REASONS TO BUY
Twin-tip design for freestyle skiing
Lightweight for the dimensions
REASONS TO AVOID
Terrifying on firm snow
Too soft for stability at speed
Cardiff Snowcraft Crane Enduro Review
Lightweight, park-style skis built for human-powered backcountry freestyle
The Cardiff Snowcraft Crane Enduro, paired with reasonably lightweight Dynafit Ridge bindings for human-powered testing.
Credit: Jediah Porter
RELATED: Best Backcountry Skis of 2024
Our Verdict
The Cardiff Snowcraft Crane Enduro is unique in a few ways. First are the apparent design cues that separate them from the types of backcountry skis we generally test. These are center-mounted, essentially twin-tip skis that appear to be built for throwing tricks in the backcountry. Yet, they're lightweight enough to hang with many of the 1600-gram, all-purpose touring skis in our lineup. Next, they represent an interesting movement in the industry; these are skis made by a snowboard company, and that's pretty cool. We welcome any and all such disruptions to the norm – we will all benefit, in the long run, from such innovation. Although a cohort of freestyle-focused backcountry skiers will surely find the Crane Enduro intriguing, our test team of ski guides is not among them.
Editors' Note: We mounted the Crane Enduro with Dynafit Ridge bindings and tested it as an in-line ski through the 2023-2024 season. This ski returns unchanged to the Cardiff Snowcraft line for 2024-2025.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Cardiff Snowcraft Crane Enduro | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Optimized for Downhill Performance |  Best Overall Backcountry Skis |  Best Bang for the Buck | ||
| Price | $850 List $850.00 at Backcountry | $799.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $899.95 at REI Compare at 4 sellers | $849.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $499.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | These niche, reasonably lightweight skis are designed for human-powered jibbing | Heavier skis that offer meaningful performance on the downhill, ideal for newer backcountry skiers or for experts who don't mind trading a bit of efficiency for a bit more fun | This relatively wide all-season ski is one of our favorites and great for all-around human-powered use | Reasonably affordable and great for a wide range of human-powered skiing, these are your backcountry "quiver-of-one" | Skis optimized for downhill performance across many circumstances and skillsets, but you'll pay a price in weight |
| Rating Categories | Cardiff Snowcraft C... | Salomon QST Echo 106 | Blizzard Zero G 105 | K2 Wayback 106 | Elan Ripstick 106 |
| Weight (25%) | |||||
| Firm Snow (20%) | |||||
| Powder (20%) | |||||
| Crud and Poor Snow (20%) | |||||
| Stability at Speed (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Cardiff Snowcraft C... | Salomon QST Echo 106 | Blizzard Zero G 105 | K2 Wayback 106 | Elan Ripstick 106 |
| Measured Weight Per Ski (g) | 1662 | 1779 | 1513 | 1436 | 1858 |
| Measured Length Tested (cm) | 176 | 180 | 178 | 179 | 177 |
| Measured Waist Width (mm) | 103 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 106 |
| Weight Per Surface Area Ratio (g/cm²) | 0.82 | 0.8 | 0.72 | 0.68 | 0.86 |
| Measured Weight Per Pair (g) | 3324 | 3557 | 3025 | 2872 | 3715 |
| Measured Weight Per Pair (lbs) | 7.3 | 7.8 | 6.7 | 6.3 | 8.2 |
| Manufacturer Claimed Length (cm) | 178 | 181 | 180 | 179 | 180 |
| Available Lengths (cm) | 166, 172, 178 | 157, 165, 173, 181, 189 | 164, 172, 180, 188 | 165, 172, 179, 186 | 167, 174, 181, 188 |
| Measured Dimensions, Tip/Center/Tail (mm) | 123/103/119 | 140/105/125 | 133/104/118 | 131/105/120 | 143/105/119 |
| Manufacturer Claimed Dimensions (mm) | 126/104/123 | 136/106/123 | 133/105/118 | 132/106/121 | 143/106/120 |
| Turn Radius (m) | 19 | 16 | 23 | 22.3 | 19.5 |
| Construction Type | Sandwich | Sandwich | Sandwich | Semi-Cap | Sandwich |
| Core Material | Paulownia | Poplar, Caruba | Paulownia | Paulownia | Tubelite |
| Rocker/Camber Profile | Tip and tail rocker, camber underfoot | Tip and tail rocker, camber underfoot | Tip and tail rocker | Tip and tail rocker, flat underfoot | Tip and tail rocker, camber underfoot |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
We've never tested a ski quite like the Crane Enduro before. It is made by Cardiff Snowcraft, originally a snowboard company that has moved into making skis over the past few years. More distinctly, it is a backcountry ski “with freestyle roots,” as the company puts it. We must confess that our test team does not include skiers known for building booters in the backcountry. We assessed them on their all-around backcountry skiing prowess – we'll leave it to the freestyle specialists elsewhere to judge them as a freestyle ski.
