Page 2 – Elan Ripstick all mountain freeride and touring skis

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New model Free cover

£615.91

The Elan Ripstick 94 W women’s alpine ski offers versatility, float in powder and lightweight performance in all snow conditions.

Size

Elan Alpine Ski Ripstick 94 W Black Edition Overview

Clearance

Elan

Ski Ripstick 94 W Black Edition

Recommended price

£703.91

-40%

£422.31

The Ripstick 94 W Black Edition women's alpine ski from Elan lets you explore all types of terrain with agility, performance and thrills.

Size

New model Free cover

Elan

Ski Ripstick 96

£615.91

The Ripstick 96 all-mountain ski from Elan offers versatility and stability, making it ideal for meeting your needs on all types of terrain.

Size

Elan Alpine Ski Ripstick 96 Black Edition Overview

New model Free cover

Elan

Ski Ripstick 96 Black Edition

£747.91

The Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition all-mountain ski delivers outstanding float with its 96 mm waist.

Size

Ripstick range comparison table

Model	Target user	Waist width	Intended use	Distinctive feature
Ripstick R4 W SX	Women	82 mm	All mountain	Narrowest in the women’s line-up, with Shift X system
Ripstick R4 SX	Men / unisex	84 mm	All mountain	Strong resort focus, with Shift X system
Ripstick 88 W	Women	88 mm	All mountain	More lively on piste than the 94 W
Ripstick 88	Men	88 mm	All mountain	Mid-width waist for piste, piste-side terrain and variable snow
Ripstick 94 W	Women	94 mm	All mountain	More support in soft snow than the 88 W
Ripstick 96	Men	96 mm	All mountain	Widest alpine Ripstick shown here
Ripstick Tour 88	Men	88 mm	Touring	Construction specifically designed for ski touring

Waist width is a useful guide to the models within the range, but it is not enough on its own to define their intended use. The R4 and Ripstick 88 models remain more resort-oriented and suited to mixed snow, whereas the Ripstick 94 W and 96 come into their own when the snow gets deeper. The Ripstick Tour 88 follows a different logic: its construction is designed for ski touring, with weight and uphill efficiency as the priorities.

Ripstick R4 SX and R4 W SX: the most resort-focused models

The Ripstick R4 SX and Ripstick R4 W SX stand out immediately from the other models thanks to their narrower width and their Shift X binding system.

Their Early Rise Rocker profile makes turn initiation easier, while the traditional camber preserves effective edge contact on firmer snow. They therefore make sense for male or female skiers who spend most of their time on piste but still want enough width to ski when conditions become softer or more uneven.

Ripstick 88 or Ripstick 96: which width for an all-mountain ski?

The Ripstick 88 and Ripstick 96 share a construction based on Tubelite Woodcore, carbon rods, unidirectional carbon strips, flax fibres, SST sidewalls and the Amphibio asymmetric profile. The main difference is therefore their width.

Ripstick 88

At 88 mm underfoot in its reference width, the Ripstick 88 remains well behaved on groomed snow. It is still sufficiently wide to handle piste edges, spring snow and a limited amount of fresh snow.

Its Carbon Deck construction combines the Tubelite Woodcore with carbon rods and strips. The flax fibres placed in the front section help to dampen vibration. The Ripstick 88 therefore maintains a balanced all-mountain position, suited to days spent alternating between piste, piste-side terrain and changing snow conditions, rather than a ski focused on deep powder.

Ripstick 96

The Ripstick 96 takes the waist up to 96 mm. This extra width increases surface area in soft snow and shifts its intended use further towards off-piste skiing, while retaining the camber, Amphibio and Carbon Deck construction of the family.

The choice between the two therefore depends mainly on the terrain actually skied: the Ripstick 88 is more appealing for days split between pistes and the margins of the ski area, whereas the Ripstick 96 feels more at home in powder.

Ripstick 88 W or 94 W: which should you choose for the terrain?

The Ripstick 88 W and 94 W follow a similar progression. They both use Tubelite Woodcore, carbon rods and strips, flax fibres and the Amphibio profile, but the 6 mm difference at the waist alters the balance between the key characteristics.

The Ripstick 88 W remains the more piste- and mixed-snow-oriented choice of the two. Its width reduces the distance needed to move from one edge to the other. The Ripstick 94 W, by contrast, increases the platform underfoot and makes more sense when soft-snow and off-piste sections become more frequent.

What is the Amphibio profile on Ripstick skis for?

The Amphibio profile is based on an asymmetric design: Elan differentiates between a left ski and a right ski and varies the profile between the inside edge and the outside edge. The inside section retains more camber to support edge grip, while the outside side gets more rocker to make turn entry and exit easier.

On the Ripstick 88, 88 W, 94 W and 96, this asymmetry works with the Carbon Deck construction. This combines the Tubelite Woodcore, carbon rods following the sidecut line, unidirectional carbon strips along the edges and flax fibres designed to reduce vibration.

Ripstick Tour 88: for ski touring

The Ripstick Tour 88 belongs to the Elan ski touring range. Its 88 mm width may call to mind the alpine Ripstick 88, but the comparison quickly ends there: Elan has adapted the construction here for ascents with climbing skins.

The Tour 88 uses Carbon Bridge technology in particular, with a carbon rod positioned on the upper section of the ski to add support and limit vibration towards the tip. The Tubelite core is further reinforced with carbon, while a titanal reinforcement secures the binding mounting area.

Its 88 mm therefore offer a different compromise from the alpine Ripstick 88: the width needs to remain sensible for the uphill phases while still providing enough surface area for descents in variable snow.

Which Elan Ripstick should you choose?

For mainly resort-based skiing, the Ripstick R4 SX and R4 W SX are the narrowest and closest to a piste/all-mountain use case. The Ripstick 88 and 88 W remain very well suited to all-mountain skiing combining piste, piste-side terrain and changing snow. The Ripstick 94 W and 96 give more room to off-piste and powder thanks to their greater width.

The Ripstick Tour 88 answers a different brief: it is aimed at skiers who climb with their skis and are looking for a construction suited to touring. For an even more piste-centred setup, the Elan Wingman range is a more specialised alternative.

You can also find all Elan alpine skis.