If powder touring is the game, lightweight fat skis are the cheat codes. The Atomic Backland 117 is one of the best backcountry skis in the world for earning your face shots. We have always admired how well the Backlands handle the descent. Over the last few seasons, Atomic has managed to maintain that top-of-the-line skiability while also shedding grams. The 2023 version, which features no structural updates over the previous Backland 117, surfs its way into the new ski season with an optimal ratio of freeskiing prowess to heft. Those HRZN tech tips, also seen in the famed Bent Chetler 120, plane up in every type of pow. The lightweight wood core and its carbon backbone give you enough strength to handle manky crud, crusts, and heavy mashed potatoes. And if the Bent Chetler 120 is either a) a little too freestyle-ish for you or b) sold out, the Backland 117 mirrors a lot of what makes that ski great. Where it differs, though, is in its more directional shape. Certain skiers who attack the fall line and often find themselves in big terrain may actually prefer this ski for that reason. It can be your meadow-hopper when the avy danger is high or your spine-slayer on the ultimate ski-cation. If the backlands beckon, the Backland 117 answers the call.