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Elan RipStik 94w

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
So I'm drooling over the Ripstick, but I'm having a lot of trouble finding reviews from "real" women skiers about it. Anybody here have this one?
 

volklgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think I was on the men's version, the last year, and don't remember loving it, but I could be wrong. I did, however, get on the 106 and the prototype 96 for next year and loved, loved, LOVED the prototype. It had all the grip and grit of the Amphibio 88 (their AM carving line), and the float and fun factor of the Ripstick 106. You could probably search for my Elan review from last year.
 

SallyCat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Funny you mention the Amphibio; I demoed the 80 yesterday along with the Head Monster 83. I found them both to have lousy edge grip. So much so that I wondered if the shop deliberately detuned its demos. Granted, I had been ripping around happily on a Volkl Kendo all morning, so the bar for edge grip was set pretty high, but still, I was really surprised how un-fun both skis were. This was on PA hardpack, fwiw.

(I'm not looking to buy skis, but I'm new to the sport and I like to demo when the opportunity is there, just to get a feel for different ski types and create a sort of frame of reference).
 

Obrules15

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Funny you mention the Amphibio; I demoed the 80 yesterday along with the Head Monster 83. I found them both to have lousy edge grip. So much so that I wondered if the shop deliberately detuned its demos. Granted, I had been ripping around happily on a Volkl Kendo all morning, so the bar for edge grip was set pretty high, but still, I was really surprised how un-fun both skis were. This was on PA hardpack, fwiw.

(I'm not looking to buy skis, but I'm new to the sport and I like to demo when the opportunity is there, just to get a feel for different ski types and create a sort of frame of reference).

So weird, I ski the Elan Insomnia Amphibio which has fabulous edge grip. Much better than the Volkl Kenja I demoed (I think that's equivalent to the Kendo). Must have been the tune though maybe the problem with my Kenja was tune as well.
 

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Most of what is available to me at my home mountain is PA hardback or man-made, wax-eating snow, haha! Thanks for the replies. I'm trying to decide between the Elan Ripstick and the black pearls, based on reviews alone (demo opportunities are...underwhelming...around here), since I don't want to wait till the end of March when I go to Vermont. BP has a lot of good testimony, but it seems all the skiers I know who are die-hard are trading in their Brahmas and such for ripsticks. Right now, I have Line Celebrity, and I am overpowering the everloving crap out of them in a 152. However, going to a 163 in the ripstick seems like a mammoth jump.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Most of what is available to me at my home mountain is PA hardback or man-made, wax-eating snow, haha! Thanks for the replies. I'm trying to decide between the Elan Ripstick and the black pearls, based on reviews alone (demo opportunities are...underwhelming...around here), since I don't want to wait till the end of March when I go to Vermont. BP has a lot of good testimony, but it seems all the skiers I know who are die-hard are trading in their Brahmas and such for ripsticks. Right now, I have Line Celebrity, and I am overpowering the everloving crap out of them in a 152. However, going to a 163 in the ripstick seems like a mammoth jump.
You are looking for skis for PA and the northeast, yes? Would help to know your stats.

As a data point, I'm 5'0", 110 lbs and my BPs are 159cm, which I bought in 2012 after demo'ing at Big Sky. Have a great time with them in soft snow out west, and on the rare northeast days I've used them in softish snow. But would not have bought them for Mid-Atlantic and northeast skiing.

For future reference, the new BPs were available at the Whitetail Demo Day in early Jan. But mostly in longer lengths, 166 and up.
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Most of what is available to me at my home mountain is PA hardback or man-made, wax-eating snow, haha! Thanks for the replies. I'm trying to decide between the Elan Ripstick and the black pearls, based on reviews alone (demo opportunities are...underwhelming...around here), since I don't want to wait till the end of March when I go to Vermont. BP has a lot of good testimony, but it seems all the skiers I know who are die-hard are trading in their Brahmas and such for ripsticks. Right now, I have Line Celebrity, and I am overpowering the everloving crap out of them in a 152. However, going to a 163 in the ripstick seems like a mammoth jump.

