Featured Image: Courtesy of Atomic
Fourteen years ago, Atomic introduced Chris Benchetler’s first pro model ski. At the time, it was a cutting-edge powder ski at 122 mm underfoot with a unique shape and twin rocker profile. In the late 2000s, Atomic had incredible race heritage but had yet to break into the free skiing market in a meaningful way, Chris and his first signature ski with Atomic changed that. For the ‘18/’19 season, Atomic released the Bent 100—a more approachable, directional, less rockered ski that was equally comfortable on the east and west coast. For ‘22/’23, Atomic is adding three new adult models to the Bent line—the Bent 110, 90 and 85 to accompany the Bent 120 and 100. Here’s the inside scoop on the revamped lineup of Bent family skis.
“Most of our free ski athletes have been skiing on the Bent line for the past few years,” Atomic North American Brand Manager Sean Kennedy said. “Those athletes were looking for a ski between the Bent 120 and 100 with a similar profile to the 120 for those non-blower powder days. We also had a lot of park and pipe athletes skiing on the 100 but they were looking for a more purpose-built freestyle ski and that was the inspiration for the Bent 90 and 85.”
Benchetler’s relationship with Atomic is unlike any other athlete-manufacturer partnership we’ve seen in the industry. Since his original pro model, Benchetler has led the design, artwork and R&D for each ski bearing his name. Atomic even made it official this year naming Benchetler as their new Creative Director At Large, meaning he will oversee the creative direction for the brand’s entire freeski range.
Benchetler kicked off the new role with a bold process to create the artwork for the entire line. He painted one canvas using different paints and mediums and the brand is segmenting it out to create the artwork for each ski in the line.
“Every year we’re surprised by the shape the artwork takes,” Kennedy said. “This year, he overlaid the canvas as a large screen print and started drawing the lines through the artwork based on what he saw in that bigger piece of art. It is a unique approach and we’re all excited about how it turned out.”
Eight years ago, Atomic introduced Horizon Tech in the Bent 120—a three-dimensional beveled tip and tail shape. The inspiration came from Benchetler’s close friend and pro surfer Rob Machado, who was surfing on a board with a 3D nose profile at the time. Horizon Tech will be featured in each ski in the new line except for the Bent 85.
Chris Benchetler takes a closer look at the final product. | PHOTO: Courtesy of Atomic
“The 3D beveled tip and tail profile adds 10-percent surface area to the ski without effecting the dimensions, sidecut, radius or overall shape,” Kennedy said. “It is purpose built for powder floatation in the Bent 110 and 120. In the Bent 90 and 100, Horizon Tech provides versatility with extra surface area to manage chop and other mixed snow conditions.”
The entire Bent family of skis is produced at Atomic’s factory in Altenmarkt, Austria—the largest ski-specific manufacturing facility in the world. Each model features a full poplar wood core that provides weight savings without sacrificing performance. The final layups for the Bent family were determined using the feedback from Atomic’s pro team after skiing numerous prototypes. The consensus is that the Bent 110 is going to become the daily driver for many of those pros and for athletes the world over.
“I can’t tell you how many chairlifts I’ve been on, riding a pair of Bent 120s, where I have had the person next to me say: ‘The 120 is sick, but it would be really sweet in a 110,’” Kennedy said. “This waist width is going to be very popular as it is not purely purpose built for powder snow.”
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