Atomic created the Affinity Sky to fill a gap in their line between the Pure and the Storm, in the process making a model our testers preferred in some respects to its more established elder siblings.  The Sky is essentially the ever-popular Pure with a wood core instead of the Pure’s “Cap Fiber” core material.

The upgrade in behavior makes a strong case that, at least when used with the Step Down Sidewall construction of the Affinity series, wood cores contribute a decided performance advantage.  Even though the Sky uses the same early-rise baseline as the Pure, it felt slightly earlier to the edge and consequently quicker in and out of a short turn.

While the Pure remains an exceptional value, the additional $100 (@MSRP) it costs to ante up to the Affinity is a good investment for any woman who wants to broaden her horizons in terms of ability or terrain.  Women who want even more terrain versatility should step up another rung to the Affinity Storm, but those who prefer faster reactions edge-to-edge should stick to the Sky.