2018 Elan Ripstick with Glen Plake

A series that I’m probably most excited about is called the RipStick series. I love RipStick. We talk about technology, and usually technology means metal laminates and race plates and stuff. These skis actually are made with the lightest wood you can make skis out of. Instead of stacking a bunch of metal in them – which makes skis ski great, but it also makes them really, really heavy and kind of unresponsive – we use four carbon fiber tubes, little six-millimeter tubes. Not only does that put really, really amazing vibration absorption characteristics, but also it allows the ski to be nice and light and playful. It’s like carbon fiber fishing pole – you swing it once and it stops, where a fiberglass one would sit there and bend.

The RipStick has come out and really blew everybody away. I know one thing, here at the test – everybody’s here. A lot of bands are here, a lot of manufacturers. Everybody’s getting on the RipStick and going, “Wow, that thing’s pretty cool.”

Again, it comes in different geometry. We have the 86 right here – super fun ski. Unlike, let’s say, the Amphibio skis – they’re just more simple. They’re just more fun to ski on, honestly, for myself.

Then we have the 96 version also. Myself, I told you – I travel around with a pair of 80s in my bag. My other skis are these right here – 106 RipSticks. Can’t do no wrong. Four carbon fiber tubes and just a heck of a lot of fun, man. If you’re into some bigger skis, try them out. They’re flat-mounted. They’re just a total blast, man. They’re Ripsticks. [01:40][laughs] Go figure. [01:41][laughs] All right.