I'm a Vermont skier and ski the Blizzard Viva X8, which are great on the hardpack. You might want to add those to your list.
 

AnotherColoradoGal

Diva in Training
Loved the Rip Stick 94s on Colorado bumps and powder. Quick turns, flexible, responsive. I'm not sure how they'd do on the terrain you will be skiing. I suspect the Black Pearls might be better.
 

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm 5'1", muscular, 127lbs. Aggressive advanced. Ski Roundtop demo day is February 12th, but I've heard that the pickings are slim there too. I have used more narrow, East coast style skis in the past, but for some reason I keep enjoying the wider skis more. I like yhe playfulness of an all mountain ski. Maybe they will have some 159 BPS or the Viva on the upcoming demo day...I can hope!
 

Obrules15

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm 5'1", muscular, 127lbs. Aggressive advanced. Ski Roundtop demo day is February 12th, but I've heard that the pickings are slim there too. I have used more narrow, East coast style skis in the past, but for some reason I keep enjoying the wider skis more. I like yhe playfulness of an all mountain ski. Maybe they will have some 159 BPS or the Viva on the upcoming demo day...I can hope!

Definitely ski what you like, unless you are trying to learn a style of skiing that is enhanced by certain ski types and want the feedback.

With all that is said about what kind of skis we're supposed to ski on what types of terrain I think there's a little more to it. If the two extremes are Carving and Pivoting, and the slarving, stivoting, etc. are variations on those two, I have a feeling the variations of skier style are much more abundant than we think.

The designs of skis which are recommended for east coast vs. west coast and waist widths don't have GPS attached to them to tell them when to ski well. I was skiing with someone at Squaw in 2014 who had 100mm skis. Problem was it was a low snow year and we did quite a few runs on pistes that were pure ice (I say this as an ice coast skier on my first out west trip--it was east coast marble). West coast skis were not a benefit to her.

The theory behind the powder skis that are wider with light tips (think the Rossi Soul 7 with honeycomb tip) is that it decreases the swing weight. Whether this is a benefit relates directly to your style of skiing, not what conditions you ski. This can benefit you skiing in powder as you are more likely to pivot on fatter skis in powder, but someone who was still trying to use their edges in powder would not benefit from a ski with a lower swing weight.

At the very extremes (hard, hard, hard, hard-pack, and 12" of powder) I think it unlikely that you'd find people trying to use condition specific skis the *wrong* way, but it's very likely in the middle that you'd have people using a variety of styles and just paying attention to the label on a ski might not get you specifically the best experience.

Regardless, unless you have a goal to learn a specific or different style of skiing (i.e. if your number one goal is to improve your carving it doesn't make any sense to ski on a ski that pivots better than it carves because it's going to encourage you not to carve) it makes sense to me to ski what feels good, not what others say you should be skiing.

I don't know that I'm right here or that this even makes sense but I think it's a reasonable explanation and ties into what everyone here seems to think. DEMO, DEMO, DEMO!
 

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
That helps a lot, thanks! I don't tend to focus on improving any one technique (at least, not at the moment, who knows in the future). I tend to go out and push myself to tackle whatever challenge I can find that appeals to me that day. I guess that is what happens when ADHD goes skiing, haha! I would rather have a ski that does it all fairly well than a ski that does 1 or 2 things fantastically, but leaves me wanting for the rest. That is probably way backwards from what most people want, but with my "goal of the day" approach, it works for me.

Also, I work in behavioral health. I don't make nearly enough $$$ for a full quiver. :smile:
 

lisamamot

Angel Diva
I'm 5'1", muscular, 127lbs. Aggressive advanced. Ski Roundtop demo day is February 12th, but I've heard that the pickings are slim there too. I have used more narrow, East coast style skis in the past, but for some reason I keep enjoying the wider skis more. I like yhe playfulness of an all mountain ski. Maybe they will have some 159 BPS or the Viva on the upcoming demo day...I can hope!

Are you considering the Elan Ripstick 94W? I am not familiar with the ski - some reviews said it held a good edge, but it got docked by onthesnow for bad carving performance. They make a men's/unisex Ripstick 86, but I cannot find anything on it.

