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Cage Match Comparison 2017 Renoun Z-77 vs 2017 Renoun Z-90

Philpug

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Ahhh, you didn't see this one coming, did you?

Screen Shot 2016-10-21 at 11.21.26 PM.png

Why would someone pit two siblings against each other? Well, as Peyton can be compared to Eli, we can now compare the Renoun Z-90 to the Z-77. But isn't it unfair to compare a 90mm ski to a 77mm one? No one would ever do that. Well, au contraire, my good friends. Not everyone who buys a ski with a comma in its price can afford the whole collection; sometimes they have to choose one or the other. Do you think everyone who buys a Koinegsegg is comparing it to a Porsche or Ferrari? No, sometimes it is up against a boat or a second home. My point is, Compromises are necessary, we can't always have it all.

You have read for almost a year that we like what Renoun is doing and the type of ski it is building, we really, really do. We were blown away by the Z-90 when it was introduced, so much that we asked @Cyrus Schenck to consider building us a narrow version, say, under 80 mm underfoot. Within a short time, we had a 77mm ski in our hands. Both of these skis share a lot in shape and construction and retain a distinctive feel on the snow. The Z-77 is a sports coupe, the Z-90 is a sport SUV. Like all of our Cage Matches, there are no losers, just happy skiers.
  • Why choose the Z-90? It will do everything the Z-77 will do, in almost any condition.
  • Why choose the Z-77? It is a specialty tool, the skinny end of a two-ski quiver. Even though it is narrower, it is not quite as nimble as the Z-90; it is more of a smooth accelerator.
  • Other skis in the class: Blossom Wind Shear, Stöckli Laser AX, Völkl RTM 86 UVO.
 

KevinF

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Here's a question... What makes the Renoun so special that I should consider plunking a "one comma" figure on a ski that I can't demo? The Volkl RTM 86 would be demo-able at any large resort. Demo'ing Stockli's is possible, or at least is at Stowe where I ski.

Blossom's? Renoun's? If it weren't for these forums, I'd have never heard of them. I've certainly never seen one.
 
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Philpug

Philpug

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Here's a question... What makes the Renoun so special that I should consider plunking a "one comma" figure on a ski that I can't demo? The Volkl RTM 86 would be demo-able at any large resort. Demo'ing Stockli's is possible, or at least is at Stowe where I ski.

Blossom's? Renoun's? If it weren't for these forums, I'd have never heard of them. I've certainly never seen one.
Renoun is pretty much a one man operation with no rep staff. I will not speak for @Cyrus but I bet he would meet you somewhere in Vermont.
 

Drahtguy Kevin

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Here's a question... What makes the Renoun so special that I should consider plunking a "one comma" figure on a ski that I can't demo? The Volkl RTM 86 would be demo-able at any large resort. Demo'ing Stockli's is possible, or at least is at Stowe where I ski.

Blossom's? Renoun's? If it weren't for these forums, I'd have never heard of them. I've certainly never seen one.

The feel, hold, stability, smoothness, precision make the Renoun 77 something special. It's an easy ski to ski fast. A skier of your ability could ski the 77 with one broken arm tied behind his back...
 

Brian Finch

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Here's a question... What makes the Renoun so special that I should consider plunking a "one comma" figure on a ski that I can't demo? The Volkl RTM 86 would be demo-able at any large resort. Demo'ing Stockli's is possible, or at least is at Stowe where I ski.

Blossom's? Renoun's? If it weren't for these forums, I'd have never heard of them. I've certainly never seen one.
Renoun is pretty much a one man operation with no rep staff. I will not speak for @Cyrus but I bet he would meet you somewhere in Vermont.


Because I said so......




* & because as the importer that brought Blossom to the states & did their R&D, tester of many mag/indie tests & uber gear snob- these are a zebra in the herd of donkies.
 

Ron

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the comparison makes it sound like the 77 isn't as carvy or as groomer proficient as the waist width indicates (it seems like you actually prefer the 90 on groomed) although other reviews (Exotic or @Brian Finch ) has said otherwise. Can you expound upon your review? Maybe I am not interpreting it correctly. Also, can you comment on the flex pattern and relative stiffness, dims/rocker profile, performance in bumps, loose 2-4" and overall versatility
 
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Philpug

Philpug

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the comparison makes it sound like the 77 isn't as carvy or as groomer proficient as the waist width indicates (it seems like you actually prefer the 90 on groomed) although other reviews (Exotic or @Brian Finch ) has said otherwise. Can you expound upon your review? Also, can you comment on the flex pattern and relative stiffness, dims/rocker profile, performance in bumps, loose 2-4" and overall versatility
I find the 90 to be more playful and the 77 to be more serious. Flex between the two is similar. As far as the performance in the bumps, I didn't get the 77 into the bumps but I exect it to work fine and with the narrower with be able to zipperline better.
 

