Review: Atomic Maverick 88 Ti Skis · 2024
By Curated Experts
Jake Renner, Bryant Leech and Leo Cocchiara
Atomic Maverick 88 Ti Skis · 2024
$389.97
$649.95
40% off
12 photos
The Curated Take
3.9/5
The Atomic Maverick 88 Ti skis are optimal for intermediate to advanced skiers seeking high performance on groomed runs and light off-piste terrains. The skis feature sturdy construction, titanal metal for stability, a medium-length turn shape, and an HRZN tip tech aiding turn initiation. They offer power, precision, and versatility, making them ideal for carving, speed stability, and durability. However, they are not very playful and their 88mm underfoot width makes them less suitable for deep snow.
Ideal for
- Offers a clean, quick, and crisp edge-to-edge transition, allowing for tight carves
- Solidly built ski with a layer of titanal metal in the core allows for stability at higher speeds and durability over time
- Damp, responsive ski provides a performance carve without sacrificing all-mountain versatility
Not ideal for
- Firm flex rating and less tail rocker make this ski feel less playful than alternative options
- Does not have enough girth to keep afloat in fresh snow
Flotation
Below average rating concerning flotation as this ski does not have a wide enough underfoot width at 88mm. I would not recommend going in fresh snow deeper than about 6"...Read more
There are better options if skiers are constantly seeking out powder conditions. While this does have enough rocker to handle 3-4" of fresh snow, I wouldn't love it in deeper...Read more
How ski shapes have developed over the past 20 years has been pretty amazing. We went from straight-cambered skinny skis to banana fat rockered skis and have found a happy...Read more
Carving
Overall, the Atomic Maverick 88 Ti skis are a solid choice for skiers seeking a high-performance downhill ski that excels on groomed runs and delivers stability across various terrain. Whether...Read more
Many companies are making skis that are supposed to do short and long-radius turns well, but I think Atomic nails it with this ski. The ski's lightness makes it a...Read more
The Atomic Maverick 88 Ti is a great choice for people who love to carve and want an all-mountain ski that can do it well. Atomic's OMatic core construction gives...Read more
High Speed Stability
The construction of the Maverick 88 Ti skis emphasizes stability and power. They feature a wood core with titanal metal, enhancing their stability, dampness, and energy transmission. This construction provides...Read more
This ski performs great at high-speed carves, and I think it's a great choice for someone who likes to go fast. Just note that when skiers trade off weight, they...Read more
One of the reasons I love the Maverick as a frontside, all-mountain ski is how good it feels at high speeds. As mentioned, Atomic uses a unique blend of carbon,...Read more
Playfulness
The feel of this ski is not so playful due to the firm flex rating, metal in the core, and shape and profile (partially rockered yet flatter of a tail)....Read more
This ski is light, which might translate to a feeling of playfulness, especially for larger skiers. However, it is a rather stiff ski that I wouldn't call playful, especially with...Read more
When we talk about playfulness in skiing, we usually think of flexy and forgiving skis with twin tips that are easy to smear and throw around the mountain. The Maverick...Read more
Durability
The Maverick 88 Ti receives an above-average rating for durability as it offers a solid build consisting of titanal metal, different types of wood, and layers of fiberglass. A two-year...Read more
I attend four to eight major industry ski demos each season and typically see the same fleets over and over again. One thing I always pay attention to is how...Read more
Turn Ease
This ski is ideal for general all-mountain terrain and intermediate to advanced skiers. The 19.2m turn radius is a medium-length turn shape and feels rather average concerning edge-to-edge transfers. The...Read more
These skis are a nice combination of stiff and light. This blend makes for a ski that is super responsive and feels quick on my feet. Most skis with this...Read more
The Maverick 88 Ti is a ski I love to start the season on. It's great for getting the legs back into the rhythm of turning the skis, especially on...Read more
Versatility
The Maverick 88 Ti skis offer precise and responsive carving capabilities on groomed terrain. They are known for their stability and edge hold, allowing for powerful and controlled turns. Additionally,...Read more
Atomic calls the Maverick 88 Ti "the North American all-mountain ski," meaning there's really nothing this ski can't handle on the resort from East to West outside of significantly deep...Read more
Curated Experts are not sponsored by brands. Their reviews are based on their honest experiences testing products.
