Ski: 2025-2026 Elan Ripstick 96, 182 cm
Test Location: Crested Butte Mountain Resort, CO
Days Skied: ~10
Available Lengths: 161, 168, 175, 182, 189 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 181.3 cm
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski (182 cm): 1735 & 1741 grams
Stated Dimensions: 133-96-114 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 133-95.5-113.5 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (182 cm): 17.8 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 48 mm / 17.5 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 5 mm
Core Materials: poplar/paulownia + carbon rods + carbon strips + flax tip layer + fiberglass laminate
Base Material: sintered
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -8.4 cm from center / 82.2 cm from tail
Boots Used: Lange Shadow 130 LV; Atomic Hawx Ultra 130
Bindings Used: Tyrolia Attack 13
[Note: Our review was conducted on the 24/25 Ripstick 96, which returns unchanged for 25/26.]
Intro
The Ripstick collection is Elan’s longstanding freeride series, and for many years, the Ripsticks have been enjoyed by plenty of skiers seeking agile and adaptable all-mountain setups.
For the 2024-2025 season, Elan announced their most recent overhaul of the series, including all-new shapes and updated constructions, and the skis return unchanged for 25/26.
We’ve been testing a few of the new Ripsticks, and now it’s time for our Full Review of the do-everything Ripstick 96. First, let’s dive into the design and details of the ski:
What Elan says about the Ripstick 96:
“When your day begins with fresh corduroy and ends as a surprise powder day with friends, Ripstick 96 is the ultimate ski for turning good days into great ones. With countless awards, Ripstick 96 has established itself as the cornerstone of Elan's freeride collection. Now in its third generation, Amphibio Profile still delivers an uncompromising trio of grip, rebound, and maneuverability, with an even smoother and more stable ride, thanks to new Carbon Deck Technology. Carbon rods and unidirectional carbon bands are placed strategically along the edges to deliver a seriously responsive and silky-smooth ride at a ridiculously light weight. Access to effortless power and additional vibration damping is enhanced by a new 3D trapezoid shape reinforced by environmentally friendly and lightweight Flax Fiber. Whether you prefer a wider footprint for everyday skiing at the resort or are looking for all-mountain versatility for changing conditions, Ripstick 96 is recognized for its ability to turn good times on the hill into great memories.”
Construction
Elan has become known for implementing a lot of different construction methods, materials, and other technologies in their skis, and the latest Ripsticks are no exception. The Ripstick 96 features a light poplar / paulownia wood core that’s supplemented with two carbon tubes that reportedly follow the arc of the sidecut around the middle of the ski. Elan says this “TubeLite Woodcore” allows them to create a lightweight ski with added torsional stability and rebound.
Elan also adds unidirectional carbon layers over the edges, with a longer strip of carbon over the inside edge and a shorter one over the outside edge (more on that asymmetry in a moment). The latest Ripsticks also feature a layer of flax fibers near the shovel, designed to reduce chatter / vibrations in that part of the ski.
The Ripsticks also feature sintered bases and Elan’s “Slanted Sidewall Technology,” the latter of which uses trapezoid-shaped sidewalls that are meant to transmit power like a traditional sidewall but at a lower weight and with less of a chance of chipping when you hit your skis together.
Shape & Rocker Profile
The latest Ripsticks feature updated shapes across the 11-ski collection. Elan says they narrowed the tips slightly for “more stability and mixed-snow performance,” while their tails have gotten slightly wider to “finish turns with power and strength.”
These Ripsticks don’t look wildly different from their predecessors — we’re only talking about a difference of a few millimeters in the case of the Ripstick 96’s tips and tails — but it does make a difference, which we’ll discuss below in our Full Review. Overall, the Ripstick 96’s tips and tails are a bit more tapered than average for its class.
The Ripsticks still feature Elan’s “Amphibio” rocker / camber / rocker profile, which features shallower rocker lines on the inside edges and longer rocker lines on the outside edges. The differences between sides are pretty subtle, but the idea is that you get a longer contact length on the edges you use most when carving and a shorter contact length on the edges where precision is less important.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Ripstick 96:
Tips: 5-5.5
Shovels: 5.5-6.5
In Front of Toe Piece: 7-9.5
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 9.5-8.5
Tails: 8.5-7.5
This ski has a pretty directional flex pattern, with a front half that’s notably softer than the back. It starts very soft at the tips and shovels, and then slowly stiffens as you move toward the middle of the ski. Then, the Ripstick 96 stays pretty stiff until you get to the rockered portion of its tail, but that tail is considerably stiffer than the ski’s tips and shovels.
