2023 Atomic Bent 85

Atomic has drastically expanded their Bent collection for the 22/23 ski season. What originally started with a single ski has now become home to 5 adult models, the narrowest and least expensive being this Bent 85. At $399, this affordable ski packs a ton of value. It does, however, differ ever so slightly from the wider Bent models. In the 85, we get a light woodcore that utilizes Atomic’s Densolite material. This is a blend of wood and synthetics that allows them to keep the price down, while still building a strong ski. We don’t get the HRZN Tech tips and tails, rather a more traditional finish to the extremities of the ski. We do, however, get an All Mountain rocker profile that features slightly longer tail rocker than the Bent 90. So, despite not having HRZN Tech, the 85 is intended to be a very fun, playful all-mountain ski. The Bent collection is the exclusive home to twin tips in Atomic’s new offerings, and this 85 is designed with some park skiing capabilities as well. You’ll see some Atomic athletes on it this season, but you’ll also see non-freestyle skiers just enjoying its versatility and fun-loving nature.

Allison Kozar got to test the Bent 85 both in our 3-day Ski Test and also earlier in the season. That gave her the opportunity to put it to the test in a wide range of snow conditions, which created an excellent testing environment. While we saw a low 2 out of 5 score for flotation from Allison, all her other marks were at least 4 out of 5. In fact, quickness/maneuverability, playfulness, and overall impression all earned full 5 out of 5 marks. For a ski that hits the $399 price point, that’s pretty darn impressive to us. Throughout all of her testing, Allison opted for the 170 cm length. She thought that “felt right” to her and also noted that it felt similar in length to her personal 165 cm Factions. “I was pretty shocked on how the ski handled the firm conditions of early January. It was very easy to lay over turn to turn, and didn't experience any chatter, which is amazing for a wood core ski on firm hard pack. These ski 1000 times better than the Vantage series which seemed hollow and dead. I think the full tip of the 85 skied better in the ice than the bevelled tip of the 90, hence resulting in less chatter and more edge hold. The graphics were pretty sweet too!” While Atomic’s Maverick series is the direct replacement for the older Vantage models, and we think Allison might be exaggerating slightly with “1000 times better,” we can’t help but appreciate her fondness for the Bent 85. For a ski with a relatively simple build, Atomic has done a great job creating a smooth, trustworthy ski.

Dana Allen opted for the longest length in the Bent 85, which comes in at 175 cm. He mentioned that was short for him personally, but that it skied true to size. That’s certainly something to consider for bigger skiers. While there’s a lot to like about the Bent 85, and some superb value, if you’re Dana’s size or bigger, there might not be an appropriate length for you. That might be a bummer for some, but there’s always the option of moving to the Bent 90. We also think that although some skiers might be sized-out of the Bent 85, it’s not going to be a huge swath of skiers. We think a lot more smaller or younger skiers will gravitate to the Bent 85, rather than adults with big frames. Despite that, Dana still enjoyed its performance. We even got a 5 out of 5 score for quickness/maneuverabulity. Even stability earned a 4 out of 5, along with playfulness and forgiveness. “Overall, totally unexpected Ski. Fairly stable for such a park oriented looking board. A 175 is definitely short for me at 5‘10“ tall. However, I wouldn’t say that it’s skied short necessarily. Surprisingly forgiving and dampened. Didn’t get tossed around as much and shop as I expected. Overall, a total surprise. More versatile than you’d expect.”

We think it’s really cool that you could put two very different skiers on the Bent 85 and have the ski thoroughly surpass both of their expectations to the point where it’s surprising. Neither Allison nor Dana had the opportunity to test its park application, focusing more on its all-mountain capabilities, but we do know a handful of up and coming locals around here who have already adopted it as a park ski. Considering the success they’ve had with the ski and the versatility and overall value Allison and Dana found, we think a lot of skiers will be very happy with the Bent 85 this season.