2027 Elan Wingman 86 Black Edition

The 2027 Elan Wingman Black Edition is a carryover ski featuring the same shape, construction, profile, and graphics as last year. This ski is built and shaped as a wide-bodied carver that can handle some softer snow and off-piste conditions and terrain. By blending a (now outgoing) Primetime-inspired tip with a Ripstick-oriented tail, the footprint of the ski lends versatility to the all-mountain world. The initiation and first phase of the turn is crisp and fun while the tail allows for easier release from turns and increased soft snow playfulness. At the same time, the new construction keeps the ski stiff, responsive, and precise. This ski is an ideal choice for advanced and expert skiers looking for a versatile carver.

Elan does a great job of making lighter skis feel more powerful than the weight may imply. Starting with a tubelite wood core, we get two carbon rods along the edges and one strip of titanal through the center of the ski. These are still built asymmetrically, so their uni-directional carbon strip and mono ti layer are found on the inside of the downhill ski allowing for increased precision and energy while leaving the outer portion of the ski more flexible. You can get this ski flat or with a Fusion X system binding, depending on your intended purpose. Tester Matt Stromecki calls it a “Super fun frontside carver! It's one of the easier ones in this category which makes it so fun to use. You don't need to work super hard to get performance out of it. Very turny and willing to do so with a light touch. They are fairly light, so you don't get a ton of smoothness when on more firm snow. But packed powder groomers are a dream! I do think that they have a speed limit on variable snow, but otherwise they are just fine for the majority of the time.”

Elan’s use of amphibio technology dominates the shaping discussion. Not only are these skis asymmetrically built, but they’re also shaped individually as right/left specific skis in terms of rocker. The measurements of 132/86/112 are quite pin tailed, allowing for the ease of exit and variation of turn shape. The 182 generates a 17-meter turn radius and it’s pretty fun to try and achieve that arc given the stiffer flex of the ski. Nate Sugiyama notes that “Wingman is a great name for this ski. If you are looking for a companion that has your back from first chair to last, don't sleep on this buddy. Hit the gas and this ski will rail around at a good clip. The shape and flex characteristics are intuitive. The ski feels strong without feeling beefy. Hard snow grip is great, and it likes to be on edge. Slow things down if your legs get tired and you are still going to have a good time. The signature Elan shape makes for easy low-effort skiing.”

The Wingman 86 Black Edition is a highly useful and supportive ski. It does fit into more of an advanced and expert realm, even though it’s fairly easy to steer for its flex and sophistication. Great in bumps and packed trees, it has enough versatility while the strong suit is certainly found in on-piste mid-radius carved turns in which it most definitely excels. Easy carves are a big part of the story here, allowing skiers to feel like they can make all sorts of turns without much effort.