Atomic Pumori Ski
December 29, 2007
I can’t find much in the way of reviews on this ski, and I think it’s because these are Atomic’s dirty little secret. I tested the 172 length, which according to the manufacturer should suit me perfectly based on my body weight.
It’s hard to imagine who would like this ski, but I’ll give it a shot. Women who love skis with grabby tips, women who can’t get enough of heavy skis, and women who loooooooove unforgiving tails would adore these babies.
Since I’m not one of those women, I hated these skis. At least they were consistent, but they were consistently BAD. I had to ski with every ounce of strength and skill I possess to control them, and I firmly resented lugging these heavy, disobedient, willful planks to the top of the mountain. After a few turns I knew I faced a less-than-enjoyable ride down. I am not shy to admit that it was bloody scary trying to make my way down in less-than-ideal conditions on skis I couldn’t trust. I resorted to straight-lining it down without even attempting to turn, because that ended up being the safest option. I will give them that, these skis like to run, but they do not like to turn. And not in a good way.
The grabby tips are a problem in all conditions, and despite many efforts to re-tune and figure out the problem, a problem they remain. They are devious and sneaky, and every time I thought I’d found the secret to the Pumoris, one of the tips would snatch at some passing snow, knocking me off balance and making me swear. Yes, prissy little me, swearing! Imagine. A look back at my turns in powder revealed a very bizarre turning arc, which was most likely a result of my desperate efforts to control the boards. Turns required such advance planning that if there was a tree within 1/4 mile of my line, I’d break out in a cold sweat. Powder skiing should be fun and effortless, not desperate and frightening.
On hardpack these things were even worse. They forced me into the backseat because they have to be turned with their tails due to the grabby tips. Turning on your ski tails is not fun. I think I’ve mentioned the word “unforgiving” in this post before, and it’s worth saying again – these skis are stricter than a Catholic schoolteacher. If they were capable of smacking me with a ruler I’m sure they would have done it, and for no good reason at that. They forced me into a bad situation and then punished me for it. I’m sure there are many other life metaphors that I could insert to illustrate my point further, but I’ll let your imaginations run wild.
In all conditions I felt I was on the cusp of a very bad fall. The skis put me constantly off balance and struggling for control and correction. Unpredictable, moody, and unreliable are things I look for in bad boys, not skis. Big thumbs down to these disappointing boards.
Comments
2 Responses to “Atomic Pumori Ski”
Wow! That’s a seriously bad review. I just had to post a reply, because for the last 7 years I’ve been sponsored by Atomic and I have skied everything in their line. It all depends on the type of skier you are. I usually can’t stand skis made for women because they are far too soft and aren’t made to charge. I ski very aggressively and was super pleased with how playful and responsive the Pumoris were. I have since outgrown them, but I continue to recommend them for women looking to push themselves to the next level in their skiing.
What can I say, I bloody HATED those skis. I have liked other Atomic skis (like the Femme Fatales that I reviewed for the site), but the Pumoris were just awful. The girl who sold them to me told me later that she sold them because she hated them too! To be fair, I kept thinking they might ski better as a tele ski, but I don’t tele so I can’t say for certain (but you can)!
This is why I like having lots of reviewers – there are so many different perspectives to consider.