Elan’s issues with market presence in the U.S. have nothing to do with product. They make enough different models to equip an army. (Which, BTW, is how Elan began, making skis for Slovenian freedom fighters in WWII.) If anything, Elan suffers from a surfeit of riches, making it hard to focus both retailer and consumer attention. All the key models in the U.S. market are returning veterans, still fighting for the hearts and minds of American skiers.

The most attention-grabbing new models for 2019 are the 3 Black Edition models, a Technical carver for men, a Frontside Amphibio for women and a Ripstick with a 96mm waist. If you have more money than God and don’t plan to be buried with it, a Black Edition Elan will deliver the kid glove treatment you’ve come to expect.