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Bataleon Boss 2017-2018 Snowboard Review

  • Price: £500 / €589
  • Sizes: 154, 157, 156W, 159W
  • Flex: 5
  • Profile: Camber
  • Shape: True Twin
  • bataleon.com

‘Like A Boss’: an expression that now firmly deserves its place in the Dustbin of Discarded Sayings, alongside tripe such as ‘Whassap’ and ‘You Go Girl’. However, once you’ve tried this snowboard from Bataleon, you may find yourself wishing that other decks were a bit more, well, like a Boss.

“It sits in the ‘not too soft, not too stiff’ range that makes it suitable for ride-on boxes and sizeable booters alike”

The Bataleon Boss has many features that single it out as a prime park weapon. For starters, it’s a true twin, and sits in the ‘not too soft, not too stiff’ range that makes it suitable for ride-on boxes and sizeable booters alike. Like all Bataleons it’s got a classic camber bend – and there’s still nothing better for edge hold and pop – but the Triple Base Technology mellows it out a little.

Each end of the Bataleon Boss is ideal for pressing on a park feature, as the base is split into three sections lengthways. That means the edges are slightly raised, making a hang-up all but impossible. This is also a massive advantage when buttering on the piste.

Speaking of the groomers, the Boss’ performance in this area has been enhanced for the 2017/18 season by the addition of ‘Side Kicks’. The regular uplift that the 3BT base already provides at the tips of the board has been maxed out at the widest points. You can see it clearly just by looking, and you can certainly feel it when riding, too. The Side Kicks make turn initiation smoother than ever, which is handy whether you’re carving into a kicker or just razzing some turns around the resort.

“Carbon stringers lie an ‘X’ shape under each foot for improved edge-to-edge response”

As a twin board it’s not perfect in the powder, but the 3BT design of the base makes it float far better than a regular park board. The effect isn’t exactly Moses parting the Red Sea, but it’s effective nonetheless. This, too, has been improved by the Side Kicks.

Another thing that makes the Boss more than just a run-of-the-mill park board is its super-fast base. Bataleon have spared no expense in this department, so as long as you look after it then it’ll go like a rocket. It’s also got a lightweight core augmented with bamboo stringers for longitudinal snap, plus carbon stringers lie in an ‘X’ shape under each foot for improved edge-to-edge response.

Tester’s Verdict

Tom Copseyonboardmag.com

“The Boss is a premium-grade park board, built with the finest materials. In no way did I approach the limits of what this thing can do – it’s the steed that Ethan Morgan uses to hit serious park features and that ain’t my jam – but I’d say for any level of freestyle rider bar the absolute beginner it would be a stellar choice.

“While it certainly wants to turn and respond to your power input, it’s not in a stiff or twitchy manner”

The first thing I noticed was how easy it was to ride. I was expecting something a bit gnarlier, and while it certainly wants to turn and respond to your power input, it’s not in a stiff or twitchy manner. Doubtless this is something to do with the Twin 3BT working perfectly with the sidecut geometries. It’s fast, powerful and has a whole bunch of pop, but at the same time I found it buttery smooth.

There’s a liveliness to it that makes it just so fun to rip around on. In the spring slush the edge hold was admirable, but I would have preferred the longer version which would have handled my weight better. But all in all, if you’re after a high performance freestyle board you can’t go wrong with the Boss.”

Trade Secrets

Danny Kiebert – Creative Director, Bataleon

Our team riders were looking for a spec’d up park board – so we built an Evil Twin with a lighter core, carbon inlays, and a high-end sintered base, and the Boss was born.

The Boss's Triple Base Technology combines with an exaggerated bevel at the wide points which Bataleon call 'Side Kick', for even smoother turn initiation.
2017/18 Bataleon Boss graphic options

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