SkiKitInfo.com has the world’s most comprehensive guide to Atomic Backland touring skis, for everything from ski-mo racing to epic powder days.
We look at design, construction, strengths, weaknesses, boot and binding compatibility and who each model will work best for and more.
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We test and review so you can get the best information available about the kit you’re interested in, to help you make informed decisions. Hey, we all want a massive smile on our faces when skiing, and the right kit helps.
Backland skis are made for skiers that want to go uphill under their own power, using touring skins. The range caters for everything from super-fast ascents and ski-mo races to fat, light freeride floaters.
For winter 20/21, Atomic’s really focussed on their Backland skis after last season’s updates to their Backland ski touring boots.
They’ve done a lot of work on their women’s range of Backland skis, which were due an upgrade, and the new skis are a real improvement.
There’s a new 100mm Backland for men, a key width that’s a good addition to the line-up. There are further upgrades to the lighter-weight options too.
ATOMIC BACKLAND SKI RANGE
There’s a massive range of Backland skis for anyone that fancies a little bit of skinning, with widths from the svelte Backland 65 UL up to the massive Backland 117 (which they don’t list on their site in Europe, but they do in North America).
Read on to find out all about the build and benefits of the Backland range, or jump straight down to the Backland freeride / freetour, standard Backland touring or Backland UL & SL ski reviews.
Core construction
The woodcore in Backland skis is one of two combinations.
The wider models, including the Backland 98 W up to the Backland 117, have the Ultra Power woodcore.
This uses a blend of beech and poplar wood, as seen in their race skis, for power, drive and stability without being too heavy.
All of the other Backland skis use the Ultra Light woodcore, which mixes poplar and karuba woods. You still get a good level of stability and skiing performance from the poplar wood, but using karuba (rather than beech) makes these skis lighter.
Other materials, such as carbon, can be added to the core to make them perform in the way Atomic wishes; it’s not just about the woods used.
Sidewall design
The Backland skis have a Dura Cap Sidewall casing, where a sidewall runs along the ski, with a little top-sheet rollover. This slight capping is there to better protect against knocks, dinks and chipping, without sacrificing the drive of a decent sidewall. The length of the sidewall depends on the ski model.
The only ski not to feature this sidewall and cap combination is the Backland 65 UL, which is a full cap ski. This ski is about being the lightest possible, as it’s so focussed on uphill speed.
Rocker
The rocker-camber profile of the Backland skis goes hand-in-hand with the wood core.
If the ski has the Ultra Power woodcore (anything 98mm underfoot or wider), then it features Atomic’s Powder Rocker shape, with 20% tip rocker, 70% camber and 10% tail rocker.
Anything 95mm or less, in the Backland range, features the All-Mountain Rocker. Here, the tip rocker runs for 15% of the length of the ski, then it’s standard camber with no quoted tail rocker.
These skis do still have a rise in the tail though, so some tail rocker is there, but they don’t quote it. This helps the tails release from the turn.
Horizon tech
All of the adult Backland skis feature HRZN TECH, where the shovel of the ski has a chamfered angle on the base.
This creates a shape a bit like the nose of a spoon, which Atomic claims increases flotation by around 10% without making the shovel wider. This shaping has filtered down from the Chris Benchetler backcountry freestyle skis, originally inspired by surfboard design.
It does have a positive impact on how the skis behave, and is a better solution than just increasing shovel width.
Tip notch for ski-mo style skin attachment
All of the narrower Backland skis have a notch in the tip of the ski, as shown in the Backland 78, above. This feature’s on the Backland 95 and all narrower Backland models.
The notch allows you to use a ski-mo style bungee / rubber tip skin attachment, rather than a standard bail.
This makes for quicker transitions to / from skinning mode, and it’s generally lighter. It also means you can attach the skins by starting at the rear of the ski, then the stretchy bungee / rubber simply slots into the notch. If you like to remove the skins without stepping out of the binding, then it’s typically easier if you use this bungee-style system.
