“This is a dedicated powder board, and luckily we had buckets of fresh to try it out in. Once in its element the Surfer hums like a transmission box, alive and vital, that devil’s tuning fork of a tail spraying it up better than that little red rooster ever could. It’s nimble, light, and floaty; a total joy.

The big waist and bigger nose give her so much float. However, for those braver than me I did come close to wheelie-ing out on a couple of the larger drops, a common cause for complaint with the short tail shapes, so be aware. Personally, as a committed fishhead I tend to forgive that on the more radical shapes – you can’t have everything and I’m fine with that.

“In its element the Surfer hums like a transmission box, alive and vital”

So, how is it on the piste? For 16 years Bataleon has been trumpeting (and explaining, repeatedly) its Triple Base Technology. It’s a clever system and a lot of people love it. But for me, initially, I did struggle with it every time we had to cross corduroy to get to more fresh.I know, I know, it’s a powder board and wasn’t really designed for the piste, but I can’t help but feel that with so many new shapes out there that also have that dedicated powder profile, yet are also able to eat up piste like they were born to it, that maybe the Surfer is missing a trick here.

Which leads me to the price point. That’s a lot of money for a snowboard. And, as previously mentioned, initially she needs careful handling. Now, if I had dropped a grand on some wood and P-tex, I’m not about the careful handling. I want the hole ridden off of me – carpet burns, the works.

Also, that’s an awful lot of money for something designed for the backcountry. Inevitably there will be something stony and awkward that needs negotiating, and when that happens you don’t want to be fretting about your vehicle’s price tag. Snowboards are supposed to be destroyed; loved, yes, cherished, ok, but they are, when all said and done, tools not jewels. No one uses a £100 hammer.

But I admire Bataleon for its audacity in making a board like the Surfer. It’s a thing of beauty and more than justifies its own existence. But unless you’re currently planning your next heli-trip to Alaska, or are Russian and heading to Courcheval for a month, it’s hard to see who would have one of these beauties.

But nevertheless, Bataleon, I thank you.”