Performance Comparison
Testing the Crane Enduro during a mid-season drought in a tracked up setting. An excellent environment for tough-snow testing; unfortunately, not-so great tough snow performance from this ski.
Credit: Jediah Porter
Weight
It was the manufacturer-claimed weight of the Crane Enduro that earned it a place on our roster – a 1678-gram ski from a relatively new entry to the market is worth our attention. The claimed weight is remarkably close to what we measured on our calibrated scale at 1662 grams per ski. That's 3356 g, or 7.3 lbs for the pair, which makes their absolute weight competitive with the best all-around touring skis in our test. However, when we apply a weight-per-surface-area calculation, the result isn't as favorable. At 103 mm underfoot, there are a number of comparably sized skis that are up to 20% lighter. However, for backcountry-freestyle skis, these have to be among the lightest on the market.
These skis are remarkably lightweight for their intended use as a backcountry freestyle ski.
Credit: Jediah Porter
Firm Snow
In this context, our experiences were not good – at all – and as a result, we cannot recommend these for regularly skiing firm conditions. Considering the twin tip design and long rocker profile, the short effective edge is simply ineffective over firm snow. Then you pile on the soft flex, both longitudinally and torsionally, and their performance is understandably poor.
Comparative flex testing of the relatively soft Crane Enduro. (And by soft, we mean very soft!)
Credit: Jediah Porter
Powder
We were surprised in some ways by the performance of these skis in powder. The early-rise tip and heavily rockered profile certainly help, but we needed to make extensive adjustments to our technique to ski the extra-soft Crane Enduro. They will make comfortable turns in forgiving powder snow but don't expect them to thrive in this element, especially compared to some of the slightly wider skis we tested.
This is the type of powder where the Crane Enduro actually excelled, snow with a higher moisture content that's heavier than usual.
Credit: Jediah Porter
Crud and Poor Snow
If anything, it is the Crane Enduro's performance in tough snow that is redeeming. Although its soft construction was more difficult to ski than expected in powder, it works surprisingly well in less-than-ideal conditions. Slow it down, adapt your turn initiation, and let the width of this ski do the work.
Despite camber underfoot, the Crane Enduro has a long rocker profile and a very early-rise tip.
Credit: Jediah Porter
Stability at Speed
We try our best to avoid attributing any aspects of ski performance to specific construction or design choices. There are so many variables, and as a result, so many ways modern ski shapes all achieve pretty darn good performance. That said, the design of the Crane Enduro suggests limitations for skiing fast. They are lightweight for their dimensions, the effective edge length is short, and their flex pattern is soft. Our real-world experience is consistent with our initial impressions – don't count on going faster with the Crane Enduro than absolutely necessary.
With a suggested mounting point close to center, there isn't much ski in front of your foot.
Credit: Jediah Porter
Should You Buy the Cardiff Snowcraft Crane Enduro?
We recommend these only if you are specifically looking for a backcountry, freestyle ski. The subset of skiers that seek out center-mounted, soft, twin-tip skis for human-powered jibbing will be psyched with these skis. It's important to point out, however, that they do not have the same power as other freeride-oriented skis in our lineup.
A close up of the tail art of the Crane Enduro. These are beautiful skis.
Credit: Jediah Porter
What Other Backcountry Skis Should You Consider?
The slightly fatter and more freeride-oriented Fischer Transalp 105 CTI performs better across the board than the Crane Enduro, as does the slightly more narrow WNDR Alpine Vital 98 Camber. Backcountry freestylers focused specifically on skiing deep powder may also be interested in the highly specialized Voile HyperDrifter, which is not only lighter but at 121 mm underfoot, it is much fatter than any of these skis.
—
Jediah Porter
You Might Also Like