You can still use skins with a bail tip attachment on these narrower Backland models, you just miss out on that convenience.
Touring skins
Not sure about skins? Check out our Touring Skins 101 article to learn more. In that article we talk of the brands that make skins; all of Atomic’s skins are made by Contour.
Atomic offers pre-cut skins for these narrower skis, saving you any worry of having to trim your own skins.
You can get the skins with a hybrid glue and 100% mohair, or traditional glue and 70% mohair / 30% nylon mix. The hybrid glue is easier to clean than a traditional glue and it’s easier to separate skins if you don’t use cheat sheets. Some prefer the adhesion of a traditional hotmelt glue and accept they need to take care to keep the glue clean.
The Backland 65 UL only has one option; a straight cut skin with traditional glue and 100% mohair.
For the wider skis, you’d have to get a trim-to-fit skin. These are 100% mohair and use Atomic’s hybrid glue. Don’t worry though, as trimming skins is really not that tricky; Atomic has a video to show you how to do it.
Custom skis
There’s a custom programme from Atomic, where you can order the Backland 107 and 85 with a customised graphic, if you’re in Europe. Unfortunately the custom option’s not available in North America.
BACKLAND FREERIDE TOURING / FREETOUR SKIS
These are the wider skis in the Backland range, providing excellent flotation and skiing performance. They’re built to keep weight low too, making skinning for fresh lines as effortless as possible so you’ve got loads of energy to shred your way back down.
Backland 117
Lengths: 177, 184, 191cm
Sidecut: 140.5-117-129.5mm in 184cm
Radius: 19.0m in 184cm
Weight per ski: 1,880g in 184cm
Price: £650 / €699.99 / $799.99*
The biggest in the Backland line, the 117 is not listed on Atomic’s website for Europe, being more applicable for their North American market. However, some specialist retailers can carry it in Europe, if you are seeking something this wide.
Featuring a poplar and beech woodcore, the stability of this ski is made even stronger by the addition of the carbon backbone; a carbon insert that runs centrally above the core, for the length of the ski.
It’s a pure powder beast. At well under 2kg per ski it’s easily light enough to skin with, but this ski’s mostly about float and having fun in epic backcountry conditions.
TESTED: Backland 107
Lengths: 175, 182, 189cm
Sidecut: 137-107-124mm in 182cm
Radius: 18.5m in 182cm
Weight per ski: 1,550g in 182cm
Price: £550 / €699.99 / $699.99*
The Backland 107 has been a popular ski for Atomic and apart from a graphic update, it’s the same as last season.
Poplar and beech gives freeride performance in a ski that’s lovely and light. The stability of the 107’s enhanced by a carbon insert that runs the length of the ski, on top of the wood.
This ski has many freeride fans, and you can understand why when you realise how well it performs. Yes, it easily skins uphill, as it’s just over 1.5kg, but the ride quality leaves you grinning from ear-to-ear.
Watch our ski test video of the Backland 107 to find out if this ski would work for you.
Boot and binding compatibility
Due to the power you get from the core of this ski, you can use a beefier boot (rather than a super-light touring boot) as this ski doesn’t easily get overpowered. Boots like the new Atomic Prime XTD or Salomon Shift Pro boots work well with this ski.
You can use pin bindings but something like the Shift or Marker Duke PT would be ideal. The Shift is the lighter of those two options.
Backland 107 W
Lengths: 159, 167, 175cm
Sidecut: 135-108-122mm in 167cm
Radius: 15.8m in 167cm
Weight per ski: 1,470g in 167cm
Price: £550 / €699.99 / $699.95*
This is a new model for the women’s Backland range. It the same as the men’s ski (above) but in some shorter, wider options and a clean new graphic.
Typically, shorter length options of a model are narrower, but the Backland 107 W is a bit of a renegade in that respect. The two shorter lengths are 108mm underfoot, rather than the 107mm of all the other lengths in the women’s and men’s options.
