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Bataleon Magic Carpet 2018-2019 Snowboard Review

UPDATE: Check out our review of the 2019/2020 Bataleon Magic Carpet here

Bataleon’s Triple Base Technology has an ever-growing legion of fans, but as will all things there are some who will never be convinced. Still, even the most stubborn traditionalist should check out what 3BT does to something with the shape and size of the Bataleon Magic Carpet snowboard.

The Bataleon Magic Carpet is that rarest of things: a true twin powder board. Rather than relying on a directional outline for flotation, this achieves it with 3BT. A very narrow centre section of base at each end is flanked by long, sloping ‘side bases’, which allow the board to plane across deep snow.

“Hollow carbon tubes have also been placed near the sidewalls this year, to increase the overall pop further still”

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This opens the door for backcountry freestyle, as switch riding is just as pow-friendly as your regular stance. A stiffer nose and tail, achieved by placing two carbon stringers from each of the extremities to the inserts, means that you can still get plenty of spring when you need it, even as you ride a shorter length (which you should do, thanks to the wider waist).

Hollow carbon tubes have also been placed near the sidewalls this year, to increase the overall pop further still. On firm piste it’s solid enough, and cambered enough, to let you get plenty of edge control, but really the Bataleon Magic Carpet belongs in softer snow.

Tester’s Verdict

Pinguwhitelines.com

“Whilst directional powder boards look rad, they do eliminate a big part of snowboarding – namely going backwards.  The Magic Carpet addresses this by being a twin with a nice big spoony nose and tail.

“Like riding a skateboard down a luge track…it just rolled and banked with the contours of the slope. Really fun”

I rode the board in heavy / wet powder, the kind of snow where it is super-easy to bury your nose and face plant, but the Magic Carpet floated above the white stuff like a…err…magic carpet.  It was the most surf-like board I have ever ridden, it was almost like riding a skateboard down a luge track…it just rolled and banked with the contours of the slope. Really fun.

I can’t comment on how good this would be on an icy, steep red run (you should buy the Dupraz D1 5’5” for that anyway), but it was pretty much perfect for its intended use: surfing soft snow.  I might actually buy one and get rid of my Bataleon CT.

Tester’s Verdict

Darren Williamsthesnowboardshop.co.uk/

“It’s one of those days when you look out the window and it’s dumped a foot fresh overnight and you get super excited but it’s tinged with the dilemma of what board to take out. You want to take a powder board out, but you know a few runs in you’re gonna want to launch off into the powder and land switch – and your normal pow board, with its long nose and short tail is not gonna help.

“In wet snow, it basically felt like I forgot to take the handbrake off”

That’s when you want the Magic Carpet, a twin powder stick with a slightly wider waist that floats super well and allows you to downsize a little so it’s mega fun in the trees.

In wet snow (and it was literally raining) the Magic Carpet was not my friend. I guess it’s because the nose is such a spoon shape that the claggy snow had more base to cling onto, making the MC super slow and sticky. It basically felt like I forgot to take the handbrake off.

That said, on the flip side when the pow was fresh I had one of the best days shredding last season. (lesson to be learnt – stay at home when it rains).”

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