I would definitely recommend the Element for lapping runs in deep powder all day. However, once the snow got more chewed up, I encountered a few problems. The ski performed well in the softer and shallower chopped-up snow at slower to medium speeds, where I could maintain good control of the ski and make strong, smearing turns. It was when I tried to ski faster that I could lose control of the fronts of the skis pretty quickly.
I also noticed that, at any speed, the ski’s performance decreased in thicker, heavier, choppy snow. While the ski’s design makes it an ideal choice for floating in powder, the wide, exaggerated tips tend to be grabby when plowing through crud. Even though my body position was pretty aggressive and forward, the tips would grab at the snow or deflect off if I ran into a harder chunk. In these conditions, I was definitely getting tossed around. So I decided to move the bindings forward 1.5cm from the recommended line to see if that changed the ski’s performance.
Good news: the ski felt completely different, and I felt much more comfortable skiing a fast line through thick chop. By moving the bindings forward, I gained more control of the ski’s tips and found I could ski more aggressively. With less ski in front of me, I could negotiate the hard crud with more confidence and ease.
Since I felt so much better about the ski after this adjustment, I tried moving the bindings back to +0.5cm ahead of the recommended mount. Here, I again experienced the same lack of control I had originally felt over the tips and needed to slow down considerably through the rough snow. Because I experienced no discernable decrease in float and a much-improved performance in crud, I would suggest mounting the Element at 1.5 centimeters ahead of recommended.
Incredibly, I did not get the chance to take a full run on a groomed trail. There were some flat sections that were groomed, but they were not long or steep enough to get enough speed to really carve. In the few turns I made, the Element seemed to hold pretty well on edge given their width, but I will definitely need to spend a little more time on groomers back home to get a more accurate feel.
The Element did handle moguls well, and although they are a bit wide, they are poppy and easy to maneuver.
Black Diamond has been raising the bar for lightweight, high performance skis, a huge bonus if you’re spending much time in the backcountry. Although I have not had a chance to tour with the Element, everything about it leads me to think that it would be a strong option for those who don’t want any compromise performance while in the backcountry.
Since there is a limited selection of women’s all-mountain powder skis, I would place the Element in the same category as other skis I have tried that are in the 104-106mm range underfoot. Compared to other skis I have ridden, I found that the Element floats better than the Volkl Kiku or the MOMENT Bella. The Moment Bella performs the best in crud of any ski I have ridden, but it does not float as well as either the Element or the Kiku.
As a resort ski, the Element would be a great option for powder days and the following days of softer snow. However, since it is not the strongest ski to tackle crud with, it would probably not be the best choice for a one-ski quiver.
I would recommend the Element for intermediate to expert skiers who are chasing deep snow, and though I have not toured on it, I believe it would be a great backcountry ski.
If you’re looking for an addition to your quiver for the deepest days, the Element is definitely a great choice.
Go to Morgan Sweeney’s 2nd Look at the Black Diamond Element
How tall are you? I’m 5ft 4in 115lbs. Ski very aggressively. Mounted 165s 1cm fwd of factory and they feel super short… Did I make a mistake?
Thanks!!
J
Hi Janie,
Thanks for reading! I’m 5’6″, 125lbs, and from my experience with the 175s, I definitely felt like they skied much better +1.5 forward. They didn’t feel too short for me, so it’s possible the skis might be too short (especially if we’re so close in height and you ski aggressively)? I don’t believe that mounting them on the recommended line would have made them feel that much longer, and I think they will ski better for you forward. Hope this helps!
Julia
where exactly is the recommended line for the middle of your boot
For 165 cm Element the boot center should be 757 mm measured from the tail. 803 mm for the 175 cm. As noted in Blister, the author advised moving the boot center forward, ~1.0 cm for 165 cm planks, 1.5 cm for 175s.