Fun, playful, and fun are the dominant headlines for the 2019 Atomic Vantage 97 C. Testers across the board found the ski to be instantly comfortable, natural, and delightful. Atomic’s new Prolite construction has reduced the weight (and using carbon instead of metal helps) of the ski but has not sacrificed performance in the least. At 97 mm underfoot and with no metal, the Vantage 97 C fits the bill as an all-mountain ski: capable and proficient in many different snow types in an assortment of terrain.
Sumner Ford wished he could have skied more runs on the 180 cm Vantage 97 C. He felt it was true to size and gave the ski top scores in quickness and torsional stiffness. That stiffness mark is a valuable piece of information, given the fact that there’s no metal in the ski. He gushed: “Awesome ski! From my first turn I was sold. The more I tested the ski, the more limitless they felt.” We like to hear that “limitless” term thrown out there—makes us feel like the “one ski quiver” actually exists. He backs up his high quickness score with this quote: “Quick through the bumps with a bunch of pop.” And, in regards to the carving/on-trail capabilities: “I hesitate to say a 97 mm underfoot ski skis like a GS ski, but damn these were close!” Great praise, Sumner!
Also ripping the 180, Matt McGinnis loved the quickness and playfulness of the Vantage 97 C. He hops aboard the fun train, stating that “overall this was super fun. At both high and low speeds, the Vantage 97 C was both playful and responsive. Even with the icy and uncertain terrain conditions, it felt trustworthy.” Superb analysis from Matt here, and we love the notion of a ski being “trustworthy.” After all, if you don’t have trust in your gear, then all is lost. He continues on to discuss the variety of skiers that would benefit from this ski: “Ultimately I would recommend these skis for anyone from intermediate right on up to ‘early’ experts. They held an incredible edge, felt very lively and were super easy to use.” On a bonus note, Matt thought this was a contender for one of the best products at the test.
David Wolfgang did an interesting test with these skis. He skied the 188 cm right after skiing the Vantage 97 Ti to specifically feel the difference between the exact same skis but one with metal and one without. It’s a perk of the test to be able to do fun and analytical things like this. His only average score for the ski was in the torsional stiffness/edge hold category, probably a nice comparative score to the 97 Ti. He describes the Vantage 97 C as “for an intermediate to advanced skier who wants a playful, quick ski, this is a gem.” He continued by stating that “this ski was very stable and did not wash out.” David was also quick to note that he preferred the ski on soft snow, mirroring his early remarks as to the softer nature of the ski.
Mike Aidala loved the playfulness and forgiveness of the 180 cm Vantage 97 C. “The Vantage 97 C is a super playful freeride ski in this waist width category. It’s a forgiving choice for high-end skiers that want to play all day.” High admiration from Mike here, giving us a great idea of what the ski is not only intended for, but also capable of.
The overarching theme from this ski was fun and playful. We love hearing that a ski can exist on its spirited characteristics, and that, for this ski, people should simply enjoy it.