Bryant Leech
About the ski gear
- Model: Atomic Maverick 88 Ti Skis · 2024
Test conditions
- What conditions I've used them: Powder, groomers, moguls, and choppy snow
- Where I’ve used these: Alta and Snowbird, UT
- How many times I've used it: 3
Expert Reviews of the Atomic Maverick 88 Ti Skis
Jake Renner The construction of the Maverick 88 Ti skis emphasizes stability and power. They feature a wood core combined with layers of titanal metal, which enhances their stability, dampness, and energy transmission. This construction provides a solid and responsive ride, allowing for strong edge hold and confidence at higher speeds.
Regarding on-snow performance, the Maverick 88 Ti skis excel in various conditions. The all-mountain rocker profile offers versatility and performance, with full tip rocker, a touch of tail rocker, and camber underfoot. The tip rocker enhances handling off-piste conditions and eases turn initiation, while the camber underfoot provides excellent edge grip and control on groomed runs and hardpacked snow.
The Maverick 88 Ti offers precise and responsive carving capabilities on groomed terrain. They are known for their stability and edge hold, allowing for powerful, controlled turns. Additionally, they perform well in moguls and variable snow, providing a smooth and confident ride.
Bryant Leech The Maverick 88 Ti is one of the better skis with metal that is also light on the user's feet. It holds a great edge on firm snow and carves beautifully on groomed slopes. Its rocker in the tip and tail can also handle when the groomers get chopped up a bit, and it is still confidence-inspiring. This is a great option for someone who wants a modern, light, and fast edge-to-edge ski that can handle a little bit of off-trail. I think there are better options if a majority of someone's time is spent on groomers, though these skis' lack of weight and fairly thin profile get deflected pretty easily off groomers. It also doesn't float very well, as it's pretty thin and lacks dramatic rocker lines.
Leo Cocchiara The Atomic Maverick 88 Ti is the classic all-mountain ski that marries a beautiful combination of lightweight, stable, and responsive skiing for high-level intermediate, advanced, and expert skiers who spend 70% or more of the time on groomed and front-side terrain. Atomic uses a unique blend of carbon, fiberglass, and titanal in its OMatic core, giving a very snappy, energetic, and responsive ride that makes the ski impressively light for its smooth and damp performance. This makes it a great choice for skiers frequently on harder packs and crusty snow from East to West.
Product Specs
| Age Group | Adult |
| Gender | Unisex |
| Includes bindings | No |
| Model year | 2024 |
| Ski type | All Mountain |
| Skill level | Intermediate, Advanced |
Review Ratings
Averaged between reviewers, view below how all experts voted.
Flotation
2/5
Jake Renner gave 2 of 5 stars. Below average rating concerning flotation as this ski does not have a wide enough underfoot width at 88mm. I would not recommend going in fresh snow deeper than about 6" as it's a bit tougher to keep the nose up out of the snow. The HRZN tip tech aids with initiating turns in lightly ungroomed terrain and bumps, so it's not terrible. Still, I would want something a tad wider for fresh snow and primarily ungroomed terrain.
Bryant Leech gave 2 of 5 stars. There are better options if skiers are constantly seeking out powder conditions. While this does have enough rocker to handle 3-4" of fresh snow, I wouldn't love it in deeper conditions. It would be a good East Coast ski for typical powder days with a hard crust underneath, as it would still provide a nice grip.
Leo Cocchiara gave 3 of 5 stars. How ski shapes have developed over the past 20 years has been pretty amazing. We went from straight-cambered skinny skis to banana fat rockered skis and have found a happy medium in modern shapes where flotation is defined not just by the waist width of the ski but also by the tip, tail, and rocker profiles. The Maverick is the ideal example of a carvable ski that performs well in soft snow. It skis with more float than skiers would think for being 88 underfoot due to the HRZN tech tip shape and rocker profile.
