Testers' Choice: Atomic Charter

Testers’ Choice: Atomic Charter

Jay Prentiss [Photo] Alden Pellett

Jay Prentiss
6’0”, 160 lbs.
Crested Butte, CO

Jay has eight years of racing, 18 years of touring and six years of ski testing experience—plus a first descent of the East Face of Pyramid Peak, Colorado. He skis between 60 and 100 days, and spends down days surfing, mountain biking or sipping tea. His pick of the test? The Atomic Charter.

Review:
Overall Score: 9.5/10
Best For: Inbounds, Lift-Accessed Touring, Straight-Up Touring
Responsiveness: 9/10
Playfulness: 10/10
Dampness: 8.5/10

Turn Performance
Short Turns: 7/10
Medium Turns: 9/10
Long Turns: 8/10
Turn Initiation: 8/10

Conditions
Crud Performance: 9/10
Powder Performance: 9/10
Hard-Snow Performance: 8/10

Comments: “It’s so playful and fun and can transition from short- to medium- to long-radius turn with ease due to a nice combination of sidecut, camber and early rise. The tips are a little soft and can collapse under duress. You know you love a ski when you can take it anywhere—powder, bumps, groomers, crud—and like it better each turn. From the first turn until I took them off, there wasn’t a moment when I didn’t love these skis.”

ATOMIC CHARTER
$549 – ATOMIC.COM
SIZES (cm): 166, 176, 186
DIMENSIONS (mm): 130.5/100/122.5
WEIGHT/PAIR: 8 lbs. 10 oz. (186)