Construction and Materials

The Whatever strikes a great balance between premium and standard materials. At the heart of the construction is a Light Core, consisting of 50/50 Swiss paulownia and poplar for excellent strength to weight and all-round energy. This is twinned with a biax-weave topsheet that’s responsive from nose to tail but torsionally mellow, so the board feels easy to manipulate underfoot even at low speeds.

Edge hold is beefed up a little with the addition of carbon ‘Super Tubes’ that are milled into the core either side of the waist, while urethane sidewalls (aka ‘Shock Walls’) help to eliminate chatter. Wrapping things up, the Super Slick X base certainly sounds fast (Bataleon claim it’s denser than anything else on the market) but ultimately it’s made from extruded P-tex. In an ideal world we’d have liked to see an upgrade to full sintered but hey, you can’t have everything – especially at such a competitive price.

“From tip to tail the board benefits from traditional camber, delivering a lively ride with plenty of natural ollie power on tap”

Roundup

When a brand has really nailed the design of a snowboard, it can be tricky to give it a meaningful update year after year. The Whatever already enjoys a solid reputation as a quiver killer. Its winning formula sees an accessible flex and versatile shape packed into Bataleon’s trusted 3D platform. There’s a length for every rider and really nothing it can’t handle. The latest version, though, has a little more je ne sais bang. With a modern, more freeride-inspired silhouette to complement its freestyle-friendly construction, the Whatever just cemented its place near the top of the all-mountain tree.