2027 Atomic Redster Q9.8 Revoshock S

With only slight tweaks in the metal shaping, the 2027 Atomic Redster Q9.8 returns otherwise unchanged. To be honest, we did not really notice, nor did we care, since the overall on-trail performance of these skis is nothing less than exemplary. The Q9.8 continues to be one of the best and most capable short-carving, wide-bodied skis out there, delivering amazing edge grip to go along with a supremely planted feel. These skis are 100% confident when it comes to starting and completing a carved turn, giving skiers a race like feel with a better-balanced platform to stand on. While these skis work better on groomed and smooth terrain, their heft and weight makes them capable and fun in choppy terrain as they simply motor right through anything with minimal flinching.

With a race-like build and feel, the Redster Q9.8 is a sturdy and somewhat hefty ski that feels totally confident on any type of smooth and groomed terrain. The skis use a power wood core consisting of poplar and ash with two sheets of metal, steel Revoshock plates for damping, and a Carbon Boost laminate underfoot. All of this, with a binding, hits a stated weight of 3344 g/ski in the 173 cm length. They’re pretty stiff and exacting, leading to precise and powerful on-piste performance. Tester Matt Stromecki calls it an “Incredible, wide-body, carving ski! Personally, I prefer frontside carvers like this that are a bit wider as there is more to stand on, and it can be hard to also get the precision I want. With the Q9.8, it has both, and the wide tip completely rips you across the fall line without losing edge grip and predictability. The build is stiff enough to be stable but supple enough to change turn shapes and manipulate edge angles. An absolute blast to ski and the added width also boosts the versatility in terms of being able to handle more variable snow conditions.” The mix of width and power combine to make it simply plow right through anything that’s in front of it.

The shape is interesting as there aren’t many skis in this category overall, so this thing stands out. At 84 mm underfoot, this is a fat race ski with a short radius. The 173 hits 14.4-meters with the longest 181 not far behind at 15.2. That’s a short turn for a ski this wide, and frankly we’re loving every bit of it. Bob St.Pierre states that “These skis rip carved turns. They are very happy in the mid-range of both speed and turn shape, and in those realms, they are fantastic. If you want to make shorter skidded turns, they're pretty stiff and heavy, and if you want to go faster, they may feel hooky, but for the mid-range, they're tough to beat. These are groomer skis first and foremost. If the groomers get chopped up, they still work fine. If you want to go off-piste, be prepared for a bit of a struggle.” The struggle comes in the form of trying to manipulate the turn shape more than anything else.

This is an advanced and expert level ski, mainly due to the weight and stiffness. Accomplished skiers will love the precision and power on groomers, and those who prefer a technical approach to the sport will find a lot to like when it comes to confidence and edge grip. If you’re looking for more of a quick turner or more of a relaxing ski, there are better options, as these skis also come in a more carbon-powered form as well.