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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    810

    Renoun Ski Company....?

    Stumbled across Renoun skis through a buddy today...interesting concept but does anyone know anything about them outside of the website. seems that D3O and them are working together.

    http://www.renounskicompany.com/skis15/

    Another VT ski company which is cool but real limited info on them outside their web page.....thought you mangs would know something more.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    The Tits
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    678
    A friend of a friend was on some for a couple days and loved them. Didn't want to give them back. That's all I got.
    Its an interesting concept that I'd like to try out.
    "College sailing isn't about who wins the most races, its about who can stand in the morning"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    Vermont USA and France
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    438
    Trying to get on a pair for a review and meet the guys to have them explain their designs...stay tuned!
    Mass-Produced Skiers Use Mass-Produced Skis
    Rip it up with something different.
    Support small and independent ski builders
    http://www.ExoticSkis.com
    .
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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    $teaux
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    I am pretty friendly with the guys who started the company and discussed a lot with them regarding building and how the industry works vis-a-vis sales, and their vision for how their sales model will work or how it may stumble from a retailers perspective.
    Starting with what I know for sure;
    -skis are being built out of the Rimouski Quebec factory that is producing many different indie skis now (Jskis, Worth, RMU, maybe more?)
    -I was given a pair to try but never ended up getting a day on them due to a confluence of strange circumstances. But I know a lot of others who were on the skis and totally dug them. A lot.
    -The fellas who started and are running the company are very smart young engineers from, I believe, Clarkson U. They put a lot of time and energy into actual data research into how D3O in a ski can reduce the amplitude and duration of vibration when under stress (badly worded explanation of the fact that they have put numbers to characteristics in a scientific manner).

    I have worked with, met, and seen a lot of "local indie" brands that have tried to bubble up to the surface in this industry. Most have been ok, some totally unimpressive. This group of guys has the most clear-eyed vision and focus of all those I have met. I hope they don't get consumed by the all powerful reality of this market. But if success stems in a liner fashion from good ideas and hard work, they will no doubt be successful.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Vermont
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    47
    The founder is a good friend of mine and it's a great little company. He has put a lot of work into RENOUN to get to where he is now.

    I have about 10 days on the demos and was impressed by them. They are stable, versatile, and playful. They are pretty light given their size and construction, and the inclusion of D3O was a great idea. He does have data to back up the difference between a ski with and without the material as well. The only downside I found was that the demo fleet pairs all have Marker bindings on them, which I felt held back the real potential of the ski.

    There are demo pairs floating around the country. I recommend that anyone interested in trying them contact RENOUN and ask for the best way to connect with a shop that has some.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
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    5
    hey guys, pretty cool to see we've been picked up in the TGR realm and that the word out there is getting around. I'll try and hit all the questions that came up!

    jmars-quick and simple is we make the only ski with variable dampness. Basically, skiing under your normal conditions, the ski is familiar. But as you ski faster or harder, it starts to dampen at a much higher rate. What that means to a skier is an insanely stable ride when your charging, and a fun, playful ski when your taking it easy. there's a vid on our website explaining it. (can't post a link to it for some reason here. . .)

    Exoticskis - our demo fleet this year got sent all over the world (UK, EU, Japan, and most of the west) but we're getting them back in now. Be happy to get one down to you. I might be heading down your way next week, maybe I can drop one off?

    and we do have lab data backing up our claims, it was part of what helped us win the ISPO Gold Winner this year. We're already working on tweaking it for next year to make it even more effective.
    cheers!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    CH
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    1,871
    Nice work boys! Good stuff here.
    #1 goal this year......stay alive +
    DOWN SKIS

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    810
    Renoun, thanks for the direct response. I really like the out of the box thinking and think very highly of D3O in the multiple applications they found use for it.

    I think this begs the question though...why are all your demos someplace other than VT this season!! Hit me up if there is a chance to get on a demo.

    Thanks and I look forward to seeing to Renoun gain traction.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Your Mom's House
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    Incorporating D3O is a great idea. Would love to try them sometime.

    Looking forward to seeing more shapes offered. And I would also like to see a switch to thicker edges. I'll take the weight penalty for the ability to hit more rocks any day.

  10. #10
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    Oct 2008
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    Wenatchee
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    Its interesting that Head isn't using D3O in skis since they use it in tennis raquets.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    Quote Originally Posted by adrenalated View Post
    And I would also like to see a switch to thicker edges. I'll take the weight penalty for the ability to hit more rocks any day.
    This ^^^ And I would love to get out on a demo pair. Keep us updated on where demos are located.
    "College sailing isn't about who wins the most races, its about who can stand in the morning"

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Posts
    5
    HEAD did make it in rackets, but bottom line, its just not easy at all to get into a ski
    Outdoor Gear Exchange is our flagship store with demos, there are usually a few pairs in their bins. If you make it into Burlington, it's an easy way to snag a pair.

    We've found that thicker edges don't always mean more durable. There's more to it than just the thickness. We played with the hardness (Rockwell scale) and how the teeth are attached to find the optimal combo. Nothing will prevent an edge blow out obviously, but none have been un-seated yet!

