Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition Skis 2027

The Ski

Still the benchmark. The Ripstick 96 Black Edition has sat on top of the all-mountain category for several seasons running, and in one of the most competitive segments in skiing — where dozens of genuinely great skis compete for attention — it hasn't been knocked off its throne. Most skis excel in one or two areas; this one excels almost everywhere, delivering exceptional carving performance, surprising stability, and true all-terrain versatility without the weight or demanding nature of many of its competitors.

It rips on groomed snow. It handles the soft stuff when you find it. And it doesn't punish you for picking the wrong line in variable conditions. That's the Ripstick 96 Black in a sentence.

Who It's For

This is a ski for an intermediate-to-advanced skier who wants one ski that does the whole mountain — and wants to do it without hauling around something heavy. The 96mm waist is wide enough to float in a few inches of fresh, narrow enough to roll on edge quickly on firmer snow. If you like to mix long groomer runs with whatever off-piste you can find, this is the one.

It suits a skier with an athletic stance who actually drives the ski — if you're still developing your edge skills, the Ripstick 96 will work, but you won't unlock what it's built to do until your technique catches up. Stronger skiers in the 175–185cm height range tend to gravitate toward the 182; lighter or shorter skiers who prefer a more playful feel often land on the 175. We can help you sort that out in person.

The Black Edition is a skiing investment — it's priced and built for someone who's on snow regularly, not a couple times a season.

Tech That Matters

The Black Edition's defining feature is Elan's Carbon Deck Technology, which matters because it layers in serious reinforcement exactly where the ski needs it, delivering the kind of carving authority and stability you'd expect from a heavier, metal-laminate ski without the weight penalty. Carbon rods run along the sidewalls tip to tail for energetic pop and rebound, while additional rods placed in front of and behind the binding zone work to quiet vibration and further boost that lively response — this combination is a major reason the ski manages to feel both playful and remarkably composed at speed.
The core itself is built from poplar and paulownia wood, which matters because it keeps the ski impressively light while the added carbon and fiberglass reinforcement handle the strength and damping that would normally require much heavier construction. The ski also uses Elan's asymmetric shape and build, which matters because reinforcement and rocker/camber balance are tuned differently on the inside versus outside edge, resulting in a smoother, more natural-feeling turn than a symmetrical design typically offers — a big part of why this ski continues to top best-of lists year after year.

Sizing

The Ripstick 96 comes in 168, 175, and 182cm. As a directional all-mountain ski, we size it like most of our all-mountain offerings:

• 168cm fits an intermediate skier around 5'9"–5'10" (175–178cm) or an advanced skier closer to 5'7" (168cm)
• 175cm fits an intermediate around 5'11"–6'0" (180–183cm) or an advanced skier around 5'9" (175cm)
• 182cm fits an advanced skier around 6'0" (182cm) or an expert at 5'10" (177cm) who wants extra stability at speed

If you're between sizes, your skiing style breaks the tie — aggressive and fast, go longer; more playful and variable terrain, go shorter. Bring your boots and stop in at any of our three locations and we'll get you sorted.

Why Willi's

We've been fitting skiers in the Pittsburgh area since 1970 and we carry Elan every season — we know these skis well. Our staff skis on gear like this, so the advice you get is based on real days out, not a spec sheet. Come see us at any of our three locations or order online and call us with questions.