The Lowdown

The Atomic Bent Chetler 110 hits the mark of delivering all the attributes that make the 120 my favorite ski, but in a more well rounded package. I have about 40 days of skiing on them so far both in-bounds and touring and have been impressed.

Skiing the 110 & 120 back to back, you notice that the 110 feels a bit more serious, a bit more hard charging but also a bit more versatile. It handles variable conditions, hard pack much better than the 120, thanks to the stiffer and narrower chassis. While they ski pretty similar you notice the stoutness and how it affects the ski. It’s much more stable at high speed and the counter to that is you lose some of the looseness in the tail. I found it wanted to hook up and accelerate where the 120 would allow you to smear the tails and dump speed, especially in denser wind affected snow. I liked the symmetrical rocker pattern and location of the sidecut on this ski more than the Bent 100. This addresses everything I was hoping for in the Bent 100 but in a more versatile waist for the western mountains.

Ride Impressions

For context, I’ve been skiing all the previous iterations of the Bent Chetler family since the very first Tokyo Subway Map graphic. The current 120 chassis paired with a Shift has been my everyday ski for the past 4 seasons, both resort skiing and touring.

As a new ski to Atomic’s lineup I was really excited with how the Bent 110 slotted into the mix based on my skiing style. I have about 40 days between two pairs now and I really love the stability and quickness of the 110, it was immediately noticeable compared to the 120s. I plan to use these for days when it doesn’t snow much or hasn’t snowed and conditions are variable and need a ski that doesn’t get knocked around as easily as the 120s. I partly wonder if I should have gone to the 180cm size to make it a bit more playful given I knew I would keep my Bent 120s for deep days.

Jumping on the ski it was easy to find the balance point on right away, more so than the Bent 100. (Had I got the 180cm length I would probably retire my 100mm Bents altogether, as it seems like a better shape for the park as well.) On groomers they railed despite being as wide as they are. With a turn radius of 19 meters the 110 didn't feel overly aggressive when put on edge but also didn’t feel like a challenge to get them over or stuck making the same turn shape regardless of energy and effort. When it came to skiing softer snow it was noticeable the extra length in the camber compared to extra rocker with the 120. It’s a bit less forgiving that way but it is also nice to have something that in variable conditions will be a bit more predictable in how it handles.

The weight and shape make for a pretty decent touring ski for most conditions out West. It’s not going to be the lightest going up but is relatively light compared to other skis with a similar waist width, so it strikes a good balance of ease on the up with fun on the way down. Where I found it challenging going up was with the skin tail clips sliding to the side, specifically Pomocas. I never had an issue with the Atomic skins paired to my 120s and have heard feedback from folks putting different tail clips on their Pomocas for similar reasons so it may not be the ski at all but to address this I filed a small little slot on the flat part of my tails for the tail clip to lock in. I have had no issues since and the removal of a couple mm of the plastic ABS material doesn’t affect how the ski performs.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Who Are They For?

This ski is sure to have a following of folks that have been drawn to Chris Benchetlers previous ski designs both in shape and art. It will be the perfect ski for someone who has wished the Bent Chetler 120 was a bit better all around without compromising too much in deep snow.

For those who haven’t skied on one of Chris’ skis because of concerns that the 120 was too wide, too soft or too rockered this might be your answer. I’m not saying it’s the best ski at any one thing but you’ll be hard pressed to find something as fun, energetic and playful in all conditions and all terrain.

From the Brand

The Atomic Bent 110 takes a similar approach to the mountain as the Bent Chetler 120, with slightly less width. It’s Jossi Wells’s go-to ski for backcountry freestyle, charging lift-served pow laps and days where it’s deep, but not 120-deep. The Bent 110 is designed with HRZN Tech Tip and Tail for a playful performance and better float through blower without adding bulk to the ski. The 110 features a bit less rocker in the tail than the 120 but still charges through variable chop and crud. A Light Woodcore reduces weight and keeps the performance responsive. With topsheet and base art by Chris Benchetler, the 110 is wholly reflective of his approach to the mountains: creative and unique.