Carving
4/5
Jake Renner gave 3 of 5 stars. Overall, the Atomic Maverick 88 Ti skis are a solid choice for skiers seeking a high-performance downhill ski that excels on groomed runs and delivers stability across various terrain. Whether enjoying carving turns on the frontside or venturing into light off-piste conditions, the Maverick 88 Ti skis offer a combination of power, precision, and versatility to enhance one's all-mountain skiing experience.
Bryant Leech gave 5 of 5 stars. Many companies are making skis that are supposed to do short and long-radius turns well, but I think Atomic nails it with this ski. The ski's lightness makes it a blast to bend into and gets it to pop from edge to edge, making slalom-style turns possible. The strength of the metal allows for longer turning and stability at GS speeds. I would personally love to be on this ski every day if I were looking for something light that could perform any turn shape I could dream up.
Leo Cocchiara gave 5 of 5 stars. The Atomic Maverick 88 Ti is a great choice for people who love to carve and want an all-mountain ski that can do it well. Atomic's OMatic core construction gives a very snappy, energetic, and responsive ride that makes the ski impressively smooth and damp.
High Speed Stability
5/5
Jake Renner gave 5 of 5 stars. The construction of the Maverick 88 Ti skis emphasizes stability and power. They feature a wood core with titanal metal, enhancing their stability, dampness, and energy transmission. This construction provides a solid and responsive ride, allowing for strong edge hold and confidence at higher speeds.
Bryant Leech gave 4 of 5 stars. This ski performs great at high-speed carves, and I think it's a great choice for someone who likes to go fast. Just note that when skiers trade off weight, they lose a touch of the super top-end speed limit.
Leo Cocchiara gave 5 of 5 stars. One of the reasons I love the Maverick as a frontside, all-mountain ski is how good it feels at high speeds. As mentioned, Atomic uses a unique blend of carbon, fiberglass, and titanal in its OMatic core. It gives a very snappy, energetic, and responsive ride, making the ski impressively light for its smooth and damp performance.
Playfulness
3/5
Jake Renner gave 2 of 5 stars. The feel of this ski is not so playful due to the firm flex rating, metal in the core, and shape and profile (partially rockered yet flatter of a tail). Therefore, the 88 Ti is not recommended for jumping, buttering, or pressing into the nose or tail as it is not forgiving.
Bryant Leech gave 3 of 5 stars. This ski is light, which might translate to a feeling of playfulness, especially for larger skiers. However, it is a rather stiff ski that I wouldn't call playful, especially with the metal application that stiffens it up a good bit. Also, I personally struggle to find skis that are not twin-tipped to be playful.
Leo Cocchiara gave 4 of 5 stars. When we talk about playfulness in skiing, we usually think of flexy and forgiving skis with twin tips that are easy to smear and throw around the mountain. The Maverick isn't exactly that. While it's a very traditionally directional ski, it has enough rocker tip and tail and flex in the core to make it playful when skiers want to get outside of the box.
Durability
5/5
Jake Renner gave 5 of 5 stars. The Maverick 88 Ti receives an above-average rating for durability as it offers a solid build consisting of titanal metal, different types of wood, and layers of fiberglass. A two-year manufacturer's warranty ensures the ski is defect-free and performs well over time. Its firm flex rating keeps this ski intact for longer than softer skis, on average.
Leo Cocchiara gave 5 of 5 stars. I attend four to eight major industry ski demos each season and typically see the same fleets over and over again. One thing I always pay attention to is how well the skis age over the course of the season, and Atomics noticeably stands up really well. I never see the topsheets starting to look peeled or chipped up.
Turn Ease
4/5
Jake Renner gave 3 of 5 stars. This ski is ideal for general all-mountain terrain and intermediate to advanced skiers. The 19.2m turn radius is a medium-length turn shape and feels rather average concerning edge-to-edge transfers. The HRZN tip tech does help with turn initiation in lightly ungroomed conditions and bumps, so the Maverick 88 Ti does have this going for it regarding turn ease. Still, it's not the easiest to maneuver from side to side, yet not the hardest, but right in the middle.
Bryant Leech gave 5 of 5 stars. These skis are a nice combination of stiff and light. This blend makes for a ski that is super responsive and feels quick on my feet. Most skis with this characteristic, though, do not hold an edge as well as this ski does. It provides the rider with a very strong carving surface to allow for high edge angles and great hold.
