2025 Atomic Redster Q9

The 2025 Atomic Redster Q9 is a precise, high-performance groomer machine that is best when used by accomplished expert skiers and former racers. With a blend of top-shelf construction and front side shaping, the Q9 is lovely when it comes to linking carved turns and making mid-radius carves that leave deep trenches in their wake. The blend of shape and build here makes the Q9 amenable to firmer snow conditions and front side terrain. There’s not a whole lot of versatility built in, so that makes it very impressive for its intended application. Atomic does a great job filtering in technology and shaping principles from their race room to make their front side skis very effectively. You can easily tell that these have World Cup DNA flowing through them, with the skier as the ultimate beneficiary.

Built with Atomic’s Power woodcore, the Redster Q9 uses a mix of poplar and ash. The lighter poplar keeps the ski grounded in reality while the ash kicks it up a notch in the stability and power departments. It still feels like an accessible ski for progressing and improving carvers due to the shape, but the build will keep the ski going faster and faster with the utmost confidence. The ski also uses a race-like system binding that adds some weight and leverage for the carved turns, again rooting the ski in the race/frontside world. Jeff Neagle notes that the “Redster Q9 is a fun ski. I don't spend too much time on skis like this as they're just not really my style, but a lot of people would like it. It's much more firm snow focused and carving oriented than the Redster Q9.8. Although they share a name, they really feel very different. The Q9 is super precise, almost taking some cues from the X9s. Short turn radius too so you get more slalom turns than GS turns. Super fun to ski, just a bit tiring as you're going to end up making a lot of turns. Not particularly versatile, but that's not its intention.” Again, if a ski excels in one particular area, like the Q9 does on groomers, it’s likely going to take a hit in an off-piste situation.

At 75 mm underfoot, the Q9 has quite a bit of competition when it comes to shaping. This is a pretty hot width these days as a lot of skiers tend to like the wider front side skis without getting too wide. It has a great platform to stand on, and some testers even noted that it skis a bit narrower. Bob St.Pierre states that “this ski has a 75 mm waist, but it feels very sharp and precise. As opposed to something like the Blizzard Thunderbird R15 at 76 mm underfoot, the Q9 does not feel nearly as versatile. That said, it does make it work a lot better on groomers and in a race-like carve.” Mark Burbank says that the Atomic Redster Q9 is a “Great front side ski that most east coast skiers should be on....leave the 90mm at home with the ego! This is the right tool for 80% of the time. Rips big turns and handles the quick ones with ease.” This is a good point—most skiers who spend most of their time on groomers will have a ton of success on a ski like this.

With a race pedigree and a mid-fat carver mentality, the 2025 Atomic Redster Q9 is a true front side tool. This ski is ideal for advanced and expert skiers who are spending a ton of time working on their carving and groomer turns. While versatility is a bit of a weaker spot, it does make different shapes and styles of turns very effectively. It’s probably a bit much for an everyday intermediate—a good skill set will help the skier access the entirety of the Q9’s performance spectrum.