Infamous for their lightweight construction, playful yet stable nature, and front-side carving capabilities, the 2024 Atomic Maven 86 C is a standout in the mid-80mm waist all-mountain category. Being the narrowest of the carbon reinforced versions, the 86 C is certainly the most frontside carving oriented of the series. With a waist width such as this, quick edge to edge transfer of energy and quickness along with precision are going to be the driving attributes and philosophy behind these skis. Retaining stiffness while keeping the weight down makes the Maven both agile and stable, making it extremely versatile for intermediate skiers. Adding to its versatility, the 86mm waist strikes a great balance between carving performance and off-piste adventuring. Intermediate lady shredders looking to enhance their technique as well as explore the entire mountain will feel right at home with this highly approachable ski.

Through the strategic use of materials, the Maven accomplishes an impressively light swing weight without sacrificing all that much on-trail carving performance. Atomic’s OMatic Core manages to keep the ski’s weight low by utilizing a poplar wood core with two triaxial fiberglass laminates. The poplar core and fiberglass laminates add energy and responsiveness to the flex pattern of the ski and produces acceleration at the end of the turn. Reinforcing the OMatic Core is going to be Atomic’s Carbon Backbone, or carbon stringers, that run the entire length of the ski for additional stability and energy. Functioning as a lighter weight option in comparison to other similar skis with titanal laminates, the Maven accomplishes a staggering 1450 grams at the 169cm length. This is extremely light for a ski in this genre and in turn makes them a fantastic option for those looking for a light all-mountain ski that still has a similar performance to that of a mid80mmwaisted metal laminate ski.

When it comes to shape, the Maven 86 C’s frontside focus is truly on display. Atomic’s All Mountain Rocker profile, found in the 86 C, consists of 15% tip rocker, 75% camber, and 10% tail rocker. A profile such as this makes for a well-rounded all-mountain ski with high performance capabilities in various settings. As for the sidecut at a length of 164cm, the Maven has a forebody width of 121.5mm, waist width of 87, and a tail width of 105mm. This sidecut generates a turning radius of 15.5 meters, which is relatively short for an all-mountain ski. However, it is very telling of its frontside expertise as turn radii of this length make for precise and agile turns. HRZN Tech in the tips of the Mavens act as boat hulls to increase floatation and playfulness. HRZN Tech is a strategy used to increase the total surface area of the tips without increasing the overall width of the tips.

Lady skiers who are looking for an extremely versatile, lightweight, and precise all-mountain ski will love having the 2024 Atomic Maven 86 C on their feet. Appealing to a wide range of ability levels, the Maven is an approachable option that can function as a one-ski-quiver or to round out your quiver. Being exceptionally light while still retaining shocking stability will have you skiing from bell-to-bell with no objections.