2024 Elan Ripstick 106 - SkiEssentials.com Ski Test

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[@davejohnson5213]

The 106 is amazing.Skis fantastic in deep snow. Still smooth on trail. Great shop too. Great review. Thank you Ski Essentials.

[@SkiEssentials]

Yup! Agree 100%!

[@kbtg2224]

Hi Bob, I try to decide between the Stormrider 102, the Elan 106 Black Edition or the normal 106. As I have a SR 95 too, I feel that there might not be enough width difference between the 95 and 102, therefore the jump to 106. Skiing in Alps, 5'10, 176 lbs. I want a ski, that is a strong carver with the ability, to perform in heavy deep snow as well. Also the QST 106 or blank came in my mind...any final suggestion? Greetings from Austria-

[@SkiEssentials]

The 106 does seem to make more sense to me for your application, especially with the 95 in the pocket. The QST feels like a sturdier ski to me than the Elan, as it's more consistent from tip to tail. That said, if you gave me either of those three 106's, I'd be a happy skier. The Salomon is smoother and more composed overall while the regular 106 has more pep and energy and the Black Edition feels damper, but not quite as consistent as the Salomon. The Blank is a bigger jump when it comes to width, as that 112 will certainly slot into a powder-specific ski. Personally, I'd take the QST 106 with the Black Edition 106 a pretty close second.

[@kbtg2224]

Great input….thank you. 👍

[@SnowsailorB]

Hi Bob, thank you for the great review! How does the ripstick 106 compare to the Backland 107 for dedicated touring use? Do you think it is worth the extra weight? Which performs better in variable snow?

[@SkiEssentials]

There's not a huge disparity in downhill performance, especially if you're not on a groomer. The Backland can hold up to some serious use, and we've seen it operated under duress at very high speeds and it did impressively well. In a vacuum, I guess I'd rather ski the Elan in variable snow, but not by a whole lot.

[@beleg1437]

Great videos. I've been watching a ton of them lately in a search of a hybrid touring setup. I've been leaning towards the Hustle 10 or 11 so far. What would you say are the main differences between the Ripstick and Hustle? Thanks.

[@SkiEssentials]

The Ripstick feels like it comes to life the more you push it while the Hustle seems to have more of a limit. That's a function of the carbon tubes being integrated into the Ripstick vs. the stringers of the Hustle.

[@co-op343]

Is this ski more flexible than the blaze 106?

[@SkiEssentials]

Go to soothski.com--they have tons of flexibility measurements.