2022 Atomic Vantage 82 Ti

Unchanged for 2022, the Atomic Vantage 82 Ti picks up where the all-new Maverick line of skis leaves off in terms of waist width and on-trail personality. At 82 mm underfoot, the Vantage is extremely quick from edge to edge and makes clean, round turns as it dances down the hill. Fans of the Prolite construction format and the system bindings will still gravitate to the front-side nature of the Vantage 82 Ti. Built with a power wood core and titanium tank mesh, these skis are stiff and responsive for strong and powerful carving, but remain light enough to make quick turns in a variety of conditions and terrain. Advanced skiers will find a lot to like about these skis, and they will serve well as a hard snow and front side ski for those who don’t quite want the ridiculous precision and stiffness of a race build. These still have the all-mountain construction, just in a narrower format. Like in years past, our testers make special notes of the quickness, grip, and precision of the ski, while the lighter weight does take the stability of the ski down a notch.

Benny Wax was on the 174 and found it to be a good length for him. Lots of 4’s on his scorecard, including for overall impression, versatility, torsional stiffness, edge hold, forgiveness, and quickness. His other scores of 3 out of 5 were given for flotation and playfulness, which fall right in line with these skis and their intended use and application. Benny notes that the Vantage 82 Ti is “a light, versatile ski. On groomers, the ski was very versatile and adapted well to short, medium, and long-radius turns. Good for all-mountain groomer skiing. Not very damp due to the weight, but fairly stable, and a little too light for firmer crud.” As a smooth-turner himself, Benny knows a good groomer ski when he gets on one.

Nate Gardner was a good sport and took out the 167, which he knew was too short going into it, but he’s a pretty technical skier, so it’s not far-fetched to think that he’d find something to like about it. He noted about the length that the “tested ski was way too short, but even in its longest length I would find the ski small. Not for the taller/stronger skier.” Topping out at 181, the Vantage 82 Ti does have its limitations, certainly in terms of overall sizing. He continues: “It seems to want to be a slalom ski, but it’s too wide to be that fast from turn to turn. Still, surprisingly quick edge to edge for a ski 82 underfoot, but I definitely want it in longer lengths if I’m going to open the turn up.” Jeff Neagle skied the 174 like Benny. It’s funny how sometimes our two smaller skiers get on the longer size while our 6+ footers end up on the short ski, but that’s part of the fun of this test! Jeff notes that the length was good for him and that it’s “not really my type of ski, but I do enjoy skiing the narrower Vantage models. In fact, I think the Vantage design and construction has always worked better in the narrower skis. You don't get limitless stability or a super damp ski, which a lot of skiers like, but what you do get is an incredible amount of responsiveness, good edge grip, and an exceptionally precise ski. As I've always said about Vantage skis, they are incredibly quick in how they react and respond to skier input. I think the Vantage 82 Ti would be a great choice for a slightly less aggressive skier who really values carving performance and spends most of their time on-trail. A good Dad ski, and I certainly don't mean that as a negative thing, just in the sense that it will satisfy an advanced/expert level skier without having to go ridiculously fast.”

Best-suited for on-trail and groomer skiing with medium-shaped turns, the Atomic Vantage 82 Ti is holding on to that Prolite construction, and getting those skiers who favor that lighter weight and stiffer flex into a precise and powerful ski. Quick, agile, and incredibly responsive, the Vantage 82 Ti still has a place among the narrower all-mountain skis, blurring that line between a front-side exclusive ski and a narrower all-mountain ski with a focus and emphasis on a carved turn.