Elan Ripstick 98 vs. Renoun Endurance 98

The Elan Ripstick is a hallmark of the all-mountain category. However, no industry-leader can rest on its laurels for long. The Ripstick is increasingly compared to the Renoun Endurance 98 – an all-mountain star from Vermont's homegrown company, Renoun. Two formidable challengers – but they’re not cut from the same cloth.

Stability

With the Ripstick weighing in at 1,650g, it’s not only notably lighter than the Endurance 98 (1,850g), it’s a downright featherweight across the board. A godsend when hefting this over your shoulders, this dramatic weight loss comes at a significant cost: stability (or lack thereof). The Endurance 98, with its 2” metal band and VibeStop™ tech (Renoun’s new adaptive technology) is far more stable. Like we said, it’s not even a fair fight.

Edge-to-edge:

Being a few milimetes apart, both the Elan Ripstick 96 an Renoun Endurance 98 will be quick in edge-to-edge transitions. They feature nearly the same overall dimensions, as well.

Versatility:

What the Ripstick lacks in stability, it makes up for in pop and playfulness. It's lightweight core and ‘vaportip’ help make this ski super easy to maneuver around. The Endurance 98 is still zippy in tight spots and, with more camber, it gives more energy return when bouncing out of turns — a nice feeling when quickly transitioning in tight spots.

Both are playful, snappy and a blast to ski. The Ripstick is just a touch softer and a bit more ‘dainty’ of a ski. Certainly, these qualities are not negative – more a matter of taste –  but some of the more advanced skiers found it a little lacking when pushed hard. Advantage: Endurance.

Overall, the Ripstick is billed as an intermediate to advanced ski and the Endurance 98 is a slightly more robust ski. Interestingly, the VibeStop™ technology that Renoun embeds into their skis allows them to adapt to conditions, meaning they can feel stiffer as you ski them harder—something that’s extremely helpful as you ski a wide range of conditions or as your style and skill progress.

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