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Elan are going after the touring market with the Ibex range of skis and the Ibex 84 Carbon looks to be a winner on paper; how would it perform on snow?
Level
Advanced
Terrain
Touring
Best for
Ski tourers who want the best of both worlds
Price
£440
Season
2018/19
lengths
156, 163, 170, 177
Bindings?
No
Float
8
Versatility
9
Up-hill
10
Energy
9
Value
10
Stability
10
Overall Score
9
+
A gutsy pair of planks in skimo clothing
The style and colour somewhat disguises what these skis can do

The numbers all point to the Ibex 84 Carbon being agile and high performing mountain climbers, like their namesakes. Elan are pushing hard on all fronts - weight and price being perhaps the most significant, and where this model stands out. And are these stats backed up by performance?

In a word, yes. The Ibex 84 Carbons stood out as much as any brilliant ski during our testing. They are way more capable than they should be, and in comparison to similar superlight skis, they have guts - they're solid on hardpack, they can charge on an edge, and they are difficult to deflect in chopped up snow too.

You'd be forgiven for assuming these are for skimo racers, and their looks do nothing to suggest otherwise. But they ski like something much more substantial, with power and stability beyond expectations.

Perhaps one thing that Elan have left to be desired is a little extra float for the soft off-piste descents. If that is on your wishlist then the Ibex Carbon comes in a 94 millimetre waist too.

Considering the price - and perhaps more importantly, the competition - Elan's Ibex 84 Carbon could be the best value ski on our test. Value in touring skis comes from the balance between up and downhill performance, and these skis excel at both.

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