96 mm All-Mountain Freeride Ski, Carbon Reinforced
Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition Alpine Ski
The Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition is the carbon-reinforced version of Elan's 96 mm freeride ski, built for advanced and expert skiers who push a light ski harder than a light ski usually likes. Quadrod runs four carbon rods through the Tubelite wood core instead of two, and a C-Ply carbon layer through the mid-body adds edge grip where the boot sits, on the same 133-96-114 mm shape as the standard Ripstick 96. Weight stays at 1,640 g per ski at 182 cm across five lengths from 161 to 189 cm, so the Black Edition buys composure at speed without asking you to carry more ski up the hill.
Expert Review
Specs verified against the Elan 2026/27 article number for this ski.
Is This the Right Ski for You?
Best For
Advanced and expert skiers who ski the resort fast and want carbon stiffness and edge grip in a 96 mm ski that still weighs 1,640 g per ski at 182 cm.
Consider Another Ski If
You want a more forgiving ski at slower speeds, ski mostly deep snow and need more than 96 mm underfoot, or want the damping that only a titanal laminate delivers.
CCBB Ski Ratings
Downhill Performance
Four carbon rods plus a C-Ply mid-body layer
Soft Snow Float
96 mm waist with a rockered tip and tail
Firm Snow Grip
Cambered inside edge on a race structured base
Playfulness
Stiffer carbon layup rewards an active skier
Rating scale: 5 = top of its class, 4 = excellent, 3 = good, 2 = specialized or below average, and 1 = limited.
Specs at a Glance
Waist Width96 mm
Dimensions133-96-114 mm (one geometry published for all lengths, 161 to 189 cm)
Turning Radius14.8 m (161 cm), 15.8 m (168 cm), 16.8 m (175 cm), 17.8 m (182 cm), 18.8 m (189 cm)
Weight1,640 g per ski (182 cm)
Lengths161, 168, 175, 182, 189 cm
ProfileAmphibio Profile: rockered tip and tail with camber underfoot, rockered deeper on the outside edge than the inside edge, so the skis are left and right specific
CoreTubelite Woodcore with Quadrod, a laminated wood core carrying four carbon rods rather than two, plus a flax fibre layer in the tip
ConstructionCarbon Frame Reinforcement: a CarbonDeck layup of carbon bands over both edges, a C-Ply carbon layer through the mid-body, and SST slanted sidewalls
Why We Like It
- Four carbon rods through the wood core instead of two, and a C-Ply carbon layer under the binding area, add torsional stiffness exactly where a 96 mm ski gets twisted out of a turn.
- The published weight does not move. 1,640 g per ski at 182 cm is the same figure as the standard Ripstick 96, so the added stiffness is not paid for in mass.
- Amphibio, Elan's asymmetric profile, keeps camber on the inside edge for grip and rocker on the outside edge for turn entry, which is a useful combination on a ski this stiff.
- A sintered race structured base carries a finer structure than the standard sintered base, which sheds water on wet snow and on the long flat traverses at a big resort.
Best Uses
- Fast groomer laps where a stiffer 96 mm ski holds a longer turn
- Variable and chopped-up snow later in a resort day
- Storm days for skiers who want one ski for the whole season
- Skiers moving up from the standard Ripstick 96 who want more edge hold
- Long resort days where 1,640 g per ski at 182 cm keeps fatigue down
Ski Specialist’s Advice
Sizing does not change between the standard Ripstick 96 and the Black Edition, since both run 161 to 189 cm on the same radius map from 14.8 m at 161 cm to 18.8 m at 189 cm. What changes is how much ski you get at a given length. The stiffer carbon layup asks for speed and pressure to bend, so a skier who is between lengths and skis fast is better at the longer of the two, while a lighter skier who liked the standard Ripstick 96 at 175 cm should stay at 175 cm here rather than size up.
Elan pairs the Ripstick 96 Black Edition with an Attack 14 carrying a 110 mm brake, which clears the 96 mm waist with room to spare. Anything from 100 mm to 110 mm works. Match the binding to your boot sole norm rather than to the ski, and bring your boots so the mount is set against your own sole length rather than a chart average.
These skis are left and right specific because the profile is asymmetric, and each one is marked. Mounting has to respect the marks, and so does the first run of the day. The inside edge does the work through a turn, so if you want a shop tune before pickup, tell us when you drop the skis off.
Length and mount guidance from CCBB staff. Final mount position should be set in the shop against your boot sole length.
