The Bataleon Evil Twin is the best-selling park board on the Bataleon lineup. Last season, Bataleon added an upgraded version to the line called the Bataleon Evil Twin Plus (or “Evil Twin+”). This new upgraded version of the Evil Twin has a different graphic, a faster base, a lighter core, and more carbon built into the board, making it snappier, faster, and more responsive.
I got to ride the Evil Twin Plus for one entire season. Here is my full, in-depth review describing exactly what it feels like to ride.
The Highlights
Bataleon Evil Twin + 2024 Snowboard
Core Features
Sizes Available: 151, 154, 156 Wide, 157, 159, 159 Wide
Flex: Medium 5.5 out of 10 – The Bataleon Evil Twin Plus has a playful yet versatile medium flex.
Note that some other reviews online have wildly incorrect flex ratings for this snowboard. It is noticeably medium and not on the stiffer side by any means. That goes for both the longitudinal and torsional flex patterns.
Main Reason I Bought This: I wanted a camber park snowboard that had more of a skate-like, catch-free feel so I could improve my spins without catching my edges on the landings.
Bindings That Pair Well With It: Bataleon Blaster, Union Force, or Union Strata
Main Benefits
- Perfect 5.5/10 medium flex – It is fantastic for jumps while still being easily pressable
- Extremely Fast Base – A faster base is one of the upgrades from the standard Evil Twin.
- It is durable – Hard, durable base, full 360 edges, ABS plastic solid side walls and tips.
- Easy to ride – It has a full camber profile with Bataleon’s Triple Base Technology (3BT) and its spoon-like nose and tail. It makes for a snappy yet catch-free, easy-to-ride park board that is still versatile enough to ride all over the entire resort.
- Lightweight – The core is another upgrade in the plus version. It is lighter and absorbs vibrations better for a smoother ride than the standard Evil Twin.
Overview Video of The Bataleon Evil Twin Plus
Here is a quick overview video that covers all of the upgraded featuress found in the Bataleon Evil Twin Plus.
First Impression of the 2023 – 2024 Bataleon Evil Twin Plus Snowboard?
At first, I wasn’t blown away when I first saw this board’s graphic online. There is a predominantly black layout with a white-looking perimeter on the top sheet, and the base has two small Bataleon logos with plus signs. It reminded me of some blank-looking rental boards my local resort used to have. However, I got the full effect when I saw the board in person.
This snowboard has a sleek presence that is difficult to capture in an online photo.
If it could talk, it would say, “Look closer. There is a lot that went into designing this snowboard.” When you can look at it up close, you can see that it has all of the details of the standard Evil Twin’s more colorful graphic, just in a darker sleeker, looking version. There are finer details that are tough to see, and that is a good metaphor for the Evil Twin Plus in general. You have to look closer and ride it longer to appreciate all that this snowboard is.
In terms of the top sheet itself, the white border I mentioned earlier is actually a carbon-looking graphite gray border with a Triax gloss to it. At the same time, the darker sections in the center have a slightly textured, easy-to-stand on and grip matte finish. The base is a smooth textured, sintered base that looks fast (and it is).
Altogether, when you see the board close up, it looks like a nicer, higher-end board. It caught the eye of a few people in the lift lines, so it became a conversation starter as people asked me what I was riding. The darker layout of the Evil Twin plus has a contrast that is very noticeable when the board is on snow. You can tell you’re riding a higher-end board, and something about it gives you this little added confidence that makes you ride better.
My overall first impression was that this board is awesome; there is more to it that I will uncover every single time that I ride it.
Why Did I Buy the Bataleon Evil Twin Plus Snowboard?
I knew I needed to try this board when I first saw it. It had everything the original Evil Twin had with higher-end upgrades that gave it a faster base, more pop, and a lighter core.
At first, I was skeptical about buying it because I have only ever taken a few test runs on Bataleon’s spoon-like Triple Base Technology (3BT). I wanted to know if I could get used to how the Evil Twin Plus would feel because I am coming from more aggressive base and sidecut technologies.
