On the light side of all-mountain, and a great option for progressing ladies, this one is a great option. For a while now, this ski has been a no-brainer. The 2024 Elan Ripstick 88W continues that trend, bringing a well-rounded and supremely capable character into this next year. The ski returns unchanged, and that’s great news for a huge swath of skiers out there that want light weight all-mountain versatility and performance. It’s a lot to ask from a ski, but we’ve found that the Ripstick 88W has answered that call each and every step of the way. There have been a few updates in the past, and those have culminated in a ski that’s easy to turn, has wonderful energy, and is about as versatile as they come. It’s casual and confident at the same time, and those traits are very appealing to a broad range of skier. This is one of those skis that if you’re looking for an 88, and you just don’t know what to get, get this one. It’s natural and easy but has a very high ceiling. One of the things we’ve found is that if you’re stuck in the middle for sizing, it’s okay to go up. Not only do they measure about 1.5 cm short, but they’re also very maneuverable so you don’t have to size up to access performance.

In the Ripstick series of skis, the power is mainly gleaned from the use of carbon tubes. By implementing the tubes into a lightweight core, they are able to increase the stiffness and performance of the ski without adding much weight. In fact, by replacing wood with a combination of carbon and air (since the tubes are hollow), Elan basically makes a lighter and better performing ski. The tubes are placed in the ski under pressure since they follow the curvature of the sidecut, and this boosts the kinetic energy of the ski as well. One of the cooler things about Elan is that since they build the skis in an asymmetric manner, they’re able to put more (or less) material in chosen zones to create a particular character. In Ripstick 88W, Carbon Line Technology exists to put more grip and power to the inside edge of the ski while the outer portions are more flexible and manageable. All of this technology adds up to a paltry 1445 grams per ski in the 170, which is definitely on the light side for this type of performance.

For shaping, the 88 mm waist is about as useful as it gets. For true all-mountain performance, this is the place to be. Thanks to a spoony tip shape and a flexible nature, the ski is a pretty decent floater, but that shovel also hooks into the turn with ease and a good sense of anticipation. The tails are slightly more traditional in nature, offering good grip until the end while remaining round and rockered enough for a playful release in softer snow and powder. The 170 generates a 15.4-meter turn radius which is right in the middle, just like everything else about this ski. Elan’s Amphibio rocker profile puts more camber on the inside edge with more rocker on the outside edge. This makes the right/left ski make a lot of sense when considering the implementation of the rocker profile.

We’ve loved the Ripstick 88W for a lot of different reasons for a long time now, and it’s great to see that skiers in the intermediate through expert range will get another crack at this ski. With a sophisticated build, an innovative shape, and a fine-tuned profile, this ski is one of the easiest skis out there to get on and simply enjoy. Thanks to the lighter weight and maneuverability, it makes a great bump and tree ski as it’s super simple to get from one turn to the next regardless of conditions or terrain.