Skis of the Year

ATOMIC

Bent Chetler 120

$900

D: 143-120-134mm

R: 19m

Even after 10 years, the Atomic Bent Chetler is as relevant as ever, and a new design for 2019 makes it even better as a backcountry pow stick. This year, the ski is 10 percent lighter (weighing 1900 grams) with a wood core and tip to tail carbon backbone. The fat girth and 40 percent of rocker is ideal in powder, but the capper is the HRZN Tech, which adds more surface area to increase float while lessening tip deflection at no added swing weight. Imagine a boat hull gliding through waves: This rocker profile does that for snow. The combination made me feel super confident in deeper and chopped-up snow. I could press the charge button and fly through anything in my path.

—Wally Phillips

DY NASTAR

PROTO Factory

$900

D: 145-118-135mm

R: 24m

As more ski companies scale down their offerings in order to meet mass-market appeal, it’s refreshing to find a ski that’s an unapologetic bruiser.