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SKI SETUPS

Freeride & Big Mountain

Chris Rubens

  • Freeride Skiing
Nationality
Canada
Hometown
Calgary, Alberta, Canada (now based in Revelstoke, BC)
Primary discipline
Freeride Skiing

About Chris Rubens

Canadian backcountry freeskier who grew up ski racing in Calgary (Sunshine Village Ski Racing Club, then Rocky Mountain Freeriders out of Lake Louise from age 16) before moving to Revelstoke, BC. Appears in Warren Miller's 'SNO-CIETY' film exploring Scotland's ski scene. Also runs First Light Farms, a sustainable organic farm in Revelstoke he and his partner Jesse founded in 2020.

Rubens, who grew up ski racing in Calgary (Sunshine Village Ski Racing Club, then Rocky Mountain Freeriders out of Lake Louise from age 16) before moving to Revelstoke, BC, appears in Warren Miller's 'SNO-CIETY' film exploring Scotland's ski scene, alongside fellow athletes Daron Rahlves, Britta Winans, and Judd Henkes -- meaning Rubens and Rahlves, both share a Warren Miller film credit. Beyond skiing, he and his partner Jesse run First Light Farms, a sustainable organic farm in Revelstoke they founded in 2020 after Rubens became focused on reducing his carbon footprint following 2016's 'Guilt Trip.' He switched to Atomic around 2022/2023 after nearly 20 years with a previous sponsor, drawn by the chance to help develop a new touring ski and by Atomic's sustainability commitments. Equipment, per his own words in Atomic's own athlete interview: he bounces between the Bent Chetler 120 and Bent Chetler 110 (saying if he had to pick one ski it would be the 110), mounted with either the Shift or Backland touring binding, and swears by the Backland XTD Carbon 120 boot for its combination of walkability and downhill performance.

Sponsors: Atomic; Le Bent

Setup

4 items

Skis

Atomic Bent Chetler 110

  • Off-piste

110mm waist

His pick if he had to choose one ski.

110mm-waist freeride pro model; Rubens' choice if he had to pick just one ski, per his own words in Atomic's athlete interview.

Atomic Bent Chetler 120

Alternate
  • Off-piste

120mm waist

Bounces between the 110 and 120 through the season.

120mm-waist playful powder/big-mountain pro model ski, in production for over a decade with ongoing athlete-driven updates; ridden by both Tim Durtschi and Nick McNutt as their primary ski.

Boots

Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120

  • Off-piste
Boot flex
120

flex 120

120-flex touring boot; Rubens' go-to for both walkability and downhill performance.

Bindings

Atomic Shift MNC 13

  • Off-piste

also uses Backland touring binding

Hybrid alpine/touring binding combining alpine-level power transfer and security with pin-binding touring comfort; used by both Durtschi and McNutt.

Setup verified 20 July 2026

Sources

  1. https://www.atomic.com/en-ca/article/meet-chris-rubens
  2. https://warrenmiller.com/press/segment-notes
  3. https://www.outdoorsportswire.com/atomic-adds-backcountry-legend-chris-rubens-to-athlete-roster/
  4. https://lebent.com/blogs/news/le-bent-welcomes-chris-rubens-to-the-family
  5. https://avalanche.ca/ambassadors