Beautifully floaty, the 107 W is an incredible ski for female skiers wanting to hunt fresh lines under their own steam. If you’re an advanced or expert skier that loves skinning for powder tracks, this could be just the tool you’re seeking.
The Backland 107 W is the go-to model for pro-freeski athletes Izzy Lynch and Lucy Sackbauer. If it’s got the guts for those girls, why not give it a go?
Backland 100
Lengths: 164, 172, 180, 188cm
Sidecut: 129.5-100-120mm in 180cm
Radius: 19.2m in 180cm
Weight per ski: 1,380g in 180cm
Price: £500 / €649.99 / $699.99*
The men’s 100 and women’s 98 are new skis for winter 20/21 and they’re excellent additions. They’re the same skis, with different graphics.
As the women’s model is available in shorter lengths, the waist width is narrower; 97-99mm depending on length, versus 98-101mm for the men’s Backland 100.
These skis are a superb width and they offer a cracking blend of low weight, flotation and stability.
Backland 98 W
Lengths: 156, 164, 172cm
Sidecut: 127.5-98-118mm in 164cm
Radius: 14.6m in 164cm
Weight per ski: 1,200g in 164cm
Price: £500 / €599.99 / $699.99*
The Bent Chetler 100 has been a very successful addition to the Atomic range since it was introduced a couple of seasons ago, and it’s easy to see the Backland 100 and 98 W following in it’s footsteps.
The Ultra Power, poplar and beech, woodcore is used in these skis, with improved stability from the carbon backbone.
Boot and binding compatibility
As with the wider skis, you can readily use a freeride touring boot with either of these skis. You can use some of the stiffer touring boots too, but be selective about which boot you use, as this ski still has quite a bit of power and needs a boot that can deliver enough lateral drive.
If you want an all-round freeride and touring ski, that will also let you blast about the pistes, chase mates, ski with the family and have the odd weekend of hut-to-hut fun, then the 100 and 98 W are great skis to consider.
Mount a Shift binding on them and you can do a bit of everything. For this season they’ve introduced a DIN 4-10 version, which will work for a even more people.
Backland 95
Lengths: 169, 177, 185cm
Sidecut: 126.5-95-115mm in 177cm
Radius: 18.0m in 177cm
Weight per ski: 1,350g in 177cm
Price: £450 / €549.99 / $699.99*
This is the ski that provides a bridge between the touring and freeride orientated markets, and the 95mm width is a real sweet-spot for freetour skiing.
Atomic is not alone in offering a performance orientated, lightweight mid-90mm ski for freetour skiers. This means there’s a lot of competition, but the Backland 95 is a worthy contender. There are some lighter skis out there, but often to make something light you need to throw a lot of carbon at it and this can make them surprisingly stiff or inconsistent in their flex.
The Backland 95 features the carbon backbone, mentioned above for the wider models. This adds stability and energy without being overly stiff. The core is a light poplar and karuba wood mix.
Boot and binding compatibility
Unlike the wider skis, the 95 is better suited to lighter weight touring boots, and works well with the Atomic Backland Carbon. You can ski it with some of the stiffer freeride touring boots, like the Atomic’s Ultra XTD 120 and 100 boots, but you run the risk of overpowering the ski if you’re not careful in boot choice.
Whatever boot you use, keep them light, as with the bindings; there’s no benefit to using heavier kit. As always with touring kit, it’s very important to match the ski, binding and boot to get the most of your set-up.
STANDARD BACKLAND TOURING SKIS
These skis are narrower and lighter than those above, and are far more focussed on time spent skinning uphill.
Don’t let this put you off though, if skiing’s your thing. They have wood cores, carbon to add performance, moderate tip rocker and a short tail lift, along with HRZN TECH. This all adds up to a fun time skiing back down from wherever you’ve skinned to.
