Having just renovated its all-terrain Vantage series, Atomic turned its attention this year to extending the dominance of its Redster race skis and bolstering its position in the Frontside genre. Both of Atomic’s magnificent Non-FIS Race models, the Redster S9 and G9, return embellished with yet another Ti laminate, adding.3mm more metal to skis that already feel powered by plutonium. The combi Redster X9 is back, accompanied by a cluster of clones at various price points. Most notable is the Redster WB, which at 75mm underfoot gives Frontside skiers a taste of Redster prowess.
One thing Redsters are not is lightweight, so Atomic offers two new Prolite Vantage system skis for Frontside carvers, the Vantage 82 Ti and 79 Ti. The returning Vantage 86 Ti can be bought either flat ($725) or with an integrated binding ($1,033).
At the other end of the ski universe, far from the orbit of anyone on a Redster, are skiers Realskiers classifies as “Tourists.” They ski for social reasons, often to share the experience with family. They enjoy just being out in Nature where they can relax and have fun. They want the sport to be easy to learn, confidence-building and comfortable. They prize convenience and safety.
“Tourists” are the skiers for whom Atomic made its new series of Savor skis and single-buckle, rear-entry boots. We don’t generally comment on entry-level packages and we don’t review skis whose primary appeal is low price, but the Savor series is interesting for the way it offers a complete solution for this “just-for-fun” skier. As someone who once labored to make rear-entry boots an industry standard, I’d love to see more done to revive the concept. Perhaps the Savor boot will be a step in said direction.