Red Dot Award Goes To Elan Ripstick Tour 104
Almost eighty years of its existence, Elan earned the acclaim of the ultimate innovator in skiing which has dramatically shifted the development of alpine skiing several times. The globally renowned brand from Begunje na Gorenjskem has won more than 300 international awards for its products. Juries around the world were consistently impressed by Elan's innovative technological solutions and quality, as well as the graphic design of the products.
Among other awards, Elan has also received 13 Red Dot Awards, which are some of the world's most prestigious design prizes that also recognize outstanding achievements in design. Elan received the first Red Dot in 2007 and has since developed a distinctive design language for its products that have time and again been distinguished by innovation, technological sophistication, and, of course, thoughtful design. The company has developed a very clear recipe for supporting technology with design and presenting it in an attractive, engaging, and user-friendly way, with the graphic elements underlining the entire package. The common thread that unites Elan products is the fact that each successive product brings something new, better and often revolutionary, all with a focus on the end user and their unforgettable user experience.
This year the Red Dot: Product Design 2022 award was presented to the Elan Ripstick Tour 104 ski which is the brainchild of Elan’s development team and the legendary skier Glen Plake.
The team started with the Ripstick series and set out to make it lighter and give it the characteristics that would make it suitable for ski touring while still retaining its superior ride quality. The Ripstick Tour is the perfect choice for all-day ski touring adventures that include long ascents and descents with all the fun of a full-on freeride ski. When a skier carries a heavy pack on long days in the mountains, every gram saved on other pieces of equipment counts, so low weight is a major factor. But challenging terrain and long distances can expose a skier to a variety of snow conditions in a single descent. That's why the advanced construction of the Ripstick Tour enables use in a wide variety of snow conditions. The development team integrated new Carbon Bridge technology in the wood core to control vibrations. The revolutionary solution consists of a carbon rod placed on the upper surface of the ski to enhance stability, absorb and dampen vibrations while keeping the weight low. With 360-degree sidewalls used to add stability and grip to the ski, the truncated pyramid shape allows for further material reduction, further reducing the weight of the ski. Amphibio technology ensures precision, outstanding grip, and stability in all snow conditions.
"Glen Plake has been ski touring more and moreover the past few years and has been urging us for some time to develop a slightly wider touring ski that would be suitable for longer ascents while retaining the handling characteristics to meet the demands of advanced skiers who need stability at higher speeds and support on more technically demanding descents. Close collaboration with the product development team was essential to define the perfect combination of geometry, sidecut, and flex. At Elan we always include end-users in product development from the very beginning, when the product is still early in the development phase. This was also the case with Glen, who played an important role in the development, including the final validation of the various functional prototypes.
With the Ripstick Tour the ride characteristics were paramount as we wanted to show a fresh take on ski design in which form follows function uncompromisingly. Glen's view on skiing is reflected in the graphic design of the ski. He explained his choice of vivid colors by the fact that we don't always have the opportunity to ski in good weather, and then skis in vibrant colors are a welcome change to the day.
We are exceptionally proud that the Red Dot institution has recognized the design achievement and awarded Elan with this prestigious design award,” said Melanja Korošec, Global Brand Director at Elan.
RED DOT AWARD FOR ELAN E6 SAILING YACHT
In addition to the Ripstick Tour 104, Elan also won the Red Dot for the Elan E6 sailing yacht, which is the second Red Dot award for our Nautic Division. The E6 is with its 47 ft the largest addition to Elan’s performance range. Carefully designed for the perfect blend of aesthetics and functionality by Pininfarina. The Elan E6 is the go-to choice for serious sailors who also expect high levels of comfort and cruising amenities for their friends and family. It is a fusion of Italian aesthetics, exceptional nautical architecture, and high-tech composite technology.
