The topic of ELAN , which has hit products created by high technology such extremely popular " RIPSTICK " series and the touring ski " PLAY MAKER , will be discussed at "JSP SNOW EXPO JAPAN 2024" (2024). I asked him about it at Pacifico Yokohama held on February 13th and 14th.
New size 111 is now available for “PLAYMAKER”
For the '24-25 season, PLAYMAKER, which previously only had waists of 101 and 91 mm, has been released with a new fat waist of 111 mm. This model is aimed at users who are pursuing freeride such as FWT as athletes. Until now, the directional shape "RIPSTICK" series had a 116mm diameter, and some athletes were competing in it, but considering the competitive environment of FWT, which is a big mountain field, twin tips are more suitable. Therefore, I stopped using RIPSTICK's 116mm, moved it to the twin-tip PLAYMAKER, and released a 111mm.
Surf rocker that provides buoyancy in both directions, twin tips, and a slight camber in the center. Called "Dual Float Technology," carbon is built into the underfoot and the top and tail are extremely thin, which benefits the lateral movement of the ski in powder and creates buoyancy in both the top and tail. you can get the most. The PLAYMAKER111 uses 360-degree sidewalls, making it extremely durable and lightweight.
The RIPSTICK series has evolved even further.
For the directional backcountry freeride model "RIPSTICK," it would be easier to point out the things that have not changed in the 2024-25 season than to point out the things that have changed. ELAN's unique asymmetric rocker ``Amphibio Technology'', which has a little rocker on the inside of the ski and more on the outside, has been inherited, but everything else has changed, from the mold to the size pitch. It's a body.
The fattest is 108, followed by 102, 96, and 88. The inherited Amphibio technology provides strong edge grip and ease of turning, which is as appealing as ever. The newly adopted symbolic technology inside is "Carbon Deck Technology." A wide carbon (UD carbon) tape is built into the edge side of the top sheet of the ski, with the tape being longer on the inside and shorter on the outside.
Apart from this, two carbon tubes (carbon rods) are included as before. These features reduce weight while providing a powerful yet smooth ride with excellent response. By adding carbon tubes and tape-shaped carbon, the minimum amount of carbon is added where it is needed, so there is no unnecessary weight. The result is a more precise finish that maintains flexibility while maintaining the ski's directional stability.
In addition, the top shovel part contains a vibration-absorbing natural material called flux fiber. The reason for using natural materials is from the perspective of SDGs. In this way, the 2024-25 season RIPSTICK series has evolved further to meet the needs of the times.
“RIPSTICK BLACK EDITION” has also been updated
“BLACK EDITION” is a high-end model that is positioned as the highest peak of RIPSTICK. For the 2024-25 season, we will continue to use the regular collection as the base, with plenty of carbon everywhere to further improve performance. There is a single carbon chip called C-Ply Carbon in the foot, which first of all strengthens the stability of the foot. While the regular collection has two built-in carbon rods, the BLACK EDITION has carbon added to the middle top side and tail side, making it equipped with a total of four carbon tubes. This improves stability and improves the level.
Generally speaking, adding metal will make the ski more stable, but it will naturally make it much heavier. That's why we used lightweight carbon, but due to the characteristics of carbon, if you put it in a sheet form, the tension will be too strong. This isn't a problem if you're skiing something like slalom skiing, which requires fast rebound, but it also makes the board stiffer. Therefore, ELAN devised a unique technology that incorporates tube-shaped or tape-shaped carbon to achieve stability without sacrificing flex.
Up until now, the BLACK EDITION was harder and gave the impression that it had more powerful performance, but at the same time it required technical ability and power from the rider. However, for the 2024-25 season, the BLACK EDITION felt a little softer than the regular collection, giving the impression that it was much easier to handle. This is due to the effect of carbon. The state-of-the-art carbon structure improves stability at speed, blending it with power, clearly delivering higher performance than the regular collection, and in a sense, making it extremely easy to ride for anyone.
RIPSTICK women's collection with designs that resonate with women's sensibilities
This is RIPSTICK's women's collection. From the current era of diversity. What is the difference between "for ladies" and gender? In response to this view, ELAN's answer is not to differentiate between men and women, but to create women's products at the same level of quality as men's products, taking into consideration the unique physique and power of women. .
ELAN has had an all-female development team for many years. The designs created by the women themselves for the 2024-25 season were highly praised by shop dealers at the exhibition. The variety of waist widths available, including 106, 100, 94, and 88 mm, can be seen as a sign of the company's attitude of respecting women.
Information
official website: https://www.elanjapan.co.jp/
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