Elan Primetime n4 w+ — Review

The Elan Primetime N°4 W+ sits in the advanced slot of the women’s Primetime line for the 26-27 season. It uses a 130/74/111 mm sidecut, the asymmetric Amphibio profile, and the Shift X plate paired with an ELX 11.0 GW SHIFT or Protector SHIFT 11.0 GW binding (DIN range up to 11). Lengths run 144, 151, 158 and 165 cm. Compared to the N°2/N°3 W chassis, the slightly wider 74 mm waist and longer base radii (9.3 m at 144 to 12.8 m at 165) move the ski toward medium-radius performance carving. As a fully integrated system ski it remains piste-focused, with no touring functionality.

On firm piste the N°4 W+ pulls into medium-radius carved arcs with a clean, planted feel that owes to its Dual Density Woodcore — stronger wood along the inside edge, lighter wood on the outside, topped with a Mono Ti layer. Edge grip on hard snow is noticeably better than the lower-tier N°2/N°3 W; speed tolerance climbs into upper-intermediate / lower-expert range before the tail starts to bounce. Short slalom turns are still doable thanks to the 9.3 m radius at 144 cm but the longer base shape means it prefers a 12 m carve to a 9 m flick. Off-piste behaviour stays poor by design: 74 mm waist and stiff piste construction punish soft snow and chop.

The N°4 W+ moves to a Dual Density Woodcore, which Elan tunes asymmetrically to match the Amphibio profile — firmer wood under the cambered inside edge for power transmission, lighter wood under the rockered outside edge for forgiveness. Reinforcement is a single Mono Ti layer, full RST (Racing Sidewall Technology) sidewalls, and a Sintered High Speed Gliding base. The Shift X plate is mated to a stiffer ELX 11.0 GW binding (or Protector SHIFT 11.0 GW), raising DIN to 11 for stronger or heavier skiers. Sidecut is 130/74/111 mm across all lengths; radii 9.3 m at 144, 10.4 m at 151, 11.5 m at 158 and 12.8 m at 165 cm. Per-length weights are not published by Elan and no verified retailer figure was found, so we omit the weight field.

The N°4 W+ suits advanced women who carve hard on groomed runs and want a stiffer, more grip-forward chassis than the N°3 W without committing to the race-bred N°5 W BE. Pick it if you spend most of your time at moderate-to-fast groomed speeds and like medium-radius carves. Skip it if you prefer short, snappy slalom turns at lower speed, ski off-piste regularly or want to choose your own binding. The men’s parallel is the Elan Primetime 44+, same chassis in longer lengths. Within the women’s line the next step down is the Elan Primetime n3 w and the top is the Elan Primetime n5 w black edition. From other brands, the Head Supershape e magnum is a similar-waist, more directional comparison.

Pros

• Dual Density Woodcore delivers strong edge grip on firm snow.
• Mono Ti damps chatter for confident medium-radius carves.
• Shift X + ELX 11.0 system gives DIN headroom for stronger skiers.
• Asymmetric Amphibio profile keeps turn entry forgiving.
• Geometry holds 130/74/111 across all four lengths.

Cons

• Stiffer build punishes lazy intermediate input.
• Per-length weights not published publicly.
• 74 mm waist still too narrow for chop or powder.
• Integrated plate locks out aftermarket bindings.
• Length tops out at 165 cm — short for tall, fast skiers.

Verdict: An advanced-tier women’s carver that rewards a clean, committed edge change and grips firm snow well, without crossing into pure race-ski territory.