SHOWDOWN: Renoun Endurance 88 vs Rossignol Arcade 88

Mar09
by fritzski on 03/09/2026 at 7:09 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized

Just because I’m a fan of the Renoun skis, and absolutely the Endurance 88, doesn’t mean I’m not always on the lookout for a better ski. As a passionate skier who isn’t endorsed by anybody, I’ll take any advantage I can, whenever I can. So my gear radar is always scanning.

With each passing season, the trend seems to be slowly and sensibly moving back to narrower skis. And even here in the west, the 85-90mm underfoot ski makes a great all-mountain daily driver.

Why did I choose the Rossignol Arcade 88 for a test drive comparison? Because the Arcade 88 seems to be one of the bigger buzz skis this season.

Rickety Ski Reviews gushes over it calling it one of the best daily drivers he’s ever skied.

SKI Magazine gave it the Best Frontside Ski of 2026 and one The 7 Best Skis for Moguls (Best for Experts)

Finally, only the Ski Essentials Review was a little lukewarm on this ski calling it “one of the stiffest skis they’ve ever flexed”, “a wide race ski”, and “less versatile than advertised” while still giving it overall praise.

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Breckenridge Ski History

Dec08
by fritzski on 12/08/2025 at 4:20 pm
Posted In: DSJ Articles

Ski Through History Tour 2013 (1)Download
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24/25 RENOUN ATLAS 80 Review

May06
by fritzski on 05/06/2025 at 10:38 am
Posted In: DSJ Reviews

Let’s take what we like about a race ski, but make it a little more approachable and versatile. Renoun uses a common sense approach to designing a high performance frontside carver for the people!

It appears they have basically taken a slightly wider race ski layup and mellowed out the flex just a bit for us mere mortals. Then they shaped it somewhere between an SL and a “cheater” GS sidecut and finally added just a hint of early rise in the tips to reduce the hookiness that racers prefer, but we probably don’t.

Think this sounds like a winner? It really is.

What you end up with is a versatile, relatively forgiving ski that loves to lay over on an edge, but won’t take you for the ride.

If you want a true “resort race ski”, go for the beef and get one of the many choices out there. But if you prefer a little less of the business and all of the fun, this may be your go-to ski.

RENOUN SKIS are what you would call a “boutique” brand. They inevitably elicit questions from curious fellow skiers on the chairlift. Renoun relies predominantly on a direct-to-consumer online sales platform. Their skis are not cheap, but pricing is right in line or even a little less than other premium handmade brands.

In place of a retail demo opportunity, they have a unique “Risk Free” program where they’ll send you the skis, you have them mounted with your bindings, and you try them out for a period of time. If you don’t like them, just send them back (yes, with the screw holes in them!) for a full refund.

From the Renoun website: “Ski them up to five days within six months of delivery and if you’re not absolutely in love, exchange or return for a full refund” (including return shipping).

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24/25 RENOUN Endurance 88 & 98 Review: Keepers!

Apr13
by fritzski on 04/13/2025 at 12:52 pm
Posted In: DSJ Reviews

RENOUN SKIS are what you would call a “boutique” brand. They inevitably elicit questions from curious fellow skiers on the chairlift. Renoun relies predominantly on a direct-to-consumer online sales platform. Their skis are not cheap, but pricing is right in line or even a little less than other premium handmade brands.

In place of a retail demo opportunity, they have a unique “Risk Free” program where they’ll send you the skis, you have them mounted with your bindings, and you try them out for a period of time. If you don’t like them, just send them back (yes, with the screw holes in them!) for a full refund.

From the Renoun website: “Ski them up to five days within six months of delivery and if you’re not absolutely in love, exchange or return for a full refund” (including return shipping).

ABOUT THESE SKIS:

Both models feature Renoun’s patented “VibeStop” material and they are marketed as being more “knee friendly” than other ski designs. More on that later. The E88 has two full sheets of metal and the E98 has just one partial sheet. Both skis have a fairly traditional shape and design with things like rocker, splay, and taper all kept within the moderate zone. A big thank you!

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Fritzski’s Ski Tip of the Week #5 / Storing your Ski Gear in the Off-season

Apr04
by fritzski on 04/04/2025 at 7:34 pm
Posted In: DSJ Gear Tech

With the end of another great ski season near or here for most of us, some of you may be wondering how to properly store your valuable “tools of the trade” so they’re in tip-top shape for next year.

STORAGE WAXING: This is the practice of generously waxing your skis and not scraping it off. The idea here being to preserve your P-tex bases by sealing them in wax. Many folks do this religiously, and while it certainly can’t hurt, it is debatable as to whether it’s really necessary. There is some scientific evidence that despite traditional wisdom, P-tex is actually a very inert material and does not oxidize or degrade if left in a cool, dry, and dark environment. The white chalky appearance of well used bases are actually caused by abrasion creating fine micro-hairs and not “drying out”.

Another consideration is you must also remember to scrape it off and preferably do a fresh re-wax before skiing again next season. Just sayin’, but you can bet that all the unsold ski inventory at your local shop will not be waxed before storing this off-season.

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