The upgrades to this snowboard were enough to get me interested in giving it a try because it has similar specs to the Capita DOA, which I loved. At the same time, the Bataleon Evil Twin Plus went a more playful park-friendly route for its higher-end model (which the higher-end Capita Super DOA looks to get more aggressive and all-mountain focused).
I decided to buy the Evil Twin Plus because I wanted the snappiness of the Capita DOA with a more forgiving feel to it. I bought this board to practice bigger spins without catching my edges on landings. A benefit I didn’t think about until I rode it was that the more forgiving feel would also improve my jibs.
So How Does the New Evil Twin Plus Feel to Ride?
The Evil Twin+ has a very stable, controlled, yet simple-to-ride feel to it. This snowboard has the workings of an aggressive camber all-mountain board, with the risk of catching your edge greatly reduced thanks to Bataleon’s triple base technology lifting the contact points off the snow. This snowboard can charge when you want it to, send it off kickers, cruise all over the resort, or hit rails in the park until your heart’s content. It can do it all types of resort riding exceptionally well.
With that said, the Bataleon Evil Twin Plus is an easy board to ride with a learning curve to master. You will need to put some time in to appreciate all of this snowboard’s features.
When I first started to ride this board, it felt more playful than any other camber park board I have ever ridden. It took some time to find the pressure points for getting the 3BT to work properly for me while carving. Once it did, I got the full feel for the board. It is both playful and controlled.
The 3BT has been helpful with learning new tricks. With the contact points lifted, I’ve been able to learn new lip slide variations without coming close to catching my edges. I’ve also gotten more consistent with landing frontside spins off of kickers.
All in all, the Bataleon Evil Twin Plus feels like a faster and more playful Capita DOA. It has a similar flex pattern, shape, and level of pop to the DOA. The Evil Twin Plus is more forgiving when it comes to landing jumps or getting into boardslide rail tricks. The Evil Twin Plus’ base is also noticeably faster, so it was easier to gain the speed I needed between features.
Pros
The Upgraded Fast Sintered Base
The base on the Evil Twin Plus is noticeably fast when you keep it waxed. When I first got it, I noticed a few sections where the factory wax was drying, so I waxed it myself, and the board was easily the fastest park board I have ever ridden. I found it easy to regain speed if I had to stop because someone in front of me fell on a feature.
The above image is a close-up shot of the base of the Evil Twin Plus to show its texture. The base holds wax exceptionally well, and I had no trouble getting the speed I needed to hit park features.
Skate-like Feel / Easy to Land Jumps
The 3BT and Sidekick up-lifted contact points made this board effortless to ride, with a skate-like feel. If you were to put this snowboard flat on a table and look at it from the front, you would see its nose’s spoon-like shape looks like this.
It feels like a looser board that can still launch you when you load its camber section up to pop. The 3BT became a highlight for me because it made landing jumps easier. If you land slightly off-axis, the uplifted contact points allow you to scrub the last few degrees and ride away. Here are a few other benefits to the base technology.
Springboard Level of Pop
The Bataleon Evil Twin Plus is a noticeably light board with a ton of springboard-like pop to launch you off kickers. Bataleon constructed the Evil Twin Plus to include more carbon than the traditional version of the Evil Twin. The construction looks like this.
Bataleon’s carbon super tube rod and the carbon stringers work together to give this snowboard its additional pop.
Damp / Smooth Ride
The additional carbon and higher-end materials designed into this snowboard make it one of the smoothest riding park boards I have ever ridden. So far, I haven’t felt any chatter or vibrations at all. As we get further into the season, I will put this detail to the test and report back once I’ve had the chance to ride over rougher terrain.
Bataleon’s Warranty
There is a three-year warranty for all Bataleon snowboards when registering them on Bataleon’s website. The warranty covers all common manufacturer defects. As with all snowboards, the warranty will not cover breakage due to an impact, misuse of the snowboard or negligence that caused the damage.
