Elan "30-Second" ski reviews

Black MagicUpdated. This woman's all mountain 1-ski-quiver may well be one of the best values in Elan's line. The ski has a slightly wider waist and significantly narrower tail than its predecessor, which has improved large radius turn suitability. It is now more versatile and balanced for females who primary ski the groomed. Comments along the lines of "More ski than the price" and "Rides like a more expensive ski" were included on several test cards.

Magfire 78 TiElan's entry in the high performance, versatile all mountain ski-stakes. This is yet another adept 1-ski-quiver for skiers who need excellence in all types of terrain and conditions. Smooth, quiet yet quick, predictable. According to one skier, "Master of all trades."

Magfire 78Less aggressive version of the 10, although the Ti is by no means challenging or daunting. Our skiers preferred the Ti; this non-Ti version is very easy to ski, but is also "out-growable."

777 GraphiteNot to be confused with the old 87mm 777 free ride model. Elan bills this new 77mm 777 as a free ride ski, but we feel it is more versatile than that. It carves well, handles off-piste skiing—including powder— with aplomb and while lacking the 78 Ti's near GS-like carving power, it is still a solid performer on groomed snow. Which is better? Probably the 78 for skiers who ski more than 50% on the groomed, the 777 for those who spend more time off-piste and, especially, in bumps.

Pure SpiceFemale-specific companion to the 78, performance more on par with the Ti version. As is sometimes the case with "comparable" models, our female testers gave this ski slightly higher marks than did the men the 78Ti. A ski that lesson-taking sport skiers can grow into, yet that will not prove intimidating at first. Highly recommended.

Magfire 82 XTiAggressive all mountain ski biased toward off-piste, but, for strong skiers, also solid on groomed and hard snow. This ski must be skied at a high level to perform its best. Good choice for physically strong and heavier skiers who have solid skills. Less than 50-day+ per season skiers will probably generally prefer the Ti.