Review: Elan Ripstick 106 Skis · 2024
By Curated Experts
Bryant Leech and max pilling
Elan Ripstick 106 Skis · 2024
from:$479.99
$799.99
40% off
17 photos
The Curated Take
4.3/5
The Elan Ripstick 106 Skis are ideal for lightweight skiers who enjoy cruising and playful skiing in soft, fresh snow. They are very light and easy to turn, with carbon rods for added energy. However, they are not suited for high-speed skiing or hardpacked conditions, as they can become unstable and don't hold an edge well. They are designed for fun and maneuverability rather than speed and stability, making them ideal for skiers who prefer a leisurely pace and enjoy floating through powder.
Ideal for
- Easy to turn
- Lightweight and stiff
- Great in powder and softer snow
- Asymmetrical design helps with carving
- Ideal for lightweight skiers
Not ideal for
- Unstable at speed
- Don't hold a great edge
- Hard to pivot and slash
- Get knocked around a lot due to lack of weight
Turn Ease
Elan has developed a technology that provides easier turning as long as skiers stick to having the ski on the correct foot. Elan ensures this, though, with large "left" and...Read more
The ski's asymmetrical design makes it easy to initiate turns and get on edge. While it is 106 in width, it is quick from edge to edge, and the stiff...Read more
Playfulness
Everything about Elan's Ripstick is about playfulness and fun on the mountain. Taken from the personality of their main spokesperson, Glen Plake, his style is all over these skis. His...Read more
These skis do a good job of being soft and forgiving in the tips without sacrificing stability and feeling noodly. I like how these skis feel solid on turns, but...Read more
Durability
I haven't seen any major issues with these skis that would make me think skiers wouldn't enjoy this ski for years to come. The topsheets, bases, and edges are all...Read more
Elan makes great skis and has a high build quality that will last many seasons. After a week of skiing, I found minimal scratches, and the skis showed little to...Read more
High Speed Stability
These are light, energetic, and playful skis meant to be enjoyed while cruising the mountain. Everything about this ski is built for cruising and making things easier on the pilot....Read more
These skis are not very confidence-inspiring when going fast. They get thrown around a bit and cannot charge through choppy snow because of their lightness. They are better suited for...Read more
Carving
I wouldn't say this ski wants to carve at high speeds. This ski is engineered to allow for easy turn initiation and control throughout the turn. They have precision-engineered this...Read more
These skis are nimble and easy to get on edge, but they are not the best for high-speed carves. I found that they do best when carving at medium speeds....Read more
Versatility
This ski thrives on soft snow, as any lighter and heavily rockered ski would. Skiers might find some less desirable traits if they are in cut-up conditions or crud often....Read more
These skis do great in any condition. They have rocker and camber, giving me the best of both worlds and enabling me to ski on and off the trails in...Read more
Flotation
This ski will float through anything as long as the snow is fresh and powdery. After the snow gets a bit cut up, there can be some effort to keep...Read more
At 106, these are wide enough for even the deepest powder days. They are easy to slash and turn in powder at the float well. While not a true powder...Read more
Curated Experts are not sponsored by brands. Their reviews are based on their honest experiences testing products.
Bryant Leech
max pilling
About the ski gear
- Model: Elan Ripstick 106 Skis · 2024
Test conditions
- What conditions I've skied these in: Groomers, bumps, chop, and powder
- Where I’ve used them: Alta, UT and Snowbird, UT
- How many times I've used it: 2
Expert Reviews of the Elan Ripstick 106 Skis
Bryant Leech I will start by saying I am not the target market for this ski. Elan loves to talk about how fun, cruising, and playful this ski is, and while I do enjoy those characteristics in a ski, it's not my typical way of interacting with the mountains. This ski is light and very accessible to a vast majority of skiers, with carbon rods to reinforce this ski and no metal. Those combined make for a ski that (almost) doesn't feel like I have anything on my foot. It's very easy to initiate turns and provides the driver with nice flotation in soft, untouched snow. Due to its weight, this ski does not perform very well in chopped-up conditions and would be a difficult ski to work with if someone encounters it often. The Elan Ripstick 106 is meant for a skier who wants a lightweight tool for skiing fresh powder and rarely hits high speeds.
max pilling The Elan Ripstick is a pretty unique ski. It is super lightweight but also stiff due to carbon construction. It is easy to throw around and maneuver, but it likes to stay on edge when on groomers. The stiffness adds to stability, while the asymmetrical design means skiers have a specific left and right ski, which helps a lot to carve. At 106 with a wide tip and tail, the Ripstick performs great in deeper snow. Due to the rocker and being lightweight, it is easy to pivot and get sideways in deep snow, while on groomers, it likes to stay on edge. It isn't for super playful skiers who like to slash and pivot on groomers, but it caters to those who like to carve but still want a maneuverable ski that can handle deeper snow.
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.
