A changing ski world
For more than 80 years the racing scene has been the yardstick of our sport - the skills were measured by the competition and were the most important testing area for new products and innovations. The ski world has changed in the last decades. New forms of competition have emerged that compete with classic ski racing and influence a new generation of athletes - a generation of competitors who do not care about the rules and views of the normal World Cup circus and also have a new perspective on the products. "We do not have the advertising budgets of other ski manufacturers", says Andy Lukasch, Head of Marketing at Elan-Central Europe and adds: "That's why we have to work harder and go unconventional ways. And that's where this different perspective of the young and wild skiers helps us. It's time to change up a gear", he grins and presents the Elan SLX.
In test: The Elan SLX
Kaunertal Glacier. We went to Austria for testing. Here we can try if Andy is a "Dampfplauderer" or if the SLX really delivers what he promised. But let's see what the "leaflet" says about the ski in the finest advertising language: "Short and dynamic turns are a real pleasure for every skier. This way of skiing requires a high degree of confidence in the material. The Racecarver SLX from Elan knows how to convince. The innovative Arrow technology consists of a pre-tensioned carbon plate which, together with the arrow-shaped tip and tail, brings maximum power to the slope and makes the ski extremely reactive. The SLX guarantees a particularly sporty handling and agile change from one turn to the next without losing power. The Early Rise Rocker allows a playful turn initiation while the camber construction provides the necessary edge hold. The sporty skiing characteristics are rounded off by the RST sidewall, the Response Frame wood core made of a combination of different woods and a double titanium reinforcement. The SLX is the perfect choice for the ambitious skier who loves short and crisp turns".
SNOW-HOW!-Expert view
But we have tested the ski and added some substance to the "marketing lyrics": The ski is not a slalom racing ski built according to the FIS rules for racing. But beware of believing that it is a "cucumber ski", as we say about some boring Skis. No, the contrary is true. If the rider wants it, the SLX pulls into the turns no matter how hard the slope is, only to speed out of the turn brutally. A beast. But the Beauty is not far away. And that's what characterizes this ski. Cosy - sometimes even drifting - skiing down the slope without pitfalls and nasty surprises. The SLX masters this to perfection. And exactly these two components make up the ski. The Beauty and the Beast - as you choose. This also makes Elan-Andy happy, who has saved his reputation with it.