Atomic Backland 98 Ski - Women
As a version of the esteemed Backland 100 designed specifically for shorter or lighter skiers, the Backland 98 jumps into the fray of powder-hunting, crud-busting skis in the competitive 95-105mm-waisted ski category. What makes this striped salmon of a powder board distinct from all the rest? Foremost in our testers' minds was the rocker/camber balance of the Backland 98, which makes the ski notably predictable and obedient even as conditions change from untracked blower to cut-up chalk to windboard. Atomic has long excelled at making both flat-tailed touring skis such as the Backland UL 85, as well as blue whale-sized powder skis in their Bent Chetler series, and the Backland 98 is the best of both worlds, freeride and touring alike. Atomic, true to its Austrian heritage and alpine-race-ski engineering roots, made sure that the Backland 98 would feel stable on edge and quick to engage when turning on hard snow. Not just a flash of brilliance for a few days of skiing, the full sidewall construction underlies the ski's durability for many deep days in the backcountry to come. If the goal is to bust crud and surf pow with the same boards on your feet, the Atomic Backland 98 Women's ski should get the nod.
- HRZN Tech tip shaping increases flotation in soft snow, and decreases turn deflection in variable conditions.
- Detuned for lighter skiers, the carbon backbone provides the right amount of stiffness for a responsive, but supple ride.
- Atomic's Powder Rocker profile yields easy turning in powder and crud alike.
- Full sidewall construction makes for a durable ski with solid edge hold.
Update 2021/22: The topsheet has been revamped.
Update 2022/23: Atomic kindly updated the topsheet again.
Update 2023/24: New year means a new topsheet atop the same awesome ski.
Specifications | |
Lengths (cm) | 156, 164, 172 |
Weight |
1095g [156] 1185g [164] 1265g [172] |
Weight (pair) | 2190g [156] 2370g [164] 2530g [172] |
|
126.5-97-117 [156] 127.5-98-118 [164] 128.5-99-119 [172] |
Turn |
12.5m [156] 14.6m [164] 17.0m [172] |
Skin |
Round tip, curved tail with rubber protector |
Specs Verified | Yes |
Design | |
|
Rockered tip and tail (20%/10%), light camber underfoot (70%) |
|
HRZN Tech tip, shorter radius, mostly round tail |
|
HRZN Tech, Carbon Backbone with Ultra Power woodcore |
|
Carbon fiber and Karuba wood |
Skimo Co Says | |
Usage | Ski touring in soft snow and mixed conditions |
Notes | HRZN Tech spoon a rockered tip offers simple, fun turning |
Bottom Line | Well balanced ski for powder-heavy touring |
Compare to other Women's Skis |
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Questions & Reviews
My local ski shop has a pair of Atomic Backland 98’s 156cm for sale.
My question: I’m a male 5’8” 175lbs. Long time telly skier post-knee replacement. Thinking about an A/T setup. Do you think this ski is too small for me? I ski only pow and I’m dialing it back after knee replacement. Thanks!
Good question. For powder skiing, the longer one. But for firm and variable snow, the 164cm will ski better and be easier to handle.
Unfortunately, Atomic doesn't make a precut option for the Backland 98. Your best bet would be one of our various trim-to-fit offerings with a universal tip bail and tail clip. If you're mostly skiing powder/soft snow, I would highly recommend a mohair skin. If spring snow is in your future as well, you might opt for a mix - Contour and Pomoca are some of our favorites.
If you want to dive deeper into skins, email us at help@skimo.co!
I’ve been touring with my heavy inbounds skis and frame bindings and have decided to upgrade to a dedicated backcountry setup so I can hike for longer without my hips getting tired.
I was able to demo these skis and I actually really loved them. The conditions were pretty bad - basically sheet ice with some slush over top in spots, but I actually had an OK time on theses skis. I felt really stable and was even making good turns on the ice. (I also demoed the 88s and they felt horrible in comparison.)
I’m based in New England so I’m looking for a touring ski that will be good for the conditions here, and I’m looking for input on whether these are the right ones…
We get a lot of crust and crud in the backcountry here, and these skis seem like they are substantially lighter than every other popular touring ski option (Head Kore, Blizzard Zero G).
