Review: Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition Skis · 2024
By Curated Experts
Leo Cocchiara and Henry Kvietok
Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition Skis · 2024
$539.99
$899.99
40% off
8 photos
The Curated Take
4.7/5
The Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition Skis are ideal for advanced and expert skiers seeking a versatile all-mountain ski. These skis offer smooth and stable performance despite their lightweight construction. They excel in carving on hardpack and perform impressively in powder due to wide and rockered tips. While they are not designed for freestyle, they offer a conservative and stable ride, making them excellent for skiers who enjoy clean carves, fluffy powder, and mogul skiing. Overall, the Ripstick 96 Black Edition is a high-quality, durable ski that delivers excellent performance for the experienced skier.
Ideal for
- Exceptionally smooth feeling
- Very lightweight
- Marries carving performance with powder capability
- Ideal for aggressive skiers who don't want a heavy ski
Not ideal for
- Not a ski for beginners
- Requires strong technique in moguls
- Not for freestyle riding
- Not a very playful ski
Playfulness
The Ripstick is far from what I think of as a playful, surfy, buttery ski personality. Its classic tail profile and stiffly tuned carbon core steer towards a conservative, stable...Read more
At just about 1,700g per ski in the 180-length, these skis are still fairly lightweight. For strong skiers, it is easy to flick them around in tighter terrain, making them...Read more
Flotation
It's hard to miss the uniquely wide and rockered tips on the Ripstick that make it ski wider than the 96 waist width would imply. When the fresh powder falls,...Read more
The Ripstick Black Edition also comes in a 106 version, which is clearly the ski to go for if someone mostly skis off-piste; however, the 96 version is no slouch...Read more
Versatility
So many people are looking for a sweet spot ski that is light enough for days in the backcountry without making compromises in downhill performances on resort days. It must...Read more
The Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition is a ski to consider if someone spends about half their time off-piste and half their time on-piste. At 96mm underfoot, it is versatile,...Read more
Carving
The Ripstick 96 Black Edition is well-engineered for all mountain carving and rewards the skiers who work on getting their edge angles dialed in. It prefers a more centered stance...Read more
Being such a light ski, it packs a lot of energy. The ski flies underfoot and transitions from edge to edge with ease. I found initiating a carve and staying...Read more
High Speed Stability
The Elan Ripstick Black Edition is almost like a carbon road bike when it comes to being stable at speed. The carbon tube light rods dispersed throughout the ski offer...Read more
In order to have high-speed stability, you really need good weight and stiffness. The Ripsticks are plenty stiff, but they lack the weight of a burlier ski. So, in off-piste...Read more
Durability
The construction quality truly impresses me. The little details show attention to detail, like the quality of the topsheet material and the refined way it meets the vertical sidewalls. It's...Read more
During my testing so far, I have not had any durability or quality issues with these Ripstick Black Edition skis. I have also not had any of my customers with...Read more
Turn Ease
The Elan Ripstick has a specific left and right ski. The asymmetrical profile makes for catch-free turn initiation in any condition by rockering the outside of the ski tips. Additionally,...Read more
Given that the Black Edition Ripsticks have a bit more carbon compared to the regular version, they are a bit stiffer overall and a touch harder to flex. However, they...Read more
Curated Experts are not sponsored by brands. Their reviews are based on their honest experiences testing products.
Henry Kvietok
About the ski gear
- Model: Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition Skis · 2024
Test conditions
- When I bought these: January 2024
- Where I’ve used them: Loveland Ski Area
- How many times I've used it: 3
Expert Reviews of the Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition Skis
Leo Cocchiara The Ripstick 96 Black Edition is exceptionally smooth and stable while being extremely light for its class. It is ideal for advanced and expert skiers looking for the best classic all-mountain carving performance while still impressively powder capable. While the specific right and left skis and the wide and rocker tips enhance turn initiation, the traditionally square and flat tails lock me into the turns. This can require some strong technique for more technical features like moguls, but it certainly excels with a confident driver.
Henry Kvietok I tested out the 2024 Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition in various conditions at Loveland in Colorado in January. I skied them in fresh groomers, trees, moguls, and some leftover powder/chop.
Overall, I was really impressed with the ski's performance. For such a light ski, it felt incredibly stable at speed and confident underfoot. It can get knocked around a bit in choppier snow because it doesn't have the weight of a heavier ski, but this is more than made up for by having an easier-on-the-legs feel. Plus, it's easier to flick around in tight trees and moguls, given that it's a bit lighter. This ski also has a bit of rocker and fairly wide tips, allowing it to plane up even in deeper powder. At 96 underfoot, it certainly would be a one-ski quiver for many folks.
In summary, I recommend this ski to intermediate to expert-level skiers who want a high-performing all-mountain ski that is on the lighter side.
Product Specs
| Age Group | Adult |
| Gender | Men's |
| Includes bindings | No |
| Model year | 2024 |
| Ski type | All Mountain, Freeride |
| Skill level | Advanced, Expert |
Review Ratings
Averaged between reviewers, view below how all experts voted.
Playfulness
3/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 2 of 5 stars. The Ripstick is far from what I think of as a playful, surfy, buttery ski personality. Its classic tail profile and stiffly tuned carbon core steer towards a conservative, stable ride. But that doesn't mean it's not fun! If someone's idea of a good time is clean carves, fluffy powder stashes, and a few good mogul lines, it will be right at home in their favorite playground.