They offer great value for the up and downhill performance you get.
The construction of these skis mean they can be a little easier to handle than the UL and SL versions, below, and therefore work well for those just getting into ski touring.
Boot and binding compatibility
For these skis, you’re better off using dedicated ski touring boots with a pin binding.
Frame touring bindings are too heavy and spoil the flex of the ski.
Heavier, stiff freeride touring boots aren’t a great match as you don’t need something that stiff. There’s also no point getting a narrow, light ski and putting a heavy boot and binding on; it just doesn’t make sense.
Backland 85
Lengths: 158, 165, 172, 179cm
Sidecut: 117-85-105.5mm in 172cm
Radius: 17.0m in 172cm
Weight per ski: 1,240g in 172cm
Price: £400 / €449.99 / $599.99*
The Backland 85 is the widest of the outright touring skis from Atomic. All of the skis mentioned above work well for skinning and touring, but also crossover into the freetour world. The 95 works superbly as a multi-day hut-to-hut ski, but the 85 is too narrow to be thought of as a freeride type ski.
The 85 has the Ultra Light poplar and karuba core, backed up by a carbon backbone.
85mm is a good width for touring without totally sacrificing skiing ability. It’s narrow enough to not cause torque issues through the knees when traversing (as some people get with 100mm+ skis). The width, HRZN TECH tip and the front rocker provide enough float to still have a fab time skiing.
Backland 85 W
Lengths: 151, 158, 165cm
Sidecut: 115-85-103.5 in 158cm
Radius: 15.0m in 158cm
Weight per ski: 1,060g in 158cm
Price: £400 / €449.99 / $599.99*
This may not be a new ski, but we think the new graphic is a great improvement. Otherwise, this is the same ski as last season and the same as the men’s ski, above.
The Backland 85 W is a cracking adventure touring ski. If you love skinning but still want some powder fun, the 85 will keep a smile on your face.
Backland 78
Lengths: 149, 156, 163, 170, 177cm
Sidecut: 112-79-101mm in 170cm
Radius: 17.5m in 170cm
Weight per ski: 1,200g in 170cm
Price: £330 / €349.99 / $599.99*
Of the standard Backland range, this is the key model if you’re massively into your time skinning uphill, but still want something that skis well.
The Backland 78 has changed for this season, and confusingly is not actually 78mm underfoot; it’s now 79mm. The geometry and lengths available have changed, so it’s hasn’t simply got fatter underfoot.
This may seem pretty skinny if you’re used to wider freeride style skis, but this is a good width if you spend a lot of your day heading uphill. It’s light and offers really good value.
You still get the benefit of a moderate tip rocker, which is further improved by the use of HRZN TECH. Even though this is quite a narrow ski, the profile at the front does help to lift the shovel in soft and variable snow. If you’re a lighter person, and you want a lighter option than the 85, but still with decent skiing performance, the 78 is an excellent choice.
If you’re heavier, or are more focussed on skiing, then you may have a better time on the 85 or 95, accepting that they’re heavier. They also offer a little more skiing performance as they have carbon backbone, which isn’t part of the construction of the 78 or 78 W.
If you’re more about the up, the 78 and 78 W could be your skis of choice. If you have the money, the UL and SL versions, below, are even better.
Backland 78 W
Lengths: 149, 156, 163cm
Sidecut: 110-79-99mm in 256cm
Radius: 13.6m in 156cm
Weight per ski: 1,060g in 156cm
Price: £330 / €349.99 / $599.99*
The Backland 78 W name may remain but it’s a new ski for winter 20/21, and has the same changes as the Backland 78, above.
It carries a new graphic too, to match the rest of the women’s Backland range, and it really looks great. It’s not the brightest ski though, so finding it if you take a tumble in powder could be interesting.
ATOMIC BACKLAND UL & SL SKIS
These are the real weight weenies. It’s all about the up on the Backland UL (Ultimate) and SL (Super Light) skis, so they’re lighter weight than their counterparts, above. You still get a lot of the skiing features, like wood cores, tip rocker, HRZN TECH and carbon reinforcement for the core.
