splitboarding
A splitboard unlocks terrain no chairlift will ever serve. Split the board into two touring planks, skin up the mountain on your own terms, click back together at the top and ride down the line you earned. In Australia, that means access to the Bogong High Plains, the Kosciuszko Main Range, terrain above Falls Creek, Hotham and Thredbo, and backcountry zones that most snowboarders will never see from a chairlift. Twelve Board Store is Australia's leading splitboard retailer and the Official Jones EPICenter — we carry the deepest splitboard range in the country, in stock at our Richmond showroom, shipping free Australia-wide.
Frequently Asked Questions
A splitboard splits into two touring planks so you can skin up the mountain on your own terms, then click back together at the top and ride down the line you earned. It unlocks terrain no chairlift will ever serve. In Australia that means the Bogong High Plains, the Kosciuszko Main Range, and backcountry zones most snowboarders never see from a chairlift.
You need a splitboard setup consisting of board, bindings and skins, avalanche safety gear including a beacon, probe and shovel, AST 1 training as a minimum, and a willingness to put in the uphill work. We have backcountry experience in Australian terrain and can talk you through what is realistic before you buy.
Splitboards are sized similarly to regular snowboards, with your weight and riding style driving the choice. Directional shapes with a longer nose and setback stance are the standard for backcountry because you are almost always riding variable snow in one direction on the descent. Avoid very soft flex, because you want a board that holds an edge on Australian firm morning snow.
Climbing skins attach to the base of each ski half for grip on the uphill, and skin width should match your board width. Mohair skins glide better and are lighter, nylon grips harder in icy conditions, and mixed mohair and nylon is the most versatile for Australian terrain.
No. Splitboard bindings mount differently from regular bindings. Most modern setups use a puck system where bindings mount to pucks that sit in channel inserts on the board. Splitboard bindings also have a touring mode that rotates for a natural walking stride and a riding mode locked into normal stance. Spark R&D, Jones and Karakoram are the most common Australian brands, and we check compatibility for every setup we sell.
The Jones Stratos is the all-mountain touring split, versatile across Australian terrain and the right choice for a first setup or one board that does everything. The Jones Howler is a directional freeride split with a more aggressive shape for experienced riders targeting steeper terrain, with a women's version also available. The Jones Solution is the flagship performance split, lightweight and precise, built for serious multi-pitch tours.
Every person in your touring group needs a beacon, probe and shovel, with no exceptions. Avalanche rescue is a team effort and every individual needs to be equipped and trained to conduct a rescue independently. AST 1 is the minimum qualification for independent backcountry travel, and Jones runs Avy Savvy courses through us.
We are Australia's leading splitboard retailer and the Official Jones EPICenter, carrying the deepest splitboard range in the country.
