2025 Atomic Redster Q9.8

Built like a race ski but with a wider-bodied format, the 2025 Atomic Redster Q9.8 is a solid choice for front side enthusiasts looking for more stability and power underfoot. This ski has an interesting blend of shape and build that contributes to a specific effect on the hill. It is unique in the ski world and leans to the carving side of the spectrum, but you cannot discount its versatility due to the 85 mm waist. If you’re going to make a carving ski this wide and with this short of a turn radius, the tips and tails are going to follow suit. As a result, the Redster Q9.8 is a pretty beefy ski. If you like carving short, linked turns with a ton of stability, this is a fantastic place to be.

Built with Atomic’s Power Woodcore consisting of poplar and ash, this ski gets the strong treatment to start. Adding in a titanal layer to the mix keeps the ski smooth and torsionally responsive while the Revoshock plates absolutely destroy any vibrations or chatter that attempt to infiltrate the ski. This construction, paired with the added surface area of the shape, makes the Q9.8 one of the smoothest skis out there. Jeff Neagle notes that “The Redster Q9.8 is a cool ski. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I like it. It's easy to ski but has a high-performance ceiling. Good edge grip, but without a punishingly stiff flex. Forgiving enough for an intermediate in my opinion, but I thoroughly enjoyed skiing it myself. It leans more towards the carving side of the spectrum as an all-mountain ski, but it's not completely one dimensional, and wide enough to handle softer snow conditions overall.” That’s kind of the point—it's flexible enough but still needs to be used with intent and authority.

At 84.5-mm underfoot, this is a very wide front side ski. It does not blend in with the all-mountain skis in this width range because it’s so traditionally shaped. There’s basically no rocker or taper, giving it a true tip to tail edge contact. The resulting smoothness equates to a very rewarding and satisfying ski experience on the groomers, rolling from edge to edge easily. Bob St.Pierre states that “The Q9.8 is kind of a weird ski in that it has a wide waist for a front side build as well as a short radius. This limits the ski in scope and application into a pretty narrow focus. Basically, all this ski wants to do is go left and right at the stated radius. Within that realm, though, the Q9.8 is one of the best, it's just not that broad of a ski.” Wide ski, narrow focus. That’s what makes this Q9.8 stand out for a whole lot of skiers.

While this ski can be amenable for higher level intermediate skiers, advanced and expert skiers will probably have the most fun here. It’s on the wide side for intermediates who are looking to progress, but experts will love the ski’s capabilities on groomed terrain and in linked carved turns. It also has a strong feeling of precision and quality, so if you’re not used to that sort of thing, you simply may not get the most for your money. There are other options out there that will likely serve you better. Even within Atomic, the Q7.8 makes more sense for improving intermediates.