2025 Atomic Maven 103 CTI

Brand new for the 2025 season, Atomic is welcoming a new member to the freeride family. The Maven 103 CTI breaks the mold by inviting all-mountain versatility in a directional freeride package. Proving that there really can be one ski to do it all, Atomic added this ski to the already successful Maven line with the intent to offer a wider, softer-snow oriented ski with an ideal blend of power, flotation, energy, and agility. Best suited for skilled skiers with good technique, this ski is light enough for nimble performance while also offering smooth consistency on less predictable snow surfaces. With a well-balanced construction and freeride shape, those looking for an accessible tool for mixed conditions and terrain will love what the Maven 103 CTI has to offer.

When looking specifically at the construction, it’s easy to see what Atomic was trying to achieve in terms of balanced performance. A design evolution that strays from the previous Maven models, Atomic uses a blend of carbon and titanal metal to stiffen the flex and add the much-needed dampening properties that allow it to perform on the higher end of the spectrum. Wrapped around Atomic’s Power Woodcore, which consists of poplar and ash, we get a nice sturdy foundation with a nice integration of energy and stability. While the narrower Mavens feature a lighter-weight wood core and carbon, this new model brings in the titanal to enhance the level of power, as well as add some heft to the build to provide more smoothness and dampen the ride when things get chopped up. Finding that sweet spot, Annie Macdonald said they were “super light and torsionally stiff especially in the tail!” Dura cap sidewalls really round it all out by delivering impressively strong edge grip, especially given how lightweight they feel. Moving in the eco-friendly direction, Atomic has switched to low-carbon raw materials and less materials overall, in an effort to reduce environmental impact.

As a directional ski at 103 mm underfoot, the soft-snow oriented nature is evident through the dramatic tip rocker and taper lines. Atomic’s redesigned HRZN tech inserts in the tips feature a three-dimensional boat-hull shape that extends further back along the tips and much closer to the taper point than in previous models. This goes quite a ways in adding more flotation and maneuverability, encouraging a smoother turn initiation point and more playfulness out of the shovels. Whereas in the tail, we get a stiffer flex and greater precision, providing a strong finish at the end of a turn. The shape combined with the build lends a highly versatile range of capabilities, and tester Bryce Zicarelli thought that “the Maven 103 CTi felt like it could do it all. A really substantial ski that can hold up in many different conditions. I took this ski through some bumped out glades and down some crud, through new snow and back onto hardback groomers and was loving them the whole time.” This is a true testament to the Maven 103 CTI’s unlimited potential and shows that Atomic really hit the nail on this one.

While advanced level skiers will be drawn to this ski given its high-performance nature and inclusion of metal, the lightweight feel and responsive flex allows intermediates to access it. It is fairly easy to bend and feels very secure on edge without fully locking you in. As long as you expect a stronger finish from the tails, the rest of the ski is friendly enough to build confidence in progressing skiers while holding up to the demands of more advanced skiers. As a powerful, directional ski, the quickness and maneuverability it offers makes it one of the more versatile in its category.