Ron

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OK, thanks. I will be on mine soon so I will chime in. I like that its more serious for more use on pure groomed but will want it to be decent in soft Western bumps. One thing that I loved on the Enurance 98 was the build. the way that ski absorbs energy in the bumps was uncanny. Obviously, a 98 wide ski should be oriented more towards soft snow prowess but I would love a small dose of that in the 77.
 
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Philpug

Philpug

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OK, thanks. I will be on mine soon so I will chime in. I like that its more serious for more use on pure groomed but will want it to be decent in soft Western bumps. One thing that I loved on the Enurance 98 was the build. the way that ski absorbs energy in the bumps was uncanny. Obviously, a 98 wide ski should be oriented more towards soft snow prowess but I would love a small dose of that in the 77.
Oh, you will be happy.
 

Cyrus Schenck

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Here's a question... What makes the Renoun so special that I should consider plunking a "one comma" figure on a ski that I can't demo? The Volkl RTM 86 would be demo-able at any large resort. Demo'ing Stockli's is possible, or at least is at Stowe where I ski.

Blossom's? Renoun's? If it weren't for these forums, I'd have never heard of them. I've certainly never seen one.
Demo at Stowe on Dec 10th!
 

Cyrus Schenck

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When we designed the 77, we wanted it to be really simple: a narrower version of the 90. That's it.

With the narrower waist comes slight differences in where one ski will shine (i.e., the 77 doesn't float on powder as much, obviously), and where the other will not. As @Philpug noted, flex is similar, sidecut is similar, metal in both skis, same core type etc.

Think of it as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (or the macbook 13" or 15"). It's just a slight variation of the same chassis.

Same goes for the Endurance 98 and Endurance 104 too :)
hope this helps!!
 
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Ron

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Eric Edelstein

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In our humble experience with the 77 and the 90, the 77 is more precise, more accurate at line preservation at speed, with a bias toward harder snow...maybe even a bit longer-feeling in the turns than the 90. The 90 is a wider ride, a bit more cushy and more swish-able in different conditions, but lacks the accuracy underfoot of the 77. Both are smooth and easy to ride, with the 90 being more "general purpose" all over the mountain. The 77 is the first-grab choice for the groomers when you want to get your technical stuff together and make some training runs so you don't get "soft" riding fatter skis all the time. The 77 is a narrower 90 on paper, but feels much different...more serious and dedicated than the 90. The 90 is more all-purpose, while the 77 feels more specialized. Personally, the 77 is a great choice for general Eastern groomer cruising and riding on-edge most of the time, but if you venture off-piste or want something with a wider range of surface suitability, the 90 is a good all-mountain cruiser with a bias toward groomers more than the more freeride-oriented Endurance 98. I think the real choice in the current lineup is the Z90 against the Endurance 98 for those who want a sub-100mm waisted ride. The 77 feels more specialized...more technical..but not approaching a racecarver personality...much more forgiving for all-day antics.

We will be getting more opinions in the next 30 days on the 77 and 90 to get ready for full test publication....the biggest problem is determining which Vermont microbrews best describe the way the Renoun 77 and 90 feel on snow....hmmmmmm...much more research needed on both fronts....
 

TahoeCharlie

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HI, all. (@Philpug not sure if this revue belongs here). I got out on the Z-90's with Phil and Tricia yesterday, the 30th at N*. Phil was on the Z-77's, conditions were groomed and skied out powder on the upper mtn with re-freeze on the lower part; overcast with some fog/mist on top occasionally - flat to poor visibility. The Z-90's were absolutely phenomenal - best all round frontside/all mtn ski I have been on in decades. I found a huge performance range from re-freeze to groomed pow to crud to mild packed-out powder bumps. Also it makes ANY kind of turn you want effortlessly - just roll you knees over, the tips engage and around you go; SL to GS, no problemo. But the really amazing thing is how smooth, stable and quite the skies are at speed; small bumps, ripples, ridges just disappear. The skis just FLOW over the terrain like water. I had no problem following Phil on the narrower 77's turn for turn; the 90's seemed like 80's, they are so quick edge to edge. And this pair had pretty beat up edges but still cut deep groves on the soft groomers and etched lines on the re-freeze like a Ginza knife.

Lets face it, 80-90% of one's skiing at Tahoe is on 2/3/4/5/6 day old firm/hard snow between powder dumps (which have been few the past years); this is an ideal ski, for me, for these conditions - it will ski anything at any speed. Being 5' 10" and 165#, I don't like the100mm waist "western all-mtn skis" that are so pervailent out here as I find them hard and tiring to ski in anything but powder - "all-mtn" they ain't for me. I also think sub 80mm skis are too specialized for "all-mtn" use although I have a pair strictly for boiler-plate days and a pair of Soul 7's for powder and tree skiing.
Bottom line: I'm ordering a pair of Z-90's with Pivots from Cyrus. For my skiing, I don't think there is a better every-day, go to, ski.
 

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