I have the Blizzard Viva 810 ti iq - it is 81mm under foot and the 2015 version of the Viva X8 (2016). The new one for 2017 is called the Blizzard Quattro 80 ti and is now 80mm under foot. Wish they could stick with one name! I believe the X8 and the Quattro are a bit softer than mine (they are rated Stiff as opposed to Very Stiff). I do not find my version versatile (they are not a bump ski for me), but they kill it on the groomers, especially on icy hardpack. With the softening up they are likely more playful and a solid choice for east coast. Would definitely keep the Quattro on a demo list.

I only had a short demo in soft conditions, and was skiing it too short, but you may want to add the Armada Victa 87ti to the list. I had a blast on it and want to demo it again in firmer conditions. I read a review that called it the "Kenja killer"...supposed to be more playful, but still holds a great edge.

With where you ski, I think you would be happier with something other than the BP as your one ski quiver.
 

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Are you considering the Elan Ripstick 94W? I am not familiar with the ski - some reviews said it held a good edge, but it got docked by onthesnow for bad carving performance. They make a men's/unisex Ripstick 86, but I cannot find anything on it.

I have the Blizzard Viva 810 ti iq - it is 81mm under foot and the 2015 version of the Viva X8 (2016). The new one for 2017 is called the Blizzard Quattro 80 ti and is now 80mm under foot. Wish they could stick with one name! I believe the X8 and the Quattro are a bit softer than mine (they are rated Stiff as opposed to Very Stiff). I do not find my version versatile (they are not a bump ski for me), but they kill it on the groomers, especially on icy hardpack. With the softening up they are likely more playful and a solid choice for east coast. Would definitely keep the Quattro on a demo list.

I only had a short demo in soft conditions, and was skiing it too short, but you may want to add the Armada Victa 87ti to the list. I had a blast on it and want to demo it again in firmer conditions. I read a review that called it the "Kenja killer"...supposed to be more playful, but still holds a great edge.

With where you ski, I think you would be happier with something other than the BP as your one ski quiver.

Thanks for the suggestions! I've been reading some reviews of the victa, looks impressive. Did that ski feel heavy to you, or average?

I am hoping I can demo the ripstick at some point. If elan doesn't bring any, the guy at the ski shop said I could take his for a spin, so I might take him up on it. The reviews are so mixed on it. I've seen people saying it has great edge hold, then the next one says it washes out, great stability, then next review says stability is awful. It may be one of the most contradicted skis I have ever read reviews about!

Grip on ice is a factor, but not a deal breaker for me. I encounter chopped up crud more than ice, and I've become quite adept at tackling ice patches without great edge hold. I'd rather have a ski that can annihilate East Coast crud and does "okay" on ice, if I had to choose.

Or maybe I just THINK that is what I prefer because I haven't experienced true greatness on ice. Yay for over analyzing everything!

Man, I feel like a kid at christmas, counting down the days till demo day lol! You divas have pumped up my list!
 

lisamamot

Angel Diva
Thanks for the suggestions! I've been reading some reviews of the victa, looks impressive. Did that ski feel heavy to you, or average?

I do not remember it feeling heavy, but can't seem to find specs; if I come across one in a shop I will give it a lift.

I did come across the new Blizzard Quattro in the shop when I was picking up our skis - on a hand flex it is definitely softer than my Viva 810 ti iq; it is now sold flat instead of with the integrated binding. Bet it is a whole lot more versatile!
 

Lena S

Diva in Training
So I'm drooling over the Ripstick, but I'm having a lot of trouble finding reviews from "real" women skiers about it. Anybody here have this one?
Yes, I demoed them among other skis while at Snowbird. I am so in love with them that I will be buying a pair even though I don't need them. so if you wear them the correct way (left of left, right on right) they were great in bumps, trees and carving, and if you flip them, they handled powder pretty well. What I loved about them is how steady they were and how much play they had, they were everything my Black Pearl's don't have. I did meet people who did not like them, so you need to demo them. They are not an east coast carving ski, and they do just ok in crud. I would say they are a great West Coast mixed snow ski.
 

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