2020 Atomic Vantage 97 C W
1

Ski Stats

Sidecut 128.5/97/117.5
Radius 17m @ 164cm
Lengths 156,164,172
Weight 1600g @ 164cm
MSRP $600
FIND
3
0
1
[Neither the Vantage 97 C W nor its scores have changed since this review was posted last season.] For its 2019 Vantage collection of all-mountain skis, Atomic took a different approach to executing the ideals of the Lighter Is Better movement in product design. Instead of looking for ways to remove material from existing archetypes, Atomic began with the most elemental design imaginable and added only what’s required to turn a shape into a ski. As you’d expect from a ski built to be as minimalist as possible, in the hand the Vantage 97 C W feels light enough to fly away, but it’s so stable on snow one tester even found it “stiff-ish.” It’s certainly a lot more ski than is normally available at a street price of $499. Kelli Gleason of Boot Doctors in Telluride, pegs the 2019 Vantage 97 C W as “more powerful than its predecessor, this ski is a charger and can be sized down to accommodate a more timid skier.” An extraordinary value for the accomplished skier, it’s also the perfect escort for the off-trail debutante who needs a forgiving partner to show her the ropes.

[Neither the Vantage 97 C W nor its scores have changed since this review was posted last season.]

For its 2019 Vantage collection of all-mountain skis, Atomic took a different approach to executing the ideals of the Lighter Is Better movement in product design. Instead of looking for ways to remove material from existing archetypes, Atomic began with the most elemental design imaginable and added only what’s required to turn a shape into a ski.

A ski needs a spot for the skier, so a poplar core provides a solid foundation through the center of the ski. Once this necessity is served, the core dwindles to narrow arms, leaving a hollow between them. The nearly transparent sliver of ski visible between the elevated shoulders reveals the Carbon Tank Mesh that gives the Vantage 97 C W its strength and energy.

As you’d expect from a ski built to be as minimalist as possible, in the hand the Vantage 97 C W feels light enough to fly away, but it’s so stable on snow one tester even found it “stiff-ish.” It’s certainly a lot more ski than is normally available at a street price of $499. Kelli Gleason of Boot Doctors in Telluride, pegs the 2019 Vantage 97 C W as “more powerful than its predecessor, this ski is a charger and can be sized down to accommodate a more timid skier.” An extraordinary value for the accomplished skier, it’s also the perfect escort for the off-trail debutante who needs a forgiving partner to show her the ropes.

For its crazy light weight and accurate edging in an off-trail specialist, we award the Atomic Vantage 97 C W a Silver Skier Selection.

Test Score Data

Total Score: 76.00
Early to Edge:
Continuous Carve:

Rebound/Turn Finish:

Stability/Accuracy @ Speed:
Short-radius Turning:
7.50
9.50
8.00
9.50
6.00
Off-piste Performance:
Low-speed Turning:
Forgiveness/Ease:
Drift/Scrub:
Finesse/Power Balance:
8.00
8.50
7.50
6.00
8.50

Women’s Test Data Advisory

Please be advised that our 2022 women’s ski reviews do not show any test data, on either our public or members’ sites. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we haven’t been able to collect sufficient test results to justify showing a statistical summary.

While Realskiers members won’t be able to see stats on women’s reviews, they will see a longer, more in-depth narrative than what’s posted on our public site.

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