Depending on where and how you ski, the Maverick 88 Ti may be the best of the top 4 models in the current all-mountain series from Atomic, despite residing on the lowest rung of the pricing ladder.  It arcs the best short-radius turns of the bunch despite a mid-radius sidecut that’s equally comfortable when allowed to run for the barn. Its tail is supportive without being flashy, gradually releasing its grip as it crosses the turn transition.

As the narrowest of the Maverick Ti quartet, the 88 Ti is the best fit for today’s arrhythmic bumps, and its ability to access a short arc in a jiffy is a huge asset in the trees.  When I let it run on a long, gradual ballroom on the sunny side of Mt. Rose, it remained predictable and trustworthy as I raked up the edge angle, banking off a receptive layer of solar-softened cream.  Its baseline is more cambered than its siblings (15/75/10), so there’s a longer platform under the pilot in all conditions, without sacrificing its ability to swivel a turn in a pinch.

I’m not sure I would have been so confident on a surface much steeper and harder; after all, the Maverick 88 Ti is, in concept and execution, an off-trail ski.  It’s ready and willing to smear at all times, although its secure edge is always there for the summoning should circumstances change on the fly. Its tips would prefer that the snow find it, rather than the other way around. This makes it a hero in spring snow, where its rockered forebody can buffer the blows delivered by ever-softening conditions.

The Maverick 88 Ti has a little brother that’s at least worth considering, particularly if one’s ski budget is no fatter than a race ski’s waist. The Maverick 86 C doesn’t have the security on edge of the 88 Ti, but it has most of its other properties. For skiers whose off-trail skills are sketchy, the 86 C provides a bridge to proficiency. It’s probably the best bump ski of all the Mavericks, no kidding, and it’s a confidence-builder in all other conditions save those no intermediate wants to ski anyway.  And it will sell for $549.95, making it one of the best values in the 24/25 market.

Usually, descending to the $549 street price is one step too far below the plateau where the best skis are found.  This is one of the rare cases when the deal is actually better than it looks.  If money is no object, fine, get the 88 Ti.  On hard snow days, you’ll be glad you did. But if money is tight, as it always is when outfitting a family, the value delivered by the Maverick 86 C won’t disappoint. You won’t miss what you didn’t pay too much for.