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Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition Skis 2025
Even with huge competition from the other manufacturers, for all-mountain skis, Elan's Ripstick 96 Black Edition is still the one to beat this season. It's powerful and can be skied aggressively while being easy to ski, nimble, and predictable regardless of ability or terrain. When we talk about versatility there aren't many skis that are as capable "everywhere" as the Ripstick 96 Black Edition. If you're a skier who spends time all over the hill and you're after a ski that can carve like a more narrow ski and be easy through tight terrain this is what you want.
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This is the benchmark in the all-mountain category. High-performance skis don't need to be difficult to ski.
HEAVY LIES THE CROWN.
REVIEWED BY: 
Joe Riccio
The Ripstick 96 Black has been on top for a few seasons now, for 24/25 a lot of manufacturers brought some real heat to the competition. It’s tough to find a “bad” ski these days. However, the Ripstick 96 Black is still the king in the all-mountain category. It does most things well and rarely feels out of place. This ski punches above its weight class (literally and figuratively), works for a huge range of skiers, and let's be honest an all-black ski is just flat-out cool. All new construction for this season brought some incredible improvements to the model. The new ski is stronger, grips better, and offers a more stable feel, all without losing any of the low-end accessibility or maneuverability skiers have come to love from the Ripstick series. A new rocker profile can be attributed to improving maneuverability and turn initiation while a stronger core, new tip/tail shape, and new carbon technology bring added stability and grip to the ski. Groomers are a blast and the ski feels limitless and gripped. Trips through tight technical trees are a breeze and the Ripstick offers a ton of snap and energy. Icier ski days are no issue and the ski offers good damping to keep you confident even when conditions are less desirable. The Elan Ripstick 96 Black will live on almost every single one of our team's "Top Tested" list again this season. You'd think we'd all get bored of it, right? Wrong... the ski is just too damn good. Regardless of ability level or how aggressively or casually the Ripstick is skied it always performs beyond expectations. Elan did an awesome job overhauling this ski without forgetting about any of the Ripstick DNA that skiers have grown to love since the ski's inception.
Who is this ski for? We haven't met a skier who doesn't like the Ripstick 96 Black, the newest version is also the best version we have ever skied.
Who isn't this ski for? Skiers who don't want a great ski.
What's the difference between Ripstick 96 and 96 Black? Ripstick 96 has two carbon rods, while the Ripstick 96 Black has 4. Ripstick 96 (green) is easier to balance on, and is more maneuverable, while the Ripstick 96 Black is more powerful, precise, and stable.
Recommended Binding: Marker Griffon ID with 100 mm brake
Technology update:
Updated shape in the tip and tail of the ski (less easily knocked around in tough snow and a stronger feel in a turn.) "Carbon Deck Technology" introduces carbon fiber tubes close to the edge to improve strength. Elan also added "flax" in the tip.Tested by
Brady Page
Devon Scovill
Garrett Finn
George Michaelsen
Joe Riccio
Matt Berkowitz
Neil Soucy
Want to know more?
Tech Specs
- Radius/ 16.8m @ 175cm
- Profile/ Rocker - Camber - Rocker
- Core Materials/ Poplar & Paulownia
- Designed By/ Elan
- Weight/ 1640g @ 182cm
- Dimensions/ 133 - 96 - 114mm
- Added Materials/ Carbon // Fiberglass
- Built By/ Elan
The Test Crew
We test products year round in order to curate the best gear for you.
Not many people had Elan on their bingo card for going on to build one of the best "all-mountain" skis of all time, but they did. The Ripstick 96 Black crushes groomers and hard pack and is a blast off trail as well. This version is the strongest on groomers and won't be easily knocked around in choppier terrain. Is this a perfect ski?
