all-mountain carver

By Christophe V. Ranked #10 - All Mountain Skis September 18, 2008

Spent two days on these skis in conditions ranging from freshly groomed corduroy to deep spring slush in tight trees. I would definitely recommend these skis to a strong intermediate or advanced skier, potentially with a race background, who likes to carve all over the mountain. Because of their significant sidecut, these things love to rail big, fast turns. They hold an edge even the most incredible lean angles and speeds. I found them to be extremely damp which made for a smooth ride on re-frozen spring snow, but took away from their liveliness when skiing bumps and tight trees. I attribute this to the generous use of metal and wood in their construction.

I would not recommend these skis to those who ski a lot of bumps, trees, or like straight-lining. Their deep sidecut makes the tails hooky when quick turns are needed and reduces stability when bombing straight down runs. Their relatively heavy weight and dampness make jump turns a chore. Because of this, I would recommend them for 80% on, 20% off piste.

Overall, 4 stars for a hard-carving all-mountain ski that is very enjoyable in most conditions and would serve well for most strong intermediate to advanced skiers.

View Details: Elan 888 Alu Alpine Ski

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