Bataleon Goliath Plus Snowboard Review

An In Depth Breakdown of How The Battalion Goliath Plus Snowboard Rides Review by The Good Ride

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Bataleon Goliath Plus Snowboard Review

How The Bataleon Goliath Plus Was Tested:

I borrowed the Batelon Goliath Plus for an extended demo and I’ve been trying to send it back but Bataleon hasn’t responded.

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Size:156
Days: 2
Conditions:Good but varied spring conditions and some wet late spring pow
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10”, 185-195lbs). I’ve tested and compared 800+ boards
Boots: Ride Deadbolt, Bataleon Acid BOA
Insoles: Footprint Kingfoam Orthotic Elite
Bindings: Union Force
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Skyline Fuse Jacket
Pant: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant, Skyline Faze Pant
Helmet: Smith Method
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt,

James’s Set Up

21.5” Wide. Stance Angles +18/-3,+15/-15. Close to Reference on groomers and Set all the way back in powder.

Similar Boards We Like (but not the same):

Korua Otto, Ride Algorythm, Ride Shadowban, Salomon Highpath, Yes Standard Uninc, Capita Black Snowboard Of Death, Jones Rally Cat, Cardiff Crane, Cardiff Lynx, Nitro Alternator, United Shapes Horizon, Gnu Antigravity, Lib Tech Dynamo

Approximate Weight

The Bataleon Goliath Plus didn’t feel Ultralight but is on the lighter side for sure. (We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores, there is no consistency in a board’s weight)

Sizing

The 159 worked fine for my specs but if I were to buy one I’d want the 156 just because I like control, a narrower reference stance for my short legs, and an easier spin to it when I’m buttering or throwing it around switch on groomer days.

Bataleon is pretty spot on with recommended weight but very liberal with recommended boot sizing. If you want to find that sweet spot between being able to easily turn this but not have toe/heel drag (very dangerous) follow my US sizing suggestions.

Shape

The Bataleon Goliath Plus is or is very close to a directional twin with set back inserts, a longer nose than tail but everything else is pretty symmetrical and it has a very centered feel. Even when set all the way back.

Camber Profile

The Goliath Plus has a very unique camber profile and 3BT is not the same as other boards with lifted sides in the industry. It’s full camber from tip to tail with a flat section in the middle nose/tail andthen a lot of lift from the sides of the nose/tail all the way down to a little before the Inserts. It’s Low 3BT for Bataleon but excessive for any other brand out there and it really travels into the effective edge.

I found, you have to ride this perfectly center-weighted to engage the flat section, which is also the highest point off the snow. Once engaged, it flattens and allows you to get purchase on snow. It tracks well one-footing and flat basing—but can feel edgeless and washy if you don’t stay centered.

Edge Hold

Bataleon boards are the most challenging boards with steel edges I’ve ridden in hard snow and they sap my confidence. In hard spring morning snow, I struggled to turn, even trying my best to twist and really put weight into the edges. On saame days tests every other board that day held it’s edge much much better. If you see hard snow often, this board is far from ideal.

Flex

The Bataleon Goliath Plus is significantly stiffer than the regular Goliath but it still has a pretty continuous flex where it doesn’t seem to be that stiffer in the tail and the nose seems to be pretty close to the overall flex as well. Maybe a touch softer.

Buttering

The Flat section in the tip and tail locks in on a butter and makes it much easier than almost any other board I’ve tried with lifted sides in the nose/tail.

Pop and Ollies

The pop is unreal—better than any other Bataleon I’ve tried, including the already poppy Goliath and Beyond Medals. This helps average riders, like me, ollie easier than just about any other board out there.

Uneven Snow

So while the pop is exceptional it comes at a pretty high price in soft uneven snow. This board bucks and bounces around in a pretty unsettling manner. It wants to launch into the air when you don’t. While it’s fine in smooth conditions, it can knock you off your line in bumpy conditions. I wouldn’t want to ride this in the trees if it’s uneven for fear of hitting a tree. That said, in hard uneven microbumpy snow, it’s not chattery or harsh and did a pretty good job absorbing chatter for having this much pop. The Goliath was better at this though.

Speed

The sidecut is balanced enough to ride straight into kickers or maintain short to medium straight lines. But it’s not a bomber. This isn’t made for pointing it down most of the run. There are better boards for sure.

Base Glide

The Plus base outperformed the regular Goliath’s base and it’s pretty fast. It’s mostly black with minimal die-cut, holds wax well, and provides upper-tier glide—not the absolute best, but definitely high-end.

Turning Experience

All Bataleons turn differently. There’s a learning curve, but once mastered:

• Quick turn initiation

• Requires center weighting

• Washes out if front- or back-foot weighted

• Balanced turning radius (great for carves, short and long turns)

• Excellent spring out of turns

Powder

Both the Goliath and Goliath Plus float very well for all-mountain boards. Despite the camber, TBT helps keep it afloat, especially when set back using full-sized discs.

Binding Compatibility

I didn’t use Bataleon’s Astro or Atom bindings because of their small discs, which barely fit setback inserts and don’t allow forward/backward adjustment. I opted for Union Force bindings with full-size discs that allow for stance width tweaks.

Pow Set Back

With a 22.75” stance width on the 159 Goliath Plus, I could get 2.25” back from center. On the 156 Goliath, I could get 2.875” back. That’s unusual since setback usually stays consistent. Average riders like me benefit from the extra directional float on the regular Goliath.

Switch Riding

Set up on reference stance, this rides switch incredibly well. It’s not a true twin, but it’s close.

Jumps

Not that I’m launching these days but the Bataleon Goliath Plus is a pretty special board for jumping. You can load the edge if it’s center weighted or launch flat without weirdnes thanks to the flat spot in the TBT. Then you get excellent pop off the jump and it’s a pretty easy board for landing.

Jibbing

I’d rather jib on the softer regular Goliath. As for the pipe, I didn’t feel great with the edge hold on the Plus, but in a soft spring pipe, it works. If I had the 156 instead of 159, it’d be better.

Final Thoughts

The Bataleon Goliath Plus isn’t for me because of the center weighted turn only kind of feel, limited grip and really bucky nature in soft uneven snow. That being said it might be worth it for others that see mainly good snow and want one of the most poppiest boards in the industry. Bataleon boards, with their 3BT, has some super fans and people like me so there is no right answer but just what works for you. So try one for demo, remember to really center weight your turns and see how it works for you.