2027 Atomic Redster X9

The 2027 Atomic Redster S9 is a carryover ski from last year, bringing with it a race-like look and feel for slalom and short turn enthusiasts. For years, the S9 has been a shining example of a high-end recreational slalom ski—designed and purpose-built to make everyday expert skiers feel (and hopefully ski) like their slalom racing heroes. Slalom is tough because it’s all about balance and timing, and you must be on the skis in order to make them work properly. If you’re not used to it, the slalom ski and related turn can be quite tricky. If you’ve mastered it, though, you’ll look like one of the most technical and accomplished skiers on the mountain.

The Redster S9 is built with a blend of poplar and ash in the wood core to go along with two sheets of metal. We also see their steel Revoshock laminate used as a damping layer, helping to keep the ski on the snow. It is a planted and solid feel, as the ski and binding combo sit on the scale at a stated weight of 3181 g/ski in the 165 cm length. The Redster S9 has the look of a race ski for sure, and it flexes like one, but is just slightly more forgiving than the real-deal race room skis. Tester Noah Rothman calls it “An incredibly powerful ski that reminded me of why I raced in the first place. Atomics have always been a great race ski and the stability throughout the turn and into the opposite foot is a strong indication of that. Despite being slightly bumpy in areas of the hill, the ski was able to carve right through it. Ice and groomers. This is a race ski and wants to go FAST, keeping it on steep or bump terrain would show the weakness of the ski, but it should never be used in those cases. This ski carves and knows how to do it well.”

While most of the Redster line employs the same general construction guidelines, we’re seeing a far bigger difference when it comes to the shaping of the S9. Firstly, this is a fully cambered ski—there's no rocker to speak of here, and that’s a testament to the ski’s ability to be engaged in a carved turn with total precision. These skis sit on a 68 mm platform, so while they’re narrow, they’re not the narrowest. Just a bit more width makes a lot of sense for recreational skiers, but these things are by no means wide. The radius is the bigger line item here, as the 165 cm length produces a 12.5-meter arc. It’s tough to keep up with that shape, especially at speed, so be prepared for a lot of pull into the turn and a lot of energy coming out of it.

This is a fairly specific ski that makes a ton of sense for the exact right skier. But you do have to be that exact skier—there's not a lot of wiggle room here as the skis are so incredibly precise and powerful and singular in nature. They’re built and shaped for linking short carved turns, and in that realm, they’re impossible to beat.