To register your board, simply scan the QR code on your board to register it.
Cons
Hard to Keep Clean
The darker sections of the top sheet house some of this snowboard’s primary carbon tech features. These sections are also great for anyone who doesn’t like using a stomp pad. They have a matte texture and are easy to grip with your boots. The texture will make getting on and off the lift easier. However, the downside is that this section also shows every fingerprint or scuff this snowboard might get.
Here is an image of what I mean. Just from setting my board up, I had fingerprints on it that were easy to see near the Bataleon logo.
These came off easily with a damp rag. Every time I wax my board, I also clean off the topsheet.
Learning Curve With 3BT
The Evil Twin Plus is a ridiculously easy snowboard to learn to ride and carve with. It is a hard snowboard to master all of its nuances, though. Appreciating all of the tech built into this snowboard will take some time. I found myself popping off jumps too early or too late. The 3BT makes landing jumps more forgiving. However, if you land too far off-axis, it is easy to revert or scrub your landings too.
Until you master this deck, you will have a few sketchy hours in the park. I promise you will get the hang of it, though.
Hard To Balance 50/50s
The Evil Twin does have a flat, non-spoonlike section running through the base of the board under your feet lengthwise. However, it isn’t a very wide section, so it forces you to be precise when 50-50ing or doing any straight-on jib trick like a nosepress. You eventually will get the hang of it with speed and practice. However, it’s worth noting because you might be used to doing nosepresses on a traditional base and have a more challenging time balancing them with this board, even though it is a very pressable deck.
My honest take is that the 3BT in the Evil Twin Plus will make sideways jib tricks like boardslides easier and straight-on jib tricks a little harder to balance. It’s the only main downside with this board, and practice can solve it.
Slightly More Expensive Than Other Park Boards
At the time of writing, this snowboard is $80 more than the standard evil twin. This snowboard is usually available here in the $620 – $650 price range. While that is on the higher end, it is one of the best park snowboards you can buy, and the premium tech is worth the additional money.
Who Is the Evil Twin+ a Good Fit For?
If you are an intermediate rider who spends 60% or more of your time in the park and you are looking for a well-rounded park board that is exceptional at both jumps and rails, then the Bataleon Evil Twin Plus snowboard is perfect for you.
There is a spectrum when it comes to riding in the park. It isn’t common for a snowboard to excel at both hitting rails and jumps. Typically with park boards, it is either one or the other the board is better for. A park board that performs well on rails usually isn’t stable enough to hit jumps or vice versa. The Evil Twin Plus is the exception to that rule. This board is outstanding to jib with, stomp jumps of all sizes, and carve all over the entire resort.
Bataleon Evil Twin Plus Snowboard 2023-2024 Specs
Size (cm) | 151 | 154 | 156W | 157 | 159 | 159W |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Effective Edge (mm) | 1153 | 1175 | 1192 | 1197 | 1217 | 1217 |
Nose Width (cm) | 28.6 | 29 | 30.5 | 29.5 | 29.9 | 30.8 |
Waist Width (cm) | 24.6 | 25 | 26.4 | 25.3 | 25.6 | 26.6 |
Tail Width (cm) | 28.6 | 29 | 30.5 | 29.5 | 29.9 | 30.8 |
Sidecut Radius (m) | 7.8 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8.2 |
Stance Range (cm) | 50-62 | 50.5-62.5 | 51-63 | 51-63 | 51.5-63.5 | 51.5-63.5 |
Stance Range (inches) | 19.69-24.41 | 19.88-24.61 | 20.08-24.80 | 20.08-24.80 | 20.28-25.00 | 20.28-25.00 |
Rider Weight (lbs) | 130-174 | 141-185 | 154-198 | 154-198 | 163-207 | 167-211 |
Boot Size (cm/mondo) | 26.0-29.0 | 26.0-29.0 | 27.5-30.5 | 26.5-29.5 | 27.0-30.0 | 28.0-31.0 |
Boot Size (US) | 8 to 11 | 8 to 11 | 9 to 13 | 8 to 12 | 9 to 12 | 10 to 14 |
Width | Regular | Regular | Wide | Regular | Regular | Wide |
Overall Rating of the Bataleon Evil Twin + Snowboard 2023 – 2024
Considerations | Rating Out 5 |
---|---|
Resort Riding | 4.75 |
Powder | 3.85 |
Carving / Turns | 4.25 |
Responsiveness | 4.85 |
Speed | 4.9 |
Ice / Poor Conditions | 3.85 |
Switch | 5 |
Jibs | 4.7 |
Jumps | 5 |
Durability / Quality | 4.65 |
Buttering | 4.8 |
Fun to ride | 5 |
Editor’s Rating:
The Main Summary
The main summary is that this snowboard is exceptional for park and all-mountain riding. Bataleon created a fantastic, versatile board with the Evil Twin+. The higher-end base, carbon additives, and lightweight core make this board ride smoother, pop higher, and feel lighter than the Evil Twin has ever felt before.
