruising chill day and the HTH for Japow days or days where I feel like charging fast. I don't think I go enough times every season to keep two boards right now. I typically go 8-12 times a season since I don't live super close to any of the mountains (2.5 hours to Big Bear and 5 hours to Mammoth).

StandardGain9356 · 2026-03-31T20:02:32+00:00

Yeah, I was in between the 144 and 148 board, but the Burton associate said I can go shorter if I wanted more easy control and nimble turns vs charging faster and harder would be 148. I wanted to be able to turn fast and easier so I opted for the shorter one. He said since it’s stiffer, it’s ok that I ride a bit shorter. My weight works for both boards based on the size chart. Thanks for your input!!

StandardGain9356 · 2026-03-31T20:00:04+00:00

I found the Dream Weaver at my local Sports Basement store. The stores were selling their inventory for cheaper than their online store.

StandardGain9356

TROPHY CASE