Lightweight, easy to ski, and confidence inducing for those big lines up in the high alpine. There’s not much else you need in a touring ski. The Atomic Backland 95 takes the powerful design features of a resort ski and implements them into a lightweight chassis designed for bagging peaks again and again and again. Starting at the core, the Backland 95 uses a blend of Caruba and Poplar which keep the weight down, but also give the ski a very energetic feel. Enhancing the core is Atomic’s Carbon Backbone which provides not only adds to the ski’s lively feel, but it also helps reduce vibration in choppy snow. A full sidewall construction adds stability, and power for those steep and technical lines filled with wind buffed, crusty snow. The Backland 95 features a directional rocker profile wherein there is camber underfoot for added power and edge hold, rocker in the tip to help with float in varying snow conditions, and a flat tail which provides a nice long effective edge as well as maximum contact for the climb to minimize slippage. A bit of taper to the tip and tail allows the ski to release easily for tight turns in tough snow so you don’t have to worry about skidding or jump turning your way down a steep and narrow couloir with these things. Out in the tip you will find Atomic’s HRZN tip which features a boat hull shape for added surface area and reduced tip deflection. This makes turn initiation very smooth and effortless and allows the ski to stay in its intended line a lot easier when skiing through choppy snow. Sitting at 95 millimeters under the boot, this ski sits in a sweet spot for a lot of skiers. We’re not always skiing super deep snow so the width of this ski provides plenty of surface area to get the right float in almost any snow condition, but it’s small enough to keep the weight down as well. Ultimately, the Backland 95 is a very well-balanced lightweight touring ski that provides premium downhill performance without sacrificing efficiency for long climbs.