108 mm Freeride Ski
Elan Ripstick 108 Alpine Ski
The Elan Ripstick 108 Alpine Ski is for strong resort skiers who go looking for soft snow first, whether that means storm days, tree runs, or chopped-up bowls in the afternoon. A 108 mm waist under a 143 mm shovel at 182 cm keeps the ski on top of fresh snow, and Elan's left and right construction puts camber under the inside edge for grip with rocker on the outside edge for an easy release. Weighing 1,770 g per ski at 182 cm, with a radius that runs from 16.8 m at 161 cm to 21.3 m at 189 cm, the Elan Ripstick 108 suits powder days, off-piste laps, and big-mountain terrain off the lift.
Specs Verified
Ratings synthesized from verified manufacturer specs.
Is This the Right Ski for You?
Best For
Advanced to expert resort skiers who spend most days in soft snow and want a 108 mm ski at 1,770 g per ski (182 cm) that still grips on firm exits.
Consider Another Ski If
You want one ski for groomers and mixed snow under 100 mm, a damp metal-laminate charger for hardpack, or a dedicated touring ski.
CCBB Ski Ratings
Downhill Performance
19.8 m radius and carbon rods at 182 cm
Soft Snow Float
108 mm waist, 143 mm shovel at 182 cm
Firm Snow Grip
Camber under the inside edge, 108 mm waist
Playfulness
Rockered outside edge, 1,770 g per ski at 182 cm
Rating scale: 5 = top of its class, 4 = excellent, 3 = good, 2 = specialized or below average, and 1 = limited.
Ski Profile
Dimensions143-108-124 mm (182 cm)
Turn Radius19.8 m (182 cm)
Rocker ProfileAmphibio, dedicated left and right
Core and LaminateTubelite wood, carbon rods, flax
Binding InterfaceFlat ski, no plate
Recommended UseAll mountain and powder
Why We Like It
- The waist grows with length, from 105 mm at 161 cm to 109 mm at 189 cm, so a shorter skier gets a ski scaled to their size instead of a cut-down 108.
- Camber under the inside edge holds the ski on a firm traverse or a scraped-off exit, and the rockered outside edge lets the turn go without hooking in soft snow.
- Carbon Deck Technology, a layup of carbon rods and unidirectional carbon bands along the edges, stiffens the ski torsionally while keeping it to 1,770 g per ski at 182 cm.
- A flax fiber layer, a natural plant fiber that absorbs vibration, takes the chatter out of chopped snow at speed.
Best Uses
- Powder days at the resort
- Tree skiing in soft snow
- Chopped bowls and off-piste laps
- Big-mountain terrain off the lift
- The wide ski in a two-ski quiver
Ski Selection Advice
Length on the Elan Ripstick 108 changes width as well as radius. The 161 cm is 137-105-117 mm with a 16.8 m radius, the 182 cm is 143-108-124 mm with 19.8 m, and the 189 cm is 144-109-125 mm with 21.3 m. Elan lists a skier height of 174 to 182 cm for the 182 cm ski. We treat that as a starting point and size down one length for tight trees and up one length for open terrain and speed.
The Ripstick 108 is sold flat, with no integrated plate, and takes any alpine binding mounted at the manufacturer's line. Choose a brake wider than the waist at your length, which is 110 mm or wider for every length in the run. Because the skis are a dedicated left and right pair, each has to stay on its own foot after mounting. Match the binding to your boot sole norm.
