There’s nothing like swaddling an already excellent ski in a rich coating of creamy carbon. We skied an Amphibio Black Edition last season that finished tops among Technical skis, and in the past we’ve skied Kästles that were also encapsulated in a carbon sheath. They, too, won their category, so the Elan Ripstick 106 Black Edition came with high expectations.
It did not disappoint. It snaked all around the mountain like a fat, black mamba, coiling around a medium-radius turn as if it were alive. The Ripstick 106 on which it’s modeled is already a fairly soft ski; slathering it in carbon didn’t change it compliant nature but complemented it. The carbon coat calms everything down, muffling shocks before they can cause any trouble. If your mind aches to go off-trail but your body aches if you do, the Ripstick 106 Black Edition is a brilliant buffer between heavy snow and balky joints.
“Maybe it’s me,” muses one of The Sport Loft contingent, “but the forgiveness is top-notch for 106mm-wide ski that can hold it’s own on the race course. Can you say 106 underfoot and GS ski in the same sentence?”
Yes: the addition of all that carbon gives the 106mm Black Edition as much stability in the medium to long turns it prefers as a GS race ski. “It’s all-around amazing,” mutters a stunned skier from The Sport Loft. “Very easy to get along with yet very stable at speed,” says a third TSL tester, summing up its range of talents.
Despite its naturally smooth composure, the 106 Black Edition can be prodded into making a series of short turns which is when you realize how nimble it is for a 106. Its agility and lighter weight make it react like a narrower ski, so it doesn’t feel out of place on groomers. Once again, the carbon factor works in the skier’s favor by expanding both the ski’s speed range and terrain adaptability. You’ll pay a premium for the Black Edition over the standard Ripstick 106, but your investment will pay off every time you ski.
