- Joined
- Dec 29, 2017
- Posts
- 982
Is adult language allowed here? If not, that's a shame because the best way to sum these up is that they haul ass. They're not hard to turn, but they're happiest with long sweeping turns. It's like their tips are magnetically attracted to the fall line. Thankfully, they're also plenty stable and smooth to ride, so it can handle speed. But it's well balanced with some pop and playfulness, and they're also perfectly capable of smearing, pivoting and buttering.
I tested them on a sunny day after a stretch of rain, where conditions were a mix of ice in the shadows and sun-softened crud in the light. You get a lot of questions on the lift skiing a pair of 108s on that sort of day - or jabs about missing the weather report. Yet I found them plenty capable of holding an edge when things got slick. Black Crows touts how versatile the Atris is, but I really only expected that to apply for the men's version. At 5-2, I figured the waist width would be a little wide for everyday, and that the discontinued Navis at 102 would've been the better match. I tested a few narrower options throughout the day, but the Atris was my favorite at the widest. I can't imagine it being any different on a powder day.
On some parts of the mountain with softer crud, I got a preview of how smooth and buttery they might be on a storm day. The forecast next weekend makes me think I'll be stopping by the demo shop for another round.
Their downsides? They're not the best through the bumps. And the price tag. I found the Sheeva 10s in 172 to be a good comparison to the Atris Birdie 169 - just as smooth, a little tighter carve, and over $150 cheaper. I imagine the only trade off would be a bit of float. The Salomon QST 106 was also similar, just a little easier to flex.
I tested them on a sunny day after a stretch of rain, where conditions were a mix of ice in the shadows and sun-softened crud in the light. You get a lot of questions on the lift skiing a pair of 108s on that sort of day - or jabs about missing the weather report. Yet I found them plenty capable of holding an edge when things got slick. Black Crows touts how versatile the Atris is, but I really only expected that to apply for the men's version. At 5-2, I figured the waist width would be a little wide for everyday, and that the discontinued Navis at 102 would've been the better match. I tested a few narrower options throughout the day, but the Atris was my favorite at the widest. I can't imagine it being any different on a powder day.
On some parts of the mountain with softer crud, I got a preview of how smooth and buttery they might be on a storm day. The forecast next weekend makes me think I'll be stopping by the demo shop for another round.
Their downsides? They're not the best through the bumps. And the price tag. I found the Sheeva 10s in 172 to be a good comparison to the Atris Birdie 169 - just as smooth, a little tighter carve, and over $150 cheaper. I imagine the only trade off would be a bit of float. The Salomon QST 106 was also similar, just a little easier to flex.