Curated Snowboard Experts Sydney Johnson and Spencer Storck got their hands on the 2023 Bataleon Disaster this spring and put it to the test at Powder Mountain in Utah. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but consider the fact that each and every rider is different; if you have any questions about the Disaster or need recommendations on which board would be best for you, 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? [Sydney] Bataleon's biggest claim to fame is their triple base technology. That triple base gives you three different platforms. You have both sidewalls in the center, so it feels very boated and boat-like when you're riding. It would perform okay in powder, but this is meant for park and creating that park experience in your ride in the whole mountain. This Bataleon claims that this is one of their softest flexing boards for those who want to ride playfully, like skating. This is a very playful board.

[Spencer] The company claims that the Bataleon Disaster is a soft flexing freestyle board. And it definitely is.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of this board? [Sydney] My first impression of this board is that it was a lot of fun. It is a park-oriented board, and they changed the nose shape from last year's model for a more skate-like feel, and I felt that. That's unique, and it's always good to see a company hearing feedback and changing things from model to model every year. Because of this new shape in the nose and tail, it cuts down the swing weight when you're in the air. Swing weight is when you go up and jump and turn. When you have more board, it's going to be heavier. This board is lightweight and has a cut nose, so it just adds to that airiness when you're in the air. You feel like you can jump really high on this board. I feel confident jibbing off this board. Anything in the park, pressing, and buttering. I also got some good grabs on this board. It was a ton of fun.

[Spencer] My first impression was it is soft. You can play around, butter however you want on the mountain. Just make your playground everywhere. Go side to side, hit every side hit, jib off little trees, all that good stuff. It's a great board for that. It did hold an edge well because it is true camber. And one awesome thing that saved me from catching edges is that it doesn't have a rocker; it does have that triple-based technology, 3D shaping. It saved me once when I messed up a butter, so I'm thankful for that—otherwise, super poppy with that camber for being a softer board.

What is the shape of the board and how does it impact the riding experience? [Spencer] To elaborate more on the triple base technology, it is 3D shaping. It gives you a nice flat, stable zone in the middle on their more jib-style boards with a nice mellow lift at your contact points. It’s easy to butter around and not catch on. And you can see it there. It adds a little bit of flow if you get into some powder since they are true camber. It helps with making your initiations of turns a lot faster. It’s a definitely great technology.

Carving

How does it carve? [Spencer] It’s a great carving board being true camber. It held an edge really well, especially for being a softer board. Once you get into more variable snow like we did today in certain areas, it gets a little chattery and not as stable because it is a softer board. About a two or three, I'd say. It's pretty soft.

How does it turn? [Sydney] This board felt really great on turning because it has that 3D base; the 3BT is what Bataleon calls it. There's an in-between moment when you're not really on your flat base, and you're between your edges. That can be a little bit uncomfortable right when you skid the board. The more you ride this technology, the more you will like it or hate it. I have learned to love it more. You can butter on one single edge of that 3BT. It's really awesome for park riders, being playful, doing presses, and all of that.

How about edge hold? [Sydney] The edge hold on this board is great once you're on edge. It held up really nicely. I took it out in some spring conditions, so the snow wasn't ideal, but I could hold an edge nicely and cut through the icy snow. This isn't particularly likely an East Coast-favorable board, but this board will perform just fine on those harder-packed days or in the morning when it's colder.

Is it easy to control at speed? [Sydney] This board was easy to control at speed. I took it through a bordercross track on my way to the park, and it held up great. I think I even won my race with my friends. I was able to hold this board well at speed. I wouldn't say it's the fastest board on the mountain, but for the riding you would do on this board, it is plenty fast to get you from feature to feature.

Freestyle

How is it on jumps and stability on landings? [Sydney] Stability on landing was awesome. I felt really confident riding on this board. It was really solid. It has a good balance between playfulness and stableness. If you're unsure how you feel about the triple base, give it a few more tries. The more you ride it, the more you really might like it. It's just a different ride, which is also a fun board to add to your quiver and as a park board. It's got a different field than any other board, and it's soft, so you can play on this board and still have a really good time.

What about energy and acceleration? [Sydney] The energy and acceleration out of this board were great. The board has some good pop out of it with some carbon fibers that go through this deck. So it has some good spring; the more you put into it, the more you get out. So on my jumps, when I pushed a little extra hard on takeoff and pressed into the board on the flat ground, it really gave me energy back. It's a softer profile, but I still felt a high-quality response in the give-back while doing my features. So you can see how that board really pops.

What about riding switch? [Sydney] I was able to ride switch on this board. And when you're in the park doing 180s or however much you spin, when you land switch, you can land confidently and carry onto the next feature. So riding switch was no problem.

How is it for buttering? [Sydney] This board has what they call Sidekick, so these extra little flares on the edge of the board here give you extra surface area to do and hold your butters a little bit longer, also on your presses. So I really enjoyed that from this board.

Freeride

How would it be in powder? [Sydney] This board would feel nice in powder because of its triple base. It is automatically going to give you an extra little bit of float. It's not ranked very high in the powder category because it is made for a park rider. Bataleon has other boards with a smaller center on that triple base, which will be better for float. However, this board is meant for the park. And even with the triple base, it's got a wider center base for jibbing, riding rails, and whatever you want. So that is unique about this board and can add a lot to your quiver.

How is its maneuverability in the trees? [Sydney] I took this board in the trees a little bit. It is not necessarily designed for the trees. It performed much better in groomers than in trees, but it managed. If you follow your friends through some trees, you'll be fine. However, if you are strictly a tree rider, or that is your favorite terrain, this might not be the best board for you.

[Spencer] It does turn quickly in the trees, but when you get into that kind of variable snow, it is a little choppy, but it can handle trees. It does have a little float with that triple base technology, as I mentioned before.

How is it on uneven terrain? What about chunder? [Sydney] Uneven terrain and chunder, it's a snowboard. We're on the mountain. You have to get through it, and you'll get through it. This board is not exceptional in that area, but you can get through it.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this board to? [Sydney] This is an ideal board for a park rider that's a little more advanced. Beginning park riders might want to go with a different model. But this board is for intermediate to advanced park riders who will still get a lot of pop out of this board and take it anywhere you want. I had a ton of fun on this board, and intermediate to advanced riders would also have a good time. This would be another great board to ride in summer or spring conditions in Mount Hood or wherever else you go. But this is a really fun board for those park routes.

[Spencer]This board is great for even a progressing beginner. They can get on this because the triple base lifts those contact points, making it very easy not to catch an edge. So you can initiate turns much easier without feeling sketchy like you're going to catch, but it is true camber throughout. And, of course, I would recommend it for any intermediate expert looking for a super fun, playful jibby board for the whole mountain or the park. It’s a killer board to pick up for that. It’s going to be a great freestyle park-oriented board. If you're ripping the park daily, consider this Bataleon Disaster. If you're someone who just likes playing over the entire mountain, like going side to side, doing jibs, butters everywhere, it’s a good board for that, too.

Who would you not recommend this board to? [Spencer] I would not pick up this board if you're looking for a freeride board. Also, if you're someone that's a really aggressive charger, I would probably look for another board. It’s not going to be the best board for super high speeds.

Snowboards work differently for different types of riders. If you want help finding the best snowboard for your needs, reach out to Sydney, Spencer, or any other Snowboard Expert here on Curated for free, personalized recommendations. They’ll help you find the right board for you. Note that the 2024 version of the Bataleon Disaster is linked below - same tech, just different graphic: