Review: Elan Wingman 86 CTI Fusion X Skis + EMX 12 GW Fusion X Bindings · 2024
By Ski Expert
Henry Kvietok
Elan Wingman 86 CTI Fusion X Skis + EMX 12 GW Fusion X Bindings · 2025
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The Curated Take
4.7/5
The Elan Wingman 86 CTI Fusion X Skis with EMX 12 GW Fusion X Bindings are excellent for intermediate to advanced skiers seeking a versatile, lightweight setup. These skis offer great carving ability with enough width for off-piste adventures. They are easy to maneuver and can handle a variety of turn shapes. While not the most stable at very high speeds, they excel in agility and responsiveness, making them ideal for skiers who prioritize versatility and fun across different terrain types.
Ideal for
- Lightweight and flickable
- Excellent carving but still enough width to go off-piste
- Easy to bend into a variety of turn shapes
Not ideal for
- Not the most stable at very high speeds (50+mph)
Turn Ease
The Wingman 86 CTI is a fairly lightweight ski for one that has titanal reinforcement. While combined with lightweight wood and carbon fiber, these skis are lightweight yet have some...Read more
Playfulness
While not at all what I'd consider some sort of playful freestyle ski, the Wingman is still what I would call a more playful ski in general. It is fairly...Read more
Durability
While testing at Loveland with the Elan Wingman 86 CTI, I experienced no durability or quality issues with these skis or bindings. From all of my customers with these skis,...Read more
High Speed Stability
Because these skis have a bit of rocker and aren't the stiffest/heaviest skis on the market, they tend to experience a bit of chatter at the fastest speeds (50+ mph)....Read more
Carving
The Elan Wingman 86 CTI is an all-mountain carving machine. It is so easy and accessible to bend this ski around and unlock its energy in a turn. I found...Read more
Versatility
I think this ski makes sense for a whole bunch of folks out there. If someone loves to carve up the corduroy and enjoys arcing their turns, they'll appreciate the...Read more
Flotation
At 86mm underfoot, the Wingman is wider than most dedicated carving skis, so it will do much better in powder compared to those. However, there are many wider and more...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 Wingman 86 CTI Fusion X Skis + EMX 12 GW Fusion X Bindings · 2025
Test conditions
- When I tested these: January 2024
- Where I’ve used them: Loveland Ski Area
- How many times I've used it: 3
Expert Reviews of the Elan Wingman 86 CTI Fusion X Skis + EMX 12 GW Fusion X Bindings
Henry Kvietok I had the pleasure of testing out the Elan Wingman 86CTI at Loveland here in Colorado in January (2024). We had mixed conditions throughout the day, ranging from fresh corduroy to spots of ice and then some warmer snow (slush) in the afternoon. I took the Wingman on groomers, moguls, in trees, and in a bit of chopped-up snow.
Overall, I absolutely loved this ski. It has such a huge sweet spot, and I think it makes sense for a whole lot of skiers out there. It is lightweight enough not to feel overly hard to maneuver around; however, the carbon and metal in the ski keep it fairly damp even at faster speeds. I found that I could bend it into short, tight turns or let it run straight and fast.
If someone is an advanced/expert skier who wants a carver that is a touch on the soft side but still has a high-performance ceiling (and can still be enjoyed off groomers), this ski is 100% worth a look. Or, if an intermediate-level skier wants to get out of rentals and improve their skiing, this ski is the ticket.
Unlike many other "carving" skis, this model actually does fairly well off-piste. At 86mm underfoot and with some fairly wide tips (130mm), this ski can definitely hold its own a lot better than other narrower carvers.
Product Specs
| Age Group | Adult |
| Gender | Men's |
| Includes bindings | Yes |
| Model year | 2025 |
| Ski type | All Mountain |
| Skill level | Advanced, Expert |
Review Ratings
Turn Ease
5/5
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. The Wingman 86 CTI is a fairly lightweight ski for one that has titanal reinforcement. While combined with lightweight wood and carbon fiber, these skis are lightweight yet have some decent stiffness underfoot. I found them to be easy to initiate and hold in a carve, especially for shorter to medium-radius turns.
Playfulness
5/5
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. While not at all what I'd consider some sort of playful freestyle ski, the Wingman is still what I would call a more playful ski in general. It is fairly easy to bend and a blast to flick around in tight trees and moguls. This all makes it easy to maneuver, which signifies a more playful ski.
Durability
5/5
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. While testing at Loveland with the Elan Wingman 86 CTI, I experienced no durability or quality issues with these skis or bindings. From all of my customers with these skis, I have not had any warranty or quality issues come up either. I look forward to more long-term durability testing on my own.
High Speed Stability
4/5
Henry Kvietok gave 4 of 5 stars. Because these skis have a bit of rocker and aren't the stiffest/heaviest skis on the market, they tend to experience a bit of chatter at the fastest speeds (50+ mph). This was also what I felt as a taller/heavier individual (6'2" 200lbs), so those who are lighter will feel that these skis are more stable for them.
Carving
5/5
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. The Elan Wingman 86 CTI is an all-mountain carving machine. It is so easy and accessible to bend this ski around and unlock its energy in a turn. I found them to be plenty stable in tough, icy, hardpack conditions in the early morning. They sliced into the snow but also released quite easily when needed.
Versatility
5/5
Henry Kvietok gave 5 of 5 stars. I think this ski makes sense for a whole bunch of folks out there. If someone loves to carve up the corduroy and enjoys arcing their turns, they'll appreciate the on-piste performance. And, if they like that but also want to hop into some glades and a bit of chop, these skis have the capability to do that as well.
Flotation
4/5
Henry Kvietok gave 4 of 5 stars. At 86mm underfoot, the Wingman is wider than most dedicated carving skis, so it will do much better in powder compared to those. However, there are many wider and more rockered skis that I'd opt for to get maximum flotation. While they can handle powder, they are not necessarily designed to ski it a majority of the time.
FAQs
What do you love about this product?
Henry Kvietok I love how accessible this ski is as a carver but how it still offers quite a high-performance ceiling for more advanced/expert-level skiers.
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Henry Kvietok My favorite moment with the Wingmans was tearing it up on the early morning corduroy and hardpack at Loveland. The skis were just so full of energy and launched me from turn to turn.
Why did you choose this product?
Henry Kvietok I chose this product because I wanted something narrow and quick edge-to-edge that was also fairly lightweight. The Wingman perfectly fit the bill and was an absolute blast.
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