“Embody the spirit of Glen Plake and play all over the mountain,” advised FREESKIER online editor Sam Taggart after skiing the Ripstick 116. “A wide waist width makes floating, slashing and slarving come naturally, while the unique construction boosts confidence on the crud and hardpack.” The Ripstick series is composed of a cambered inside edge for supreme snow grip and a rockered outside edge for easy turn transitions. This also means the skis have a designated right and left foot—so don’t cross up your skis. In addition, Elan employs three-dimensional carbon tubes to complement the versatile paulownia, beech and poplar wood core. This adds torsional rigidity and rebound, while composite tip inserts reduce chatter at speed.