BEST SKI
Elan SLX Fusion review 2019
PROSKILAB™ reviewers' comments
Selected as one of the best skis on the market and reviewed for several years by PROSKILAB, the SLX Fusion from Elan has often come close to the top spot on the podium without ever winning it. This year, the ski finally won a well-deserved "Best Ski" award because of its perfect blend of performance, predictability, and fun.
You'll get plenty of performance, for sure. The ski excels in every area, from the beginning to the end of the turn, and has powerful rebound. "Well-balanced, it holds the turn perfectly," one pro tester noted. The ski is "very precise and grippy," carving out turns with the precision of a scalpel. Although we tested a slightly longer size than requested (170 cm), the ski still proved extremely agile. The ski is most happy making short turns but is comfortable making longer radius turns as well.
Testers called the SLX Fusion "playful and not too technical" as well as "fun and predictable." It is very forgiving, so you can get away with small mistakes, making it a remarkably accessible ski for this category. The testers were particularly impressed by its "consistent, predictable, and well-balanced" performance.
The quality of ski-snow contact, the ski's predictability, and the minimal energy required from the skier make it a very "manageable" ski.
The SLX Fusion is lively, precise, and smooth, in short, a great adrenaline booster. Our testers came back with their test sheets full and smiles on their faces.
The SLX Fusion successfully brings back all the qualities already cited in previous years. It is the ideal ski for anyone looking for the liveliness, agility, and precision of a slalom ski, but not wanting a ski that is too demanding.
Review: Pros
- A lively and playful ski
- Reliable, forgiving, and predictable
- High-level performance
- Performance and precision in turns
- Good edge grip
- Versatile
Review: Cons
- Less dynamic than the Rossignol Hero Elite ST Ti, which has an R22 race plate
The ski review scores
| Turn initiation | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 18.5 |
| Stability | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 18.5 |
| Stability/turning performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 18.5 |
| Grip | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 18.5 |
| Short turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 19.0 |
| Long turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 18.0 |
| Skid turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 17.0 |
| Handleability | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 19.0 |
| Comfort | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 18.5 |
| Snow contact | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 19.0 |
| Soft snow fluidity | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 18.0 |
Who's it for?
Manufacturer's remarks
Explode from one quick turn to the next with power never experienced before. The SLX Fusion redefines the term "high intensity" as this ski is packed with punch from tip to tail. Go fast, keep it tight.
Features of the SLX Fusion
| Brand : | Elan |
| Model : | SLX Fusion |
| Year : | 2019 |
| Family : | Slalom |
| Size tested : | 165 cm |
| Tip size : | 121 mm |
| Waist size : | 68 mm |
| Tail size : | 104 mm |
| Radius for the size reviewed : | 12 m |
Your review
Reviewed by PROSKILAB™
in La Clusaz, France, March 2018