Henry Kvietok gave 4 of 5 stars. At just about 1,700g per ski in the 180-length, these skis are still fairly lightweight. For strong skiers, it is easy to flick them around in tighter terrain, making them rather playful. However, they are not playful in the freestyle sense of the term.
Flotation
5/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 4 of 5 stars. It's hard to miss the uniquely wide and rockered tips on the Ripstick that make it ski wider than the 96 waist width would imply. When the fresh powder falls, 8-12" feels comfortably in range, which is impressive. But those skinnier, flat, more traditional tails, in contrast, can add a bit of drag.
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. The Ripstick Black Edition also comes in a 106 version, which is clearly the ski to go for if someone mostly skis off-piste; however, the 96 version is no slouch in powder. It has fairly wide tips (136mm) and a good amount of rocker that helps it plane up in deeper snow. Plus, it is easy to maneuver around in deeper snow due to being light.
Versatility
5/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 4 of 5 stars. So many people are looking for a sweet spot ski that is light enough for days in the backcountry without making compromises in downhill performances on resort days. It must carve hardpack just as well as it handles fresh powder and do so across all kinds of terrain. The Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition encompasses all of that. I subtracted one star for lack of freestyle diversity.
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. The Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition is a ski to consider if someone spends about half their time off-piste and half their time on-piste. At 96mm underfoot, it is versatile, with the rocker and tip width to handle deep days, but it is still easy to get on edge. Combine this with a weight that makes sense for a hybrid binding, and one has a versatile ski.
Carving
5/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 4 of 5 stars. The Ripstick 96 Black Edition is well-engineered for all mountain carving and rewards the skiers who work on getting their edge angles dialed in. It prefers a more centered stance because those big floaty amphibio tips are wide, so a feet-close-together-on-the-nose style of carving might need a little adjusting.
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. Being such a light ski, it packs a lot of energy. The ski flies underfoot and transitions from edge to edge with ease. I found initiating a carve and staying locked in a turn very easy. The Ripstick 96 can handle carving even in tougher snow and icier conditions.
High Speed Stability
5/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 5 of 5 stars. The Elan Ripstick Black Edition is almost like a carbon road bike when it comes to being stable at speed. The carbon tube light rods dispersed throughout the ski offer a stiff and responsive ride that has skiers cutting aerodynamically down the fall line with impressive control and stability. But like a road bike, when the conditions get really rough and variable, it's not going to absorb it as well as something with better suspension, so to speak, like having titanal in the core.
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. In order to have high-speed stability, you really need good weight and stiffness. The Ripsticks are plenty stiff, but they lack the weight of a burlier ski. So, in off-piste conditions at fast speeds, they can get knocked around because they are on the lighter side of things. However, this likely would be less of an issue for a lighter individual than myself (I am 200lbs).
Durability
5/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 5 of 5 stars. The construction quality truly impresses me. The little details show attention to detail, like the quality of the topsheet material and the refined way it meets the vertical sidewalls. It's a ski that will last for a good decade or more.
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. During my testing so far, I have not had any durability or quality issues with these Ripstick Black Edition skis. I have also not had any of my customers with these skis come to me with any issues. I look forward to conducting longer-term durability testing with these.
Turn Ease
5/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 4 of 5 stars. The Elan Ripstick has a specific left and right ski. The asymmetrical profile makes for catch-free turn initiation in any condition by rockering the outside of the ski tips. Additionally, it enhances the grip of the inside ski. It's subtle but shines through steep terrain with variable snow conditions. The classic tail can really lock one into turns, so it can take a strong technique to get those tails around in tight spaces.
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. Given that the Black Edition Ripsticks have a bit more carbon compared to the regular version, they are a bit stiffer overall and a touch harder to flex. However, they still easily fall into a turn and can be bent around by technically proficient skiers. Plus, with the rocker up front, they are easy to initiate into a carve.
FAQs
What do you love about this product?
Leo Cocchiara I love that the Ripstick 96 Black Edition is so impressively stable and smooth for its lightweight. It's so light it makes a great option for touring. They've even gone the extra mile of making a notch for a tail clip.
Henry Kvietok I love how lightweight the Ripstick 96 Black Edition is while still offering great speed stability and the ability to charge hard.
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Henry Kvietok My favorite moment with these skis was flicking them around off-piste in some chopped-up moguls. At just about 1,700g per ski in the 180 length, they are noticeably lighter than other skis in the category.
Why did you choose this product?
Leo Cocchiara There's a reason why the Ripstick Black Edition has turned so many heads in the industry. It's packed full of unique technology and design cues that deliver a nearly logic-defying combination of lightweight construction, stability at speed, smoothness, and versatility at an extremely high level of quality. There's always room in the quiver for a ski like this.
Henry Kvietok I chose the Ripstick 96 Black Edition because I wanted to try a stiffer version of the regular Ripstick.
What is the value for the money versus other options?
Henry Kvietok At a more premium price point, one would expect a lot from these skis, and they certainly deliver. This is one ski that can do it all for many skiers out there. At 96 underfoot, it is versatile and can easily be used as a touring ski as well.
Leo Cocchiara
Ski ExpertHenry Kvietok
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