Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

This is a really fun ski. In powder, rides like a dream. The ski floats as well as any ski I've ridden. Very surfy, but carves impressively well. Feels very poppy but stable making short quick turns. On groomers, these skis can really carve. They not only get you back to the lift, but it is actually very fun riding on the groomers.

I mounted mine on the team line, which is 2.5cm behind the center. The front looks somewhat shorter than I am used to. Admittedly, I did not experience any nose dive in powder but I am wondering whether I should still go about 1cm further back. I feel like there may be a little too much ski in the back. A couple of more days of testing needed for sure. Otherwise, I am a huge fan of the Bent Chetlers.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

after two days testing the 192 length in some seriously variable sketchy conditions I could not be happier. I am 5'11" 164-167lbs plus gear. These skis are light in the tips and tails which reduce swing weight. They are stiffer in the forebody with the tail being a touch softer. I find that better for charging through chop or broken snow conditions. It took about 1/2 a run to figure out the sweet spot then wow. They roll up onto edge easier than the Pettitor and have an incredible grip for a 123mm waisted ski. They can change directions quickly like the Opus (118mm waist) and hold at least as good. Skied the Squad 7's a couple of days and the Chetlers are better in almost every way imo. Just plain fun...Skied these the second day in 6" of pow over a frozen wet and in some aspects a crusty layer underneath. Have confidence these get it done. Flying on top of the pow you can smear or adjust your turn radius and not feel locked in like on the Squad or Pettitor. Stoked! Mounted mine one hash mark behind the "factory team"line meaning 3cm behind true center. Have a 306mm BSL if that helps.
P.S. owned the Opus for a season in the 185 and truly an awesome ski...skied the Squad 7 and the 189 Pettitor for 2 days each both in better pow conditions than I had for the Chet's.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

Amazing powder flotation, I got the 192 and it floated like a dream. I weigh 245 pounds and was concerned about tip dive mounting factory recommendation, no problems at all floated and surfed like a dream best pow ski I have ridden. Surprise to me was how well these performed elsewhere. They can carve amazingly at high speed and ate quick edge to edge for short poppy turns where even good in soft moguls. Riding and landing switch not a problem. Only con would be edge grip on ice they still held when carving did not wash out but slide a little carving at speed or when performing short poppy turns. My favourite ski I have ridden I own volkl go gotama's and would only use those over the chetlers on an icy day or if I was to ski a really steep technical line with hard snow. The chetlers give me confidence to ski hard in powder the tip flows through pow and crude effortlessly where at the gotama's get tip deflection in crud and chop.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

I like a ski that can hold up to skiing fast and fluid lines, feel loose and surfy but only when needed keeping it predictable and my confidence assured. For me the ski like the Bent Chetler keep the fun meter maxed and that's why it's my favorite ski.

I usually grab this ski more than anything other ski I have. If it's snowing I'll ski resort in bounds. If in bounds is pegged I'll go for some quick boot packs. I can ski it through chopped up crud on the way to may favorite lines on the mountain. It's lightweight, snappy and has got enough camber making the ski playful and provides plenty of pop of natural features. The ski has been refined for the first time since it's inception 4 years ago. It's been beefed up with the addition stringers which Atomic dubs Carbon Sprocket Boosters. They make the ski noticeably snappier and add to stability at high speeds.

The amounts of rocker and taper seem to be spot on. Moving the contacts points compliments the rocker to promote the ski rising to the surface when on edge in soft snow. It also allows the tail to break loose when I need it to for slashing windlips, shutting down speed, varying turn shapes in crud and changing direction on a dime. I feel like there is a huge sweet spot on this ski allowing you to shift your weight around on the fly... back to bounce down pillows or forward to open up and charge. When just cruising around they seem to skis best from a little more neutral stance. It comes from the combination of the contact points being brought and and a smaller sidecut. You don't notice it in soft snow but the first time you rip a groomer and you try and really drive the ski the tip isn't there the same way as a more traditional sidecut might be.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

The Bent Chetler's have a very loose feel but they still have plenty of camber for me. I can carve turns on groomers and float in the deep stuff. I love how maneuverable and easy it is to wiggle through tight spots in the trees. Plus, you have to love the tie dye bases.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

The Bent Chetler is a great one-ski quiver for a skier willing to sacrifice a bit of hard snow excellence for powder domination. This ski has FUN written all over it, from the playful graphics on the top to the symmetrical rocker/camber profile. In fresh, soft snow this ski breaks loose and can get surfy and sideways. It has a solid underfoot cambered section that allows the ski to hold well in hard and variable snow conditions, but the contact points pulled back from the tip and tail causes the ski to feel a bit short when really driving the ski on hard snow.

Love these things, have skiied them for 3 seasons so far and don't see myself giving up on them soon.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

Shredding the Chetlers in some shin deep cascade pow was poppy & solid underfoot, sketchy chutes and soft landings handled w/ ease. They were a little squirrelly when slashing a hard pow turn and with the heavy snow Chetlers wanted to dive a bit but with medium effort you could pop up and through steep pow and trees no problem.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

Coming from the Automatic in a 193 the Bent Chetler felt a bit squirrelly. It's definitely not as solid for riding fast over mixed terrain but it was unbelievably fun and playful through pillow lines. It turns on a dime and gets 9 cents change. Tons of fun and inspires the stoke.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

The Bent Chetler is easy to ski and very playful but the underfoot section is stiff enough to keep it stable at speed. A versatile powder ski that rails turns on the groomed too.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

Mid flex, poppy, playful. Floats great eaither direction, with a loose, fun feel. Less of a charger than the Automatic but more fun to play on.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

Excellent lift & turning in powder snow.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

Good when it's untouched, a little squirrelly in tracked out heavy stuff. Fun ski, but hooked a bit at first until I got used to it. Skis similar to my 11/12 Sir Francis Bacons

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

Great, surfy ski, I found this ski to handle all conditions. It was able to surf the deeps and turn on a dime. It's a;so my style of ski. Love everything about this ski.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

The Bent Chetler is a lot of fun. Compared to my 85 mm underfoot park skis the Bent Chetlers allowed me to get out of the backseat and turn jump and and land better in powder. Even traverse tracks the edge held just fine.

Comments about Atomic Bent Chetler Skis 2013:

At 123 under foot, it certainly wasn't an ideal ski for the hard pack and groomers of the day, but it still performed very well. The Chets carved and held an edge as well as their wide popularity would suggest, although it was a little slower through the turns and transitions than other skis I jumped on during the day. But again, at 123mm that is to be expected. These are a powder ski that can still rip through any terrain on the mountain. I only wish I was able to ski the Chetlers on a nice fresh pow day, as that's where I'm sure they really shine, as many can attest. Try em, love em, buy em.