For 2024, the Elan Wingman 82Ti provides intermediate through expert skiers the ability to stand on the edges of a ski in a carved turn while keeping the versatility somewhat open for all-mountain adventures and exploration. Still, the ski falls on the narrower side of the all-mountain spectrum, while also staying firmly in the wider zone for front side. As such, the Wingman 82Ti is a unique ski in that it blends properties and realms with ease and sophistication. Elan is able to take a lot of engineering liberties with their skis since they build them asymmetrically. This allows for different styles of construction and shaping principles that fit in with Elan’s intended personality. Built and shaped with intermediates through advanced skiers in mind, the Wingman 82Ti has a wide range of applications, with a focus on carving clean and round turns on the front side of the mountain.

As opposed to the CTi version of this ski, the 82Ti is founded on a laminated wood core. Without the carbon tubes used in the CTi, the Ti feels a bit quieter and more silent. Since the core is more wood and less carbon, this creates that damper overall feel. Since it’s bolstered by a metal laminate, the grip is increased while the vibrations are decreased. In true Elan fashion, the Amphibio TruLine Technology creates a stiffer and more responsive inside edge with a lighter and more flexible outside edge. This asymmetry is a big advantage if you’re looking to make one ski shaped and build differently than the other. This makes sense especially if you consider that more weight and strength is traditionally placed on the downhill ski while the uphill ski mostly follows along. In the expert range, more emphasis can be placed on that uphill ski for sure, but for most skiers, the majority of influence is placed on the inside edge of the downhill ski—this is where we see the greatest benefit of this build philosophy.

At 82 mm underfoot, we’re getting to the point of taking versatility off the table, but since the flex is still on the manageable side, it’s tough to eliminate it completely. This ski is great in the bumps, easy to turn through tighter trees with packed snow, and still wide enough to handle some of the softer snow, or at least when the groomers get chopped up throughout the day. It’s nice to have this platform to stand on, and since they make it with an Amphibio rocker profile, it makes all the more sense. By elongating the rocker on the uphill ski and shortening it on the downhill ski, Elan creates a hook-free experience that feels seamless and easy in any type of turn or terrain. The 178 creates a pretty short 15.5-meter turn radius that carves cleanly across the fall line, and when factoring the flex, also makes great short-swing turns when asked—this ski is not too demanding at all.

Given the well-rounded shape, highly sophisticated build, and relatively friendly flex for a front side ski, the Elan Wingman 82Ti is a promising model for intermediate through advanced skiers who value quickness, agility, and edge grip. The ski falls mainly to the front side of the mountain, but with the flex and shape, there’s some adventure built in. The 2024 Elan Wingman 82Ti has a broad audience—one that focuses on both precision and playfulness when it comes to varying turn shapes and styles.