The Bataleon Magic Carpet is a versatile and fun snowboard that excels in powder and all-mountain conditions. This board is designed to provide a smooth and playful ride, with a focus on floatation and maneuverability. One of the standout features of the Magic Carpet is its unique 3BT (Triple Base Technology) design. This design incorporates a subtle base profile with raised edges at the contact points, making it easier to initiate turns and providing excellent edge hold. The combination of the slightly cambered midsection and the rockered nose and tail creates a surfy and floaty feel in powder, while still maintaining stability and control on groomed runs. The Magic Carpet also features a medium flex, which is ideal for intermediate to advanced riders looking for a balance between stability and playfulness.
Bataleon Magic Carpet
The Bataleon Magic Carpet has a design that you can’t find on many boards – a wide, twin shaped powder board. I was pretty skeptical, and didn’t expect that I would like it too much.
Features of the Bataleon Magic Carpet
Twin
Definitely not a common shape for a powder board. Normally powder boards will have a longer and wider nose, with a shorter narrower tail that is designed to help the nose to float, and the tail to sink. The tradeoff of the classic design means that although it floats better when ridden regular, it is much harder to ride switch, and much harder to land switch in powder.
The Magic Carpet design gets around that by keeping the twin shape, but with a wide width for lots of surface area.
Pow 3BT
The Pow version of the 3BT base shaping is the most extreme of the Bataleon designs, which means that it has a very narrow centrebase, and very exaggerated uplifted corners of the board. Looking straight down the board, you can see how much of a “boat” shape the nose and tail have.
SideKick
Another little exaggerated shape, which pushes the contact points a little higher on the uplifted sections of the board.
Mellow Camber
Overall there is a fairly small amount of camber on the board, that gives it a little bit more of a spring, but it never feels catchy with the Pow 3BT shaping.
Dual Super Tubes
Two tubes of carbon, that take away a little of the weight from the core, and add some more pop.
Triax Laminate
Three directions of fiberglass mean that the Magic Carpet has a bit more torsional (twisting) stiffness.
Ultra Light Core
A lighter core option, it has a 70/30 blend of paulownia and poplar wood.
Carbon Stringers
Super Slick X
An extruded base material, so while it is softer than sintered, it is easier to repair.
Solid Walls
Just standard ABS sidewalls.
How It Rides
Board size: 154cm
Boots: Salomon Launch Boa 27.5
Bindings: Salomon Highlander
I rode the Magic Carpet with a fairly narrow stance, with my front foot on the narrowest inserts, and my back foot on the recommended, with angles of +9 and -6 degrees.
I was riding in some fresh snow, with nice deeper windblown sections of fairly light powder.
Camber Profile
While technically all Bataleon boards have some camber, the Mellow Camber of the Magic Carpet means that it doesn’t have a very noticeable amount of camber. Combined with the 3BT, it has a very loose feeling when you are riding it with a flat base.
Flex and Pop
It has a medium flex, which was pretty ideal for a board like this. It was stiff enough to smash through chopped up powder without a problem, but still didn’t need much effort to flex or twist the board in tight situations.
Edge Hold
In the soft conditions I was riding it in, it wasn’t a tough test on the edges – any board would have done well. The wider width of the Magic Carpet meant that I could get quite a lot of angle in a carve with no problem.
Powder
The Magic Carpet did feel nice in powder – not like a regular shaped/tapered powder board, but with more of a regular balanced feel. The nose never seemed to have a problem keeping up above the snow, and I could feel the tail flex nicely for a bigger turn in deeper snow.
Speed
The Magic Carpet just has a regular extruded base, though the speed felt fine for me. It never seemed like it wanted to slow down, though a lot of that could have been helped by the 3BT and wide width helping it to stay on top of the snow the whole time.
Switch
One of the main features of the board is that it is a twin powder board, so riding it switch is just the same as riding it regular. It was an odd feeling to get used to, landing switch in powder is hard enough anyway, but on this board it seemed to pop the nose back up on top of the snow straight away.
Overall
The Bataleon Magic Carpet isn’t a board that I would buy to ride everyday, but it does have an interesting design that would make it a great options depending on how you like to ride.
The wide width and loose feeling of the Pow 3BT make it a fun board for riding and spinning on side hits, and it won’t matter which way you land, even in deep snow.
Similar boards:
Bataleon Magic Carpet 2021-2022 Snowboard Review
Powder boards have been exploding in a variety of eye-catching shapes over the past few years, but most of them tend to be directional in the extreme in order to help sink the back. Bataleon’s Magic Carpet is a more freestyle-focused alternative, a true twin with a hull-like nose and tail that makes it float like crazy – any which way you care to ride. That switch powder landing you’ve been too scared to try? It’s suddenly very, very doable.
“That switch powder landing you’ve been too scared to try? It’s suddenly very, very doable”
Who Is The Bataleon Magic Carpet For?
People who love getting creative, and see powder days as the perfect opportunity to chuck spins off natural features, butter like crazy and dial in new tricks on a softer landing.
Shape, Profile and Sidecut
As mentioned above, the Magic Carpet is a true twin outline, offering identical flex and riding performance in either direction. It differs from most twins in that the nose and tail are pretty long and pointy rather than blunt. This gives the board more lift in deep snow.
It also features Pow 3BT – the most aggressive version of Bataleon’s Triple Base Technology. As you move from the inserts towards the nose and tail, the sides of the board are steeply upturned, including an accelerated scoop at the widepoints known as SideKick. The central part of the base in these 3D zones is quite narrow, so the overall effect is to transform the board into a kind of boat that can glide effortlessly over powder, smash through chop and lean naturally into banks.
