Atomic Redster C9 Carbon Skintec cross country skis review: for expert skiers with the need for speed

Boasting an adventurous design, Atomic Redster C9 Carbon Skintecs are ideal for expert skiers who want to travel fast and efficiently

By Berne Broudy
published
Atomic Redster C9 Carbon Skintec
(Image: © Berne Broudy)

Advnture Verdict

A high-performing, lightweight ski designed for experienced and classic skiers who want to travel fast and efficiently, with no energy being wasted. Equipped with mohair strips it grips beautifully and the Easy Skin Exchange offers excellent hassle-free versatility on race day.

Pros

  • +

    Easily swappable skins

  • +

    Extremely light

  • +

    Bonded plate and binding

Cons

  • -

    Expensive

  • -

    Binding mounting requires tools

You can trust Advnture Our expert reviewers spend days testing and comparing gear so you know how it will perform out in the real world. Find out more about how we test and compare products.

Atomic Redster C9 Carbon Skintec: first impressions 

Made for racing and high-performance training, the Atomic Redster C9 Carbon Skintec (available direct from Atomic Skis) is a light and stiff carbon fiber ski with a sidecut designed for speed. Which are just some of the reasons why it scores highly in our best cross country skis buying guide.

Specifications

• List price: $940 (US) / £630 (UK)
• Weight (per 145cm pair): 1,120g / 2lb 7.5oz
• Base: BI 6000, WC Grinding with mohair skin
• Edges: None
• Sidecut: 43 / 44 / 44
• Sizes: 187cm, 192cm, 197cm, 202cm, 207cm

The Redster C9 Carbon Skintec uses a sintered World Cup base with a special additive for glide and mohair strips for grip, and this combination creates a ski that is lightning fast on snow (so when it comes to choosing cross country skis these are not clearly not recommended for beginners).

The Redster C9 uses Atomic’s featherlight core reinforced with carbon fiber to give this ski an exceptional power-to-weight ratio.

Atomic Redster C9 Carbon Skintec: on the slopes

Atomic Redster C9 Carbon Skintec

Your boot and the Atomic Redster C9 Carbon Skintec will feel like one (Image credit: Atomic)

Sometimes carbon skis just feel stiff. This one feels energetic. And every bit of drive I put into it was noticeably translated into positive forward momentum. 

The bonded plate and binding system make your cross country ski boots and the skis feel like one, with no energy wasted whatsoever. However, I did find that mounting the binding isn’t as straightforward as it is on other skis with pre-installed plates. 

Because snow temperature changes, I love that this ski’s Easy Skin Exchange lets me change skins in a matter of seconds, without the need for tools. This feature lets racers and high-level skiers choose the right skin for the day minutes before heading out, with no waxing required. And the pure mohair strips give best-in-class grip.

Berne Broudy
Berne Broudy

Vermont-based writer, photographer and adventurer, Berne reports on hiking, biking, skiing, overlanding, travel, climbing and kayaking for category-leading publications in the U.S., Europe and beyond. In the field, she’s been asked to deliver a herd of llamas to a Bolivian mountaintop corral, had first fat-biking descents in Alaska, helped establish East Greenland’s first sport climbing and biked the length of Jordan. She’s worked to help brands clean up their materials and manufacturing, and has had guns pulled on her in at least three continents.