So Is the Bataleon Evil Twin Plus Worth It?
I would give this snowboard a resounding, “yes, it is absolutely worth it.”
If you are leaning towards the Evil Twin, spring for the additional $80, and you will love the Evil Twin Plus. The upgraded base alone is worth the price. The fact that it is both lighter and snappier are incredible bonuses that make the additional price tag a very easy decision.
Other Comparable Snowboards to Consider
Here are four other boards that are similar to the Capita DOA.
- Bataleon Evil Twin The non plus version
- Capita DOA
- Salomon Huck Knife Pro Snowboard
- Ride Burnout
Which bindings go well with the Bataleon Evil Twin Plus Snowboard?
Union Strata
The Union Strata is a lightweight freestyle binding with a six out of ten flex rating. These bindings are perfect to pair with the Capita Ultrafear. These are some of the most responsive freestyle snowboard bindings you will find on this list.
If you are looking for a lightweight, flexible, yet still responsive binding, check out the Union Strata.
Highlights for the Union Strata
- Shock absorption
- Lightweight
- Flex in highback and baseplate
- Minidisk compatible
- Soft and surfy board feel
- Upgraded no-slip hardware
Sizes
Small (US Men’s 6 – 7.5), Medium (US Men’s 8 – 10), Large (US Men’s 10.5+)Where Can You Buy a Bataleon Evil Twin Plus?
You can buy the Evil Twin Plus here.
About the reviewer
Rider Name: Steve Weber
Home Mountains: Big Boulder, Jack Frost, Montage – North Eastern Pennsylvania (Lots of east coast ice.)
Pre-Season Mountains: Big Snow
Size / Model: The board I reviewed was a 2023 Bataleon Evil Twin + Size 151
Rider Weight: 142lbs
Bindings Used: 2023 Union Strata and 2024 Union Ultra Bindings
Boots Used: DC Phase Snowboard Boots
Days Rode this Deck: Around 25-30 days altogether. I started riding this in October at Big Snow in NJ. Our season in Pennsylvania officially kicked off in early December 2022. I rode this deck in all types of east coast conditions until the season ended.
Related Reviews:
- 2023 Union Strata Snowboard Bindings Review
- Comparison Review: Union Ultra Vs. Strata Bindings
- Jones Tweaker Snowboard Review
- 2023 Gilson Undead Snowboard Review
- Yes. Dicey Snowboard Review 2023
- Jones Mountain Twin Snowboard Review 2023
- Capita Ultrafear Snowboard Review
- Capita Defenders of Awesome (DOA) Review
- 10 Excellent Park Snowboards
- The Best Carving Snowboards
Steve Weber is an avid snowboarder and skateboarder. He has been snowboarding for 26 years, skateboarding for 20, and is always looking for a new board sport to try out. When he is not riding or skating, he runs a marketing agency. Board of the World is Steve’s blog for skateboard and snowboard gear reviews. The blog’s goal is to help people find the right board for them and encourage people to have fun outside.