The hybrid ski we love finally has a touring-specific partner in crime.
Testers: Jonathan and Alex
For 2023, Elan introduces the new Ripstick Tour lineup. Here at the shop, we were pretty stoked, since the Elan Ripstick has been a shop favorite for years. We love it for its versatility. It rips groomers and firm snow, stays nimble through tight bumps and trees, and fits a huge range of skier types and styles. It also clicks in at a delightful weight that appeals to dedicated backcountry tourers, 50/50 skiers, and inbounds shredders alike. The only group that has been missing is the ultra-light touring crowd, who look for setups close to or under 3000g for the pair.
Elan heard us loud and clear and revealed the new Ripstick Tour 104, as well as a 94 and 88. Now there truly is something for everyone.
The move towards lighter weight, more touring friendly versions of our favorite all mountain skis is #trending. See the Nordica Enforcer 104 Unlimited (which we loved) and the new Blizzard Hustle. While these are designed to be hybrid-style skis, the Ripstick Tour is a bit different. Instead of pairing with a hybrid binding (like the Salomon Shift or Marker Duke PT), Elan specifically recommends mounting these with a pure tech binding.
Elan Ripstick Tour 104: Field Notes
The ski makes a stellar first impression with sunset sherbet colors and a Glen Plake logo, making very clear it’s his signature ski. Picking up the ski, it feels pretty darn feathery. The new Ripstick Tour 104 clicks in at 1540g in a 180cm length, shaving off 600g for the pair from the Ripstick 106 in the same length. This puts it in the same weight class as the DPS Pagoda Tours, Kastle TX series, and some Black Crows Freebird skis.
The Ripstick Tour keeps the signature Amphbio profile with an asymmetric, separate left and right ski design. More rocker in the tips and tails on your outside edge gives you the maneuverability you want, while less rocker and a longer effective edge gives you the stability you need at higher speeds or through variable snow. This is something we love about the original Ripstick and adds to its versatility.
To shave off weight, Elan did switch up the construction. Upgrading from Carbon Line Technology and multiple carbon rods, we move to Carbon Bridge Technology. This is one carbon rod running through the center of the ski. This provides the same dampness and shock absorption, with less weight. Just flexing the ski, it felt less stiff than the regular Ripstick to me. Elan also is using what they call a “360 Degree” sidewall. Instead of one solid sidewall, they shape it into a trapezoid to remove weight where it isn’t needed. All of these changes will certainly make the uphill more enjoyable, but what about on the downhill?
Uphill
As predicted, the Ripstick is very light. It feels nice and easy pushing uphill and plenty light to swing around on tight kick turns. I also appreciate the slightly wider tip for breaking trail.
Jonathan: Paired with a lightweight tech binding, the whole setup felt very light and efficient uphill. To the point I was happy to keep pushing farther on them during the tours. Not to mention, it was great to reach the top and still feel like my legs were very fresh for the downhill!
Downhill
Trees
I’ve always loved the Ripstick 102/106 for how responsive and quick it feels for a ski that wide. That stays true for the Tour 104, and even more so with less weight to swing around. Navigating through tight, ungladed trees, the skis felt responsive and easy to pivot .
Jonathan: I found the Ripstick Tour 104 to be exceptionally quick—both edge-to-edge and pivoting through tight spaces. The ski weight is obviously quite a bit lower than the normal Ripsticks, so the swing weight felt notably lighter as well. I felt very confident in tighter terrain with how quick, snappy, and energetic the ski felt (honestly, one of the quickest feeling skis I’ve been on).
Powder and Mixed Snow
I haven’t gotten a chance to ski it on a mega deep day yet, but on a day with three to four inches on top of a bit of crust, these felt like the perfect ski. As with most lightweight skis, I wouldn’t say the Ripstick Tour 104 excels in mixed, chopped up snow. I didn’t have trouble in softer chop, but I could see the ski struggling in heavier, sunbaked snow. I will say, navigating the chopped up stuff feels fairly easy at slower speeds with how easy it is to pivot and turn in tight spots. It also felt quite confidence inspiring on more crusty stuff and felt very locked into the snow.
Jonathan: This ski has loads of energy and rebound to it in soft stuff! The only con I had on the ski is it doesn’t track well through rougher, heavier snow. It can get deflected quite a bit due to the weight, with the tails feeling as though they get knocked around. I also felt like the skis did feel somewhat twitchy when skiing them bases flat as well, but some of that may have been due to the shorter size (180cm, usually skiing mid-180s). That’s a sensation that I’ve also had on the normal Ripstick 106.
Inbounds?
We probably wouldn’t recommend this as a daily driver in resort, but for resort uphill laps, absolutely. I recently skinned up Winter Park after hours which required skiing some low angle bumps on the way out. I’m impressed with how the ski handles late night icy moguls, and on Dynafit Rotations, the ride felt quite smooth. Not to mention, ripping fresh corduroy on this ski is a blast.
Jonathan: I would never choose this as my primary inbounds ski. If it was to be a true 50-50 setup, I would probably lean towards something heavier. That said, for uphill laps at the resort, and the occasional in-bounds usage, I could actually get along with this ski fairly well.
Downside
My downside isn’t really a complaint, but keeping in mind how different lightweight skis feel compared to something heavier. As something gets lighter, it inherently has less strength. So for charging through heavy snow, it makes sense you’ll get deflection or instability. What makes the Ripstick Tour so cool is where other light skis may get a little squirrely on icy, scrapped off snow, that longer effective edge on your inside edge keeps things locked down.
Jonathan: I think the biggest downsides of the ski are tip/tail deflection and instability. The tips and tails, especially with the low weight of the ski, certainly feel like they can get deflected easily. I noticed the tails were knocked around a bit more compared to some other touring skis, but the rest seemed on par with skis of this weight. Instability was only really an issue when riding the bases flat.
Bottom Line
As someone who seems to deal with more firm snow in the backcountry than chopped up powder, the Ripstick Tour 104 checks all the boxes as a touring specific ski. If you are looking for a hard-charging-blast-through-crud-do-it-all ski, this may not be the one for you. If you’re looking for a touring-oriented ski that can handle varied conditions—but prioritizes uphill efficiency—we think the Ripstick Tour 104 should be one of your top choices.
