Most men’s Frontside models are made for Power skiers who like to pitch their edges at a high angle and drive through the turn. That sounds like a lot of work to the Vantage X 80 CTi, a mellow ski with a penchant for short turns. You wouldn’t expect an Austrian ski with Titanal and carbon in its make-up to favor the Finesse skier, but Atomic uses both materials in relatively light does, the metal in a single-sheet, vertebrae-shaped silhouette on the bottom and carbon in a lightweight mesh on top.

The result is a ski that’s at its best when guided with a light hand that allows its energy off the tail to propel the skier into the next arc. Skiers who want their Frontside skis to drive with the power and accuracy of a Formula 1 rocket should look among our 2019 Recommended Power Picks. Skiers who operate two levels down on the aggression scale will find the Vantage X 80 Ti a very comfortable cruiser with some pep in its step.