Gear review | Atomic Maven 94 CTI

First impression

The Atomic Maven 94 CTI already looks high-quality and sporty. The high-gloss topsheet gives the ski an elegant, almost glassy look and the color combination of gold, blue and black complements each other perfectly. With a waist width of 94 mm, the all-mountain ski promises versatility both on the piste and off-piste. The directional shape signals stability at higher speeds, while the wood-reinforced HRZN 3D shovel offers more float in deep snow.

At 1,580 g (at 165 cm), the ski feels pleasantly light, especially for an all-mountain ski with Titanal reinforcement.

Tester and test conditions

I would describe myself as a downhill-oriented skier who prefers to spend her days off-piste and in deep snow. With Innsbruck as my home base, I mainly head for the ski resorts in the surrounding area, which means I get around 50-70 snow days a year. As the snow and avalanche situation is rather tense this season, the ski was tested in a wide variety of conditions.

The ski was tested over 2 months on the piste and off-piste, in sunshine and snowstorms. During the Powder Alert days, however, I swapped it for the wider version, the Maven 103 CTI. I am 160 cm tall and weigh just under 60 kilos.

The ski was tested both on the rather hard and grippy piste in the morning, during afternoon slush moments and in fresh snow in off-piste terrain. I focused on different radii: short turns on steep slopes, medium to wide turns on open areas in the resorts from Schlick to Arlberg.

The ski was tested with an Atomic Shift 13 and in combination with the Tecnica Zero G Guide W ski boot.

In the terrain, the HRZN 3D shovel scores with a noticeably larger contact surface. In fresh snow, the tips lift well without having to work hard backwards. The All Mountain Rocker (20/65/16) ensures balanced float and smooth steering in soft snow. Although the ski has a relatively narrow waist width of 94mm, the shovel makes the ski a real all-mountain ski that is also very suitable for deep snow.

The Power Woodcore (ash & poplar) effectively dampens vibrations and the ski feels controlled, even in packed snow and on moguls. The ski conveys a very good snow feel and remains predictable.

Turning characteristics:

- Short turns: agile, but with a sporty feel

- Medium radii: very harmonious, the ski feels particularly comfortable here

- Wide turns: stable and smooth, ideal at higher speeds

Conclusion

The Maven 94 CTI is a versatile all-mountain ski for ambitious skiers who ski both on piste and off-piste and already have some experience.

It combines stability, edge grip and smoothness with sufficient float and playfulness in powder. The balance of stiffness and flex is particularly impressive thanks to the carbon-titanal mix.

Advantages and disadvantages

+ Very smooth running

+ Strong edge grip

+ Noticeable buoyancy thanks to HRZN 3D shovel

+ High-quality look

+ A good compromise for off-piste and piste for experienced skiers

- Slightly more power-intensive in very tight short turns (can of course also be seen as additional training and therefore as a positive!)

- Less playful than lighter, softer freeride models

- A little narrow for powder alert days

The details

• Price RRP: 759.99 €

• Weight: 1,580 g (165 cm)

• Shape: Directional

• Rocker: All Mountain Rocker 20/65/16

• Core: CTI Powered (Carbon + Titanal), Power Woodcore (Ash & Poplar)

• Lateral edge angle: 87°

• Edge angle on the base side: 1.0°

• Available in the following sizes: 151 cm, 158 cm, 165 cm, 172 cm

Click here to visit the Atomic website for more information.

The ski was provided to PowderGuide free of charge by the manufacturer. You can find out how we test them in our test statement.