Leo Cocchiara gave 5 of 5 stars. The Maverick 88 Ti is a ski I love to start the season on. It's great for getting the legs back into the rhythm of turning the skis, especially on early-season snow and fresh corduroy. The HRZN tech tips deliver catch-free turn initiation with a great carving radius for quick and snappy turns.
Versatility
4/5
Jake Renner gave 3 of 5 stars. The Maverick 88 Ti skis offer precise and responsive carving capabilities on groomed terrain. They are known for their stability and edge hold, allowing for powerful and controlled turns. Additionally, they perform well in moguls and variable snow, providing a smooth and confident ride. While the Maverick 88 Ti skis are primarily designed for on-piste performance, they can also handle a touch of off-piste adventures. Their moderate waist width and versatile construction enable them to navigate through softer snow and light powder with stability and control. I gave the Maverick 88 Ti an average rating as they don't really accommodate freestyle skiers or big mountain terrain.
Leo Cocchiara gave 4 of 5 stars. Atomic calls the Maverick 88 Ti "the North American all-mountain ski," meaning there's really nothing this ski can't handle on the resort from East to West outside of significantly deep powder. It's a great choice for a wide range of skiers with plenty of surface area in various conditions.
FAQs
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Jake Renner My favorite moment with this ski was when Hayden and I got to go back-to-back with the Volkl Kendo 88s. Having two pairs of skis that rival each other in build and relative feel was an incredible experience to reflect on. We got to compare and contrast the nitty-gritty of these two skis, neck and neck, in our Head-2-Head series on YouTube.
Why did you choose this product?
Jake Renner We had a bluebird groomer day one of our content week. Hayden and I chose a narrower ski underfoot to start the day, as the snow was still relatively hardpacked.
Overall, the Atomic Maverick 88 Ti skis are a solid choice for skiers seeking a high-performance ski that excels on groomed runs and delivers stability across various terrain. Whether skiers enjoy carving turns on the frontside or venturing off-piste, the Maverick 88 Ti skis offer a combination of power, precision, and versatility to enhance their all-mountain skiing experience.
What is the value for the money versus other options?
Jake Renner The Atomic Maverick 88 Ti retains its value over time as its solid build and versatile nature keep this ski relevant for a wide range of conditions. Not to be used for backcountry skiing or deeper powder days, but if an intermediate to advanced skier is looking for an all-mountain ski with downhill stability and durability, the Maverick 88 Ti is spot on. It shares the same price point as similar alternative skis, so it is fairly average concerning the value of the money spent. Look for solid discounts or connect with a Curated Expert before pulling the trigger, as there may be a better deal on the market for the competition, such as the Volkl Kendos, Nordica Enforcer 88s, or Blizzard Brahmas.
Bryant Leech I would compare this to other skis around 88 underfoot. Two popular skis that fall on either side come to mind when comparing the Maverick 88 Ti. One is the Elan Ripstick 88, a light ski for those interested in enjoying the mountain. I believe the Maverick offers the rider a bit more in terms of high-end performance on a hardpack than that ski, though. It has a higher top end than the Elan. The other ski that comes to mind is the Blizzard Brahma 88, which is much heavier and more supportive for larger individuals. I think the Maverick 88 Ti ski fits in pretty nicely between those two.
What do you love about this product?
Jake Renner The Maverick 88 Ti offers a relatively stable ride and versatile option for intermediate to advanced skiers who frequent harder snow conditions and groomed terrain. Although the Maverick 88 Ti is more geared toward on-piste conditions, I do like how this ski feels in light bumps and light, fresh snow, as the HRZN tip tech helps to keep the nose of the ski on top of the snow relative to other skis at this width underfoot.
Bryant Leech This ski has excellent edge control and is very manageable from the first turn. It's very intuitive to ski. For something with metal, it also feels light and lively while holding a good edge, which is unique to this ski.
Leo Cocchiara I love how snappy and responsive the Maverick is. It's a really exciting ski to get up on edge and whip around on.
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Jake Renner
Ski ExpertBryant Leech
Ski ExpertLeo Cocchiara
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