2023 Atomic Backland 98 W

If you’re looking for that one-ski quiver to add to your inventory, the Atomic Backland 98 W is a well-rounded weapon that has a ton of uses. Similarly built to the men’s Backland 100, it suits lighter weight skiers looking to explore all sides of the mountains, from hidden pow stashes to firm, dust on crust. With a moderate waist width of 98 mm underfoot, you get the foundation you need for softer conditions but with a 14. 6 m turning radius, which allows for snappy edge-to-edge turns. The construction plays a role in the ski’s performance as it boasts a lightweight wood core with a carbon backbone, which leaves you with a fun and energetic responsiveness. In addition to the build, the shape and profile offer camber underfoot and rocker in the tip with minimal in the tail. Thanks to Atomic’s HRZN Tech tip, flotation is maximized in powder thanks to the deflection behavior of this quality. Taking all of this into consideration, the Backland 98 W is the perfect option for the backcountry due to its lightweight nature and strong downhill performance.

Alix Klein skied the 170 and felt it was a great length for her. With 4’s across the board with the exception of a 5 given for flotation, we get the sense that Alix enjoyed her time spent on these skis. AS her scores reflected, her general consensus was “this ski is stable and ready to charge. It is also light for its size, fun through the crud, this ski will do its job. Fun to turn on and go fast.” Based on the unique and intentional design of these skis, it’s no wonder they are considered fun and light yet ready to go when brought up to speed. These attributes go a long way when speaking to a ski’s all-mountain performance, giving it the ability to shine in all conditions and we love when our skiers see that.

Alli Ruschp also skied on the 170 and felt it was the appropriate length for her, leading her to score 5’s for quickness, maneuverability, and overall impression. All remaining scores were awarded 4’s, which is pretty darn good for an overall ski review. She was “surprised how much I liked it, perfect for the conditions, slushy spring skiing or even soft powder. They would be even more flexible and soft with shift bindings. Nice stability and not chattery in crud. Smooth for being so lightweight. Would be a great uphill/downhill ski setup since it still skis nice on trail.” While both Alli and Alix seemed to thoroughly enjoy their time on the Backland 98s, Louise Lintilhac had a less-than-ideal experience. While she found the ski skied short, she also had trouble with the shape. While her top scores were 3 out of 5, the rest were 2’s which goes to show that these skis didn’t make the cut for her. In her words “there is something seriously funky with the geometry of this ski. It was slow edge to edge, hooked up weird and the sidecut ratios were hard for me to get to.” This is the beauty of the ski test as it allows us to gain insight from a variety of skiers with different preferences.

While the Atomic Backland 98 can be a fantastic, lightweight option for fun, responsive resort skiing, it really shines in a backcountry capacity where the weight can be utilized on the uphill. It’s always great to discover an ideal touring ski setup so if this sounds like your ski, throw some shift bindings on and you’ll have yourself the perfect resort/backcountry ski.