Having celebrated its 70th anniversary last year, ATOMIC is undergoing a "second wave" of brand refresh this season, updating its designs and shapes.
Under its brand concept of "Faster Always," the brand incorporates World Cup-level alpine racing technology into a variety of skiing styles. A test ride event for next season's models was held in February at Sugadaira Kogen Ski Resort in Nagano Prefecture.
A member of the STEEP editorial team dropped in and test-rode popular on-piste models that they had learned about at the exhibition. The reviewer was a female member of the team, 164cm tall and of average weight, with an alpine racing background. The test conditions were sunny, on a moderate slope, with slightly rocky and hard-packed snow
Skis used for comparison
Before reviewing these skis, I'd like to briefly mention the skis I currently use.
Since I started skiing, I've exclusively used Ogaska skis, and I still use the "TRIUN SL" 155cm skis that I used in my final year of competitive skiing on the slopes. It's a pure competition model characterized by its stability and excellent grip, and although it's several years old, it's still perfectly enjoyable for free skiing on the slopes. I have had
opportunities to try out basic and racing skis, but I have no experience owning or continuously using skis from other brands.
About "Redster S9i Revoshock S"
The Redster i series is an iconic part of the brand. Among them, this model, which boasts unwavering popularity, retains the iconic red color scheme, but the top has been changed to all black
This popular series is packed with the brand's latest technologies, featuring "Full Flex Technology" that provides firm grip even at high speeds thanks to harmonious flex from tip to tail, and a "Carba Poplar Wood Core" developed at the request of Japan for smooth and dynamic movement. In
addition, it is equipped with the new generation "Revoshock" built-in suspension system with excellent shock absorption, and "Carbon Boost" which dramatically increases acceleration in the latter half of turns.
Test drive review
Among them, the "Redster S9i Revoshock S" is a premium, wide-profile model designed for all slope conditions. The recommended sizes are 160cm for women and 165cm for men, and this time we tested the 160cm size
My first impression, after a few turns, was the stability and solid feel provided by the "Revoshock" system. It felt as if my body was moving ahead and the board was lingering behind, or even pulling me back
The rider holds the initiative. The board is about asking "What do you want to do?"
This isn't the type of board that automatically initiates a turn with just a slight tilt. Rather, you feel a slight resistance, and the turn doesn't start on its own. It gives the impression that the rider needs to clearly decide on the timing and angle to initiate the turn. If you're used to boards that turn easily, you might find it difficult to handle at first
Even during turns, unlike typical carving skis where you can simply lean into the sidecut and automatically turn, you constantly need to control your direction of travel with your own will. Conversely, this means that your will is always directly reflected in the controllability from the initiation to the exit of the turn
The tail release is good. On the other hand, it's difficult to feel the kind of clear acceleration that you might expect from the name "Carbon Boost." However, this could be because the pedal pressure is weak, or because the acceleration is so smooth that you don't even notice it
Information
ATOMIC
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