#10 on this list
Bent 90
Atomic
The Atomic Bent 90 is aimed at playful intermediates, freestyle enthusiasts, and all-mountain skiers who view the entire mountain as a natural terrain park. With its twin-tip geometry and light swing weight, it is suited for skiers who prioritize popping off side hits, skiing switch, and sliding rails over aggressive, high-speed carving. Featuring a Light Woodcore paired with Atomic’s Resist Edge for durability on park features, the Bent 90 handles with exceptional nimbleness. Its dimensions (119-90-109mm in the 175cm length) combined with HRZN Tech tip and tail rocker provide a smeary, surfy personality. It pivots on a dime in tight spaces, releases turns effortlessly, and feels almost weightless in the air, making it one of the most playful platforms on the mountain. The trade-off is an undeniable lack of top-end stability and edge bite. Without metal reinforcement and featuring a softer tip flex, the Bent 90 chatters noticeably on firm morning ice and tends to get deflected when charging through heavy, frozen chop. It is an exceptional tool for creative, low-to-medium-speed resort exploration, but not for traditional directional carving. **Highlights** - Twin-tip profile with HRZN Tech for smeary, creative skiing - Low swing weight makes spinning and pivot turns effortless - Highly accessible flex profile tailored for park and side-hit riding - Reinforced Resist Edge adds durability for rails and natural obstacles - Budget-friendly price point for versatile resort use **Watch-outs** - Lacks edge hold and torsional bite on icy, hardpack snow - Tips chatter and deflect when driven fast through frozen crud
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#1 on this list
Santa Ana 97
Nordica
The Nordica Santa Ana 97 is engineered for intermediate to expert women who want a stout, confidence-inspiring all-mountain platform. Designed with an intentional balance of high-speed tracking and off-trail utility, it targets skiers who spend equal time charging down groomed hardpack, navigating chopped-up resort bowls, and working through tight tree corridors. At the core of the Santa Ana 97 is Nordica’s terrain-specific metal layup, which adjusts the width of the Titanal layer to tune torsional stiffness. Paired with a solid wood core and an all-mountain rocker profile, the ski delivers exceptional vibration damping and resolute edge security through variable crust and refrozen slush. When pushed into medium- and long-radius carves, the ski settles cleanly onto its edge with minimal tip chatter, inspiring confidence at elevated speeds. That damp, planted feel comes with trade-offs. The ski demands deliberate input from the driver to initiate tight, low-speed turns, making it less approachable for hesitant novices. While the 97mm waist offers respectable flotation in shallow to moderate powder, its substantial mass makes it noticeably more demanding to flick around in tight bumps compared to lightweight, carbon-dominated rivals. **Highlights** - Terrain-specific Titanal sheet for tuned vibration damping - Resolute edge bite on firm resort pack - Stable 97mm waist width for varied snow surfaces - Directional shape with early-rise tip and tail rocker - Heavy-duty build designed for high-speed tracking **Watch-outs** - Requires active, forward-driving technique to manage - Can feel demanding and heavy in tight moguls
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Specs side by side
| Spec | Bent 90 | Santa Ana 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All-Mountain Freestyle | Women's All-Mountain |
| Dimensions | 119-90-109 mm (175 cm) | 129-97-117 mm (173 cm) |
| Core Material | Light Woodcore (Poplar) | — |
| Camber Profile | Tip and Tail Rocker with Camber | — |
| Edge Build | Resist Edge | — |
| Typical Price | Around $550 | — |
| Profile | — | All-Mountain Rocker (Tip and Tail) |
| Core Materials | — | Performance Wood with Terrain-Specific Titanal |
| Skier Ability | — | Intermediate to Expert |
| Estimated Price | — | Around $800 |
What our reviewers liked and didn't
Bent 90
- Extremely low swing weight makes spins and aerial maneuvers effortless
- HRZN Tech tips and tails enable intuitive pivoting and easy turn release
- Reinforced Resist Edges offer elevated durability for terrain park rails
- Approachable flex profile ideal for intermediate all-mountain progression
- Lacks dampness, edge bite, and holding power on firm morning ice
- Tips chatter and deflect noticeably at speed in heavy chopped snow
Santa Ana 97
- Exceptional vibration damping and stability through tracked-out crud
- Uncompromising edge hold on firm resort hardpack and icy patches
- Terrain-specific metal tuning delivers high-speed power without deadness
- Sturdy construction built to withstand multiple seasons of heavy resort use
- Demanding swing weight requires active physical effort in tight moguls
- Unforgiving flex profile can punish passive or back-seated skiers
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