Elan Ripstick Tour 88 Ski
Ready to rip? So is the Ripstick Tour 88 - a lighter weight, backcountry friendly take on Elan's popular Ripstick line. With an 88mm waist, this piece of eye candy is ready for some winter or spring laps where conditions may vary from powder to corn to crud. The smaller turning radius brings this ski around quickly, which comes in handy in trees, couloirs, and anywhere else you want to keep those turns tight! Carbon sheets are a dime a dozen, but Elan's Carbon Bridge Technology is a fun twist on the theme. Utilizing a carbon tube that runs down the center of the ski you get less vibration and a more progressive flex. Buttery smooth turns are compliments of the Amphibio profile that creates a rockered profile edge to edge for better control and easier transitions into and out of that figure 8 you and your ski partner are making. The full 360° pyramid-shaped ABS sidewall is great for performance and durability, but we discourage anyone from pinballing off rocks as a way to test this feature. Turn up the tunes and get excited to ski the Elan Ripstick Tour 88 because it's meant to rip it - and rip it good.
- Amphibio profile* leads to smoother turns that are easy like Sunday morning.
- Carbon Bridge Technology is a lightweight solution to creating a damper and confidence-inspiring ski.
- Full 360° pyramid-shaped ABS sidewall increases durability and smooths out the ride.
- 2 layers of carbon reinforcement increase torsional stiffness and make for a smoother flex underfoot.
* Please note you will have a left and a right ski with the Amphibio technology.
| Specifications | |
| Lengths (cm) | 156, 163, 170, 177, 184 |
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Weight |
1205g [163] 1260g [170] 1385g [177] |
| Weight (pair) | 2410g [163] 2520g [170] 2770g [177] |
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125-88-104 |
|
Turn |
14.8m [156] 15.6m [163] 16.8m [170] 17.6m [177] 18.8m [184] |
|
Skin |
Tip notch, flat tail |
| Specs Verified | Yes |
| Design | |
|
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Amphibio asymmetrical rocker edge to edge |
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Tapered tip and tail |
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Carbon bridge technology, 360° sidewall |
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Laminated woodcore with carbon reinforcement |
| Skimo Co Says | |
| Usage | Spring touring, variable conditions |
| Notes | Carbon tube runs along the center of the ski to create a smooth ride |
| Bottom Line | Elan's offering for backcountry skiers who want to rip |
| Compare to other Mid-fat Skis | |
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Questions & Reviews
I read all these reviews and Q&As and it just seems like there’s so much acceptance of giving up power and skiability in the name of reducing weight. That’s the other place I’m hung up.
So, I’m looking closely at a couple few skis—the Blacklight 88 in 172, the Ripstick 88 in 170, maybe going a bit more exotic with the Magico.2 in whatever its 170ish length is, or the AlpTracks 89 in 169.
The Ripstick is the heaviest of the bunch, and I hear great things about the non-touring ripsticks, and so I’m wondering if that extra heft confers something onto these skis that hews closer to the traits I’m used to?
So, is the Ripstick my huckleberry? Do I just need to get over myself and give into the light side?
Last bit of rambling—I’m likely to wait a few months to buy new boots. So whatever I get, I’ll be driving them with the beefy Hawx to begin with. I do plan on picking up something lighter before too long—I’m thinking either the Travers or the Skorpius—but should I be concerned about overpowering any of these models while I’m wearing the Atomics at the outset?
Thanks so much for walking with me through my neuroses.
Skiability is of course subjective. Additional weight can help with reducing deflection and often add some dampness, but it's not directly correlated to edge hold, responsiveness, rebound, and other ski qualities folks desire. There are certainly some lightweight skis the Hawx would overpower, but you would still enjoy the skis on your list, which each have their strengths. It does help to adapt your ski style towards the lighter kit, which going lighter on the boots helps to encourage, so you're on the right track trying to match them.
For what it's worth, the Ripstick Tour 88 was well-liked by those of us that got to ski them, which is also obviously implied by the fact that we carry it. Quick, responsive, good edge hold, just plain fun about summed the feedback on the 170cm length. 177 will be a tad slower edge to edge but offer additional stability and float.
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