“What a board! The Goliath gets top marks as an all-mountain machine. A snowboarding warship, ready for anything.

I’ve got to be honest, before this past season I’ve not really been into Triple Base and Sidekick. Having tested Bataleon 4-5 years ago, I kind of found the boards to be a bit sluggish and slower than normal boards between the edges. Great for jibbing, freestyle, and park carry-on, but not for all-mountain or freeride activities.

I’m now eating my words. I’ve been on several of the 2020 line up, Carver, Lobster Sender, and the Omni, and I gotta say I’ve been blown away. Bataleon and Lobster have done something to completely change my thoughts on 3BT. I am now a convert.

A got to ride a Goliath for 3 days; one snowy, cloudy winter’s day, and two days in the spring sun. I rode the 158W and the 159, both boards accommodating my size 11 feet and 6,1ft build.

In your hand, you’ve got a nice piece of machinery – a solid and well made exterior hiding some impressive tech. The shape is Twin, or close to it, with a small amount of sidekick at the corners. I think it is a medium flex (check their scale to be sure), with pretty even distribution through the board. There is classic camber, not overly aggressive, with a mid-wide centre base. All in all, it screams “all-mountain”.

Strapping in on some medium flex bindings, I got a nice feeling, responsive board underfoot, not dull or distant. It’s quick, the base is exceptional, confounding my original impression of Bataleon boards – I couldn’t have been more wrong.

“A great choice for an intermediate wanting to progress with ease, or an advanced rider who wants to exert their dominance across the whole hill.”

On powder, the Goliath handles very well, up there with the power specific boards. It floats well and maintains speed without being too restrictive on turns. The directional volume shape with my stance a little setback facilitated a great time in the deep stuff. The board demands to go fast and charge into slashes and big turns.

On the piste, it doesn’t let you down. The medium camber comes into play, giving some great bite and snap from edge to edge. It is a relaxed board for carving, the camber isn’t overbearing and the Sidekick definitely helps to initiate turns. Its torsionally solid and it still handles fast, aggressive carves with grace. The edge digs in on hardpack and crud relatively well. I can’t say I noticed a big difference in the wide board, I possibly felt a bit more confident getting low on turns, but I didn’t experience any toe drag on the standard 159 either.

If the board was going to lean in any direction it would be freestyle, this board wants to party and get loose. It pops an ollie like a bucking bronco and pumps trannies to new levels. It takes a landing like a champ, with solid dampening and an accommodating edge when you get sketchy. I didn’t hit any rails or boxes, but I can tell you this board loves to jump and get air; from sidehits to the big line this board wants to boost.

This is a hugely versatile board, an exceptional all-rounder that is truly worthy of the all-mountain accolades. A great choice for an intermediate wanting to progress with ease, or an advanced rider who wants to exert their dominance across the whole hill. This board is for everyone, a true snowboard.”