Snowboard Expert Mike Leighton tested the 2023 Bataleon Goliath this past spring at Powder Mountain, Utah. Check out how it performed in the carving and freestyle categories. Don’t forget, every rider is unique; if you have any questions on the 2023 Battalion Goliath or would like recommendations on what board would be ideal for your needs, reach out to a Snowboard Expert here on Curated. Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Bataleon claim about this board? Bataleon markets this as an all-mountain 3D directional twin for the rider who needs one board to do it all. The Goliath has a direction twin shape, an ultra-light wood core with a full-length medium camber profile and a zero-setback centered stance.

Overall Impressions

What's your overall impression of the board? The Bataleon Goliath has a 6/10 flex rating (1=Soft,10=Stiff). Bataleon rates this as a 6.8/10 on their float meter. It's a directional twin with a twin side cut and contact area and a directional outline. It features Bataleon’s Triple Base Technology (3BT™) with SideKick™, providing tip to tail positive camber at the contact points. With that uplift, it raises the contact point where the edges start to engage making for a smoother transition. This board is really easy to turn edge to edge and butter. The shape acts like a boat hull displacing water. When that snow gets soft and deeper, it flows right through and keeps you on top. This board has a medium traditional camber profile. You have all the stability and pop from the camber underfoot and the ease of entry from the Triple Base Technology. It is designed and shaped to be evenly portioned and balanced, inspiring you with more confidence with riding that front foot forward.

Carving

How does it turn? How is its edge hold? Carving on this board with the 3BT in the nose and the tail, makes the turn initiation easy and forgiving. When you get this board up on edge, you feel that familiar traditional camber and you know it’s going to hold an edge regardless of the conditions. While carving you feel very comfortable and locked into your turns. On the freeride side, the directional twin shape along with the 3BT and beveled nose, really help with float, allowing that nose to pop up in softer snow and the tail when you’re riding switch. You can definitely ride this board switch and land in powder with no issues.

Is it chattery or is it pretty stable? There was a little bit of chatter on some of the harder, chunky and ungroomed terrain. I rode both switch and regular through that type of terrain. There was a little bit of bounce, but the 6/10 flex was very forgiving and made it manageable. The traditional camber profile gives the Goliath a ton of pop. It's predictable, reliable and you know how it’s going to perform and handle in all types of conditions. This board makes you want to push the envelope. It gives you that confidence to try more things and really gets you out of your comfort zone.

Freestyle

How does this board perform from a freestyle aspect? The Bataleon Goliath is a giant in the all-mountain game. Freestyle is where this board really shines, not just in the park, but all mountain freestyle, side hits, little drops, cat tracks, you name it. The traditional camber profile gives the Goliath a ton of pop and rides switch equally as well, which is important when riding in the park. It really turned the whole mountain into a playground for me. The twin shape, ease of turn initiation and locked in edge hold, makes the sky your limit on what you can do on this board. Pressing is easy too, the medium flex and the 3BT technology make buttering around on your nose and tail catch free, allowing you to spin for days!

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this board to? I would recommend this board to any freestyle rider that is looking to ride the whole mountain. This is a great board for the intermediate and above riders. The Goliath is going to be at home in all types of terrain and conditions. If you wanted just one board, this would be a great option for you. A freestyle focused rider would be at home on this board on both the West and East coast. If you are someone looking for a board that is equally at home ripping all over the mountain and in the park, you can't go wrong with the Bataleon Goliath.

Who would you not recommend this board to? I would not recommend this board to a true beginner. I believe there are some better options out there from Bataleon or a different brand that would be a little softer and more forgiving for a new progressing rider. If you are looking to ride a lot of deep snow, there are definitely some other options from Bataleon that are more directional and freeride focused.

Snowboards work differently for different snowboarders and in different conditions. If you're having trouble finding that perfect next ride, hit up Mike or another Snowboard Expert here on Curated. We will help you find that perfect set up for your next board so you can get out there and start ripping. Note that the 2024 version of the Bataleon Goliath is linked below - same tech, just different graphic: