Ripstick 106 W | 2025

The Ripstick series from Elan has graced the pages of our Buyer’s Guide numerous times, and for good reason. Updated for 2024-25, the Ripstick 106 W features a slightly narrower tip and wider tail for more stability and power, which makes this a great West Coast daily driver, whether you frequent the ski area or the skin track—or both! An asymmetrical rocker profile, with more camber on the ski’s inside than the outside edge, encourages the inside edge to hook up first, making transitions feel natural and the overall ride feel buttery smooth. Elan uses carbon rods underfoot, which keep the weight down and provide excellent stability and exciting energy rebound in tracked-out snow.

“This is a lighter-weight ski than my norm, and, at first, I thought I needed to accentuate my pressure to compensate for the ski’s weight,” stated one of our testers. “Au contraire! This ski is light, quick and playful. It will transition edge-to-edge super smooth and almost effortlessly. I ski daily and enjoy a ski that allows you to ski bell-to-bell without sapping your energy.”

Like our tester here, many are wary of purchasing a light ski because the tips tend to chatter and feel unpredictable at high speeds. The Ripstick 106 W doesn’t suffer from this problem thanks to a flax fiber in the ski’s tip, reducing vibration and making the ski feel planted and controlled. The 106 W provides the best of both worlds: it has a light swing weight and is snappy underfoot without feeling jittery and loose. This contrast benefits you all over the mountain, making it a fantastic choice for intermediate to advanced skiers who want a light, fluid and directional ski.