• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Individual Review Long-Term Review: Renoun Z-90 Limited Edition

ADKmel

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Jan 6, 2016
Posts
2,344
Location
Southern Adirondacks NY
1 year with them and I still LOVE My Z-90's they have become my 1 ski quiver.. I even went Ice skating lol at Mt Tremblant on them early Dec.. no problem.
I love how they perform, My old knees are really grateful for the HDT. I really like the Zoom Factor.. lay them on edge and how fast do you want to go?

Great SKI!
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
42,624
Location
Reno, eNVy
I have been skiing the 180 mostly of late but I got back on the 174 recently and I forgot how fun it was.
 

Plai

Paul Lai
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Posts
1,965
Location
Silicon Valley
I got on my 174 after mostly skiing my laser ax 167. At the end of last season, thought the lasers were my go to. Now on the 4th day of this season, after a foot deep dump the Z90 get the call and they are winning my heart - ease on groomers, handles bumps and crud, makes speed easy, and a bit more float.

Yeah, 1st world problems.
 

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
Moderator
SkiTalk Tester
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
12,912
Location
Reno
I took the 174s out yesterday for my first day back after banging up my knee. I wanted something I was familiar with that doesn't hold any untoward surprises. Mission success. Easy to turn slow, easy to turn faster. And the smooth goodness of the HDT. I might have to go up again today.
 

skibob

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Jan 5, 2016
Posts
4,268
Location
Santa Rosa Fire Belt
My last few days have been on the z90s after spending the early season on my rock skis (Monster 83s). The monster is a really solid ski, but after a few runs on the z90 I rediscovered how confidence inspiring those tails are. They really hook up and rail through the turn, even slow brushed turns have that mid-radius "don't worry, I got ya" interval.

@Philpug mentioned the 174s, which I've been on before I bought my 180s. I overpowered those a little, although, with the HDT you really can't completely crush them because the more you give, the more they give back.

So I knew 180 was right for me. And it is. But when I first got on them, I was surprised by how much more substantial they were than the 174. Blister Gear reviewed this in a 180. They loved the shape, but found it to be a little lacking in energy and a little stiff and too dampened. I was really puzzled by this. It just isn't my experience of the ski at all. But it just hit me, they were on the wrong size. Their biggest reviewer (of 3) was 40 lbs lighter and 5 inches shorter than me. And the other two were smaller. These are seriously skilled big mountain skiers. But too much ski is just too much ski.

I don't think the z90 is the burliest ski ever by any mean. But it really underscores how important it is to get on the right size. There are a lot of advanced skiers that just assume the biggest ski is the one for them. And I think the z90 is one that really challenges this notion. This could be a bit problematic. Except, that there is a rich resource to help people figure it out (pugski) and Renoun's 100 day return policy really makes this a no-brainer.

What a damn fine ski.
 
Last edited:

Wendy

Resurrecting the Oxford comma
Admin
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 13, 2016
Posts
4,905
Location
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Its time to follow up on this after skiing two years on this ski.
As all of you know, we have a rotation of skis that we need to get out on and give feedback, so this ski is not the only thing I get on.
The Renoun Z-90s spent some time either being shelved or with other skiers from the site, mostly because I had so many skis that I needed to get on, but I asked Phil to load these in the car for a day trip to Mammoth in mid December.
I had been skiing the DPS Cassiar 79 Trainer in the morning and switched to the Renoun after lunch. Now, I understand that these are two very different skis with very different construction but I was quickly reminded how well the HDT works when you run into the surprise chunky stuff and how easily it moves over a mogul field and slices through mid day crud. It really does give life back to the legs. I loaded these up in the car at the end of the day and had a talk with them about how I wouldn't leave them feeling neglected again.

Side note: While I was looking something up for a friend, I noticed that they have a few days left for their Holiday sale. Now could be a good time to get $100 off on a new pair of Renouns.

Look for a new review from me on the 2019 Endurance 98.

Susan's pair is due to show up here tomorrow, so hopefully I may get on them in some real snow this weekend. ogsmile
 
Thread Starter
TS
Tricia

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
27,298
Location
Reno
Susan's pair is due to show up here tomorrow, so hopefully I may get on them in some real snow this weekend. ogsmile
Ohhhhhhhh.
:popcorn:
 

mikel

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Posts
1,882
Side note: While I was looking something up for a friend, I noticed that they have a few days left for their Holiday sale. Now could be a good time to get $100 off on a new pair of Renouns.

