Dynastar draws no distinction between its men’s Legend X and women’s Legend W models, except that the men’s are predominantly black and the women’s white. The same construction that works well for guys is gangbusters for gals. Petite skiers are teed up for success by a 13m sidecut radius – a short radius to match a shorter skier – tucked inside a relative behemoth in terms of surface area. These contrasting traits give the Legend W 96 surprising agility for its girth and gobs of flotation for off-trail environs. The lighter weight is less fatiguing and makes Legend W 96 ideal for the advanced skier transitioning to a wide ski for the first time.
Even though its HRZN Tech tip and tail are built to drift first and think about carving, well, never, the BC 100 nevertheless doesn’t feel squirrelly or hard to manage. Au contraire, it seems up for anything that doesn’t entail being bored to death on groomers. “This was a nice surprise, a perfect balance between stability and playfulness,” says Kelli Gleason of Telluride’s Boot Doctors. Her Dad, the ever-ebullient Bob, also pegs playfulness as a cornerstone quality: “In the blending of playfulness mixed with precision, these are the top of the heap. Easy to ski in variable conditions,” he adds.
Like most Frontside skis, the Vantage X 86 CTi features an almost fully cambered baseline, with only a smidgeon of tip rocker. Unlike most Frontside skis, it has a fairly narrow tip (121.5mm) and an overall slender silhouette that suggests it doesn’t like to stray far from the fall line. When you fire this arrow downhill, it proves to be responsive, smooth and above all, light. Compared to other skis with a carve-centric attitude, the Vantage X 86 CTi feels like it weighs next to nothing. Because it doesn’t have a lot of beef on its bones, the Vantage X 86 CTi feels easy to bow and maneuver without much effort, making it a good Power ski for a Finesse skier.
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.
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.
