Like the Atomic, the Rossignol has a level of versatility but also a level of precision that is an nth degree better than felt from the Atomic; that "nth" creates a bit more purposeful feel on the snow. But as it is with all cage matches, it comes down to what you as the consumer want. The other little (well, maybe not so little) design feature from the Rossi is that the binding is WTR/GripWalk-compatible. According to some recent research, Rossignol’s Elite series is the only sub-70mm collection that accepts WTR and GripWalk boots; for some, this could be the deciding factor.
(Note: Anywhere in this comparison, you could substitute G9 for S9 for the Atomic and LT for ST with the Rossignol. The same holds true, word for word.)
- Why choose the Redster S9? You want a full-bore race ski but don’t want to deal with everything a full-bore race ski requires. There are not enough O's in "smooth" to describe the S9.
- Why choose the Hero Elite ST Ti? You want a technical ski but have a pair of those newfangled WTR/GripWalk boots. No worries, you don't have to compromise on a ski: you can have your comfortable boots and your high-performance technical ski!