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Technical Specifications
Click to expand
Shape and Sizing
Dimensions137-105-117 mm (161 cm), 139-106-119 mm (168 cm), 141-107-121 mm (175 cm), 143-108-124 mm (182 cm), 144-109-125 mm (189 cm)
Turn Radius16.8 m (161 cm), 17.8 m (168 cm), 18.8 m (175 cm), 19.8 m (182 cm), 21.3 m (189 cm)
Weight1,520 g per ski (161 cm), 1,585 g per ski (168 cm), 1,725 g per ski (175 cm), 1,770 g per ski (182 cm), 1,890 g per ski (189 cm)
Lengths161, 168, 175, 182, 189 cm
Rocker ProfileAmphibio asymmetric profile: camber under the inside edge, rocker on the outside edge, dedicated left and right skis
Construction and Use
CoreTubelite woodcore with carbon tubes
ConstructionCarbon Deck Technology with carbon rods and unidirectional carbon edge bands, flax fiber damping layer, SST slanted sidewall
BaseSintered base
Recommended UseAll Mountain/Powder
Brake Width110 mm or wider
Compare the Elan Ripstick 108
Ripstick 108 vs. Elan Ripstick 96
The Elan Ripstick 96 uses the same Amphibio left and right build 12 mm narrower, 133-96-114 mm at 182 cm, and weighs 1,640 g per ski at 182 cm. It is the better pick for groomers, bumps, and mixed snow. The Ripstick 108 is the better pick when most days start with new snow.
Elan Ripstick 96 Alpine Ski
Ripstick 108 vs. DPS Powderworks Lotus 117
The DPS Powderworks Lotus 117 is 9 mm wider at 117 mm with a 21 m radius at 185 cm, built as a dedicated deep-snow ski. The Ripstick 108 gives up some float for grip on firm exits and a ski that still works the day after a storm. Choose the Lotus 117 for deep days only and the Ripstick 108 for a wide everyday ski.
DPS Powderworks Lotus 117
Ripstick 108 vs. 4FRNT Hoji
The 4FRNT Hoji is 112 mm underfoot, fully rockered with no camber, and set up for touring as well as lift-served days. The Ripstick 108 keeps camber under the inside edge, which holds better on firm snow. Skiers who want to surf and slash choose the Hoji; skiers who want float with edge grip choose the Ripstick 108.
4FRNT Hoji Alpine Touring Ski
Common Questions
Who should buy the Elan Ripstick 108?
The Elan Ripstick 108 suits advanced and expert resort skiers who chase soft snow and want a wide ski that still holds an edge on firm exits. At 108 mm underfoot at 182 cm and 1,770 g per ski, it floats storm snow and stays light enough to steer in trees.
Is the Elan Ripstick 108 108 mm wide at every length?
No. The 108 mm figure belongs to the 182 cm. Elan scales the waist with length: 105 mm at 161 cm, 106 mm at 168 cm, 107 mm at 175 cm, 108 mm at 182 cm, and 109 mm at 189 cm. Brake width and the feel of the ski in soft snow both follow the figure for your length.
What bindings work with the Elan Ripstick 108?
The Elan Ripstick 108 is sold flat with no integrated plate, so it takes any alpine binding mounted at the manufacturer's line. Choose a brake of 110 mm or wider, since the waist reaches 109 mm on the 189 cm. Match the binding to your boot sole norm.
What length Elan Ripstick 108 should I ride?
Elan lists skier heights of 153 to 161 cm for the 161, 160 to 168 cm for the 168, 167 to 175 cm for the 175, 174 to 182 cm for the 182, and 181 to 189 cm for the 189. Size down for trees and tight terrain, where the shorter radius helps, and up for open bowls and speed.
Why are the Elan Ripstick 108 skis marked left and right?
Elan's Amphibio profile puts camber under each ski's inside edge, which carries most of the load in a turn, and rocker under the outside edge. That arrangement only works when each ski stays on its own foot, so the pair is built and mounted as a dedicated left and right.
How does the Elan Ripstick 108 handle firm snow?
Well for a 108 mm ski, because the camber sits under the inside edge where the turn is loaded and the carbon edge bands stiffen the ski torsionally. On boilerplate a narrower ski with metal in it holds with less effort, which is the trade for a 108 mm waist at 1,770 g per ski.
Our Verdict
The Elan Ripstick 108 Alpine Ski is a wide resort ski for skiers who plan their days around soft snow and still need to get down a firm exit. A 108 mm waist at 182 cm floats storm snow, the Amphibio left and right build grips on the inside edge and releases on the outside edge, and carbon in the layup keeps the weight to 1,770 g per ski at 182 cm. Pick the length by the radius and width map, and the Elan Ripstick 108 handles powder days, trees, and chopped bowls with a light, lively feel.
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