Atomic Maverick J 130-150 + C 5 GW vs Elan Maxx Red Jr Shift + EL 4.5 GW

The Atomic gives progressing kids the most complete package and the most published detail per length. The Elan costs less, sizes more clearly and suits learners just as well.

Atomic Maverick J 130-150 + C 5 GW

Buy it

A soft, rockered all-mountain junior ski with a flex zone underfoot, sold in three age-banded packages with a junior binding included.

• Atomic's Bend-X flex zone underfoot is designed to let light skiers and kids bend the ski without needing adult strength.
• Atomic publishes tip, waist, tail and radius for every length, from 10.5 m at 130 cm to 13.5 m at 150 cm.
• The same model comes as 70-90, 100-120 and 130-150 packages, so a family can move up within one line as a child grows.
• A screwed-in stainless steel tip protector can be replaced rather than retiring the ski when the tip gets chewed up.

• It sits at the top of the price range here for a ski a child may outgrow in one or two seasons.
• The package page does not print the release range or skier weight range of the included C 5 GW binding, so you need the shop to confirm it.
• Atomic lists the same 1780 g per-ski weight under every length, labelled as the 140 cm figure, so per-length weights are not published.

Check price on Amazon

Elan Maxx Red Jr Shift + EL 4.5 GW

Buy it

The easiest ski here to size correctly: nine lengths from 70 to 150 cm, a skier-height chart for each, and a stated 0.75 to 4.5 release range.

• Elan prints a skier-height band for every length (for example 110 cm for skiers 110 to 125 cm tall), which takes the guesswork out of sizing.
• Nine lengths from 70 to 150 cm cover a first-timer through a tall pre-teen in one model.
• Elan lists the binding release range as 0.75 to 4.5 for the EL 4.5 version, and offers an EL 7.5 version for bigger kids.
• U-Flex construction and an Early Rise Rocker profile are aimed squarely at light skiers learning to turn.

• Elan does not publish a ski weight for any length.
• The package targets learners, so a strong, fast kid will move past it sooner than past the Atomic.
• Elan's own page does not list an age range or a skier weight range, so you size by height and let the shop handle the binding.

Check price on Amazon

Side by side

The bottom line

Our overall pick is the Atomic Maverick J 130-150 + C 5 GW - A soft, rockered all-mountain junior ski with a flex zone underfoot, sold in three age-banded packages with a junior binding included. Choose the Elan Maxx Red Jr Shift + EL 4.5 GW instead if families buying a first or second pair who want clear sizing and a lower price than the premium pick.

Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Kids Skis: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).