Bataleon Evil Twin Review
The Bataleon Evil Twin is a strong board that can handle riding anywhere on the mountain.
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If you haven’t ridden a Bataleon board before, the one thing that sets them apart from all other brands is the profile and base shape.
All of their boards are made with positive (regular) camber, which is combined with their 3BT (triple base technology).
The basic idea is that you get the benefits of a camber board, which are stability, edge hold and pop, with the forgivness and playfulness of a rocker board.
It is done by having a 3d base design, which basically angles the side of the base (at the contact points) away from the snow a couple of degrees.
So when you are riding with a flat base, the contact points are up and out of the way like a rocker board, but as soon as you start to put some pressure on your edge to turn, the whole edge is in contact with the snow and it turns like a camber board.
The Evil Twin has the Part 3BT, which means that it has a medium width centre base – shown in the graphic below.
The Green areas show the regular camber shaped areas, while the white sections are the lifted base areas.
The center base on the Evil Twin is wide enough so that it 50-50s on rails are still easy to lock into, but riding on firm snow is still quick and smooth edge to edge.
The center base is not as wide as the Jib version, or as thin as the Freeride version, so it sits in the middle and is good for doing everything.
The Core Core is made up of poplar wood, with stringers of beech hardwood that run from the tip to the tail on the insert pack to give some more pop.
The V-Core is milled out between the inserts (bindings), so that it has a bit more of a natural flex between your feet, but still has the stability from the bindings to the tip and tail.
The Sintered Base is hard and fast, it does a good job of soaking up wax.
Tri-ax glass means that there is 3 layers of fiberglass, which gives you more response (pop/snap etc) than biax (2 layer) fiberglass boards.
How it Rides
I have been able to ride the Evil Twin in all sorts of conditions, with a few different boots and bindings.
Board size: 154cm – recommended stance +15°/-15°
Boots: Burton Hail, ThirtyTwo TM-TWO
Bindings: Union Contact, Union Force, Burton Cobrashark
It is a weird feeling getting used to your first 3BT board, it has a combination of feeling easy and loose, while still being stable with good edge hold.
Camber Profile
When riding on a flat base, on a hardpacked run or cat track, you can pretty much just swivel the board around flat without worrying about it catching, just like a loose rocker board. But, as soon as you start to put weight on an edge, it grips nicely like a regular camber board.
Flex and Pop
The Evil Twin is rated as a 5/10, which feels right to me. It still needs a bit of effort to get a nice press. The medium flex means that still holds up well at speed, and riding through chopped up snow it can power through without a problem.
It still holds up well landing tail heavy from bigger jumps.
Seeing that you have to flex it like a normal camber board, it pushes back well giving plenty of pop.
Edge Hold
The edge hold on the Evil Twin is good, hard carving it acts just like a normal camber board.
Speed
There isn’t a problem going fast, the base keeps your speed up easily, and as long as you are staying on an edge, or changing quickly, you won’t notice the looseness from the flat base section of the board.
Powder
Obviously the Evil Twin isn’t a powder board, and I ride a size that works best for park/freestyle riding, rather than a big pow board.
It is fine in pow if you can keep your speed up, but being a twin park board with a centered stance, it wants to sink.
Overall
The Evil Twin is a board I would recommend to anyone who wants a twin board, that likes the park but still wants a board that will ride all kinds of terrain without a problem. Stable at speed, plenty of pop and support for bigger features in the park, just be prepared to work if you ride it on a powder day.
Features of the Bataleon Evil Twin
- Park 3BT
- Core Core
- V-Core Profile
- Sintered Base
- Tri-axial Laminates
- Kevlar Fleece
- Medium Flex
Sizes available:
- 150cm
- 152cm
- 154cm
- 156cm Wide
- 157cm
- 159cm Wide
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| Size | 150 | 152 | 154 | 156W | 157 | 159W |
| Contact Length (cm) | 112 | 114 | 116 | 118 | 119 | 120 |
| Waist Width (mm) | 246 | 249 | 251 | 264 | 255 | 266 |
| Setback (mm) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sidecut Radius (m) | 7.65 | 7.80 | 7.90 | 8.05 | 8.10 | 8.15 |
| Inserts | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| Stance Width (mm) | 495-615 | 500-620 | 505-625 | 510-630 | 510-630 | 520-640 |
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What snowboard do you preffer, Bataleon Evil Twin or Never Summer Proto Synthesis?
Although they are really different in profile and how they ride, I like the Never Summer Proto Synthesis better. Better edge hold in all conditions, and although a looser ride, it isn’t as loose as 3BT.