2025 Elan Wingman 86 Black Edition

Unchanged and totally awesome for 2025, the Elan Wingman 86 Black Edition has really satisfied our carving needs. We were able to put a number of days on this ski over the past two years and found a whole lot to like. By basing the build off of the ever-present Wingman 86 CTi, with a Black Edition treatment, this model features the same shape and profile, but adds a new level of stiffness and response to the mix. Skis in this zone are very useful for a wide range of skiers, providing excellent on-trail carving and power and some off-piste properties. The overall footprint and character of this new ski certainly falls more to the frontside side of the spectrum, but any time you’re dealing with a ski at this width, an all-mountain application is sure to be introduced as well. While Elan has made most of their headlines with the Ripstick line over the past few years, Wingman has its own thing going on when it comes to stiff flex, clean carves, and pure on-piste performance. We’re happy to see it back.

There’s a whole lot of sophistication and technology here. From a construction perspective, we’re getting a lot of the same parts of the 86 CTi. The Black Edition boosts the stiffness of an already inflexible ski. Built with a tubelite wood core consisting of poplar and paulownia, the Black Edition is a strong ski from the start. With a burly wood core and two carbon rods that run the length of the ski along the edges, the Wingman 86 Black has a sturdy and energetic construction. Since these skis are asymmetrically built, this allows the engineers at Elan to put more material on the inside portion of the ski, resulting in their Amphibio TruLine technology. By raising the inside edges of the ski, more power is transmitted to the edge while the outer portions remain smoother and more stable. In the Black Edition, this 86 gets an additional carbon laminate that follows that TruLine shape, and this is the main difference between this ski and the CTi version. That extra Carbon Line Technology goes a long way in ensuring a stiffer flex and more responsive version of an already beefy ski. Yet somehow, it still feels light, and that’s a testament to the strong engineering involved in the ski’s shape and profile. It all adds up to a pretty light and stiff ski that’s ready to rip. Tester Dave Raybould notes that “This ski is designed for firmer snow all over the mountain. The extra carbon and race plate make it stiff, which is great for edge grip on firm snow. Carves no problem but can still make a short turn. Not so playful in soft, choppy snow or bumps.”

The shape is the same and falls right in line with the other Wingman footprints. While the build is firmly in the front side category, the shape makes a bit of a move to the all-mountain side of the spectrum. The width, at 86 mm underfoot, allows for softer snow access, but the stiffness keeps it grippy and amenable to firm snow and clean, round carves. In the 178, the ski produces a 16.5-meter turn radius, and given the build, it prefers this arc. If you choose to shorten it up, be prepared for the relatively square tails to balk at that suggestion. While there’s an Amphibo rocker profile to mix with the build, it still feels a lot more like a fully cambered ski. For front side performance, we like it that way. By rockering the outside edge and lengthening the camber on the inside portion, the ski becomes smoother in the transitions and grippier when you’re standing on the downhill ski. This asymmetry is a hallmark of Elan’s skis and it still works great in this Wingman 86 Black. Dave states once again that “After clipping in to the ski, I totally forgot about the left/right design on these skis (less material on the inside/pinky toe edge of the ski, supposedly to make engaging that edge at turn initiation easier). Hard to say whether it makes a difference or not, but it definitely doesn't detract from the ski.”

Skiers are getting good value here. When you add an Elan branded Tyrolia 12.0 Fusion X binding system to the mix, you’re getting a sweet setup that’s built to rip. Given the stiffness and relatively wide width, this ski falls more into the expert category, and those skiers will have the best shot at accessing the entirety of the performance. Advanced skiers may find it to be on the demanding side, and while it’s not the heaviest ski out there, there is that flex to contend with. We’re happy to see this versatile carver back for 2025.