Turn Ease
5/5
Bryant Leech gave 5 of 5 stars. Elan has developed a technology that provides easier turning as long as skiers stick to having the ski on the correct foot. Elan ensures this, though, with large "left" and "right" on each ski. At slower speeds, the ski does a great job of turning and making this ski fun and maneuverable. This ski wants to stay slow, though.
max pilling gave 5 of 5 stars. The ski's asymmetrical design makes it easy to initiate turns and get on edge. While it is 106 in width, it is quick from edge to edge, and the stiff underfoot part of the ski makes it easy to hold an edge while carving. Rockers on the tips and outside help when turning in softer snow.
Playfulness
5/5
Bryant Leech gave 5 of 5 stars. Everything about Elan's Ripstick is about playfulness and fun on the mountain. Taken from the personality of their main spokesperson, Glen Plake, his style is all over these skis. His playful and enthusiastic nature is embedded into this ski as much as the carbon stringers are. They want to dance around the mountain rather than conquer it.
max pilling gave 4 of 5 stars. These skis do a good job of being soft and forgiving in the tips without sacrificing stability and feeling noodly. I like how these skis feel solid on turns, but I can still smear a bit. They aren't the most playful in a park skiing way, but the skis are fairly forgiving.
Durability
5/5
Bryant Leech gave 5 of 5 stars. I haven't seen any major issues with these skis that would make me think skiers wouldn't enjoy this ski for years to come. The topsheets, bases, and edges are all well constructed and have been made similarly for years. Elan has been making high-quality ski equipment since way before I was born, so I can't imagine having any issues here.
max pilling gave 4 of 5 stars. Elan makes great skis and has a high build quality that will last many seasons. After a week of skiing, I found minimal scratches, and the skis showed little to no signs of wear. These skis are built tough and will hold up to skiers who are hard on their skis.
High Speed Stability
3/5
Bryant Leech gave 2 of 5 stars. These are light, energetic, and playful skis meant to be enjoyed while cruising the mountain. Everything about this ski is built for cruising and making things easier on the pilot. These will not get along with active skiers who demand things from their skis. I would look elsewhere if speed, stability, or stiffness are priorities.
max pilling gave 3 of 5 stars. These skis are not very confidence-inspiring when going fast. They get thrown around a bit and cannot charge through choppy snow because of their lightness. They are better suited for skiers who like to finesse their way through chop.
Carving
3/5
Bryant Leech gave 2 of 5 stars. I wouldn't say this ski wants to carve at high speeds. This ski is engineered to allow for easy turn initiation and control throughout the turn. They have precision-engineered this purpose down to having a right and left purpose-built ski for each foot. Carving usually requires higher speeds, and with this ski not really enjoying those higher-speed turns, that could underwhelm some skiers.
max pilling gave 4 of 5 stars. These skis are nimble and easy to get on edge, but they are not the best for high-speed carves. I found that they do best when carving at medium speeds. The asymmetrical design allows me to carve without sacrificing off-piste agility.
Versatility
4/5
Bryant Leech gave 3 of 5 stars. This ski thrives on soft snow, as any lighter and heavily rockered ski would. Skiers might find some less desirable traits if they are in cut-up conditions or crud often. The light nature of these skis can get kicked around a good bit.
max pilling gave 5 of 5 stars. These skis do great in any condition. They have rocker and camber, giving me the best of both worlds and enabling me to ski on and off the trails in ice or deep snow. These are really a one-ski quiver.
Flotation
5/5
Bryant Leech gave 4 of 5 stars. This ski will float through anything as long as the snow is fresh and powdery. After the snow gets a bit cut up, there can be some effort to keep the ski pointed in the same direction due to the weight being deflected.
max pilling gave 5 of 5 stars. At 106, these are wide enough for even the deepest powder days. They are easy to slash and turn in powder at the float well. While not a true powder ski, 106 is more than enough for most deep snow someone will find.
FAQs
What do you love about this product?
Bryant Leech I love that these skis feel like nothing on my feet. They feel very lively in the snow as well. The carbon rods installed in them do a great job of providing energy back to the skis. This is an easy, fun, light, and accessible ski.
max pilling I love how versatile these skis are, they can really ski almost anything.
Why did you choose this product?
Bryant Leech I have always been interested in how this ski performs. As a 190lb rider, I didn't know if I would overpower the ski or if it would hold up to some abuse. I think at my size overall, this ski wants to ski at a lower speed than I prefer, but it's still a fine choice.
max pilling The versatility of this ski is second to none. The outer edges have rocker to help with powder turns while the inner edges are tuned for great carving ability. This combination makes for some truly versatile skis.
What is the value for the money versus other options?
max pilling At around $800, these skis can do the job of two or three skis. They can be used in powder, on groomers, and everything in between. I think that makes these skis great in value as they can be used as a one-ski quiver.
Bryant Leech
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