Despite being quite a wide model (again, to increase surface area) edge changes are rapid, since there’s less flat base to roll across. That makes it a bit less stable on ice and hardpack, but since this board’s natural element lies outside the ropes, you’re probably not going to be too fussed about that.
Looked at from the side, the Magic Carpet has traditional camber, so it’s pre-loaded with ollie power and feels engaged in the turn.
“Despite being quite a wide model (again, to increase surface area) edge changes are rapid, since there’s less flat base to roll across”
Construction and Materials
The Magic Carpet’s core is just one notch down from Bataleon’s most exclusive offering. It’s made from 70-percent paulownia and 30-percent poplar, so we’re talking very lightweight indeed. Two carbon tubes have been milled into it between the inserts, one on each side, to reinforce the camber profile, boosting power and edge hold.
The topsheet is made from triax laminate, with more carbon fibre introduced at the nose and tail. All that helps eliminate chatter at higher speeds and stiffen the deck some, although it’s not actually a particularly stiff board overall. Essentially, intermediates and above will find it friendly enough.
Given the premium materials elsewhere it’s a little surprising to find the Magic Carpet only features an extruded base, even if this one claims to be the densest such P-tex on the market. On the plus side, you don’t have to wax it as often to maintain performance, and it’s easier to repair should you strike any rocks in the backcountry.
“Two carbon tubes have been milled into it between the inserts, one on each side, to reinforce the camber profile, boosting power and edge hold”
Roundup
The Magic Carpet is one of those boards that, if you’re lucky enough to have one, can make the best days even better. Chances are it won’t be your everyday ride – and for pure soul-surfing turns, a directional powder board is still your best bet – but with so much float on tap in either direction, the creative potential in natural terrain feels limitless.
Bataleon Magic Carpet 2020-2021 Snowboard Review
The Magic Carpet is Bataleon’s antidote against the vociferations of mouth breathing troglodytes who continue to swear by the necessity that “a SnOwBoArD sHouLd CoMe Up tO yOuR nOsE aNd YoU CaN’t RiDe A tRuE tWiN In PoWdEr!” This might be the most underrated and misunderstood snowboard in Bataleon’s line – the ultimate resort powder deck.
The not-so-secret weapon here is Triple Base Technology. The Magic Carpet features a unique powder-specific variation of their three-step profile in the nose and tail. With only a narrow section of centre base, the main attraction is the long, uplifted sidebases that allow the snowboard to effortlessly plane along the snow’s surface.
“This is a snowboard with freestyle running through its veins, but it’s those epic resort powder days that really get its heart beating”
Combined with a wider than average waist width, the surface area of the Magic Carpet matches up to some of Bataleon’s bigger, directional chargers, but does so in a way that keeps the outline twin and the swing weight perfectly matched.
Spinning and chucking the board about is made easier this year with a lighter wood core, too. This is a snowboard with freestyle running through its veins, but it’s those epic resort powder days that really get its heart beating.
Where some volume shifted snowboards rely purely on a shape that works in powder, the Magic Carpet maintains a scrupulous eye for detail in its construction. Carbon stringers run from the inserts out to the nose and tail give the board a really balanced pop – be it regular or switch, and off pillows or sidehits – while the hollow carbon tubes that are milled into the sidewall give the camber a little more rebound.
Most snowboards fit neatly into one of three categories: freestyle, all-mountain, and freeride. The Magic Carpet technically ticks all three of these boxes, yet trying to stick a label on it feels like a disservice to what’s really on offer here. This is Bataleon’s rule-breaker, their curveball, their anomaly. It’s straight-up powder fueled, freestyle frenzied stoke that redefines what a resort snowboard can – and should – be.
The Magic Carpet also features a medium flex, which is ideal for intermediate to advanced riders looking for a balance between stability and playfulness. This flex allows for quick edge-to-edge transitions and provides enough responsiveness for carving, while still offering enough forgiveness for buttering and pressing on rails. Another notable feature of the Magic Carpet is its lightweight construction.
The core is made from a blend of poplar and beech, which provides a lively and snappy feel without sacrificing durability. The board also includes carbon stringers that extend from the inserts to the contact points, adding extra pop and energy transfer. Overall, the Bataleon Magic Carpet is a highly versatile and fun snowboard that is perfect for riders who want a playful and surfy ride in powder, while still maintaining stability and control on groomed runs. Its unique 3BT design, medium flex, and lightweight construction make it a great option for riders looking to push their limits and explore the mountain in various conditions..
Reviews for "Mastering the Mountains: Bataleon Magic Carpet Snowboard Review"
1. Jane - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Bataleon magic carpet. I found it to be too stiff and unresponsive, making it difficult to maneuver on the slopes. The board also seemed to struggle with edge hold, causing me to slip and slide more than I would have liked. Overall, I didn't feel confident or in control while riding this board and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Mark - 3 stars - The Bataleon magic carpet is just an average snowboard in my opinion. I didn't find anything particularly special or standout about it. While it provided a decent ride, I felt that it lacked the smoothness and fluidity that I look for in a board. Additionally, I found the board to be quite heavy, making it cumbersome to carry and transport. Overall, I think there are better options available in the market for the price range.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for the Bataleon magic carpet but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The board felt too soft and unstable, especially when trying to pick up speed or take on more challenging terrain. I also found that it didn't have enough pop or responsiveness, making it difficult to execute tricks and jumps. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied with this board.