REASONS TO BUY
Easy to initiate turns
Floats well in powder
Lightweight and fun
Affordable
REASONS TO AVOID
Flounders in chunky conditions
Has a well-defined speed limit
Elan Ripstick 94 W Review
A playful, confidence-building ski best for intermediates to advanced skiers who prioritize fun and versatility over high-speed stability
If you're looking for a ski to progress your skills in any terrain, the affordable Elan Ripstick 94 W is an excellent choice.
Credit: Marc Rotse
By Renee McCormack ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ November 14, 2025
Our Verdict
The Elan Ripstick 94 W is our top choice for intermediates, offering a rare mix of fun, forgiveness, and soft-snow versatility at an approachable price. Its lightweight build, playful flex, and surprising edge grip make it confidence-inspiring for developing skiers and enjoyable for those progressing into more challenging terrain. Skiing powder and bumps highlight its strengths, where the Ripstick 94 W feels lively and easy to maneuver. The trade-off is less composure in crud and some instability at high speeds, meaning aggressive chargers will want a different ski with more backbone.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Our testers have long heralded the Ripstick 94 W as the ultimate in affordable powder ski. This updated version retains most of its flotation in fresh snow, as well as its hallmark poppy rebound, but both are dialed back just a notch from the last Ripstick we tested. Unfortunately, its stability at higher speeds and in crud has diminished slightly as well. However, it remains an excellent choice for newer skiers who are finding their footing off-piste. The “Amphibio” design of this ski is a little complicated, and it may help to read the “Rocker Profiles” section of our buying advice article.
The softer build of the Ripstick 94 W makes it accessible for intermediates, but experts may find it a bit too wiggly at high speeds on hardpack.
Credit: Renee McCormack
Stability at Speed
The Ripstick 94 W is comfortable at moderate speeds, thanks to its soft tips that make turn initiation smooth and forgiving. This creates a confidence-inspiring ride for skiers who like to cruise groomers or keep things mellow. Its lightweight build also makes it approachable, and testers consistently found it easy to stay balanced and in control at a relaxed pace.
When pushed harder, however, we quickly reached its limits. Those same soft tips that aid turn initiation become noticeably floppy, chattering in firm or inconsistent snow conditions. While it still retains a light, silky feel, it doesn't inspire confidence for aggressive skiers who want to charge at high speeds. In this vein, the Ripstick 94 W feels fun but underbuilt – it's more suited to intermediates or advanced skiers with a finesse-driven style rather than speed demons.
The softer tips allow for easy turn initiation, but they make this ski feel too gooey at top speed.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Carving Ability
The Ripstick 94 W surprised us with how quickly and grippy it feels on edge. Our testers noted that it hooked up easily, rolling into a carve almost effortlessly, and moved edge-to-edge with the agility of a narrower ski.
On blue groomers and smooth corduroy, it felt stable and precise, making short to medium-radius turns easy and fun. This aspect is where the ski shines – our testers agreed that the Ripstick 94 W flexes easily, punching above its pay grade (and below its width) for pure enjoyment on groomers.
The challenge with carving on the Amphibio tech is that the fully rockered inside ski's uphill edge wants to smear instead of engage. But the outside ski still carves well enough for folks just learning to lay down tracks.
Credit: Renee McCormack
Still, there are some quirks. The Amphibio design – with one cambered edge and one rockered edge – means that the outside ski feels precise while the inside ski can smear. This makes it difficult to carve a true “railroad track,” and when carving aggressively, the ski can feel less dialed in and a bit underpowered. However, at slower to moderate speeds, this design adds a playful element. It's lively and fun tipped up on edge, but it's certainly not a frontside carver's dream ski.
Our tester, Kelly, is doing a fantastic job of getting the inside (uphill) ski to engage and track with the outside one, but she's a ski professional. Other intermediate testers found this ski challenging to carve evenly.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Turn Radius
Elan lists the Ripstick 94 W with a 16.8 meter radius, but it skis much tighter than that number suggests. Our team agrees that it feels more like a ski with a zippy, 15-meter radius. The carbon and fiberglass construction allows the ski to bend easily underfoot, creating a lively and intuitive feel that encourages shorter turns with minimal effort.
Despite its ease in tighter arcs, the Ripstick 94 W doesn't feel twitchy or unstable. Its accessible flex pattern provides enough rebound to finish the turn cleanly, yet remains forgiving when you want to smear or pivot. It strikes a confident balance – nimble enough for trees and bumps, but still composed in short- to medium-radius arced turns on groomers.
The turn radius feels like a tight 15 meters, especially because it's so easy to bend into a snugger turn.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Powder Performance
The Ripstick 94 W feels most at home skiing powder. Despite its moderate waist, it floats beautifully in soft snow, with tapered tips that provide reliable buoyancy. The ski feels pivoty and nimble in the trees, allowing for quick adjustments in tight spaces, and the Amphibio tech seems to work especially well in deeper snow. From cold smoke to warmer Sierra Cement, we never felt like we were fighting this ski to stay afloat.
