2026 Elan Ripstick 106 W

Following a recent revamp, Elan is keeping things rolling with the Ripstick 106 W for the 2026 season. While many may argue that the tried-and-true Ripstick recipe was in no need of change, Elan went ahead and proved us wrong. As one of the top performing skis in the all-mountain category, the Ripstick delivers competitive edge grip, lively energy, and swift maneuverability. Keeping things consistent in the construction department, the main changes that were made in 2025 were centered around the shape and technology incorporated into the build. Given the proven success of this entire line, Elan’s goal was to enhance the appeal even further and deliver an even higher performance ceiling and greater power, strength, and mixed snow capabilities. For the Ripstick 106 W, women now have a wider, soft-snow oriented Ripstick with both power and finesse thanks to the reiteration and continuation into this season.

Elan continues their use of tubelite wood core consisting of poplar and paulownia, which provides a solid but lively foundation. Now with the use of Carbon Deck Technology, utilizing shorter rods of carbon, uni-directional carbon strips are incorporated and contribute to the ski’s noticeable smoothness from tip to tail. Where the trademark Ripstick performance comes into play is the additional carbon strips that are positioned along the sides of the ski underneath the core. Following the Amphibio lines, we get longer strips to boost edge grip and stability on the inside edge, with shorter strips along the outside edge. This specific approach to construction is where Elan has distinguished themselves amongst their competitors as it truly delivers an entirely unique level of performance that gives the Ripstick its signature feel. Another significant change we saw last year was the use of full wood all the way up through the tips of the ski. Lastly, on top of the ski in the shovel, Elan added a flax fiber layer to add both smoothness and stiffness.

While there was a lot to love about the old shape, Elan decided to switch up the waist widths and tweak both the tip and tail shape. As a brand-new option in the Ripstick line, the 106 W features a wider waist width, designed for skiing big lines both at the resort and in the backcountry. Looking at the dimensions, the 168 cm length measures 139/106/119 mm, generating a 17.8-meter turn radius. With extra width and a spoonier shape in the shovels, plus the new tip construction, turn initiation is effortless and smooth. As far as profile, rocker lines remain the same, with great precision underfoot and along the edges thanks to the amphibio profile, and ideal flotation and maneuverability in the extremities. Speaking to the shape’s influence on versatility and performance, tester Ashley Maxfield found these skis to shine on “all terrain/all-mountain. It's a great ski for those just getting into skiing everything on the mountain, with its softness it will be forgiving to those that need it.”

After last year’s introduction to the new and improved Ripstick line, the success story proved it worthy of another season and we couldn’t be happier. While this ski had already gained quite the following, things only got better with updated technology and shape alterations, elevating performance even more. The perfect balance between energetic responsiveness, powerful stability, and playful flotation in a soft-snow oriented ski, all-mountain skiers looking the best of all worlds are in for a treat.