How is it possible to make a better Technical ski than Atomic’s Redster X9? It has the stability of a sumo wrestler and the reflexes of a fencer. If there’s a speed at which the edge breaks loose, chances are you’ll never touch it. Its imperturbable hold is amplified by a feature called Servotec, a long, thin rod embedded in an elastomer under the binding at one end and attached on the other end at a point just behind the shovel. The interaction of the rod and the elastomer during flexion both absorbs shock and actively restores ski/snow contact.
There isn’t an ounce of condescension in Atomic’s Cloud 12. Of course it doesn’t meet FIS specs, but that’s the whole point of the Technical category, to apply race room production to more versatile shapes. The Cloud 12 isn’t made for the lackadaisical carver who wants to hang out on the tail end of a turn long enough to check her messages. The second self-evident feature that helps define the Cloud 12’s behavior is its svelte shape. This streamlined rocket thinks of recreational runs as another opportunity to win something, taking off down the fall line as if suddenly freed from a bad relationship.
Atomic’s Vantage X collection is a predominantly Frontside family with its design roots in off-trail technology. The lightweight componentry pilfered from the off-trail Vantage series’ top models are Titanium Backbone 2.0, the main stabilizing element in the base of the Vantage X 83 CTi’s laminate lay-up, and Carbon Tank Mesh, which plays a similar role where it resides just below the ding-repellent topsheet of nano TPU. The Vantage X 83 Ti’s Firewall sidewall is radically sloped at the extremities to reduce swingweight and resist twist, but squared up underfoot for amplified energy transmission. All these elements translate directly to the on-trail objective of an unwavering edge at speed.
Atomic probably could have just appended a “W” on its unisex Vantage X 80 CTi and it would have already had a damn good women’s ski. Instead, Atomic makes three modifications that together make this model one of the most accommodating for female skiers. To make it lighter, Atomic pulls the ash out of the men’s model from which it is cloned, replacing it with poplar. To keep the unrockered tail from taking over at the end of a carved turn, Atomic uses a V-shaped sidecut that allows the narrower rear to slide out of the turn exit. To help women keep their lower center of mass forward where they’re able to pressure the ski from the top of the arc – a Vantage X 80 CTi W advantage – Atomic subtly elevates the heel.
