As one of the benchmark skis in the wider-bodied frontside category, the 2024 Elan Wildcat 86CX has all the bells and whistles to make this a highly entertaining ski that has endless edge grip to go along with a respectable amount of versatility. The width adds to that well-rounded nature, but it also hides the fact that this is a ripping carving ski that’s ideally suited to advanced and expert skiers who don’t mind a stiff ski that has a ton of power and precision. Elan does a great job with this returning model for 2024, allowing a new generation of skiers to fully enjoy the crisp edge control and the smooth overall feel. Rarely can a ski accomplish both smoothness and precision at the same time, and Elan seems to do so with relative ease. The big thing with them is that they build a right and left-specific ski that allows them to be more creative and unique in the construction, shape, and profile.

Starting with Elan’s Tubelite wood core, the Wildcat 86CX is light and poppy from the start. They mill out strips along the side of the ski to install their carbon rods, and this is where we see a lot of innovation come through. The 360-degree application of carbon in this ski makes it come alive and generate a ton of power when pushed. The rods are placed in the ski under pressure, so there’s already energy built in even before you get it on snow. Elan’s Amphibio TruLine technology places more material over the inside portion of the ski while leaving the uphill section more on the flexible side. This allows the uphill ski to track alongside the downhill one nicely, giving both skis a cohesive feel—almost like they’re connected.

In terms of shape and profile, the ski drastically benefits from the Amphibio Rocker profile. By basically twisting the shovel of the ski, Elan creates a unique type of bend in the ski. The inside edges have more camber while the outside edges have more rocker. This adds to the construction differences between the skis to create that smooth and cohesive effect. In the Wildcat 86CX, this makes the ski roll from edge to edge with ease. In softer snow, the uphill ski is not hooky or grabby at all, while on firmer snow, the downhill ski gets a lot more power and grip than if the ski was symmetrically built. At 86 mm underfoot, the ski is on the wide side for front side, and while that allows the all-mountain versatility to enter the chat, it’s still not the dominant part of the conversation. This ski, for all intents and purposes, has a front side shape and cut that allows it to excel in an on-piste format. With a 14.7-meter turn radius in the 164 cm length, this ski has a mid-range shape and style for various turn directions and levels of aggressiveness.

Advanced and expert skiers will find the most success with this ski, as it is pretty stiff and precise. The weight makes it accessible and the asymmetry adds to the friendly nature, but overall, it can be demanding because it does want to turn. Since most of us spend most of our time on groomed terrain and in a (hopeful) carved turn, having a ski that holds up to this ideal is of the utmost importance. The 2024 Elan Wildcat 86CX is one of the best skis in this realm.