Atomic Redster Q9.8 Skis With Icon12 Gw Bindings 2026

The Ski

We've had a lot of skis come through this shop over the years, and the Q9.8 is one a few of us keep coming back to on our own days off - more than one of us owns two pairs, which tells you something. It's an 85mm waist ski built with the guts of a race ski but the width to actually get you through chopped-up snow instead of getting knocked around by it. That combination is rare. Most skis this narrow feel like they belong on a course. This one still pops over crud and holds its line when the snow gets beat up by lunchtime.

Who It's For

This is an advanced-to-expert ski, full stop. The 85mm waist and full sheet of Titanal underneath mean it wants to be driven - it rewards a skier who stands over the front of the ski and commits to an edge, not one who's still finding their balance on blues. If you're the type who wants to feel every bit of feedback coming back up through your boots on a groomer, and you like laying a ski over on edge and trusting it to hold, this is your ski. It's not forgiving at slow speeds, and a beginner or even a solid intermediate will find it demanding rather than fun. Where it shines is exactly what our staff use it for - carving hard groomers in the morning and still having a ski underneath them when the snow softens and chops up by afternoon.

Tech That Matters

The full sheet of Titanal is what gives this ski its race-ski backbone - it's the reason the Q9.8 holds an edge on firm snow instead of chattering off it. The Power Woodcore keeps that stiffness from feeling dead underfoot, so you still get some pop and feedback rather than just a plank. Atomic's Revoshock S sits in the tip and tail to soak up vibration before it travels up the ski, which matters most at speed on chattery snow. The Multi Radius Sidecut is the piece that lets this ski do two jobs - tighter arcs when you want to slalom a groomer, and a longer, more stretched-out turn when you open it up. It comes mounted with the Icon 12 GW binding, DIN 3-12, so there's headroom for a strong skier without overshooting into race-binding territory.

Check out the full mens skis lineup if you want to see how the Q9.8 stacks up against its stablemates, or browse skiing gear in general while you're at it.

Sizing

The Q9.8 comes in 166, 173 and 181cm, and because this is an advanced-expert ski, we'd steer most buyers toward a length that comes up around the nose to brow when the ski's stood next to them. A skier who charges hard and wants stability at speed should size toward the longer end - the 181 is built for someone who wants the ski to hold its line when things get fast and firm. A lighter or more finesse-oriented skier who still wants that Titanal feel but a touch more playfulness in tight turns should look at the 166 or 173.

Why Willis

We've been fitting Pittsburgh skiers since 1970, and skis like this - the ones with real intent behind them - are why we still do this in person instead of just online. Bring your boots in at any of our three locations and we'll check the binding fit and get your DIN set properly before you ever click in.