Atomic Redster XTi (2017)

Rating: / 5
Price: $
Year: 2017
Level:
Gender: Female
Waist Width: 70
Tip/Tail/Waist: 121-70-109
Lengths: 157, 164, 169, 176

The XTi is a hard-snow, high-speed hybrid GS/SL carving machine for frustrated racers who love to arc. Not quite as heavy as the Redster Doubledeck, it’s still reinforced with two full sheets of vibration-dampening metal, but lacks the elaborate Doubledeck secondary core. Nor is it as expensive as the Doubledeck, retailing for $450 less than the top model. It comes with a 12-DIN Atomic binding, plenty stout for all but the heaviest chargers at the highest speeds on the hardest ice.
The Redster collection includes three models of race-inspired carvers for hard-snow technicians who love speed and g forces. They’re built for maximum heft, dampness, edge grip and high-speed stability-performance just shy of an actual FIS-legal race ski, with a bit of all-mountain versatility for recreational carvers. All are built on dense wood cores with metal reinforcement for high-speed calm and powerful sidewall constructions for optimal hard-snow edge grip. The top of the line Doubledeck 3.0 is traditionally cambered for maximum edge bite tip to tail; the XT models feature a tiny bit of tip rocker for slightly looser, featherable turn entries. All feature a sidecut radius that splits the difference between slalom and GS-ideal for the typical beer-league course set.
Atomic, founded in 1955, is based in Altenmarkt im Pongau, Austria (near Salzburg), where the majority of its skis are made. Along with sister brands Salomon and ArcTeryx, it is a division of Amer Sports of Finland, which acquired it in 1994. Its U.S. headquarters are in Ogden, Utah. -J.C.