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Comparison Review Quick ski reviews: DPS, Renoun, and Nordica

Alexzn

Ski Squaw
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Nov 13, 2015
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1,956
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Bay Area and Truckee
Quick ski testing reviews at Squaw last weekend and today at Mt. Rose. Skier data: 6 ft, 190 lb, generally good skier, ski Squaw for ca. 40-50 days per year.

DPS Cassier 82, 178. This ski seems to be postponed as a versatile frontside carver in the new DPS mass-market oriented Foundation series. DPS is known as a freeride/powder brand, but it has been quietly making frontside skis for a very long time, and it shows. The ski has very positive tip engagement, it pulls you in the turn quickly but not abruptly, you can modulate the turn shape very easily throughout the turn, all the elements of the ski work in harmony. Its a fun and energetic, yet forgiving carver that feels at home on a nice soft groomed run. The problems started when we got on a choppier groomer that has not been freshened up overnight and re-froze. The lack of metal and the energetic very lightly damped nature of the ski immediately made itself known. I cannot say the ski falls apart at higher speed, but it definitely had a speed limit in bad snow. It could be an ideal daily driver for a mellow intermediate back in the East, or at any place where you have manicured nice groomers. Deer Valley or Aspen- this is your ski.


Renoun Z77, 180 . This ski was pretty much a revelation, perhaps because I didn’t expect it to ski the way it did. Hand-flexing reveals a pretty mellow, even soft flex, which is usually bad news in a shorter slalom-y sidecut ski. The on-snoe impressions are nothing like that, the ski is super-damp, snd feels almost viscous. It eats terrain underneath and swallows tin whole. I actually didn’t care much about the shape, the turn-in was abrupt, and there was not much modulation possible with the ski: you put it on edge, the ski turns, you more or less have to ride the sidecut. but that dampness feel, boy, that construction does feel special. Watch that ski


Renoun Endurance 98, 184. This is a freeride cousin on the 77, but it feels like avery different beast. The map feel that the 77 has in spades is very much toned down. You can still feel it, its just not that pronounced. Its a soft ski and skis that way. The feel improve when we moved the bindings a click backwards. I immediately felt more stability, he quickness suffered by only minimally. The rewards is of course the quick almost slithery ski that is easy to ski, has huge sweet spot, and is dependable, just does not create much excitement. Short wheelbase does not do this ski any favors, so I hope the next iteration will add contact length and some stiffness. More of the damping compound would have been a better idea. Nice start, may need more iterations to become truly special.


DPS Wailer 99 Foundation, 184 the first Wailer 99 was a ski with an identity crisis- it was a powder shape looking for an all-mountain application. I was not impressed with that ski and I think my lack of excitement was shared across the board. Enter the new iteration of W99, which is a totally different beast. Almost conventional tip and tail shapes, Foundation construction, dd some small amounts of rocker into the mix and you got a recipe for the DPS’ Mantra killer. And killer it is. Its serious ski with good edge hold and a fairly slow and gradual engagement, W99 does not like slalom turns, period. GS turns and steeper terrain work a lot better and of course on the groomers the ski rips. I am surprised how serious that ski was, its definitely a big-boy pair of boards, so labeling at as Foundation was probably a marketing misnomer. I liked that ski a lot, i just wished it were a bit quicker. DPS built and all-mountain charger and it’s serious….


Back on my daily ski the 189 FX95HP: The longer wheelbase is immediately apparent, as well is the torsional stiffness, the FXs feel damper nd have that uncanny “point and shoot” ability where the ski does go where you want to and never complains. I’d still ski the FX over those skis I tested, unless Renoun can increase the damping on the 98 model. But the 77 is a mighty intriguing product.


Nordica Enforcer 93 185 (black prototypes). Nordica hit this one out of the park (at least for me). I took it to one of the Mt. Rose chutes right away, on the first run (and I never been in the chutes before), which shows that I immediately felt at home on that ski. everything on it just worked very well together, the rocker, the shape, the flex, the tail shape that you could feel, but yet release when needed. I went almost full speed down one of the soft groomer, and the ski was total delight, positive engagement, great edge hold in the turn (soft snow though), good turn finish and a pretty damp ride on a fairly bumpy afternoon groomer. Bumps also work very well, the tail is not punishing and again works well with the flex. Compared to FX95HP it lacks the aforementioned "point and shoot” quality of the Kastle, the edge hold and the dampness are a less refined, but for the price its a terrific ski, and probably a lot more than you would expect. I would not mind owning one.

One note of caution-most of the skis were mounted with Aattack demo bindings, which are probably the nicest demo bindings I have seen, but still feel wobbly, which detracted from the overall experience, especially in the Chutes. The bases were also ground with a very fine structure that clearly didn’t work in today’s snow- the ski was sticking like crazy (maybe more o the weather’s fault). I will update after more skiing tomorrow, but so far it’s on my list of contenders for the ski-of-the-year-category. A total home run for Nordica.

 

ARL67

Invisible Airwaves Crackle With Life
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Jan 15, 2016
Posts
1,216
Location
Thornbury, ON, Canada
Very nice reviews, thanks.

Funny about all the comments on the Enforcer 93 / 100 at the various ski sites
Some really love the 93, others really love the 100, but few really love both.
Hence demo, and see what works for each of us.
( As a Canuck, I have never even laid eyes on any Enforcer on the slopes or at shops, even when out west )

When I get to Vermont next season, I will surely track down a Renoun 98 ski to sample.
Is Renoun's technology patentable in their ski application ? Hate to see a big-boy steel his thunder.
Just like everyone is putting carbon in skis these days, maybe such a dampening agent will be the next hot-tech ?
Head had its "chip" tech way back when, and nobody seemed to do it other than Head.

I think DPS have to be the smartest guys in skis over the last 7-10 years.
How they invented themselves as the big-powder lust-after-me ski for that genre of ski, with their ski shape and carbon fiber.
Tweaking their layups from Pure, Pure2, Pure3, Hybrid, Hybrid T2, (and now Foundation) , and some minor shape change
Dabbling with more front-side skis like the 105, and early Cassairs.
All the while positioning themselves as a premium brand, commanding a premium price, and now with a global presence -> you can buy DPS all over the world.
And now a full on assault on the "mainstream" price-point and front-side offerings with the Cassair Foundation ski series.
Brilliant product development IMO !
 

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