On January 24 and 25 we had the pleasure of testing in an exclusive preview the Salomon and Atomic skis coming out next winter 2014/15. (see SALOMON ski test article)
The ski tests took place in the Gitschberg-Jochtal ski area in Valle Isarco (Alto Adige), and with a bit of luck we found good conditions to test the new gear at its best.
Our verdict on the new ATOMIC lineup is thoroughly positive: the brand confirms its status as a leader in the winter sports sector and above all shows how its gaze is constantly turned toward the future through the study and development of new technologies to continually improve the skiing experience both in racing and in everyday skiing. The gear we tested proved genuinely exciting, featuring major and above all practical innovations!
The advancement of DOUBLEDECK 3.0 and Memory Fit technology are the innovations that impressed us most; moreover, the growing focus on the backcountry world shows how this brand aims to satisfy the entire skiing world and not just on-piste skiers.
Below is a comprehensive overview of the new products for 2014/2015:
Atomic presents major new releases for winter 2014/15 resulting from continuous innovation at its advanced research centers. The Austrian company can count on an entirely in-house production line capable of ensuring independence from external suppliers and, above all, agility in developing prototypes and new products.
These technical capabilities and extensive know-how are passed directly into products dedicated to skiers, across a complete range spanning from skis to apparel.
ATOMIC SKI APPAREL
The new apparel line is one of Atomic’s biggest highlights for winter 2014/15. For the first time in its history, ATOMIC is expanding into ski apparel with a progressive all-mountain line inspired by freeskiing and equipped with all the functionality and technology essential for high-end skiwear—an innovative range ready for anything and accessible to everyone.
Versatility: jackets and pants are articulated with the utmost attention to movement, naturally following the body’s various positions while skiing downhill. The garments conform to the body at key points such as knees, elbows, and shoulders without ever restricting movement.
Lightweight fabrics: how can there be versatility with heavy jackets and pants?
The lightness of the new ATOMIC apparel is noticeable at first glance and even more so to the touch—garments that are remarkably light yet durable.
Thermal control: Its key role is to protect against foul weather (frost, snow, rain, wind), the atmospheric phenomena that characterize days in the mountains; this is guaranteed by the use of breathable, heat-reflective multi-layer fabrics capable of offering optimal body temperature control while preventing swings between hot and cold.
REDSTER 2014-15
REDSTER skis are the flagship of ATOMIC’s RACE line, the weapon of choice for the WORLD’S TOP RACERS (e.g. Marcel Hirscher and Mikaela Shiffrin) and for anyone seeking maximum performance on groomed slopes.
Technological innovation can never stand still in this sport, and once again this year ATOMIC has introduced substantial advancements.
DOUBLEDECK 3.0
The third generation of Doubledeck technology makes Redster skis even more immediate and smooth to steer. The 2014/15 edition introduces the all-new RAMP Tech: when the skier carves at high speed, this technology automatically increases heel lift by up to 10°, shifting body mass forward and keeping the skier perfectly centered over the skis.
Doubledeck 3.0 also includes a new free-gliding upper deck designed to better absorb impacts and increase stability. The front connectors have been softened to make turn initiation quicker, while the rear connectors have been stiffened for even more explosive acceleration.
Thanks to the combination of all these features, Doubledeck 3.0 helps you ski with higher levels of power, precision, and control than ever before, along with a significant reduction in physical fatigue.
Backcountry
This year ATOMIC introduces a ski range dedicated entirely to life in the backcountry: the Backland series.
Backland skis feature an Ultralite woodcore that makes them featherlight and therefore excellent on the ascent, whether on your feet or carried on your pack. Running the full length of the ski is a Carbon Backbone reinforcement that makes it agile and ensures solid edge hold on the descent without compromising lightness. Finally, the All Mountain tip rocker delivers great performance across a wide variety of snow conditions, resulting in a confident ride both on-piste and off-piste.
Another major innovation for the backcountry world is the Rocker Skins: in these special climbing skins, the glide zone under the tip (where the rocker is located) is made from ultra-fast ski base material. As a result, the ski glides better and friction when breaking trail in fresh snow is significantly reduced—a great advantage for competitive athletes as well as anyone who loves long ski touring excursions.
ATOMIC PRODUCTS FOR WOMEN
ATOMIC devotes special attention to women skiers by developing dedicated products.
Hawx boots have been given a cuff and liner specifically tailored to the anatomy of women’s feet and calves while integrating new technical details:
Memory Fit, the latest heat-molding technology, and 3M™ Thinsulate™ Insulation to keep feet warmer and therefore responsive even in bitter cold and damp conditions.
Thanks to lighter buckles and a new construction, it is the lightest Hawx ever and therefore more comfortable for after-ski wear as well.
CLOUD
Cloud skis are the main on-piste ski range dedicated to women, a purpose-built concept in terms of colors, styling, and technical details alike.
The new Cloud models are lighter, with aesthetics enhanced by an elegant black-and-white design and a refined embossed topsheet.
Atomic Bend-X Technology has been integrated so that women skiers can flex the ski more easily at turn initiation. High-end models feature ARC Technology, which channels all of the skier’s power into a single mounting point in the center of the ski, allowing it to flex easily and naturally. In this way, the ski stays in constant contact with the snow, delivering excellent grip, greater smoothness, and a more natural feel throughout the turn.
Atomic’s debut in the skiwear world has led to the creation of a women’s line engineered and styled to allow female skiers to enjoy their sport even more, combining the technical features described above with a Ski Fit tailored to follow body posture and movements while skiing.
The apparel has been custom-designed for women: men, for example, are almost always warm, whereas women are (often) cold. Therefore, the Women’s line is cut, engineered, and insulated differently from the Men’s line.
Ski Boots
One of Atomic’s most important innovations concerns ski boots, a rapidly evolving segment that sees continuous year-on-year progress to deliver ever greater performance and comfort.
One of the most important new technologies introduced is Memory Fit: ATOMIC’s latest heat-molding technology. With Memory Fit, all 3 components of the boot (shell, cuff, and liner) adapt to the foot and memorize its shape. This technology uses Memolink (an ATOMIC exclusive), a special additive that improves the moldability and stretch characteristics of the plastic.
The molding process takes just 12 minutes and can be repeated multiple times to adjust the shape of the boot.
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