Atomic applied the same “Nano TPU” top sheet and maple/ash core to the Vantage X 83 CTi as it used with the 2018 Vantage 100 CTi and Vantage 90 CTi. The idea and the outcome are likewise the same: the new ski feels a bit stiffer along both axes and the cosmetics are better protected from nicks and scratches.

In days of yore, brochure copy for a ski like the Vantage X 83 CTi would have categorized it as a cruiser, its target customer a gentleman of a certain age who likes to roll downhill with a minimum of unseemly exertion. Of course, a cruiser in the old, straight-ski days would be a detuned GS race ski with a 66mm waist. The 83mm waist of the Vantage X 83 CTi is decidedly wider, making it easier to balance on.

To bring out its best qualities, the Vantage X 83 CTi needs to run at a respectable speed. To help encourage acceleration, the ski cuts a relatively shallow arc when riding a low edge. To cut a tidier corner requires the skier to commit to a higher edge angle, which brings out the ski’s best behavior.

If this sounds like the Vantage X 83 CTi is geared for the experienced skier who likes to have some wind in his sails, well, it is. With only a dab of tip rocker, its baseline is made to connect with hard snow and its Carbon Tank Mesh and Titanium Backbone ensures the integrity of this connection throughout the recreational speed range.