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Technical Specifications
Manufacturer specs · Click to expand
Shape and Dimensions
- Waist Width
- 96 mm
- Dimensions
- 133-96-114 mm (one geometry published for all lengths, 161 to 189 cm)
- Turning Radius
- 14.8 m (161 cm), 15.8 m (168 cm), 16.8 m (175 cm), 17.8 m (182 cm), 18.8 m (189 cm)
- Lengths
- 161, 168, 175, 182, 189 cm
- Profile
- Amphibio Profile: rockered tip and tail with camber underfoot, rockered deeper on the outside edge than the inside edge, so the skis are left and right specific
Build and Setup
- Weight
- 1,640 g per ski (182 cm)
- Core
- Tubelite Woodcore with Quadrod, a laminated wood core carrying four carbon rods rather than two, plus a flax fibre layer in the tip
- Construction
- Carbon Frame Reinforcement: a CarbonDeck layup of carbon bands over both edges, a C-Ply carbon layer through the mid-body, and SST slanted sidewalls
- Base
- Sintered race structured high speed gliding base
- Brake Width
- 100 mm to 110 mm clears the 96 mm waist
- Recommended Use
- All-mountain freeride for strong, active skiers
Compare the Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition
Ripstick 96 Black Edition and the standard Ripstick 96
The Elan Ripstick 96 is the same 133-96-114 mm shape and the same 1,640 g per ski at 182 cm with two carbon rods rather than four and no C-Ply layer. Skiers who ski fast and want the ski to stay quiet underfoot take the Black Edition, and skiers who want an easier, livelier ride take the standard Ripstick 96.
Shop the Elan Ripstick 96
Ripstick 96 Black Edition and the Ripstick 102 Black Edition
The Elan Ripstick 102 Black Edition shares the carbon package on a 138-102-118 mm shape at 1,720 g per ski at 182 cm. The 6 mm of extra waist buys float and costs quickness edge to edge on firm snow, so skiers in a soft-snow climate go wider and skiers who ski groomers most days stay at 96 mm.
Shop the Elan Ripstick 102 Black Edition
Ripstick 96 Black Edition and the Atomic Maverick 96 CTI
Both skis are 96 mm underfoot and aimed at the same skier, and they get there differently. The Atomic Maverick 96 CTI uses a titanal and carbon backbone, which damps chatter and prefers a skier driving the shovel. The Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition uses carbon alone, which keeps the ski lighter and quicker to release.
Shop the Atomic Maverick 96 CTI
Common Questions
Who should buy the Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition?
The Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition suits advanced and expert skiers who liked the Ripstick concept and wanted more spine. Four carbon rods in the core and a C-Ply carbon mid-body layer hold an edge at speed on firm snow, and at 1,640 g per ski at 182 cm the ski stays light for the class. Skiers who ski at a moderate pace will find the standard Ripstick 96 easier to bend.
Is the Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition heavier than the standard Ripstick 96?
No, and this is worth stating plainly because the assumption runs the other way. Elan publishes 1,640 g per ski at 182 cm for both skis, with a 50 g tolerance either way. The Black Edition's four carbon rods and C-Ply carbon layer replace material rather than pile on top of it, so what you gain is stiffness and edge grip, not mass. If you want a heavier and more damped ski, that means a titanal laminate, not this one.
What bindings and brake width work with the Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition?
The ski ships flat, so any alpine binding with a brake that clears the 96 mm waist will work, which puts the range at 100 mm to 110 mm. Elan pairs the ski with an Attack 14 and a 110 mm brake. Match the binding to your boot sole norm rather than to the ski, confirm your boots against the binding maker's chart, and have the mount set against your own boot sole length in the shop.
Do the Black Edition skis have a left and a right?
Yes. The Amphibio Profile is asymmetric, with camber on the inside edge and deeper rocker on the outside edge, so each pair is built and marked as a left ski and a right ski. Swapping them between feet puts the rockered edge under the turn and costs grip. It also means you cannot rotate the pair between feet to spread edge wear.
What length Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition should I ski?
The run is 161, 168, 175, 182, and 189 cm, with radius from 14.8 m to 18.8 m across it. Because the carbon layup here is stiffer, length choice should follow speed as much as height: fast skiers in open terrain suit 182 cm or 189 cm, skiers who mix trees and groomers suit 175 cm, and 161 cm or 168 cm fits lighter skiers or tight terrain. Tell us your height, weight, and home mountain and we will pick one.
What does Carbon Frame Reinforcement actually mean?
It is Elan's name for the combination in this ski: the CarbonDeck layup of carbon rods and unidirectional carbon bands over both edges, plus Quadrod, which adds two more carbon rods in the tip and tail for four in total, plus the C-Ply carbon layer through the mid-body under the binding. All of it is carbon rather than metal, which is why the ski gains stiffness at the same published weight.
Does the Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition come with a different base?
Yes. The Black Edition runs a sintered race structured high speed gliding base, where the standard Ripstick 96 uses a sintered high speed gliding base. Both hold wax far better than an extruded base. The race structure adds a finer pattern that sheds water, which shows up on wet spring snow and long flat traverses.
Our Verdict
The Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition answers the one real criticism of a light 96 mm ski, which is what happens when a strong skier stands on it hard. Four carbon rods in the Tubelite wood core and a C-Ply carbon layer through the mid-body add edge grip and composure at 1,640 g per ski at 182 cm, the same published weight as the standard Ripstick 96, on the same 133-96-114 mm shape and the same 14.8 m to 18.8 m radius map. Skiers who ski at a moderate pace, or who want chatter damped rather than resisted, are better served by the standard Ripstick 96 or by a titanal ski.
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