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    240+ videos — gear reviews, conditions reports & backcountry edits

Ode to the consignment store Elans

  • 2016-10-26 08:01:31

    A couple of years back, the Switching Gear consignment store in Canmore picked up a bunch of Elan touring skis. There were a couple of pairs of  ski mountaineering race skis and some fatter skis that went quickly, but mostly the 160-170cm, 70mm-ish underfoot stores sat in the store. Prices were chopped. They are now at $100. I thought what the heck, the core doesn't make much difference on a ski this tiny and went with the lightest ones, the women's model! Binding mount was a tad sketchy with many of the screws spinning in the honeycomb core (pro tip, buy the Greenish-yellow or Red  ones with more wood in the core!).

    I smoked a rock on my first turn and the ski ejected. This is why I bought these skis. Once down in the trees, the rocks went away, and with some light blower on top of a supportive base, the skis were fine. Great conditions for late October at Bow Summit! I lapped the slope until my legs died.