Elan has made quite the splash over the past few years. As innovators of parabolic ski shape history, the company does not shy away from different ideas. Their flagship all-mountain ski, the Ripstick 96, is built as a directional, left/right footed ski that will take your skiing to the next level by utilizing amphibio technology and good old fashioned ski construction proficiency. The skis are designated right and left, with the difference found in the rocker profile. The skis have camber on the inside edge and rocker on the outside edge. As a result, the downhill ski hooks up easier and the rocker on the uphill ski allows a more free-flexing initiation. The end game is a silky smooth turn that feels a lot easier to complete and transition to the next turn. At 96 mm underfoot, the skis are a perfect one-ski quiver width, and with the wood core technology, the skis are light, stable, and responsive. This is the second year we’ve reviewed the Elan Ripstick series, and the 96 keeps getting glowing reviews. All of our testers skied on the 181 cm length.
Jason Krupsky talks a big game about the playful nature of the Ripstick 96. He scored the skis 5 out of 5 for playfulness, forgiveness, and overall impression. The lightweight nature of the skis really stands out for all of our testers, and Jason is no exception. His other high scores for versatility, stability, and quickness fall in line with what the ski is designed to do. He calls the Ripstick 96 a “very versatile ski for both short and long radius turns. Playful with a lot of energy.” That’s a great combination to have in a ski for sure. His target market for the Ripstick 96 is “skiers looking for an all mountain ski for groomers and varied snow conditions.” The width and construction of the skis certainly lend themselves to all-mountain, all-conditions skiing.
Justin Perry was also a big fan of the Ripstick 96’s versatility. He gave top scores for flotation, quickness, and versatility. All of his other marks were 4’s out 5, so it’s fair to say that he was impressed with the overall performance of the skis. While he noted that hard snow performance was not a strength, we’re not particularly surprised to hear this due to the lack of metal in the skis. He calls them “very versatile in the soft conditions. The asymmetrical design doesn’t seem to help on the hard snow, but in the deeper stuff, bring it on!” This is where Elan really nails it. In soft snow, the amphibio technology really kicks in. You can feel the inside edge of the ski carefully, closely, and instinctively follow the downhill ski, and makes for complete and total smoothness when turning through fresh snow and crud.
James Stewart had quite a positive experience on the Ripstick 96 as well. He gave 4’s out of 5 for flotation, stability, quickness, versatility, and overall impression. He liked the width of the skis, and felt like they could pretty much tackle any terrain and condition. “All the great Ripstick feel in a wider platform. They have lots of energy and groomer performance for a ski that’s just as happy skiing in natural terrain.” He goes on to state that the Ripstick 96 was “really fun ripping through the soft spring groomers. Lightning fast rebound.” That rebound is important to note because as a wood core ski, the Ripstick should be super quick from edge to edge. It’s always nice having a tester concur with the intended use and performance levels of the skis.
Elan has created a new type of all-mountain ski with the Ripstick 96. If you’re a fan of lightweight, snappy, and stable skis, the 96 is certainly worth a look. The ability of the skis to get from edge to edge with minimal chatter and vibrations tells a lot about the overall versatile nature of the product.
