Elan Playmaker 101 — Review

The Elan Playmaker 101 is where the line turns from park-with-mountain-access into mountain-with-park-DNA. A 101mm waist with constant 132-101-122 sidecut across every length, Surf Rocker tip and tail, and a Tubelite Woodcore reinforced with carbon rods make this a freestyle-flavoured freeride ski — happy in soft snow, switch-capable, and willing to play with side hits and natural features all day.

The 101mm waist provides real float in mid-depth soft snow and chopped-up powder, while the constant sidecut keeps switch behaviour consistent across the size run. Turn radius scales 16.0m at 164cm to 19.5m at 188cm — long enough to feel stable at speed in open terrain, short enough to keep tree skiing manageable.

The Surf Rocker profile encourages smear-style turning and forgiving entries — point the tips and ride; the ski does the work in variable snow. On groomers it is less of a carver than a 100mm directional all-mountain ski, but it holds an edge well enough for transit between off-piste zones and accepts switch riding as effortlessly as forward.

The Playmaker 101 shares Elan's freestyle Tubelite Woodcore platform with 360° sidewall construction, carbon rod reinforcement and a sintered high-speed gliding base. The Surf Rocker profile combines tip and tail rocker with camber underfoot for grip when you need it. Lengths run 164 / 172 / 180 / 188cm; sidecut is constant 132-101-122 length-to-length; single-ski weight 1515g at 164cm up to 1815g at 188cm — moderate for a 101mm twin-tip. Tip and tail widths sit close (132 / 122) — by design, for switch symmetry, not a typo.

The Playmaker 101 is for advanced skiers who want a soft-snow ski with park manners — freestyle freeriders, switch landings in wide-open terrain, and side hits taken at speed. Compared to the Armada Arv 100 it shares a near-identical brief; against the Head Oblivion 102 it is similar in width and intent with the Elan-specific Surf Rocker / Tubelite recipe, and versus the Faction Prodigy 3 it is comparably playful with a constant-sidecut layout.

Pros

• 101mm waist delivers real float in mid-depth soft snow.
• Constant sidecut maintains switch consistency across all lengths.
• Tubelite woodcore plus carbon rods keep the ski light and snappy in the air.
• Manageable mid-range turn radius for tree skiing and resort freeride alike.

Cons

• Not a precision carver on hardpack at high speeds.
• Surf Rocker profile gives up some edge engagement vs. a directional all-mountain ski.
• 101mm is mid-fat — not the ski for the deepest powder days.
• Weight is moderate rather than ultralight for backcountry touring.

Verdict: A freestyle-flavoured freeride twin-tip that handles soft snow with float and switch-rides as easily as it powers forward — the line's most versatile all-mountain pick for park-minded skiers.