Elan Playmaker 91
2025 Quiv3r Ski Test
A light, energetic twin tip is a great recipe for a full day of fun all over the mountain.
Image courtesy of Elansports.com
Construction & Initial Thoughts
When introduced for the 2024 model year, Elan took its first swing at creating an all-mountain freestyle ski with their fresh new entry, the Playmakers. Occupying the narrower slot of the (then) new duo, the Playmaker 91 finds itself at home nearly anywhere on the hill.
Elan, for a brand that focuses a lot of fun and self-expression, sure packs a lot of technology into their skis, the Playmakers being no exception. Carbon rods underfoot for lightweight sturdiness and support, their eye-catching “360 Sidewall”, and their “Dual Float Technology” all come together to create a snappy and soft-flexing ski.
The 91 wants to jump and skip between turns, rather than rail carves. There’s no doubt both the rocker profile and carbon rods contribute to the zip and rebound that the Playmaker 91 promotes.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but given the lack of metal in its construction and the lightweight profile, the 91 is by no means a robust ski. While skilled skiers will find some reliability directly underfoot, you should temper your expectations when dealing with any sort of variable conditions or hardpack.
Ideal Application
All that being noted, in anything short of an icy slalom course or the deepest troughs of powder, the Playmaker 91 is right at home. In moguls and trees, the playfulness and light weight are immediately apparent, in a good way. In park boxes and jumps, they’re acrobatic, ready and eager for their next set of instructions. Even on steeper groomer, if it’s not too slick, the Playmaker is more than happy to wiggle its way down.
Where the Playmaker really shined was some medium pitch, lower snow tree runs. The lightweight construction and the “Surf Rocker” profile can be used to the skier’s advantage in tighter trees and off-piste terrain.
Wizard’s Gulch, a double diamond tree run at Sunday River, was a great example of a trail that showcased the prowess and quickness of the 91. Medium to large moguls with occasional steep drops followed immediately by quick and consequential turns, Upper and Lower Wizard is a classic New England glade. In a setting like this, the Playmaker is forgiving and agile and helps make runs like this approachable and even more fun.
If there’s a foot of fresh snow, would a skier prefer something wider? No doubt, but waist-deep days aren’t an everyday occurrence in western Maine, so the 91 makes a great choice for the woods. The rocker and taper of the tips and tails lets the skier put them anywhere, but the rebound and energy of the core and the carbon rods allows access to a surprising amount of precision as well.
Hardpack and deeper snow tend to be a different story, and there are many better tools for those trades. It’ll hold an edge if you can feather it, up to a certain point. While the 91’s taper and weight help it stay afloat quite well for its width, I’d much rather be on the 101 in softer and more abundant snow.
Given it’s a true featherweight, the notable amount of rocker, and the wide array of mounting options, it’s clear that there is true freestyle intention and inspiration in the Playmaker’s design. It’s a ski that is right at home in the park, and they really love features, side hits, and being airborne as often as you’d like.
Strong and heavy skiers might find that the Playmaker 91 lacks a tad of true support and power. If you’re shopping against other skis, it’s worth noting that the Playmaker falls very much on the agile and light side of the spectrum.
The Numbers
Sizes available: 156 cm, 164 cm, 172 cm, 180 cm, 188 cm
Sidecut: 122 mm (tip) - 91 mm (waist) - 116 mm (tail) (180 cm)
Turn Radius: 18.1 meters (180 cm)
Quiv3r Measured Weight: 1580 grams (180 cm)
Quiv3r Measured Length: ~178.5 cm (180 cm)
Recommended Mount Points: Seven recommended points, recommended line is -7 cm from center, ranges +/- 3 cm from recommended.
2025 Quiv3r Ski Test Scores
Tested by: Collin Wiedersheim
Days skied: ~15
Boots: 2023 Nordica SportMachine 110, 27.5 mondo, custom footbeds
180 cm length, Strive 14 mounted at +1 line
Final Thoughts
Skis like the Playmaker 91 are best prescribed to skiers whom have a creative style. Its profile and construction practically beg the skier to keep it loose, go jump off something, and to be creative in their skiing style. If lightweight and energetic construction, rebound, energy, and fun are what you’re after, the 91 should be at the top of your list.