2021 Atomic Vantage 97 Ti

The Atomic Vantage 97 Ti is one of those skis that blurs the line between all-mountain and freeride. Piste and powder, stability and agility, power and playfulness; you get the idea. Atomic's Prolite construction is really cool, and quite unique compared to most skis in this category. Thanks to their combination of Titanium Tank Mesh and Energy Backbone constructed in their Prolite style results in a ski that's quite a bit lighter than a lot of skis in this width range, especially those with metal. A 180 cm Vantage 97 Ti comes in at 1900 g. That's not super light, but it's pretty darn light considering there are skis in this category that hit 2300 g. Differing from the narrower Vantage 90 Ti, the 97 utilizes 10% tail rocker, designed to give the ski easier tail release and more maneuverability in softer snow. The 180 cm length has a 19.1 m turn radius, which combined with that trip and tail rocker should give it some nice maneuverability. Over the years, we've come to find these Vantage skis are exceptionally responsive thanks to strong torsional stiffness and their lightweight feel.

Interestingly enough, despite its lightweight feel, most of our testers specifically commented on how stable, damp, and powerful it feels. Phil McGrory hopped on the 180 cm length this season and found it to be both powerful and versatile. "The titanal layer gives the ski the dampness and torsional stiffness to be incredibly stable at speed and on steeper terrain. The Prolite construction provides a lighter weight feel in the tip and tail while not taking away from its stability." That alone is downright impressive. The fact that a ski this light can feel so stable is quite an achievement. Phil also found it to be "predictable and comfortable in every kind of terrain." Steve Sulin's feedback echoed Phil's thoughts. "What I expected out of this model. Smooth, powerful, stiff tail you can really load it up." Steve did mention that he found some limitations in deeper snow, commenting that he thought it was best in "1-3 inches of snow." That's not tremendously surprising, as Atomic has skis like the Backland and Bent Chetlers that are more specifically focused on deeper snow, but those skis don't have the power or precision of the Vantage 97 Ti.

Annie MacDonald, a ripping woman skier who we often ask to test men's skis, too, found it was "good for aggressive all-mountain skiers." We expect Annie really appreciated the lightweight feel, as she herself is quite lightweight. "Stable, but lightweight ski. Holds well and likes big radius turns, but also pretty quick turning when you need it to be maneuverable." Surely the lightweight factor combined with the 10% tail rocker is providing that maneuverability. The Vantage skis react to skier input very quickly, and the 97 Ti is no exception. David Wolfgang described it as having "velvety smooth turn initiation with plenty of power." He too was impressed by its power and stability, which we can't emphasize enough, it's impressive to have that feedback on a ski this lightweight. "In this width category, I found the Vantage 97 Ti to be one of the quietest, most stable skis."

The highlight of the Vantage 97 Ti from Atomic is easily the way they blend power, maneuverability, and a lightweight feel. There aren't many other skis that come close to hitting this weight range and still have such strong torsional stiffness and edge grip. It's maneuverable too, but it does so in a precise way. It's not a smeary ski, rather it prefers proper unweighting of the tail and good skier input. We think it's a really good option for skiers who consider themselves relatively "traditional" in terms of technique and want a versatile ski for the entire mountain. We also love the fact the lighter weight makes it less tiring. You can rip turns all day long without your legs becoming as fatigued as they would on a heavier ski.