For 2016 Atomic focused their R&D effort on the all-mountain Vantage series, and boy, did the investment pay off.  Atomic fiddled with how little expensive reinforcement might be required to stabilize a relatively wide, high performance ski in the previous generation of Vantage models; with Carbon Tank Mesh they’ve found the right formula. In combination with the 2.0 version of the Titanium Backbone, the grid of carbon fibers provides the strength and snap that makes the new series a tangible step up from Vantage 1.0.

The Vantage 85 CTI is not to be confused with the Vantage 85, which is the old Panic and therefore without Carbon Tank Mesh or Titanium.  The plain-Jane 85 can’t hold a candle to the CTI, which is a stronger and livelier ski in every respect.  Picking between the 85 CTI and the new 90 CTI, however, is not so simple.

The 90 CTI and 85 CTI are built the same, priced the same, rated the same for Power and Finesse properties and, after dozens of test runs, scored within one-hundredth of a point of each other for Finesse/Power Balance, a key metric of excellence.   The difference boils down to geometry:  the narrower 85 CTI can get on and off the edge quicker while the broader 90 CTI has better flotation in powder.

So the key to picking between the 85 CTI and the 90 CTI comes down to what off-piste conditions do you ski more often, moguls or powder?  If it’s bumps, the agility and overall ease of the 85 CTI will make it the better choice.