A full wood core sandwiched between dual sheets of titanium make the Elan 888 Alu Ski a considerably stiff board that skis super responsively and maintains stability at mach speeds. The 888 Alu’s moderate waist provides for quick edge-to-edge transfer, while vertical sidewalls and a stiff flex ensure bomber grip on firm snow. The fat shovel handles softer snow and crud with authority while the ski’s light weight provides an agile feel in any terrain.
Bottom Line: Unleash the power of the Elan 888 Alu Ski on the steepest, fastest run you can find.
Spent two days on these skis in conditions ranging from freshly groomed corduroy to deep spring slush in tight trees. I would definitely recommend these skis to a strong intermediate or advanced skier, potentially with a race background, who likes to carve all over the mountain. Because of their significant sidecut, these things love to rail big, fast turns. They hold an edge even the most incredible lean angles and speeds. I found them to be extremely damp which made for a smooth ride on re-frozen spring snow, but took away from their liveliness when skiing bumps and tight trees. I attribute this to the generous use of metal and wood in their construction.
I would not recommend these skis to those who ski a lot of bumps, trees, or like straight-lining. Their deep sidecut makes the tails hooky when quick turns are needed and reduces stability when bombing straight down runs. Their relatively heavy weight and dampness make jump turns a chore. Because of this, I would recommend them for 80% on, 20% off piste.
Overall, 4 stars for a hard-carving all-mountain ski that is very enjoyable in most conditions and would serve well for most strong intermediate to advanced skiers.
I bought a pair of Elan 888's last season. I skied on them two days and one of the skis decambered. I sent them back to the US distributor. I am not a parker or a hucker, just a normal skier. They would not warranty the skis. Everyone beware, why do you think they are so cheap! I recommend you do not buy any Elan equipment.
Matt Dcktitus
I hadn't been on a pair of Elan skis in a while. I tried these out about a year ago at the 186cm length and I was almost shocked at how easy they are to ski in most conditions. I tried them in everything from heavy crud to 12 inches of POW to high speed groomers and it excelled in most conditions. The good parts that stuck out were that it had much better float than expected and can handle fast turns really nicely. On the down side it can get choppy in the REALLY heavy crud and the heaviest or most powerful of skiers will overpower it on high speed groomers. If you are looking for a ski that can go between the East and West Coast easily, look here.
