Elan Ripstick tour 94 — Review

The Ripstick tour 94 sits in the middle of Elan's lightweight ski-touring range, between the firmer Tour 88 and the wider Tour 104. With a 94 mm waist, TubeLite Woodcore, 360° sidewall and asymmetric Amphibio profile, it is positioned as the do-it-all touring chassis for skiers who want a single set-up for everything from refrozen spring snow to occasional soft top-layers. Single-ski weight sits around 1,325 g across all lengths, keeping the ski reasonable for human-powered days while still handling the descent with composure.

At 94 mm under foot the Ripstick tour 94 is the line's mixed-snow specialist. Radius is 13.7 m at 164 cm and 15.6 m at 171 cm, so it pivots quickly in tight terrain yet rolls onto a longer arc when the slope opens up. The cambered inside edge gives confidence on firm traverses, while the rockered outside edge keeps initiation forgiving once the snow softens or breaks down. It floats more readily than the Tour 88 in shin-deep transitional snow, holds a line through wind crust, and stays planted through moderate-speed open turns. As with any lightweight 94, very deep untracked sections still favour the wider Tour 104.

Elan's Tour 94 uses the same TubeLite Woodcore as its siblings: two carbon tubes embedded in a lightweight laminated wood core, aligned with the sidecut for torsional stability without extra mass. 360° sidewall construction wraps unbraided carbon-fibre strips along the edges, a Carbon Bridge rod in the tip absorbs vibration, and a sintered high-speed base sits underneath. A small titanal binding reinforcement plate provides a stable mounting zone, while the ski itself avoids a full titanal layer to keep weight down. Lengths run 164, 171, 178 and 185 cm with uniform tip/waist/tail of 129 / 94 / 109 mm.

The Tour 94 is the natural pick for intermediate-to-advanced tourers who want one chassis covering most conditions across the season. Compared to the Head Crux 93 it feels more rocker-forward thanks to Amphibio, while the Crux carves slightly more directly on firm snow. Against the Nordica Santa ana 93 unlimited and the Nordica Enforcer 94 unlimited it is markedly lighter and prioritises the climb, where those Unlimited variants are weighted toward fifty-fifty resort use. Riders also looking at the wider Elan Ripstick tour 104 should pick this 94 when refrozen and mixed surfaces dominate the calendar.

Pros

• Mid-94 waist makes it the most condition-flexible ski in Elan's touring range.
• TubeLite Woodcore keeps single-ski weight near 1,325 g across the size run.
• Amphibio profile balances easy pivoting with confident edge hold on firm snow.
• Four lengths cover most adult tourers without overlap.

Cons

• Uniform tip/waist/tail across lengths means short and long skiers share the same waist.
• Lightweight chassis trades some damping at higher speeds in rough chop.
• 94 mm is still narrow for deep, untracked powder days.
• Touring-tuned flex is not aimed at resort-only skiers.

Verdict: The all-conditions middle of Elan's touring lineup — a 94 mm chassis that climbs well and descends with reassurance across firm, mixed and moderately soft snow.