Featured Picture: Andrew Maguire
All new for 2025/26, the Maverick 96 CTI brings a narrower package deal to the famed and reworked Maverick assortment that Atomic has been perfecting during the last couple years. Excellently suited to carve recent corduroy, slice ‘n cube zipper bump strains and even navigate a pair inches of recent, these sticks are nicely suited to directional skiers preferring a extra conventional form.
Building
The Mav 96 was designed in North America and in-built Atomic’s legendary Austrian manufacturing unit, alongside the model’s precision race skis. The development contains a well-tuned mixture of carbon and titanal that wrap an ash and poplar wooden core. This mix provides a ton of stability and dampens vibrations, particularly at pace. The uniquely formed three-dimensional tip provides expanded floor space for extra float and flexibility in powder and variable circumstances. Moreover, the lower-impact design reduces CO2 equal emissions by 16%.
Specs:
Ski Lengths: 165, 172, 179, 186 cm
Flip Radius: 18 m @ 179 cm
Ski Dimensions: 129 – 96 – 114.5 mm @ 179 cm
Weight: 1,900 g / ski @ 179 cm
On my first run with these model new planks, it was obvious that they had been created for skiers preferring a stable and damp really feel. Whereas not hooky, the tip’s edge bit rapidly into the hour-old corduroy as I arced clear carves down the frontside of Deer Valley (extremely really helpful, by the way in which). Though the supportive chassis held securely, I used to be in a position to break the flip free with a easy flick of my heel, due to the 15% tail rocker. Whereas it excels on-piste, off-piste it was nonetheless fairly blissful pivoting by way of moguls and powdery leftovers in an brisk method.
In comparison with the older Maverick 95 Ti, the brand new development and the marginally extra rockered tip and tail of the 96 CTI will increase total versatility, permitting it to be greater than only a carving rockstar. It’s not as demanding because the Blizzard Anomaly 94 or Volkl Mantra M7, however that comes at a worth of all out stability when approaching breakneck speeds.
Atomic has delivered a ski that appears like the perfect narrower extension of the Maverick line. A greater than succesful all-mountain performer, it excels within the fall line and desires to be pushed directionally whether or not on western onerous pack or east coast ice. If you happen to’re searching for a ski that can ship versatility when it hasn’t snowed just lately, the Maverick 96 CTI could be a wonderful selection.
