- Price: £585
- Sizes: 154, 157, 160W
- Flex: 5
- Profile: Camber
- Shape: Directional
- BATALEON.COM
There’s been a bit of a shake-up at Bataleon HQ; gone is the ‘Whitegold’ range of powder sticks, but in its place comes the ‘Elite Series’. The name may have changed, but the dedication to making peerless high-end snowboards remains – for the proof, just take a look at the Bataleon The One E.S.
Yes, this one is expensive, but it’s easy to see where that extra cash is going; The One E.S. Is chock-full of Bataleon’s top tech. The base is the fastest that they make, and the core is a featherweight-yet-tough combination of poplar and paulownia. Both layers of fibreglass are high-end triax, and it features a true wood topsheet.
“Wherever you turn this thing, be it sugary slush or rock-hard piste, it feels right at home”
Shape-wise, this is built for powder. Naturally, it features a freeride-friendly version of Bataleon’s Triple Base Technology; the centrebase is narrow and the side-bases are wide, so the amount of float that you get in powder is increased as the board skims across the snow like a boat. The amount of uplift from the centrebase to the edge is greater at the nose than at the tail, offering extra buoyancy at the front and stability at the back.
Combined with the directional, tapered outline, this will take to the steep and deep like a duck to water. There’s the option to set the bindings back even further than normal, but it’s not essential, and you can even size down a little if you want. On top of its floaty characteristics, The One is about half a centimetre wider than standard models, so losing some length is recommended.
You don’t need to keep it under wraps until that Japan trip. Wherever you turn this thing, be it sugary slush or rock-hard piste, it feels right at home. The camber profile holds a solid edge on everything, and the carbon-enhanced tail means there’s plenty of pop when a side hit presents itself.
Which is just as well; that’s a lot to pay for something you’ll only ride in the very best conditions. However, given how much it can enhance any day on the mountain, the Bataleon The One E.S. could be a sound investment.
