Published in Whitelines Magazine Issue 92, November 2010

BATALEON

GOLIATH – £355

SIZES: 153, 157, 161, 164, 157W, 161W

BATALEON.COM

Bataleon’s Goliath is like a bigger, stiffer Evil Twin designed for riders who want to take their freestyle skills out of the park and onto the mountain. Like all Bataleon boards, it features the brand’s ‘Triple Base Technology’, which lifts the edges of the base slightly, making them harder to catch and giving it a more forgiving feel. However, with its directional twin shape and its relatively stiff flex (provided by the poplar and beech composite core) this is not one for novices. It’ll take more than a weedy David to tame this Goliath!

LIB TECH

TRS – £470

SIZES: 148, 151, 154, 157, 159, 162, 167

LIB-TECH.COM

Lib Tech’s Total Ripper Series has been around for years, but that doesn’t stop it making waves each time a new one is released – this year’s version has already picked up a ‘Good Wood’ award from Transworld Snowboarding Magazine. It features a ‘C2 Power-Banana’ combo profile with rocker between the feet and camber at either end, which Lib claims gives it the best of both worlds. Combined with the ‘magne-traction’ tech that helps it grip on ice and its stiff-ish flex, this makes it a mean board for reasonably experienced all-mountain rippers – like Lib Tech’s Eric Jackson.

NITRO

TEAM GULLWING – £360

SIZES: 152, 155, 157, 159, 162, 157W, 159W, 162W

NITROUSA.COM

Nitro’s Team has long been a staple of their range and (unsurprisingly!) a favourite with their team. Recently the brand added its Gullwing camber to this classic design, meaning it’s got rocker between the feet and camber underneath the bindings. This makes the board more forgiving than a conventional camber stick but means it can still hold an edge without washing out. Its fl ex may not be stiff enough for the most hardcore of speed freaks, but as an all-round, all-mountain ripper, you’d be hard pushed to find a better board.

K2

TURBO DREAM – £380

SIZES: 153, 156, 159, 161, 157W, 160W, 164W

K2SNOWBOARDING.COM

K2’s Turbo Dream has only been around for a few years but it’s already establishing itself as something of a classic. Underneath those spindly lines and wacked out fonts on the top sheet this board packs some serious tech. Its rocker profile is specifically designed for float in powder and this, combined with its stiff flex, makes it a dream come true for all-mountain pow lovers. OK so it’s probably a bit stiff to take on a street rail mission, but that’s not what it’s built for. If you like your snow deep and steep, give this a try.