A common theme of 2018’s All-Mountain West cadre is the refinement of an existing template, a tweak here and there that nudge a current model ever closer to perfection. Perfection, in the case of all-mountain skis, could be defined as the ability to act like a wide, drifty, buoyant ski in deep snow and a narrow, responsive carver on buffed-out boulevards.

Atomic nudged its hallmark all-terrain ski, the Vantage 100 CTi, closer to this ideal state of affairs for 2018. The most obvious change addresses the age-old issue of cosmetic durability by applying a TPU topsheet that resists scuffs and scratches. Less evident but no less significant, Atomic swapped lightweight poplar laminates in the core for mightier maple, a subtle switch that imparts a soupcon of stability in any and all conditions.

The key components that allow the Vantage 100 CTi to feel less like a barge and more like a broad missile are its Titanium Backbone, a whittled-down vertebra of metal that aids damping in the jolt-inducing terrain that prevails off-trail, and Carbon Tank Mesh, a carbon fiber matrix that improves the strength of the entire structure with minimal weight.

The net effect of its combined features makes the Vantage 100 CTi feel quicker and more maneuverable than one would expect of ski of its ample girth. Like an XXL-size dancer blessed with agility and grace, the Vantage 100 CTi makes sinuous moves that belie its broad-beam dimensions.

The most torsionally rigid skis in the AMW category require all-in commitment to tilt to a high edge, but the Vantage 100 CTi rolls to a high edge without fanfare or undue exertion. “It’s powerful without being bulky feeling,” opines Pat Parraguirre of Bobo’s, pinpointing the Vantage 100’s defining attribute. “Accurate, powerful and precise,” concludes the man who has sold more skis to the denizens of Reno than any man alive.