How do these skis perform on crusty/crud-y conditions? Are they too light/flexible for that type of skiing? Do you recommend I look for something different for East Coast conditions?
In general, lightweight touring gear doesn't handle crud very well. Doesn't have the dampness that alpine gear does. The Backland 98 is pretty damp by touring standards, which would make it a good option for your use case. You might also want to take a look at the Fischer Transalp 98 CTI. A bit heavier, but they'd make for a great variable snow setup. And plenty of fun in soft snow as well.
You're on the right track! The Rise Beyond 96 is a great ski that is carvy on firm snow and tons of fun on corn, and can still float well in powder due to its large shovel. It has a stiff, round flex profile that works quite well in many conditions. The Backland 98 will be a little more soft-snow oriented, along with the Hypercharger. The Backland loves shorter powder turns, and the Hypercharger is a fun and playful ski with some energy that will want to open it up a little more. I would lean towards the Volkls if optimizing a little bit more for adventure skiing/ski mountaineering and springtime, or one of the other two for more winter conditions.
If you'd like to discuss skis in more detail, feel free to email us at help@skimo.co!
into some options for you.
Based on your height/weight, the 156cm is right.
I'm 5'1" and ski mostly backcountry or skin up ski area and one downhill run, so I'm looking for a lighter ski for the uphill.
I would say I'm an advanced intermediate, but not super aggressive. Struggling to find something light, wide (95 or more), and short.
My current skis feel a bit short.
Would you recommend these for me?
These are a great balance of light, damp and stable! You could also check out the Elan Riptstick Tour 94 W ski. The unique rocker in the tip makes it very quick edge to edge.
Both of these skis will be easier to muscle around than your resort skis, simply because they're lighter. The Backlands are damp and playful, while the Hannibal is powerful. The Hannibal is stiffer, and is probably more fun to carve on groomers. Off groomers they might feel a bit clunkier in trees and moguls than the Backland.
So overall, I'd recommend the Backland, but you could go either way!
This would be a great ski for you! The dampness will help soak up variable conditions, while the ski is wide enough to float pretty well in powder but not so wide that it becomes a burden in other conditions.
The Backland 98 (same as the men's 100) are light and prefer powder skiing. The 107 will be your freeride model, skiing fast and in variable snow is their thing. Most people would probably put someone your size on the 164cm, but for powder skiing, the 172cm would be nice.
Bindings, unless you plan to ski this ski 90% of the time in a resort, get the Salomon MTN (or Atomic Backlands). The Shift is more a resort binding than a touring binding, and I gather you have plenty of resort gear already.
To dive in deeper, you can email us at help@skimo.co.
I am considering these skis but I can't decide the size, I am 163cm and would be skiing in all sorts of conditions (ice, powder, packed snow). Any thoughts ?
What would be a good size ski for 5'9" 135lb women intermediate skier in this ski? I live in California, primarily backcountry skiing out of mammoth lakes ca so conditions are a mixed bag.
I am also deciding between the atomic 95s or these 98s. What can I expect the differences to be?
What would be good skins for these skis? Would the raised tips create a gab between the skin and the ski and let in snow as im skinning on powder days?
Whatever your favorite skins are would be fine with these! As long as they are applied uniformly to your ski bases, I see no reason why snow would intrude near the tip. The ski tails are somewhat chunky so durable tail clips would be a nice skin feature.
I ski in the Lake Tahoe area where the snow is heavy. These seem like they would be a good ski for me. I ski a lot in a variety of terrain and conditions. I like to be able to make controlled turns. I'm wondering what length would be good for me. I'm 5'6 130 lbs. This to be my only touring ski. Thanks!
I think you could go with either the 164cm length or the 172cm length and both would be appropriate based on your height. Your decision on which one to go with should come down to what length of ski you are used to skiing--if you are used to longer skis, go long, if you are used to shorter skis, go short. It should also come down to what you prioritize in your skiing experiences. The shorter length will be easier to turn and maneuver, especially in tight or variable conditions. The longer length will be slightly less quick to turn, but will float a little better in deeper conditions and will be a little more stable at higher speeds. Either way, it's a great, versatile ski, and no matter which length you choose I think you'll have a blast!
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