Just want to mention they also have a deal on bindings with purchase. SPX12's come with purchase or Pivot's for only $100 more. Code: GETLOOK


Blister Gear reviewed this in a 180. They loved the shape, but found it to be a little lacking in energy and a little stiff and too dampened. I was really puzzled by this. It just isn't my experience of the ski at all. But it just hit me, they were on the wrong size. Their biggest reviewer (of 3) was 40 lbs lighter and 5 inches shorter than me. And the other two were smaller. These are seriously skilled big mountain skiers. But it really underscores how important it is to get on the right size. There are a lot of advanced skiers that just assume the biggest ski is the one for them. And I think the z90 is one that really challenges this notion.

What a damn fine ski.

@Cyrus Schenck spent a bit of time with me on the phone making sure I got the right size. He asked me a lot of questions. Turns out he was right with recommending I get on the 174. Best decision I could have made. I get the Blister review but I only agree with about half of it. For ME, the Z90 is a really good all round go to ski. Yes I agree it is a front side biased ski but it also works just fine in plenty of other conditions. The one area I have not had the same results as others on here is in deeper snow. The ski wants to sink for me.

Now I need to get off my *** and get my Citadels mounted. I can't use the excuse "waiting on my bindings" anymore ogwink
 

skibob

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Jan 5, 2016
Posts
4,268
Location
Santa Rosa Fire Belt
Just want to mention they also have a deal on bindings with purchase. SPX12's come with purchase or Pivot's for only $100 more. Code: GETLOOK




@Cyrus Schenck spent a bit of time with me on the phone making sure I got the right size. He asked me a lot of questions. Turns out he was right with recommending I get on the 174. Best decision I could have made. I get the Blister review but I only agree with about half of it. For ME, the Z90 is a really good all round go to ski. Yes I agree it is a front side biased ski but it also works just fine in plenty of other conditions. The one area I have not had the same results as others on here is in deeper snow. The ski wants to sink for me.

Now I need to get off my *** and get my Citadels mounted. I can't use the excuse "waiting on my bindings" anymore ogwink
I certainly wouldn't call it floaty, but I don't expect that of a 90mm waisted ski. I expect stability and the ability to blow up crud at moderate speed (and I get that). But Blister talked about the tip deflecting. I think they must have had these in some kind of skied out 3' powder or something to get that result. I ski them in Tahoe area. In usual on-piste cruiser crud they are superior to my old Fisher Motive 95s at cruising through crud piles at speed (and those were pretty good at it!).
 

David Chaus

Beyond Help
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
5,529
Location
Stanwood, WA
Agree with just about everything posted about the Z90. One area that the Z90 isn’t as “all-mountain” as I would like is steep bumps, especially with funky PNW snow. They don’t release as quickly as I would like, and that’s just a function of the tenacious grip they have when carving. So I guess I want/need/covet a more pivot-y ski in the a similar width or slightly wider to go along with them.

I have been skiing my Z90’s in 174 every day so far this season, in as many different conditions as I can, including as a teaching ski. Really really happy with them.
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,630
Location
Maine
Did Susan hit any rocks?
Usually, it's the people following her that hit them.

You can pretty much extend that, metaphorically, as far as you care to go.
 

Wendy

Resurrecting the Oxford comma
Admin
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 13, 2016
Posts
4,905
Location
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Did Susan hit any rocks?
Usually, it's the people following her that hit them.

It really is too bad that a ski’s former owner cannot transmit magical powers to the ski so the new owner skis like she does. ogwink

But, while I was on the Renouns this AM, a ski patroller came up to me and said, “Wow, you are a really smooth skier.” :bestday:
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,630
Location
Maine
It really is too bad that a ski’s former owner cannot transmit magical powers to the ski so the new owner skis like she does. ogwink

But, while I was on the Renouns this AM, a ski patroller came up to me and said, “Wow, you are a really smooth skier.” :bestday:

Well, you probably are a really smooth skier. Good skis just make your smile bigger while you're being smooth.
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,630
Location
Maine
I need to buy some 90-somethings from @SBrown's cast-off collection. Ski maven Brown. What's on the auction block?
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,630
Location
Maine
I just de-bindinged (?) my 180 Fischer Motive 95s today, but I think you'd prefer these.

Yeah, I kind of forgot along the way that while I like your choices in ski models, I generally like them one size shorter. It happens that I demo'd the SR 95 @ 175cm early in the season. There were things I loved about it, but in the end decided it was too much ski in that length. Thanks and sorry for the thread drift.
 

Michael V

Getting off the lift
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Posts
276
Location
New Jersey
I know it has been discussed, but I can't find it, what the recommended tune (edge bevel) on the Z-90's?
 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top