Unchanged for 2022, the Atomic Backland 100 remains a strong contender in the hybrid category of skis that are equally suited for both in and out of bounds skiing. The 100 mm waist width puts it right in the versatile range of shapes, even lending a lot of its looks and feels to the new Maverick 100 Ti. Built with a light weight wood core and a carbon backbone, the Backland 100 is a lot stronger than it feels when you pick it up. Agile, quick, and incredibly responsive, the Backland 100 figures well for skiers who are looking for something to tour on, but also want to use it in a resort setting. This Backland 100 fits that bill better than a whole lot of skis out there, and we’ve loved it ever since we first skied it last season. The 180 cm length comes in at a pretty paltry 1350 grams per ski, making it totally light enough for technical ascents without sacrificing downhill performance, and that’s something that a lot of skiers are looking for these days, especially those who do not want to purchase more than one setup. When paired with a hybrid tech binding like a Shift, the Atomic Backland 100 is about as versatile as it comes. All of our testers, both this year and last, were on the 180 cm length.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber / Rocker
CORE MATERIALS
Carbon Backbone, Dura Cap Sidewall, HRZN Tech Tip
PREFERRED TERRAIN
Touring, All Mountain, Powder
Bob St.Pierre noted that his 180 felt short, and at 6’2 and 220 pounds, that’s not too surprising—he certainly belongs on the 188, especially given the weight of the ski. Some pretty high scores from Bob on his card, with high scores of 5 out of 5 given for stability, quickness, maneuverability, and playfulness. 4’s for forgiveness, torsional stiffness, versatility, and overall impression are great to see, leading to the high overall marks for a seemingly short and light ski for Bob. “What a cool ski!” He notes. “I wished for the 188, but was impressed with the energy, pop, and rebound out of the 180. Much more stable when engaged in a proper carve and incredibly energetic. You can really stand on the edges to lay down some sick carves. Very light and floaty feeling, and loved the on-trail performance.” He did note as well that the stability of the ski wasn’t so great when not engaged, but that’s just something the skier should know about their skis.
Both Jeff Neagle and Dana Allen also skied the 180, with Dana on the Backland tech binding in his tech boots, so we get a unique perspective from him on these skis. “I skied these skis using a lightweight Atomic Backland tech binding, which definitely changes the feel of the ski. The binding is flatter, which means pressuring the tip of the ski is more difficult. As such, the tips bounced around a lot and tended to deflect off bumps and chunder. Once set on the edge, the ski will hold an edge well and the tip to tail flex felt great. The light weight of this ski can play against it when it starts to get tossed. The Backland 107 didn’t seem to get bounced around as much - perhaps because of the slightly heavier swing weight. Overall, probably a better BC ski than a resort ski.” And we’ll take that with a grain of salt given the binding option. Jeff Neagle notes about his 180: “I don't spend a ton of time on lightweight touring skis, and this isn't tremendously light, but it's still lighter than skis I prefer. That said, I do really enjoy skiing them and fully appreciate their performance. For skiers looking for a hybrid resort/AT ski that's notably lightweight, but also strong, the Backland 100 is a great choice. It skis a lot like the Bent Chetler 100, just a little less rocker and a lighter feel, which actually makes it more responsive and arguably more precise. I am consistently impressed with the edge grip of these skis too. I assume the fact that I'm relatively lightweight helps, but it's definitely better than a lot of skis in this weight range. For someone who likes skiing on lightweight skis, I could see it being a fantastic candidate for a Shift binding and doubling as a touring ski and a lightweight, off-piste, technical resort ski.”
It’s hard to overlook the dual-nature of these skis, and we get a few different perspectives from our test crew, and that’s what it is all about here. While Bob mainly saw them as a fun and versatile resort ski, Dana had BC-specific notes to share, and Jeff split the difference, with more of a hybrid-style of experience. All told, these skis can certainly shoulder a great burden for a lot of skiers, especially for its weight, and we’re continually impressed with the range and ability of these Backland 100’s.
