Atomic REMEDY TJ 65 25/26

The Remedy TJ 65 is Atomic's upper-tier junior all-mountain boot, built for lighter-weight young skiers who are pushing hard on the hill and need real feedback underfoot — not a soft beginner shell that folds when the terrain gets technical. The 65 flex is intentionally progressive for youth: firm enough that an aggressive young skier can actually drive the ski through a turn, but tuned to the lower body mass of a junior athlete rather than an adult. The shell runs on a 98mm last, which sits in narrow-fit territory — appropriate for the slimmer, still-developing foot typical of this age group. Closure is a full four-buckle overlap shell with magnesium TJ buckles and a 30mm Velcro strap at the cuff — the same overlap construction as the adult Remedy, so this drives a ski like a real performance boot rather than an easy-entry junior shell. The standout fitting feature is the Team Gold liner: it's fully heat-moldable, which matters because junior feet vary enormously. A heat-mold session with a bootfitter collapses the dead space in the toe box and heel pocket, turning a boot that fits "fine" out of the box into one that actually holds the foot securely. The 3D Stretch Toe Box adds a little length compliance for longer toes without blowing out the forefoot hold, and the RTX GripWalk soles mean walking the lodge or an icy parking lot is less of a liability — note that's grip underfoot, not a walk-mode lever; the cuff stays locked for skiing.

This boot is the right call for an older-junior to teen skier — roughly a mondo 23.5 to 27.5 foot, which lands around ages 11 and up depending on growth — who is skiing aggressively on groomers and venturing into off-piste terrain, and whose parents want a boot that will keep up with their skill through the season rather than holding them back. Go by the foot, not the birthday: the smallest shell is a mondo 23.5, so this boot simply won't fit a young child, and a true beginner doesn't need this much boot anyway. If your child is a beginner who skis a few days a year and needs warmth and easy entry above all else, the 65 flex and stiff overlap shell will feel like too much on lighter legs and cause muscle fatigue — look at a softer 50-flex junior option instead. On the other end: if you have a junior racer or a kid who is already skiing at a high level with significant strength, this boot may not provide the precision and energy return they need, and the Redster TJ — same 98mm junior last, stiffer and more race-tuned — would be worth the conversation. The 98mm last also means that if your child has a wider or higher-volume foot, this shell will compress the toes and create hot spots regardless of flex rating — that's a fit problem no amount of breaking in will fix. Come in for a fitting; we'll measure the foot, check volume, and make sure the last and the size actually match before anything goes on a credit card.