2020 Atomic Vantage 97 C W

[Neither the Vantage 97 C W nor its scores have changed since this review was posted last season.] For its 2019 Vantage collection of all-mountain skis, Atomic took a different approach to executing the ideals of the Lighter Is Better movement in product design. Instead of looking for ways to remove material from existing archetypes, Atomic began with the most elemental design imaginable and added only what’s required to turn a shape into a ski. As you’d expect from a ski built to be as minimalist as possible, in the hand the Vantage 97 C W feels light enough to fly away, but it’s so stable on snow one tester even found it “stiff-ish.” It’s certainly a lot more ski than is normally available at a street price of $499. Kelli Gleason of Boot Doctors in Telluride, pegs the 2019 Vantage 97 C W as “more powerful than its predecessor, this ski is a charger and can be sized down to accommodate a more timid skier.” An extraordinary value for the accomplished skier, it’s also the perfect escort for the off-trail debutante who needs a forgiving partner to show her the ropes.