Backland Ultimate skis
The UL skis, named after the original Atomic Ultimate, all have a poplar and karuba woodcore, with a carbon layer above and below. Being this light doesn’t come cheap though, costing up to twice as much as their standard Backland equivalents.
Backland 85 UL
Lengths: 158, 165, 172, 179cm
Sidecut: 116-85-104.5 in 165cm
Radius: 16.0m in 165cm
Weight per ski: 990g in 165cm
Price: £650 / €749.99 / $699.99*
Think of this as the ultimate version of the Backland 85 (well, it is really). It’s the Backland 85 but it’s been to the gym, lost some weight and toned up. As a result it can go uphill easier, for longer with less fatigue and still shows off on the way back down. Becoming so athletic comes at a cost though, as this ski is markedly more expensive than the regular 85.
If you’re about going uphill as fast as you can, to find those soft, fresh lines before anyone else, then you’ll appreciate the value of this ski.
Backland 85 W UL
Lengths: 151, 158, 165cm
Sidecut: 115-85-103.5mm in 158cm
Radius: 15.0m in 158cm
Weight per ski: 940g in 158cm
Price: £650 / €749.99 / $699.99*
This is the same as the men’s 85 UL, but with a look that fits in with the new women’s Backland graphic. A great mix of lightweight build for going uphill, and enough width underfoot and lift through the shovel to be a heap of fun skiing down.
This width works even better in soft snow for women, than for men, due to the lighter female physiology.
The image of the ski, above, from Atomic doesn’t show a tip notch for the skin, but this ski does have one.
Backland 78 UL
Lengths: 149, 156, 163, 170, 177cm
Sidecut: 112-79-101mm in 170cm
Radius: 17.5m in 170cm
Weight per ski: 900g in 170cm / 850g in 163cm
Price: £600 / €699.99 / $599.99*
Like the Backland 78, the 78 UL has changed for this season. It’s got the same shape as the new standard 78, gaining some width and therefore improved flotation.
The Backland 78 UL will happily let you run uphill for super-fast ascents. The moderately wide footprint, lift through the shovel and ease of release from the tail mean it skis pretty well too.
If money is not a main concern, this is the Backland ski you want on your feet for those multi-day tours; super light, ascends and traverses incredibly well and gives a great performance on the way down.
It’s a very capable touring ski.
Backland 65 UL
Lengths: 161cm
Sidecut: 93-65-78.5mm
Radius: 24.0m
Weight per ski: 670g
Price: £500 / €599.99 / $699.99*
A no compromise, full-on, ski-mo racing whippet. The modern version of the original Ultimate, and it’s purely about speed. You know if this ski is for you.
If you’re not sure, or just interested, this ski has all the tech Atomic offers. A world cup base finish so it is as quick as possible when skiing. The cap construction keeps weight really low. The HRZN TECH in the tip is really slim, using a lighter design than the others, again minimising weight.
Th HRZN TECH ramped sides of the shovel, along with the tip rocker, helps the ski to behave when skiing soft and chopped up snow. This is no powder hound though, so don’t expect an easy ski back down. This is a ski-mountaineering racing ski, after all.
The narrow profile and relatively straight sidecut again helps keep weight down and improves tracking when racing uphill.
It’s available in any length you want, as long as you want 161cm.
This is a beautiful ski that only suits a minority of skiers.
Backland Super Light skis
These skis sit between the regular Backland touring skis and the UL models, in terms of weight, cost and performance.
You get carbon reinforcement, in the shape of the carbon backbone, poplar and karuba Ultralight Woodcore, HRZN TECH in the shovel for improved flotation, moderate rocker through the shovel and a little tail rise.
The side of the skis is a combination of sidewall, which is more pronounced underfoot, and a little cap over the top edge and in the tips.
