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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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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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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.
Let’s talk about ski boot fit, sizing, and flex ratings. Modern ski boots have come such a long way in recent years to provide a warm, comfortable, and totally customized fit. While it will always be a relief to unbuckle and take those hard plastic boots off at the end of the day, there is no excuse to be skiing in discomfort anymore.
During chairlift chats I hear too many stories of ski boot purchases gone bad. There are some things we can consider when looking at boots that can certainly help to minimize these bad outcomes.
When it comes to fit, the best advice is to try on as many different brands and styles of boots as possible. My experience is that certain brands just seem to be made for certain feet while others are not. And don’t dismiss a certain brand because that can change over the years. This may take some searching, but look for that boot that basically feels like it was made for your feet right out of the box. Even with moldable liners and shells, the ideal is to keep the customization to a minimum. That being said, most performance level boots now provide heat moldable liners and easily moldable plastic shells. So the ability to customize the fit to your particular foot is better than ever.
When picking the correct size, expect to possibly go down a full size smaller than your street shoe size for a performance fit. If between sizes, opt for the smaller size. It’s always much easier to modify a boot to fit larger than it is to fit smaller.
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