ATOMIC SKIS SX 9 FULL

They don't really do slarved turns and they kinda feel dead at low speeds and they don't really do soft-edge feathering. The bad news is that you still need good carving skills to make them feel good, especially in the longer lengths. The other good news is that the bases and edges were designed for toughness, so they're probably in quite good shape too. The good news is that the bindings on those are possibly in better shape than the integrated binding systems the competition was using - most of those loosened up a lot and some are complete junk now. Unfortunately, Atomic got this ski completely sorted about 3 seasons too late for the US market companies like Nordica and Blizzard were doing tough all-mountain carvers in mid-70 and 80+ mm waists and no one looked at 69mm waist sort-of-GS-but-not-really skis anymore. The tips wre better connected to the snow than ever, the flex was more progressive than ever, the ski would land hops and jumps without fuss, the ski would punch through crud and still feel. That generation of SX:9 was the one where Atomic finally got everything pretty much spot on for a tough guy with carving skills who wants to ski all over the mountain. The NEOX binding and the red adjustment button mean you probably have one of the very last ones - for which a 2007 or 2008 date would be approximately correct.įor the rest of the post I will assume you have the one of the last versions - with squared off Beta lobes and titanium pulsers, and slightly less snakelike texture to the topsheet, with the 3-plastic integrated plates that replaced the 2-plastic black and silver ones. Well done Atomic dudes.A model called 'SX:9' was in Atomic's lineup for many years, and went through several re-designs. This light but stiffer ski is great for intermediate to advanced skiers who desire to take the slopes with speed and style. They might look like recreational Atomic skis, perhaps nothing to write home about, but what they do well in combination with the price, helps to create a great value product for a wide range of skiers. The extra 0.5mm width help them ease through chopped up, deeper snow, and make easy work in the moguls, which they slip though unnoticed - extremely versatile for a ski in this category.

ATOMIC SKIS SX 9 FULL

They turn like a dream, with a quick, snappy feel that's full of life - a testament to the designers who seem to have made this ski balanced to perfection. Where they really do come into their element is in shorter radius turns. They handle larger turns well, despite some flapping at higher speeds, but then again, they are not designed with higher speeds in mind. Their width at 71.5mm, seems a little unnecessary - does that 0.5mm really make any difference? In normal circumstances, we find that piste skis with a 13 - 16m radius can be little aggressive when making long radius turns, but the width of the X5 combined with the 14m radius, felt far calmer and user friendly than expected. We find there's always a fine line when it comes to skis at this level - the designers often make the ski too stiff, too soft or too dull, but Atomic seem to have hit the nail clean and square on the head with the Redster X5. The Redster X5 are the new mid-range on-piste skis in the recreational category and first impressions are extremely positive.Ĭonsidering they're designed for intermediate skiers, the performance is remarkably high, yet they also turn with incredible ease.

Atomic skis sx 9