Sidecut Radius
Elan says the 182 cm Ripstick 96’s sidecut radius is 17.8 meters, which is pretty typical for this sort of all-mountain ski.
Mount Point
The latest Ripstick 96’s recommended mount point is about -8.5 cm from true center, which isn’t super far back, nor is it particularly close to center.
Weight (and Comparisons)
The Ripsticks have always fallen on the lighter end of the spectrum, and that trend continues with the latest generation. Our 182 cm Ripstick 96 weighs about 1740 grams per ski, which is quite light for an all-mountain ski around this width.
For reference, here are some of our measured weights (per ski in grams) for some notable skis. As always, keep in mind the length and width differences to try to keep things more apples-to-apples.
1731 & 1750 Liberty Radian 100, 179 cm
1735 & 1741 Elan Ripstick 96, 182 cm
1776 & 1817 Elan Ripstick 102 Black Edition, 182 cm
1778 & 1792 Liberty Scope 104, 188 cm
1800 & 1824 Romp Zorro 100, 183 cm
1808 & 1823 Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, 180 cm
1830 & 1860 ZAG Slap 98, 180 cm
1831 & 1844 K2 Mindbender 96C, 178 cm
1851 & 1868 Folsom Completo 100, 186 cm
1854 & 1904 Liberty Radian 106, 185 cm
1862 & 1931 Salomon QST 94, 180 cm
1869 & 1873 Line Sakana, 181 cm
1880 & 1887 Blizzard Rustler 9, 180 cm
1883 & 1906 Season Aero, 180 cm
1893 & 1897 Salomon QST 92, 184 cm
1893 & 1925 Icelantic Nomad 100, 188 cm
1894 & 1919 RMU Apostle 96 Ti, 184 cm
1901 & 1902 Renoun Endurance 98, 184 cm
1901 & 1905 Scott SEA 98, 180 cm
1916 & 1963 DPS Carbon Wailer 100, 184 cm
1917 & 1961 DPS Carbon Wailer 90, 184 cm
1925 & 1934 Black Crows Camox, 186 cm
1944 & 1995 Salomon QST 100, 180 cm
1945 & 1946 Ellis Sabr 100, 186 cm
1945 & 1972 RMU Professor 101, 186 cm
1947 & 1962 Meier Wrangler, 185 cm
1951 & 1953 Elan Ripstick 106, 188 cm (21/22–23/24)
1951 & 2003 Dynastar M-Free 100, 185 cm
1956 & 1976 Blizzard Rustler 10, 186 cm
1976 & 2000 Line Pandora 99, 184 cm
1980 & 1981 ZAG Mata Ti, 178 cm
1999 & 2060 Line Blade, 181 cm
2054 & 2063 Salomon QST 98, 189 cm
2066 & 2080 Dynastar M-Free 100, 192 cm
2077 & 2096 Line Optic 96, 184 cm
For the 2024-2025 season, we’ve partnered with Carv to use their Carv 2 sensors and digital ski coach app to not only learn more about our own skiing technique, but also add more useful info to our ski reviews. Here, you’ll see us reference some of the data that the Carv 2 sensors record and analyze while we’re skiing. Check out our announcement to learn more about how Carv works, why we’re excited to use it as a tool for our reviews, and how to get a discount on your own Carv setup.
FULL REVIEW
Groomers / On-Piste Performance
Luke Koppa (5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg): Nearly all of the various Ripsticks we’ve tested over the years have stood out for their on-piste performance. The latest Ripstick 96 mostly holds true to this generalization, though there are some caveats.
It doesn’t take much speed or effort to get this ski on edge. Looking at my Carv data, I can make pretty high-edge-angle turns (>50°) on this ski on beginner, intermediate, and expert slopes once I get going past roughly 20 mph / 32 kph. It’s also very easy to casually skid around at low edge angles, but when pushed hard, I tend to average turn sizes between 14-16 meters (i.e., what I’d call small to medium-small turns).
Compared to the prior-gen Ripsticks, the new ones don’t feel quite as eager to get on edge, which I’d at least partially attribute to their slightly narrower shovels. I still get decent engagement from the latest Ripstick 96’s tips once I start driving them, but it’s not quite as immediate as the previous iterations (which were standouts in this regard).
I haven’t noticed the new tail shape as much, but the latest Ripstick 96 still finishes carved turns pretty precisely, especially compared to other skis with similarly tapered and rockered tails.
The Ripstick 96 holds an edge quite well for a ~95mm-wide all-mountain ski, even when the groomers are a bit scraped-off, and it feels pretty energetic when transitioning between hard carves.
One of the main weak points of this ski on piste is its high-speed stability. As we noted above, the Ripstick 96 is very light for its class, so it’s little surprise that it isn’t very damp / planted. Hitting patches of pushed-around snow on this ski can cause it to get knocked around a fair bit, but if you’ve skied skis around the same weight, I think you’ll find the Ripstick 96’s suspension to be respectable.
The new tip shape has helped a bit when making big turns, with the latest skis not feeling quite as hooky / eager to cut across the fall line, but their lack of mass is the bigger limiting factor when it comes to high-speed composure.
In sum, the Ripstick 96 is an accessible and lively carver that’s engaging at moderate paces while still offering impressive edge hold. If you want an extremely precise ski that’s also calm and composed when skiing fast on firm snow, look to something much heavier (and likely less tapered and less rockered).
Moguls, Trees, & Tight Terrain
I enjoy carving the Ripstick 96 on all sorts of groomed slopes, especially when the snow is somewhat soft or at least consistent, but I think it really stands out when you take it into tight, off-piste terrain.
This ski has a lot going for it when it comes to these sorts of runs. The Ripstick 96 is light, it’s not super stiff, and it’s pretty easy to pivot / slide around.
In tight moguls, the Ripstick 96’s swing weight almost feels nonexistent, with very little physical effort required to flick it around. And as long as you’re not skiing from the backseat, its tails release easily when you want to skid and drift between bumps or trees. This ski responds best when you’re driving its shovels a bit, but it still feels intuitive when skied with a more centered stance, unless the moguls are extremely tight and weird.
The sweet spot of this ski feels pretty big, and I think its flex pattern is well-matched to the rest of its design and construction. The Ripstick 96’s tips and tails are soft enough to absorb some impacts (helpful in the case of lightweight skis), but I rarely found myself feeling like this ski’s tips or tails were unpredictably ‘folding up’ when skiing more aggressively.
As a result of all this, I think the Ripstick 96 is a great contender for less experienced skiers seeking an agile and fairly forgiving setup that they can use to explore more off-piste terrain. The Ripstick 96 still doesn’t want you to steer it from the backseat, but its low swing weight makes recovering easy in most cases.
I also had a blast on the Ripstick 96 when skiing aggressively through bumps with a ‘light-on-my-feet’ style. I.e., I wasn’t trying to get down as quickly as possible or line up big airs, but I was trying to work in tons of dynamic movements — think last-second slashes, small gaps, and mid-air transitions.
As with other terrain, I enjoyed the Ripstick 96 the most when skiing moguls and trees with somewhat forgiving snow conditions. This ski can feel a bit harsh and chattery on really firm snow, but I (and some of our other reviewers) loved it as a bump ski when the snow was fairly chalky or slightly slushy.
Powder & Soft Chop
The Ripstick 96 does pretty well in fresh snow, relative to its size. As the second-narrowest ski in the men’s Ripstick line, the 96 is far from a powder specialist, but it offers very respectable flotation and maneuverability in soft snow for what it is.
The latter is arguably more noteworthy for this sort of ski. I don’t expect any 96mm-wide ski to always plane up to the top when it’s snowed more than about 6” / 15 cm, but what I like about the Ripstick 96 is that it remains easy to slash and slarve even when it’s submerged beneath the snow.
In soft chop, that maneuverability remains helpful, especially since the Ripstick 96 doesn’t excel at making big, fast turns in cut-up pow (or any condition, really). But I still have a good time on this ski in soft chop if I ski it with a dynamic approach similar to what I outlined in the Tight Terrain section. If you’re looking for an all-mountain ski that’s particularly stable in chop, check out alternatives that are much heavier.
Firm Chop & Crud
As you could probably guess by now, the Ripstick 96 does not excel in cruddy conditions. Many of the traits that make it stand out elsewhere become limiting factors in firm, inconsistent snow.
