The elements that make the Vantage X 80 CTi W adapted for women may seem too simple to matter when taken individually, but collectively they combine to make this ski one of the most intuitive carvers in its class.

If you’re going to adapt a women’s model from a unisex template, the first place to renovate is the core. Atomic swaps ash for poplar to reduce weight without losing the damping benefits of wood. Atomic’s second modification is subtler, reining in the widest point in the tail so it isn’t as insistent on a cross-hill turn finish and reduces stress on the inherently more vulnerable female knee. The third alteration might incite criticism from some quarters, as it elevates the heel in order to tip a women’s more rearward center of mass into a balanced stance, with more weight directed to the ball of the foot as in a natural athletic position.

Don’t forget, these specs are tweaks to what the Vantage X 80 CTi already offers as standard features: Carbon Tank Mesh, Titanium Backbone 2.0, Firewall (a beefed-up sidewall) and Exo Profile, which slants the sides of the forebody so they’re stronger and lighter. A new topskin material, Nano TPU, protects the cosmetics from wear and tear.

With a baseline that’s nearly cambered into the shovel, the Vantage X 80 CTi is unabashedly pro-groomers. All it needs in the way of encouragement is a modest edge angle and a bit of pressure and the carving practically takes care of itself.