The approachable flex pattern makes it accessible for intermediate skiers who are newer to powder skiing. Yet, it still offers enough responsiveness to keep more advanced riders engaged. It's not the most powerful ski at higher speeds, and folks seeking a hard-charging powder ski may want something more robust. But as an all-mountain ski, the approachable Ripstick 94 W is genuinely fun on powder days.
The Amphibio technology helps keep the Ripstick 94 W afloat and nimble even in deep snow.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Waist Width
Despite its 94 millimeter waist, the Ripstick 94 W feels surprisingly nimble underfoot. Elan's Amphibio construction and clever use of lightweight carbon rods in the layup help it roll effortlessly from edge to edge, creating the quick, intuitive response you'd expect from a narrower ski. That ease translates especially well to groomers and firmer snow, where it never feels sluggish or demanding despite the added surface area.
The extra width, however, still provides real substance when conditions soften up. It offers just enough platform to remain composed in fresh snow and an added buoyancy when dipping into several inches of powder. This balance between stability and agility is a key to the Ripstick 94 W's charm – it offers the confidence of a wider ski without sacrificing the lively, easygoing feel that makes it so approachable.
The 94 millimeter waist is just enough to keep it afloat without sacrificing agility on piste or in bumps.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Crud Performance
The same soft tips that make the Ripstick 94 W so friendly in powder and fun at moderate speeds become a liability in heavy, variable snow. Instead of blasting through crud, the ski is easily deflected and feels unbalanced. Our testers all noticed that this new Ripstick is floppier than its predecessor, which felt surprisingly composed under similar conditions.
In smoother snow, the lightweight and forgiving design is a joy. However, once the surface becomes choppy or uneven, the Ripstick 94 W lacks both the vibration-dampening properties and stiffness to inspire much confidence – our testers noted that they were often scrambling to maintain their composure.
Although Lynda is making it look easy, the chunky snow is causing the soft ski to bounce around a bit, especially in the tips.
Credit: Renee McCormack
Aggressive skiers in particular will find this ski frustrating, as the Ripstick simply lacks the backbone to smooth out the ride when things get messy. For folks who ski a lot of crud – which, unless you're heli or backcountry skiing, is all but unavoidable after a powder day – this ski simply isn't the best tool for the job.
Expert skiers who refuse to go home after the powder has been skied may want a ski that's a bit more stable off-piste.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Terrain Playfulness
The lightweight Rsipstick 94 W redeems itself with its lively, approachable character. The relatively soft pattern makes it easy to pivot, smear, and pop in and out of turns. It flexes easily, allowing lighter and less experienced skiers to experience the joy of a ski with a powerful rebound.
What makes the playfulness so appealing is that it never feels punishing. Whether feathering turns in softer snow or bouncing between terrain features, the Ripstick 94 W encourages you to experiment and play with the terrain. It's not the most precise or powerful ski out there, but for folks who prioritize fun, ease, and agility over brute strength, it hits the sweet spot.
It's so easy to get airborne on this ski, even our 7-month pregnant lead tester got off the ground!
Credit: Marc Rotse
Getting airborne on the Ripstick 94 W feels effortless, and this ski provides just enough strength to stick landings with confidence. Intermediate skiers will find it forgiving and enjoyable, while more experienced skiers can appreciate its snappy, energetic feel.
The Ripstick 94 W makes you rip! The explosive rebound from one turn to the next is so fun.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Bumps
The narrow feel and pivot-friendly design of the Ripstick 94 W help you thread through mogul lines with ease, and its softer flex pattern absorbs impact effectively. This ski is forgiving enough that less experienced bump skiers won't feel at a disadvantage, yet still nimble enough for more advanced skiers to have fun bouncing down zipper lines.
Because the Ripstick 94 W bends so easily, the flex pattern can sometimes work against it. It can lag behind when rebounding out of a trough, which can make it difficult to control if you're not anticipating your next move.
Our tester, Lynda, demonstrates how this soft, lightweight ski can easily maneuver through a bump line.
Credit: Renee McCormack
The large rectangular tips also tend to get thrown slightly off track in deeper moguls. Overall, though, the Ripstick 94 W is one of the more approachable skis in its class, particularly for intermediates looking to build confidence skiing moguls.
In a true zipperline, you need to anticipate that the Ripstick 94 W will fully flex in deep troughs.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Should You Buy the Elan Ripstick 94 W?
If you're an intermediate to advanced skier seeking a ski that feels fun and forgiving right out of the gate, the Elan Ripstick 94 W is a compelling choice. It's lightweight, nimble, and confidence-inspiring in powder and on groomers, while also being more affordable than many skis in its category. Stronger or more aggressive skiers may find its softer tips and lack of high-speed stability limiting in crud or firm snow. But for a playful and pocketbook-friendly ski – especially if it's your first purchase – the Ripstick 94 W is a standout pick.
What Other Skis Should You Consider?
The Head Kore 93 Ti W is even a bit cheaper than the Ripstick 94 Wand is a reasonable alternative for intermediate skiers who prefer to stick to groomed runs. The Nordica Santa Ana 97 and Black Crows Atris Birdie both stand out as the most versatile all-mountain skis in our review. While the Santa Ana 97 is turned a bit more for firm conditions, the Atris Birdie excels off piste.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Elan Ripstick 94 W versus top competing products:
—Renee McCormack
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