Review: Atomic Maverick 95 TI

Model year: 2022-2023
Sidecut: 129-94.5-113
Size: 180 cm
Radius: 19.3 m
Technology: wood core, metal, full sidewall, tip and tail rocker, HRZN tech tip

About this ski

This Maverick line is Atomic’s ‘American’ line. It has been designed in North America, and specifically for the American market. I’ll come back to that later when we talk about performance. It also replaces the Vantage series. So right now, this Maverick line – 88, 95 and 100 mm underfoot – is Atomic’s allmountain ski. There are women-specific models too, called the Maven.

In terms of construction, they have a pretty standard wood core and metal lay-up. The two metal sheets are very thin though, leaving the ski quite light-weight and not too stiff either. The sidewall runs only underfoot to where the rocker starts. This helps in edge hold and stability, but the fact that it doesn’t run full-length is part of the weight-saving efforts. The tip has the so-called HRZN (Horizon) technology, inspired by a boat’s hull and helping the sis float in powder. 

Mixed bag

The Maverick is – quite literally – a mixed bag. It has metal, but thin metal. It has HRZN tech in the tip, aiding float, but it has a tenaciously biting tail, not releasing very easily. It has the width and weight and tip of a soft-snow-oriented ski. But at the same time, it just wants to carve (and much less skid a turn). With that, it is in that American 90+ mm carve ski tradition, like the Völkl Mantra, Blizzard Bonafide, Nordica Enforcer. Soft snow tips and hard snow tails. And at a width that busts your knees on hardpack. The only thing the Maverick has going for it compared to these competitors: you can actually bend it at sub-mach speeds. 

It does carve, but only from a quarter from the tip down, and longer than you would want in the real world. It just holds that edge for too long. It is a mid-90 mm underfoot carving ski that doesn’t have the precision of a good carving ski. At the same time, it is a soft snow ski with a way too tenacious tail that just wants to carve. It is a mythical beast, with the front of one creature and the rear of another. But they are the wrong bits of the wrong beasts. 

In conclusion

Designed as an American dream, but waking you up in complete confusion. The tail does not match the tip, the weight does not match the construction. The width does not match either hard snow performance or powder float.

Characteristics

Playful		Stable
Forgiving		Punishing
Lively		Damp
Skidding		Carving
Low speed		High speed
Short turn		Long turn
Soft snow		Hard snow