Backland 86 SL
Lengths: 158, 165, 172, 179cm
Sidecut: 116-86-104.5mm in 165cm
Radius: 16.0m in 165cm
Weight per ski: 1,080g in 165cm
Price: £500 / €549.99 / $N/A*
This ski uses the same mould as the Backland 85 and Backland 85 UL, although the underfoot width is quoted at 86mm. Before the season, and when testing, this ski was quoted at 85mm underfoot; 1mm makes no discernible difference anyway.
The weight difference between this and the other versions is pretty marginal too, offering a good compromise between being really light and expensively light (the UL version).
This is more performance orientated than the regular Backland 85 without being too expensive. Going uphill is a little easier, and you can feel that slight reduction in weight, especially on longer uphill slogs. This means you’ve got a little more left in the legs to really capitalise on the fun quota on the way back down.
As it’s a little stiffer, this ski is not as well suited to those getting into touring for the first time, but it’s not hard to skin with or to ski.
If you’ve already done a little skinning and are getting more proficient when skiing away from groomed terrain, the Backland 86 SL offers a happy place where you can really enjoy your time touring without breaking the bank.
Backland 80 SL
Lengths: 149, 156, 163, 170, 177cm
Sidecut: 111-79-100mm in 163cm
Radius: 15.5m in 163cm
Weight per ski: 1,050g in 163cm
Price: £450 / €449.99 / $N/A*
The naming across the whole Backland range, regarding 79mm skis, is rather odd. The Backland 80 SL, Backland 78 UL and Backland 78 all come out of the same mould and, despite the names, they’re all 79mm underfoot.
Like the 86 SL, this ski aims to offer a low weight, performance touring ski that isn’t uncomfortably expensive. Yes, it’s heavier than the UL version, but for those of us that love skinning uphill, want a ski that traverses confidently and isn’t a total noodle when skiing, the Backland 80 SL fits the bill.
It’s built for avid ski mountaineers, with a decent level of float in the soft stuff. It suits skiers with some touring and off-piste skiing experience.
Backland Girl
There’s also a Backland model for kids, called the Backland Girl, but this is not really a touring ski and the Backland name’s more about consistency of branding , as well as allowing kids to be on a ski that has the same name as their parents. It’s exactly the same as the kids’ Punx Jr ski.
Lengths: 110, 120, 130, 140, 150cm
Sidecut: 122-85-112mm in 140cm
Radius: 10.7m in 140cm
Weight per ski: 1,250g in 140cm
Price: £N/A / €159.99 – €179.99 / $199.99-259.99*
It has a synthetic Densolite core with full cap construction. It features a 10% rocker at the front, then standard camber for the rest of the ski. Widths range from 76mm underfoot in the 110cm length to 85mm in the 150cm model.
This moderately wide platform and tip rocker does allow young shredders to head off the groomers and into the soft stuff, getting them primed for a life of powder fun. A great way to introduce them to the terrain and light, floaty snow you can enjoy when touring.
The price above says N/A for £GBP, as those prices are without a binding. It’s only available in the UK with a binding. Price depends on the binding and length. The 110, 120 or 130cm lengths are £270 with the L 6 GW binding, and the longer 140 and 150cm versions are £290 with the same binding. Prices stated above, for this ski without the binding, are the same spread; lower price for Backland Girl 110-130, with the higher price for 140 and 150cm lengths.
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Quoted Prices
*Prices quoted here can be a mixture of recommended retail price from the brand and prices that you can currently get the skis for from retailers in that territory. The prices may therefore be less or more than you can find in-store / online and are only intended to give you a guide as to what you may expect to pay for the skis.
N/A means a price, or the product, was not available to us in that territory at the time of writing this article.
Always ensure you do adequate research when buying ski equipment to ensure you’re getting the best service and advice from the retailer, combined with a price that works for your budget. Don’t always assume that cheaper means better value.
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