  13. #13
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    Jan 2010
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    The Dirty E
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    This is a really cool idea. Looking forward to seeing more developments.

  14. #14
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    Dec 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by RENOUN View Post
    We've found that thicker edges don't always mean more durable. There's more to it than just the thickness. We played with the hardness (Rockwell scale) and how the teeth are attached to find the optimal combo. Nothing will prevent an edge blow out obviously, but none have been un-seated yet!
    Yeah but you're in Vermont. Let me go ski them in Crested Butte and then we'll talk...

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Golden, Colorado
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    5,868
    Sounds like a pretty cool idea. Would love to try out a pair sometime.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Big Sky/Moonlight Basin
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    WTF is D3O ?
    "Zee damn fat skis are ruining zee piste !" -Oscar Schevlin

    "Hike up your skirt and grow a dick you fucking crybaby" -what Bunion said to Harry at the top of The Headwaters

  17. #17
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    Jan 2010
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    The Dirty E
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    Quote Originally Posted by Harry View Post
    WTF is D3O ?
    http://www.d3o.com/materials/

  18. #18
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    Mar 2009
    Location
    Aspen, Colorado
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    2,645
    As a bigger guy I often ski skis longer than 184. More in the 188-192 range if I can find them. Renoun should offer something in that range, but they probably won't sell as many.

  19. #19
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    Mar 2006
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    Missoula, MT
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    22,448
    People skiing ~190cm skis is certainly not unheard of.
    No longer stuck.

    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    Just an uneducated guess.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    $teaux
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    I currently have a demo pair of 184s in Stowe VT. Will be out tomorrow afternoon for some runs on them. If anyone around Stowe wants to grab them for a little bit (like, some runs not some days-weeks-months-years) just let me know. They ARE NOT my skis and am happy to help adjust a binding and such for a local/mag, but I don't want to be the dude who lost a pair of Cyrus/the gang's limited demo stock.

    I am sure success and cash flow will facilitate a new size run/mold for Renoun, but otherwise as a VT company trying to pitch a nice ski to the heart of the market their sizes and dimensions are dead on. I sure hope the boys at Renoun are doing the best they can to talk to intellectual property lawyers to try and get some type of protection for their great idea before bigger manufacturers decide to throw this material into skis and screw Renoun for their work. It has happened before and it will again, though truth be told you can have all the patents in the world but unless you have bottomless pockets for endless legal battles you are fucked no matter what.

    Such a downer I am. Go Renoun!

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    The Chicken Coop, Seattle
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    3,163
    Wish I was in Stowe. Fascinating construction. Would love to try a pair. I Would be interested in a park size all mtn ski with this tech. Although, there's nothing wrong with rails on a 109. Not that much bigger than 102.
    wait!!!! waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait...Wait!
    Zoolander wasn't a documentary?

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Elmore, VT
    Posts
    1,209
    More press for the local guys. Hoping to give them a try sometime.
    http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/s...tion/25482265/

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    810
    Any word back Ranger?? Did you enjoy?

  24. #24
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    Mar 2009
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    $teaux
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    Quote Originally Posted by jmars View Post
    Any word back Ranger?? Did you enjoy?
    Yeah, I did enjoy overall. Skied the better part of two days; one of refrozen shit the other of soft mashed potatoes. So, a gamut of less than ideal conditions. My thoughts...

    +
    Really versatile- super stable at speed for the twinny rockered nature of the ski. Very nimble for some quicker, slower speed turns. The ski seemed pretty adept at any pace I put it through with the exception of zipper-line bumps.

    -
    On this particular pair it was very hard to find the "recommend mount point" with the demo bindings having been mounted a little funny. I am not one who skis center mounted much. My first runs on them were pretty much on center- or even ahead of center (again it was hard to tell on this particular pair). I then basically dialed things as far back as I could go and though the skis became less nimble they gained a ton of stability and driving power. I am sure this is a non-issue on a new pair clearly marked and mounted, though I still have no idea if I skied the ski anywhere near where Renoun wants me to.

    -
    It was pretty heavy. Kind of a plus in some circumstances. But it sounds like the ski comes back with a bit less glass and some carbon next year, which I am sure will make it a bit more lively and with that D3O and the beefy construction there is no doubt it will still hold its own at speeds and plowing through poopy conditions.


    My big takeaway is that the skis are built VERY WELL. This ski had clearly seen a lot of HARD days of use, and looked not too bad minus a little topsheet chipping. Also, having seen the very first skis Renoun built here in VT before getting work done in Canada, they have taken their product from super variable garage build to a professional, marketable, and sharp design. I think there are still big roadblocks for the company to achieve major market success due to the very real constraints of economies of scale/globalization/etc. But this is no fault of their own. I hope for the best for them to see success in their niche of the market and to be able to somehow monetize a very forward-thought design.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Anaconda
    Posts
    478
    I've got 4 day's on a pair Cyrus had shipped to me. Very impressed so far. Heading over to Big Sky in a couple day's if anyone wants to take them for a spin. There're the shorter version (178) but very stable at speed for that length. I'll write a full review when I get back. The sweet spot for me so far is right ahead of the line.

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