For the '07-'08 season, I made a commitment to purchase new gear from the boots on up. Everything has to perform...period! So, I did what many other people do, read the mags, look at the ads, visit shops, etc. I won't lie, I was tempted to purchase based on impulse, but I decided to put my Ed.M to work, and do some real research.

Step I: I educated myself on board design, and also the materials that boards are made from. When all was said and done, Bataleon rose to the top. Don't get me wrong, Burton, Nitro, K2, Solomon, etc. are all very, very good boards, but they are all relatively the same, give or take some weight. I just wanted something that would perform differently. After reading the specs on the Goliath, it was the stick that best fit my riding style. On that note, I decided to move my curiosity to Step II.

Step II: Interview
One thing I have learned working in Educational Technology, nothing, and I mean nothing replaces face-to-face. That said, I visited many shops in my hometown of Buffalo, NY. First thing I learned was not many stores carry Bataleon boards let alone have heard of them. However, Phatman did! http://www.skisite.com/epic/shopsDetail.cfm?id=6952

Turns out the guy who owned the shop was selling his 157 '07 Bataleon Goliath. It was beat up, but in good overall condition, which said a lot for the construction. I asked him why he was selling it, and he said he was making room for a new model. How does it ride? Does the Triple Base Technology really work or is it marketing hype? How is the flex? Does it have good pop? How is it on ice (we get a lot of that in Buffalo), does the edge hold under pressure? It wasn't what he said, but how it said that stuck with me. "It's the best board I have ever rode". I mean he was really thinking about it when he said it. Your not just saying that right? "Ride one for yourself and you be the judge." I told him I was looking for a 160 and he said they come in a 161, but he did not have any in stock.

Fine, time to move to Step III: Demo one.
No one, and I mean no one was offering any Bataleon demo days in Western New York for the season. Oh well, put up or shut up right?

Step IV: Adopt one
I hate buying things without test driving them first. Seriously, would you buy a car without test driving it? I also know riders don't buy snowboards, we adopt them. So I gambled, and got lucky. I found a new '07 Goliath 161 for $350 USD!!! I brought online at Evogear.com, and as soon as the transaction was over it said Sold Out. Are you kidding me!!! Yeah, I was stoked!

Step IV: The Ride.
First thing I noticed is the board is fast...very fast. Turns out aside from the base material, and my hot wax, the board does not naturally go from edge to edge at high speed like other boards do. This makes it very stable at high speed, because it simply glides.

With concave edges, you would think moving from toe to heal side edges would be difficult right? Wrong! Dead wrong, that's where the Triple Base shines! I have never, and I mean never been able to maneuver a 161 so effortlessly. Honestly, I maneuver it like my old '95 Burton Twin 153, and it's a 161 and my stance was in the back seat! The pop was awesome, and landings were very stable, but what impressed me the most was riding it switch. So easy, so much fun because you see the hill again for the first time.

SBC is dead on, and as far as I am concerned, the only boards I will ever purchase from here on out are Bataleons. They are faster, perform better with less effort, and are overall are the best quality boards on the market, but don't take my word for it, ride one and you be the judge.

MLH44