Zag Slap 104 lite — Review

The Zag Slap 104 lite is Zag's first twin-tip touring ski — a freerando version of the Slap 104 mid-fat freeride platform with a lighter "LIGHT" lay-up. Built in Zag's Chamonix Lab, it targets advanced touring skiers who want a soft-snow-capable touring tool that still skis like a Slap on the way down. At 104 mm underfoot with the same partial twin-tip shape as the standard 104, it occupies the rare space between dedicated freeride board and dedicated touring noodle.

Sidecut radii cluster in the 17–20 m range across the four lengths, with a notably shorter 17.1 m at 182 cm that gives the lite a tighter feel through trees than the standard 104. The 30% tip / 25% tail rocker is unchanged from the freeride 104, and that is the point: paired with the lighter lay-up, the lite slashes and floats in soft snow on the descent while saving weight for the skin track. At 1710 g per single ski at 182 cm — roughly 220 g lighter than the freeride 104 at the same length — it is firmly in modern touring weight territory without giving up its twin-tip personality.

The Slap 104 lite keeps the paulownia–poplar wood core and Semi-CAP sandwich of the Slap line but switches to Zag's "LIGHT" multi-axial fiberglass lay-up to shed grams. ABS sidewalls and moderate camber underfoot remain, so the ski still engages an edge on a firm skin-track traverse or a hard-snow exit run. Verified weight per single ski at 182 cm: 1710 g. Weights at other lengths are not separately confirmed across sources and are not shipped here.

The Slap 104 lite suits advanced touring skiers who want twin-tip freeride personality on the way down without paying the weight penalty of a freeride board on the way up. Compared to the Elan Ripstick tour 104 it is more twin-tip-biased; against the Armada Locator 104 it is similarly touring-oriented but more playful; the Black diamond Helio carbon 104 is a more directional, more uphill-pure alternative.

Pros

• Twin-tip personality at touring weight.
• Soft-snow performance on the way down.
• French build quality from the Chamonix Lab.

Cons

• Stability ceiling at very high descent speeds.
• Per-length weight transparency is limited on the manufacturer page.
• Limited brand presence outside Europe.

Verdict: a niche but well-targeted ski for advanced touring skiers who want their descent feel to match the Slap 104 freeride identity, not a stripped-down race-touring stick.