Bataleon Distortia Review Round Up
Bataleon DistortiaInstead of hopping on the reverse camber bandwagon, Bataleon is sticking to its loaded gun: triple base technology (TBT). With quick edge-to-edge transitions, this unique snowboard construction provides a skateboard-like ride. I’ve even heard it compared to, “Having a bottle as the base of your snowboard.” At first I thought the board was just grippy, but I came to realize it was the edge-to-edge. Quick transitions are a matter of personal preference. Someone who squeezes in quite a few setup turns before park features might tote the Distortia’s quickness as ‘perfect.’ Yet, those looking for stability at higher speeds might search elsewhere for more freeride-oriented shred sticks or ones without triple base technology. Landings in the park also felt uneasy at times - the TBT takes getting used to.
Quick turns assist maneuverability in tight tree situations, but the Distortia’s flex pattern does not. The tip and tail lean toward a medium flex while the middle of the board is softer. In the park, the flex was ideal - not too soft for jumps, not too stiff for rails/boxes. Venturing into the glades and steeper runs, the softness of the board lead to some hairy situations. Don’t expect this board to stop on a dime, especially on steeper runs or chutes. As the season progressed, the Distortia grew more flexible, as all boards do, so keep that in mind.
Powder? An interesting experience, even more so when mixed with bindings centered on the board. TBT creates a board shape that floats above soft powder. You’ll want to set your bindings back a bit though to take advantage of the TBT shape. The board is flexy enough to be able to pull the nose up, but my legs hated me for doing so for an entire day, just because my stance was centered. Do yourself a favor - spare your legs and set the bindings back! Floating also applied to riding on cruddy choppy snow, definitely a perk.
Time to switch things up, literally. Switch riding fell into the easy-as-pie category for the Distortia. Its true twin shape does not cause any problems in this area. In fact, if you are perfectly ducked out, you won’t even know which end is the tip and which is the tail without the help of the extremely large pink diamond in the center (the point of it aims at the tail). Stance options are plenty on this board - I ride with a wider-than-normal stance and it worked out well.
Above all, I loved the pop. Ollie power on the Distortia exceeded my expectations. This is the one quality that I, personally, tend to value above all others. From the beginning of the season until the end, the pop-factor remained fairly consistent. An A in my book!
Construction for the Distortia didn’t change from 07/08 to 08/09, so it is unlikely it will change that drastically for the 09/10 season. With that in mind, I have some recommendations.
- Keep the file away from the edges! With the triple base technology, detuning or dulling the center of your board creates a strange ride - you won’t have much edge hold.
- Avoid bullet proof ice! The edge hold on the Distortia was never incredible begin with. Expect some sketchy moments on the slick stuff if you decide to make turns, or try to go as straight as possible over those areas.
If you like all-mountain freestyle and enjoy riding the park, the Bataleon Distortia won’t let you down.
Posted by Sara on 07/01
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