Elan Speedwave 8 (2007)

For some background, I would say I am a intermediate skier who feeling very comfortable with Blues and the easier Blacks. I stand at close to 5' 10" at about 167lbs, skiing on the 168cm. 
 
I love to carve, and ski mostly on man-made in north-central/mid-western part of the country. I was looking for a great "flexing" ski with a nice edge to let me move at medium speeds but eat right into the terrain. The Speedwave 8 was perfect for me through and through. A fairly light ski compared to Atomics that I have previously skied, and just what I was looking for in terms of a ski to help me progress into the next "level" of skill. Another thing that I noticed about these immediately was the precision craftsmanship. The fusion bindings combined with the monocore construction made the center of the ski feel much more flexible than the common dead spots found in many.  
 
My only complaint really with the Speedwave 8 was that at decently high speeds they tended to have a good vibration on the moguls. This I'm sure though has a lot to do with my boots. The other slightly more superficial complaint/compliment, is that I absolutely LOVE Elan's badging and colors. I am a huge fan of the black on greens and green on black skis but these are tough to find! These skis in black and green are VERY hot. I will say though that straight from the factory, one of the skis on the top tip had what appeared to be some paint overspray underneath the clear topcoat. A blemish if you will. This is of course overlookable entirely though upon your first outing.  
 
I would HIGHLY recommend the Elan brand and the Speedwave 8's for a solid intermediate skier, who loves to carve on a solid stable edge, and is looking for a ski to help improve you to the next level. 
 
CP Smith