Bataleon Snowboards F/W 2026/27 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Snowboards F/W 2026/27 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Bataleon
Interviewee: Tom Johnson – Global Director of Marketing

OVERALL MARKET

How would you describe the 2024/25 snowboard season in terms of market performance and consumer demand?

The 24/25 season showed that the demand was especially strong for twin freestyle boards, driven by younger riders seeking playful and versatile all-mountain performance.

What major trends are shaping the snowboard market (pricing, consumer preferences, rider demographics, retail shifts)?

There’s so much to talk about here, but we’ll focus on one main topic. Snowboarding is growing.Youth participation is surging, social media channels make tips, tricks, and content more accessible than ever – and it’s so rad. This is exciting, and we’re genuinely excited to be building products that fuel social energy and get people on the hill. There’s nothing radder than to watch a younger generation of snowboarders assemble and then go conquer the resort.

BRAND FOCUS

What is your brand’s core mission or philosophy, and how does it influence snowboard design and development?

Bataleon continues to strive to be the most forward brand in snowboarding across all aspects. A tight internal team, trusted Team riders, and a clearly established brand framework drive us to design, develop, and manufacture the best possible products.

How has your brand’s role in the snowboard market evolved in recent years?

Bataleon has experienced steady, healthy growth over the past few years. Our role in snowboarding has certainly shifted, but we’re going to keep our focus on delivering great product stories, communicating clearly to the end consumer, and driving people to our retail partners.

Who is your target rider for the 26/27 season, and how has this profile changed compared to the past?

I’m not going to share too much of our strategy here, our competition reads this magazine. Might have to be an off-the-record chat 😉

Which product ranges or categories do you expect to drive the most growth in 26/27?

The Bataleon brand is bringing an innovative product offering across all three categories (snowboards, boots, and bindings). Our snowboard collection has so much to talk about, our boot collection has all-new fit and material stories, and our 26/27 binding collection showcases the expansion of FASE® technology into an all-new chassis.

SNOWBOARD SPECIFIC

What trends or developments in construction, shapes, and innovation are guiding your 26/27 snowboard range?

Bataleon has always worked ahead of trends, listening to our riders, thinking outside the box, and carving our own path in board innovation. In our 26/27 range, we’ve expanded the definition of what it means to be a Bataleon snowboard. All-new sidecuts, all-new shapes, and a revolution of Bataleon’s shaping story lead the charge. We’re extremely excited to release this collection with an all-new 3BT™ story, an updated SideKick™ story, and Bataleon’s first-ever foray into the second dimension.

What design directions are you taking — graphics, patterns, collabs, or signature editions?

Our 26/27 range focuses on bold collaborations and progressive design. We believe that Signature products are essential to the fabric of snowboarding, and work side-by-side with riders like Tor Lundström, Ethan Morgan, and Halldór Helgason on their products from top to bottom.

On top of that, the Bataleon brand has always done an incredible job integrating outside artists into the product offering and providing depth of storytelling on models tastefully. In our 26/27 Collection, we’ve worked closely with Petrovsky & Ramone – a Dutch-based female creative duo known for bringing bold visual storytelling to the world on our all-gender Whatever snowboard. This one is really, quite exciting.

Are you focusing on particular rider groups (freeride, freestyle, all-mountain, women’s-specific, youth, beginner) for 26/27?

Without sharing too much of our strategy, Bataleon’s leading focus for 26/27 is the in-tune freestyle audience. We’ve expanded our range with both twins and directional twins, with different levels of base contours – ensuring that we have flavors for every snowboarder on planet earth. We’re focused on creating purpose-built snowboards that drive innovation. Innovation will always drive progression, with new shapes, features, and tech built to push the culture forward.

Key Products:

Placebo:

While we’re masters of 3D shaping, the Placebo is our first venture into the “Second Dimension.” Built for those who prefer a flat profile, this all-mountain destroyer features a lively Light Core and a central C.S.T. SuperTube™ for massive pop. With a mid-stiff flex and reinforced Impact Plates, it’s a high-performance ride designed to stomp every landing.

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Stereo Team:

Stereo Collection (Stereo Team is a joint Pro Model with Ethan Morgan & Halldór Helgason)An all-new family of models from Bataleon, the Stereo boards were designed hand-in-hand with snowboarding GOATs Ethan Morgan and Halldór Helgason. True-twin shape, sintered base, and our MultiSync™ sidecut make the Stereo ride like a dream – add in our newest version of 3BT™and you know we just cooked up something extra special.

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Tornado:

Tornado (Tor Lundström Signature Model) Designed with pro Tor Lundström, the all-new Tornado is a high-performance directional twin for advanced riders. It blends freeride power with freestyle agility, featuring upgraded SideKick™ tips for effortless powder float and a MultiSync™ sidecut for superior edge control. Packed with carbon stringers and a lightning-fast base, it delivers explosive energy and precision across the entire mountain.

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