The Ripstick 96 is light, and it feels like it. Compared to significantly heavier skis, the Ripstick 96 gets knocked around a lot more when hitting clumps of crud or firm chop, and it’s more noticeable the faster you ski.
As I outlined above, it’s best to make more frequent, smaller turns on this ski when conditions are challenging — ski faster in the smooth spots, but shed some speed before you hit the rougher stuff. The Ripstick 96’s low swing weight and easily release-able tail make doing that easy, but they also make it very challenging to confidently lay down fairly big, fast turns when the snow is variable.
I’ll still happily ski the Ripstick 96 in chalky snow, shallow slush, or low-density chop, but I much prefer a (much) heavier setup if I’m running into conditions like dense chop, refrozen coral reef, etc.
Who’s It For?
The Ripstick 96 is a pretty versatile all-mountain ski that stands out for its agility and maneuverability.
As such, it’s one I find myself recommending to a lot of beginner and intermediate skiers who want to truly ski all over the mountain. It holds an edge well on piste and is capable of making small- to medium-sized carves at high edge angles, but given that, it’s also very quick and accessible when you take it into moguls, trees, and other off-piste terrain.
If you’ll primarily be staying on piste, a less rockered, less tapered, and narrower ski will probably make more sense (e.g., Elan’s Wingman 86 CTi). And if you know you want a very balanced, freestyle-friendly ski and/or one that’s really forgiving of backseat skiing, Elan’s Playmaker series will likely be a better call.
Advanced and expert skiers can also be good candidates for the Ripstick 96, but the main thing to keep in mind is that this is a lightweight ski that isn’t very damp or stable at speed. If you prefer a quick ski and like to make lots of smaller, more dynamic turns, the Ripstick 96 still warrants consideration, but there are tons of better alternatives if stability and suspension are important to you.
Bottom Line
The latest version of Elan’s Ripstick 96 features several small tweaks that make it a bit more predictable in variable snow and off-piste terrain, but its defining traits remain very similar to its predecessors.
The Ripstick 96 stands out as an exceptionally quick and maneuverable all-mountain ski, especially in moguls and trees, but it’s also plenty fun on piste. Those seeking a damp and stable setup for rough snow should look elsewhere, but the Ripstick 96 warrants consideration if you like hopping and slashing through tight terrain and still want to lay down fairly tight carves on piste.
Our Deep Dives, Winter Buyer’s Guide, & Flash Reviews
BLISTER+ members and those who purchase our Digital Access Pass can check out the Deep Dive comparisons linked below, where we compare a given ski, bike, etc. to a whole bunch of other comparable products in its class. Don’t have access? Get our Digital Access Pass to read all of our Deep Dive comparisons, as well as our Flash Reviews, where we provide our initial impressions as soon as we start testing gear.
Or, even better, become a BLISTER+ member to get that + the best worldwide Outdoor Injury Insurance, exclusive deals and discounts on skis, personalized gear recommendations from us, access to our annual Winter Buyer’s Guide, and much more.
On that note, you can also get our thoughts on this ski and 300+ others in our 2024-2025 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide. BLISTER+ members already have access, or you can purchase the guide on its own to get the the print copy + digital version at no extra cost, or the digital-only edition.
Deep Dive: Elan Ripstick 96
We compare the Ripstick 96 to the Ripstick 102 Black Edition, Salomon QST 94, Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti, Renoun Endurance 98, Line Optic 96, Salomon QST 92, Line Pandora 99, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, K2 Mindbender 96C, RMU Apostle 96 Ti, Black Crows Camox, Blizzard Rustler 9, ZAG Slap 98, Stockli Stormrider 95, and Head Kore 94 Ti.
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2024-2025 Blister Digital Winter Buyer’s Guide
350+ skis, 65 boots, and 280+ pages of honest, accurate product reviews and comparisons. Order our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s Guide or become a BLISTER+ member to read the Digital Guide NOW.
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Flash Review: 24/25 Elan Ripstick 96
We’ve been spending time on the newest version of Elan’s longstanding all-mountain ski — here are our initial thoughts on the updated Ripstick 96.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Elan Announces Updated 24/25 Ripstick, Primetime, Playmaker, & Element Skis
Elan is updating a whole bunch of their skis for the 2024-2025 season, including several brand-new shapes and new constructions. Here are the details.
