[Editor’s Note: This Atomic Bent 90 review was originally published in 2022, but the ski has only had a graphic update for 23/24.]
Bents for All
The Atomic Bent 90 represents the narrowest model in the new Bent family. Atomic managed to pack the same amount of fun that we’ve had on the Bent Chetler 120, the new Bent 110, and 100 all in a smaller package. While testing, staff came down from every lap with that “skiing is so freaking awesome” grin on their face. We wanted to share their feedback in this compiled Atomic Bent 90 review, and give you a glimpse if the 90 is the right Bent for you.
Read our Atomic Bent 110 review
Atomic Bent 90 Review: Field Notes
The Atomic Bent 90 inherits a very similar construction to the Bent 100, which remains unchanged from it’s former life as the Bent Chetler 100 the last few years. The best-selling Bent Chetler 100 consistently hit the sweet spot as a fun ski that can easily be skied by folks from all skill levels and feels just as playful as it does locked in. That’s hard to find.
Both skis show off a much more directional shape than their wider counterparts. A flatter tail and slightly less tip rocker provide an elongated effective edge for better performance on firmer snow. Just hand-flexing the Bent 110 and 90, the 90 is significantly stiffer, but still quite a soft flex compared to the metal laminate all-mountain skis we see these days. While the Bent 100 is a nimble turner, the Bent 90 should feel even quicker with a narrower waist and offer even more stability on firm snow. It also weighs less a bit less, coming in at a scant 1600 grams per ski.
We tested the Bent 90 at Loveland Ski Area on one beautiful, bluebird day with spring corn, and another on a overcast, impending storm day with much firmer conditions. Nothing was too deep, so we didn’t get a chance to test the Bent 90 in softer snow.
Groomers
Andrew: It feels so solid on edge and I could lay it over with ease. The flex is solid and consistent, which made for a consistent and predictable ride. To me, it felt drive-able and easy to ski.
Justin: This ski feels light and nimble underfoot, and holds an edge in any place worth skiing. For a 90mm-ish ski, this is about as much fun as you can have. It has a bit of a speed limit on truly frozen surfaces, but you can still carve anything besides sidewalk pavement.
Chase: The camber underfoot really helps you lay this ski over, even though the construction is nice and soft. Even just carving, I could tell it was super playful. I felt like it brought out my inner park rat (and I’m not even close to a park rat), and made for a really playful ride no matter what trails I was on.
Bumps and Trees
Ryan: The Bent 90 is super easy to maneuver in bumps! It’s poppy and light. I was really impressed with how well it held an edge in spite of our slightly-firm conditions. It’s just a solid all-mountain ski that’s overall fun.
Mikey: I loved how the tails held their ground in carves, but very easy to release them to cut speed or rip a turn in bumps. There’s also a lot of pop making them very playful on jumps and bumps.
Jonathan: Super quick! Really quick and nimble in bumps. Actually feels fairly easy to ski despite tight lines and needing to take quick turns. For how light it is, I thought it provided good edge hold and energy.
Powder and Mixed Snow
Alex: I got a chance to ski the Bent 90 a different day than the other folks, and was able to ski some “mixed snow” (I hesitate to call it soft). For me, it felt difficult to drive the ski through heavier, firmer stuff. Once I figured out that it could quickly navigate the chop with quick turns, I had a lot of fun finding a line and taking snappy turns.
Jonathan: It definitely deflected a bit in mixed snow. For how light it is, this isn’t super surprising.
Downside?
By far the biggest downside among our testers was stability at high speeds in really firm or choppy, mixed conditions. Considering how lightweight the ski is, we weren’t necessarily surprised by this. Light weight skis tend to not track as well as their heavy counterparts, without the assistance of gravity keeping them pulled down to the snow.
Bottom Line
The old Bent Chetlers always appealed to a wide range of skiers and skier types. Not only do they perform for the seasoned expert, but they are easily skied by someone buying their first pair of personal sticks. The Bent 90 in particular is confidence-inspiring, without being punishing. Smooth and reliable edge hold keeps you feeling stable, but the releasable tails help you dip out of a line you don’t like. At the same time, the edge hold is so solid, most folks didn’t notice the speed limit until hitting pretty high speeds. Its poppy construction gives it a lively energy that many skiers will love.
The Bent 90 may not hold up to waist deep snow or bulletproof FIS runs, but it will make a whole lot of skiers really happy. If you prioritize a playful, energetic, and quick ride that can handedly cruise through all the various conditions the whole mountain throws at you, the Bent 90 is a great choice for beginners to advanced skiers alike.
The Bent family receives a lot of love in our 2023-2024 Buyer’s Guide. You can get the details here.
