Atomic Atlas 2011 Ski Review

182cm length = 140mm(width at tip)-115mm(width underfoot)-122mm(width at tail) / 22m turning radius

192cm length = 150mm(width at tip)-125mm(width underfoot)-132mm(width at tail) / 28m turning radius

Big Mountain/Powder Ski. Stepdown sidewall contruction. Early rise rocker in tip only. Tapering (reverse sidecut) at tip only.

Size tested = 192cm. Number of days on Atomic Atlas 2011 ski = aprrox. 35.

Reviewer = Miles Clark. My height = 6'1", weight = 170 lbs. (special note: I mounted my bindings 1cm forward of the normal mounting point)

You bet that I'm sick of all the hype, BS, and useless buzzwords that come with the typical ski review. A ski review is inherantly subjective and therefore that subjectivity should be embraced, not drowned out by ski industry banter. With this (and menatl images of face shots from last season) in mind, I present to you my humble opinion of the Atomic Atlas 2011 ski:

First off, you'll want a lot of snow before you even strap these on. I recommend that you have at least a foot of fresh snow to take these out. They really start to kick ass when you get into the 2, 2 1/2, & 3 foot deep zones. A huge ski like this is made for floatation. If you take away the deep snow, they don't provide that float, and they'll morph into a large, difficult to maneuver ski that will put you in the backseat.

Once you get them into the deep powder you'll know what they were made for. This ski gives a ton of float with the huge width underfoot and the early rise rocker at the tip. In deep snow they do not have an upper speed limit. The faster you go, the more stable and maneuverable they become.

Landing airs is made considerably easier. It almost feels like cheating. The large surface area gives you a big platform to plop down into the snow and easily stay upright on. The sweet spot on the Atlas is big and this is an advantage when landing airs because it allows you to be a little off and still make it look good.

The Atlas is an Austrian ski, so they have a lot of nose. This means you have got to be leaning way forward. If you get backseat, they'll take off on you and make you look bad. Stay forward on 'em and you'll look like a solid skier should.

Once you're able to trust this ski, you'll be able to open it up and rip the mountain hard. Which is what this ski is really made for.

Here is a one minute video of someone skiing pow and dropping cliffs on the Atomic Atlas 2011 ski.

Silverado Sledgehammer from UnofficialSquaw on Vimeo.