Gear of the Week | Atomic Bent 110

A Look Back

A Look Back at 2008: Chris Benchetler launched the first Atomic Bent-Chetler. Back then, his goal was to bring the feel of surfing to the powder. Chris didn’t want a ski built by the book with his name on the topsheet; instead, he wanted to be an active part of the development process and help shape the design, flex, and the ski itself. The result? A powder beast that not only feels right at home in deep snow but turns it into a creative playground.

The Bent story really made waves with the launch of the Bent Chetler 100 in 2018. With a waist width of 100 mm, Atomic certainly didn’t reinvent the wheel, but the way this ski was perceived influenced the entire ski industry.

Suddenly, there was an all-mountain ski that was playful, forgiving, and extremely accessible—you didn’t have to be a total geek to have fun on and off-piste. This success created a massive domino effect. In the years that followed, nearly every manufacturer followed suit and built their own playful 100-mm freeride skis.

Then, in 2022, Atomic introduced the Bent Family. What started as a single flagship model grew into an entire series, with widths ranging from 85 mm—suitable for the park—all the way up to the 120 mm powder classic.

The Bent 110 bridges the gap between the everyday 100-mm board and the pure 120-mm powder board. It offers a bit more float for those deep-snow days, but still has enough edge grip and stiffness to have plenty of fun on the resort slopes.

Art on a Snowy Background

From day one, the topsheets of the Bent series have been more than just a place to display the brand logo—they’ve served as a canvas for the art of Chris and others. He’s a passionate artist, and his designs often reflect a connection to nature and music. A great example of this is the legendary “Old Man Winter” design. Not only did it adorn skis and socks, but it also appears as a wood carving in his van, which he customized as part of the “Chasing AdVANture” film project to travel in pursuit of freeride adventures.

Another example is the limited edition of the Bent 110, created in collaboration with the iconic band Grateful Dead. I had the chance to take a closer look at this very version.

So enough with the history lesson—it’s time to see how it all feels on the snow!

I still remember my first day on the Bent 110 very clearly. It was also my first day of skiing in Japan. The day before, on our drive towards the coast, my heart had really sunk. We were coming from Tokyo, and even just a few kilometres before reaching our accommodation, there wasn’t a trace of snow anywhere! But things soon took a turn for the better, and we eventually found ourselves driving through a promising winter wonderland.

Naturally, we took the opportunity to explore Akakura Kanko ski resort the very next day. Unfortunately, the weather in the days leading up to our arrival had been quite warm, and the sun had left an icy crust on all the slopes exposed to it. Our first run was down a completely frozen mogul field — not exactly the “JaPow” I’d been dreaming of. Still, despite the less-than-ideal conditions, I had a blast.

The hard moguls really brought out the best in the ski’s construction. Atomic relies on a lightweight poplar wood core (Light Woodcore) and keeps the material composition refreshingly simple. There are no Titanal layers for added stiffness or carbon inserts. At just 1,750 g per ski in the 180 cm length, the Bent 110 is one of the lightest and most agile options in the 110 mm freeride category. On the icy mogul run, it pivoted almost effortlessly around its own axis. The camber underfoot also provided a surprising amount of pop when carving through softer sections of the slope. And its low weight really comes into its own when ski touring, too.

Of course, the low weight and lack of Titanal also have their downsides, particularly in these conditions. If you're after a ski for high-speed turns and big-mountain lines, you might find yourself wanting a little more mass and damping underfoot, especially on hard snow.

After two days, the long-awaited change in weather finally arrived. A storm brought enough fresh snow to make the shaded slopes feel like an endless powder playground. This was where the Bent 110 really came into its own. Thanks to its well-thought-out shape and generous rocker, it cuts through deep snow with ease and floats effortlessly.

Another feature worth mentioning is the HRZN Tech in the tip and tail. This 3D spoon-shaped design is intended to help the ski glide more smoothly through deep snow. Since I can't compare the same ski with and without HRZN Tech under identical conditions, I can't really say how much difference it makes. What I did notice, though, was how easily the tips rise out of the snow when buttering.

So, if you're looking for an agile, surf-inspired twin-tip that's fun all over the mountain, the Bent 110 is definitely worth having under your feet.

Details

• Suggested Retail Price (SRP): €699.99

• Lengths & Dimensions (Tip - Waist - Tail):

  • 164 cm: 131 – 110 – 122 mm | Radius: 14.0 m

  • 172 cm: 132 – 110 – 123 mm | Radius: 16.0 m

  • 180 cm: 133 – 110 – 124 mm | Radius: 18.0 m

  • 188 cm: 134 – 110 – 125 mm | Radius: 19.0 m

• Weight (per ski, without bindings):

  • 180 cm: approx. 1,750 g

• Construction:

  • Light Woodcore: Lightweight poplar wood core design for low weight and optimal damping

  • Dura Cap Sidewall: Sidewall under the binding for grip and power transfer, rounded at the tip and tail to prevent chipping

  • HRZN Tech Tip & Tail: 10% more float thanks to a 3D spoon shape at the tip and tail

  • Glossy Topsheet: Glossy finish

• Shape & Profile:

  • Powder Rocker (25 / 50 / 25): Pronounced tip and tail rocker combined with classic camber under the binding

• Manufacturer Link: Atomic Bent 110

The skis were provided to PowderGuide free of charge by the manufacturer. Find out how we test them in our test statement.

You can purchase skis from the Atomic Bent family at our partner shop, Sport Bittl.