Curated Expert Rob G. got his hands on the 2023 Atomic Maverick 88 Ti and put it to the test at Powder Mountain in Utah. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but don’t forget, every skier is unique; if you have any questions on the Maverick 88 Ti or would like recommendations on what ski would be ideal for your needs, reach out to a Ski Expert here on Curated.

Before we jump in, a quick note that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands, all of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Atomic claim about this ski? Atomic calls the Maverick 88 Ti a narrow directional all-mountain ski and I absolutely agree. This would make a great one ski quiver for an East Coast skier or a great ski for groomer days for someone who's skiing west of the Continental Divide.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of this ski? On my first run, I took this ski down a trail that had about half an inch of fresh snow over a fairly hard surface that had refrozen from the night before. I was really impressed when I was trying to hold an edge on that surface. The ski was able to hold an edge, but it was also capable of smearing turns very well, which isn't always true of a ski this narrow.

Carving

How does the ski feel when it comes to turning? The ski has a 19.5-meter turn radius. That's a fairly big turn radius for a frontside ski, so it's really ideal for people who like to make medium turns. But, for a ski with that turn radius, I found that it was pretty maneuverable for shorter turns as well.

How is the carving, and what was the edge hold like? This ski is designed for someone who likes to spend a fair amount of their time carving on groomers. The edge hold was great. I found there was a nice amount of rebound and energy out of the turn for an 88-millimeter waisted ski.

Is it damp? Do they chatter? This is a fairly damp ski on really firm, uneven terrain. You might get a little bit of tip chatter, but I was really happy with how the ski absorbed vibrations skiing over refrozen groomed terrain.

How do they perform at speed? The shovels are a little bit on the softer side, which makes the ski a little bit more forgiving, but it might not be the best if you really like top-end speed.

Freestyle

Are these skis freestyle-friendly? These are definitely not a ski for the park. They're fairly heavy. The Titanal frame is designed to add dampness, but they're not a particularly poppy ski. That said, if you like hitting the occasional jump, there's nothing on the ski that says you can't. And I definitely hit a couple of side hits with them.

Freeride

How is it in terms of maneuverability? For a directional ski, this is fairly maneuverable. I think if you want to make super surfy turns through the trees, there are other skis that are better. But if you like finding your hole and driving the skis through them, this is a great ski to do that on.

What terrain would you recommend this ski for? If you're a strong skier who skis mostly in the East, but takes a couple of trips out West each year, this would be a great ski to consider.

What terrain is the ski not ideal for? This is definitely not a park ski. If you spend a lot of your time in the park, there are other skis that are poppier and have a better swing weight. But, if you like bombing down groomers, and if you like skiing a wide variety of terrain, this is a great ski.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this ski to? This is a ski that someone who drives their skis is going to appreciate. I'd say the target spot is a strong, advanced skier, but anyone from a strong-intermediate to expert skier could be happy on this ski.

Who should avoid this ski? I would not recommend this ski for a beginner skier. I think you want to be a strong intermediate with a neutral to forward stance.

No one ski is perfect for every skier, but the goal of Curated Experts is to help you find the right ski for you to have the best time on the hill. Reach out to Rob G. or another Ski Expert here on Curated for free, personalized recommendations on the right setup for you. Note that the 2024 version of the Atomic Maverick 88 Ti is linked below - same tech, just different graphic: