2026 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

Model Year	Product Page	Ski Test Results	Chairlift Chat
2027	2027 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis	2027 Elan Ripstick 108	—
2026	2026 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis—Skis with bindings	2025 Elan Ripstick 108 2026 Elan Ripstick 108	—

tester:

Ability: Expert
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 200
Days / Year: 30-50 days
Age: 41
Years Skiing: 24

Go fast, take chances. Air it out when I can. If the woods aren't good, I'll be trying to pass everyone on the way down the groomer.

Ski:

2027 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

Size Tested:

182 CM

Location, Terrain, Snow Conditions Notes

Stowe, blue groomers off of Gondi, spring bumps

Did this length feel short, long, or just right? Would you recommend sizing up or down, or does it ski "true to size?" Would you choose this length for yourself?

Good length for this ski. Only need to go longer is if I'm taking it out to big lines out west

Scores

Floatation:10/10

Stability:10/10

Quickness:7/10

Playfulness:5/10

Forgiveness:6/10

Edge Grip:9/10

Versatility:4/10

Overall:9/10

What's your first impression of this ski? How did it feel?

One word: stability. This is a ski for going fast... really fast. Get it on edge and it won't let go. Speed limit? Nope, it's like a car that feels like you're doing 50, but you look down and it turns out you're doing 80.

For what type of terrain would you recommend this ski? Why does it perform well in that terrain?

Big lines, something with a lot of room to get it up to speed. The faster you go, the more you appreciate what this ski was made to do. That being said, slower speed in the spring bumps, it was manageable, but definitely not where the ski wants to be.

What's the appropriate ability level and/or style for this ski? Why is it appropriate for that type of skier?

Expert. Advanced skiers won't be able to get it up to speed to enjoy it. The skier needs confidence in order to be the driver and not the passenger.

If you could change anything about these skis, what would you change and why?

Hard to find anything I didn't like about this ski other than the mountain seemed too small. If I was somewhere like Jackson or Crested Butte or somewhere with big, steep lines, this would definitely be a ski I'd consider.

Read the Full Ski Test →

tester:

Zach Arvin

Ability: Expert
Height: 5'10''
Weight: 155
Days / Year: 60
Age: 27
Years Skiing: 17

Fluid with constant angular ion

Ski:

2027 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

Size Tested:

182 CM

Sizing Impression

Just right. True to size. I would choose this length for yourself

Scores

Floatation:9/10

Stability:6/10

Quickness:8/10

Playfulness:7/10

Forgiveness:9/10

Edge Grip:6/10

Versatility:8/10

Overall:7/10

Overall Impression

First impression: really light ski. It felt very playful. But on choppy groomers, it's not as stable as I wanted it to be.

Appropriate Terrain

Powder! Steep terrain. It floats super well so some backcountry would do wonders for this ski.

Appropriate Skier

Expert. Really need to be able to hammer down the downhill ski to manuever in choppy groomers.

Other Thoughts

Make it a tad heavier.

Read the Full Ski Test →

tester:

Matt McGinnis

Ability: Expert
Height: 5' 9
Weight: 175
Days / Year: 40-50? Hard tellin
Age: 32
Years Skiing: 20. Dang.

I like bringing freeskiing elements across the mountain. Tons of switch skiing, side hits, small spins, etc.

Ski:

2027 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

Size Tested:

184 CM

Sizing Impression

A touch short

Scores

Floatation:10/10

Stability:5/10

Quickness:7/10

Playfulness:9/10

Forgiveness:9/10

Edge Grip:6/10

Versatility:7/10

Overall:7/10

Overall Impression

In a word: butter. Which honestly, I didn’t expect. When I think ripstick, I think midrange flex. The redesigned 108 however, is not that. Depending on who you are, that could either be really exciting, or really bad news. For me, a man who loves to put butter on everything from toast to snow, it was an exciting development. On the short ride from the gondola lot to the gondola itself, I put in a practice butter and it felt like a dream. One of the smoothest slow speed butters I’ve done in a while. With that in mind, I went up the gondola to see how it would perform on today’s choppy snow.

Appropriate Terrain

I would recommend these skis for the softest of powder days. They perform well because of how soft they are, meaning they’re easy to smear and butter as you please. On days when things get choppy, like today, they perform admirably, but certainly aren’t at home. While I had fun popping into and out of soft snow, when I pointed them down the fall line, I found the tips easy to over power. Ultimately, my recommendation would be to ski these things on soft snow groomers or in the backcountry. If you’re an on piste pow skier though, I’d suggest something a bit stiffer.

Appropriate Skier

Intermediate to lower advanced skiers. That’s not to say others wouldn’t enjoy it, more that this seems like the sweet spot for who would enjoy it the most. For those looking for their introductory powder ski, the ripstick 108 would be a great choice as it makes a wide ski easy to ski.

Other Thoughts

Honestly, I would add back some stiffness. While I love their buttery nature, I feel like the market for this specific ski is slightly narrow. A bit more stiffness would make the ski a lot more fun for a lot more people.

Read the Full Ski Test →

tester:

Josh Wolfgang

Ability: Expert
Height: 6' 1
Weight: 190
Days / Year: 35
Age: 29
Years Skiing: 28/29

Fast and carvy with a love for the fall line

Ski:

2027 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

Size Tested:

175 CM

Sizing Impression

Short

Scores

Floatation:8/10

Stability:7/10

Quickness:9/10

Playfulness:8/10

Forgiveness:7/10

Edge Grip:7/10

Versatility:8/10

Overall:7/10

Overall Impression

Fun ski. Feels like a ripstick. Might be a bit to light for a 108 powder ski for me. Definitely want to size up.

Appropriate Terrain

Powder.

Appropriate Skier

Intermediate +

Other Thoughts

0

Read the Full Ski Test →

tester:

Steve McKenzie

Ability: Expert
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 225
Days / Year: 30+/-
Age: 32
Years Skiing: 30

I’ve been called a lot of things but slow and steady is not one of them

Ski:

2027 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

Size Tested:

182 CM

Sizing Impression

True to size

Scores

Floatation:8/10

Stability:8/10

Quickness:9/10

Playfulness:8/10

Forgiveness:8/10

Edge Grip:8/10

Versatility:9/10

Overall:9/10

Overall Impression

I’ve always been a huge fan of the entire ripstick line. The directional aspect, plenty of play from tip to tail, and the ability to really hammer down responsively make these skis stand out from the rest. I took them through just about everything you’d run into on an east coast day and they absolutely hammered through everything.

Appropriate Terrain

Here, there, and everywhere in between! I’m hard pressed to find an area where the ripsticks don’t rip.

Appropriate Skier

Intermediate-advanced. I think in order to full appreciate these skis, you gotta know your way around a ski confidently.

Other Thoughts

Not a huge fan of the color choice but all nonetheless I’ll be a life long fan!

Read the Full Ski Test →

tester:

Chris Moeykens

Ability: I'm A Pro
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 155
Days / Year: 65 days on the mountain last year
Age: 55
Years Skiing: I've been skiing for 37 yrs.

Playful, lots of turns, lots of edge, mostly keep my skis on the ground.

Ski:

2027 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

Size Tested:

189 cm CM

Sizing Impression

The 189 is longer than I usually ski and it definitely felt that way. My tips were clanging all the way down the mountain. I would not choose this length for myself, opting instead for the 175... especially in the woods.

Scores

Floatation:9/10

Stability:7/10

Quickness:5/10

Playfulness:6/10

Forgiveness:5/10

Edge Grip:6/10

Versatility:2/10

Overall:5/10

Overall Impression

I was fortunate enough to test this ski on a powder day, and it did not disappoint in deep snow where I could get into a good rhythm. However, in tighter trees the skis felt slow to maneuver and a little cumbersome. That sluggishness carried over and actually increased when skiing in the chopped snow on the trails back to the ski test staging area.

Appropriate Terrain

This ski performs spectacularly in deep, fresh snow! It's light, has a gigantic shovel, and decent width under foot.

Appropriate Skier

As with all of my mid-100 mm ski reviews, I recommend this ski for advanced to expert skiers. It's a niche ski that could find its way into many skiers' quivers for those powder days, but beginner skiers should opt for something narrower, shorter, and more forgiving.

Other Thoughts

I would like the ski to be snappier, more poppy. I felt the transfer of energy from myself to the ski and back to me again was not equal. Some of that energy was lost in the ski. Also, whenever the tips of the skis touched, even lightly, they made a loud clanging noise. A little more damping material in the shovels might eliminate that. Again, I tested the 189 cm so maybe the shorter versions would behave differently.

Read the Full Ski Test →

tester:

Jeff Neagle

Ability: Expert
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 160
Days / Year: 120-140
Age: 38
Years Skiing: 36

Playful, smooth, rhythmic, and loose

Ski:

2027 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

Size Tested:

182 CM

Sizing Impression

Skis true to size IMO, good length for me.

Scores

Floatation:8/10

Stability:6/10

Quickness:9/10

Playfulness:8/10

Forgiveness:7/10

Edge Grip:5/10

Versatility:6/10

Overall:8/10

Overall Impression

The new Ripstick 108 is a blast! I really like skis like this that have a directional shape, but have a playful attitude. It feels softer to me than the outgoing Ripstick 106, which feels really nice in soft snow and is definitely my preference when skiing challenging terrain that requires quick movements. I do think it's fair to say the 108 isn't as good on a groomer as the old 106, but I feel like that really doesn't matter. If you're picking a 108 underfoot ski for a groomer... that's on you and you should anticipate some drawbacks. I think this is a fantastic progression from the 106. It's a little looser in the tail and just further enhances its freeride capabilities.

Appropriate Terrain

It loves soft snow, and things can get really deep without the Ripstick 108 feeling out of place. It loves steep, technical terrain too. That's where you really benefit from its quickness and agility. It's not the best for just charging down open terrain at super high speeds as it does have a relatively soft flex pattern, so keep that in mind if you're looking for more of a big mountain ski. I think the best application for the Ripstick 108 is as a resort powder ski (or hybrid touring ski) for a playful directional skier.

Appropriate Skier

It's best for advanced or expert skiers mostly just because of the width. The 102 will be a lot easier to ski for an intermediate, and honestly has similar characteristics and capabilities. That would probably be a better choice for most intermediates, although an athletic intermediate could ski it, especially if you live somewhere that gets a lot of fresh snow.

Other Thoughts

It would be easy for me to wish for more tail rocker, but Elan has the Playmaker 111 now, so there's no need. It's better like this.

Read the Full Ski Test →

tester:

Matt Stromecki

Ability: Expert
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 200
Days / Year: 70 - 100
Age: 25
Years Skiing: 23

Freeride to its definition. Playful but fundamentally sound with an emphasis on style.

Ski:

2027 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

Size Tested:

180 CM

Sizing Impression

Felt short, would certainly want to go longer.

Scores

Floatation:10/10

Stability:7/10

Quickness:9/10

Playfulness:9/10

Forgiveness:9/10

Edge Grip:7/10

Versatility:8/10

Overall:8/10

Overall Impression

Super fun powder ski due to its quickness and maneuverability, super intuitive and predictable.

Appropriate Terrain

Soft snow, powder more specifically, whether it be in the trees, back bowls, or backcountry.

Appropriate Skier

Advanced to expert skiers who value light weight and agile powder skis.

Other Thoughts

Stiffen up the whole ski to bring the top end of performance up.

Read the Full Ski Test →

2026 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

2026 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis

GET THIS SKI WITH BINDINGS AND FREE MOUNTING:

2026 Elan Ripstick 108 Skis with Tyrolia Attack 14 GW Bindings

$1,168.99

Why we like it:

Who it's for:

Highlights:

Things to consider:

Fit & sizing considerations:

Q&A

Learn more about the Elan Ripstick 108

SIMILAR PRODUCTS