2025 Atomic Redster G9

The 2025 Atomic Redster G9 returns unchanged, much to the delight of hard core carving fans everywhere. This ski is enormously popular due to its high-performance nature and its ability to carve up the corduroy regardless of how firm the conditions are. Thanks to the mix of traditional racing shape and a world-class construction, the engineers at Atomic have made a race ski that even non-racers can enjoy. That’s kind of the hard part here—race skis can and should hold up to some seriously aggressive skiing, but they also have to be compliant. Real race room skis are not compliant, so things like the Redster G9 are invented. We’re thankful, since these skis offer a glimpse into the world of accomplished racers without the overall impossibility of having to bend an FIS level race ski.

Built with Atomic’s Power Wood core, the Redster G9 contains a mix of ash and poplar. Most real-deal race skis will use a full ash wood core, so mixing it with poplar makes sense if Atomic ever wants to sell skis. The lighter and more flexible poplar gives even accomplished skiers a fighting chance with this ski, allowing for that slight level of accessibility and mobility. Jeff Neagle notes that the “Redster G9 is a fun ski. I don't spend too much time on skis like this as they're just not really my style, but a lot of people would like it. It's much more firm snow focused and carving oriented than the Redster Q9.8. Although they share a name, they really feel very different. The G9 is super precise, almost taking some cues from the X9s. Super fun to ski, just a bit tiring as you're going to end up making a lot of turns. Not particularly versatile, but that's not its intention.” Jeff makes a good point here about versatility. The build is a lot more on-trail focused, so take heed of that in your decision-making process.

While the build still can lean one way or the other when it comes to precise performance, the shape is decidedly more race-like. There aren’t many skiers out there who are comfortable on a 68 mm underfoot ski—it's pretty narrow. Pair that with a straighter cut and you’ve got a high-speed weapon that can hit some top velocities. The good news is that when you find that top speed, at least the ski will be supportive. Greg Petrics brings his racing experience to the mix and it’s great to get his feedback on the shaping principles and application: “This ski is Atomic's GS ski for the rest of us, and they have put together another killer product in the ongoing and ever improving G9 line. The ski is meant to make skiing GS turns on firm piste fun for everyone, and it does its job well. Its "weaknesses" if you want to call it that are that you probably won't have a ton of fun on a powder day in these, and the full camber, weight, and narrow waist (68mm) won't give you much friendly guidance in the trees. But it's a GS ski, so you can't get down on it for being what it promises.” With full camber and an 18.2-meter turn radius in the 177, this ski is built for speed and power. Let it rip if you have the skills.

As such, it does take a skilled pilot to steer this ship. Former racers will fare the best, but experts who know how to turn a ski will also find a lot of success. Intermediate skiers will be happier on something slightly wider and easier to turn. Beer league racers will probably do great on this ski, unleashing your inner Mikaela on the racecourse.