4FRNT Renegade ~ Hand built in SLC.

[4FRNT]

196 rip it, pow, steeps, trees and GS groomers
-6 rocks it, well done 4frnt

Awesome. Thanks Whyturn! Glad you're stoked on them.

[Toby]

There is some talk of making the HOJI marginally stiffer than the samples we got, but I can't really confirm either way at this point. My guess is that we won't make any flex changes until next year.

I'm pretty interested in Hojis for next winter, and definitely interested in stiff skis so put me down for a vote for stiff.

[Bird Blaster]

Mtlion-sure 4frnt will confirm but I was told the wood sidewall protos were SLC, later demos had reg sidewalls and Elan.

Other owners-have a pair of the 186 11/12s that I thought were supposed to have a bit more tip rise than the 10/11s. Mine have a bit more curve but actual rise the same.

Can anybody else confirm theirs has 2.5" of tip height (floor to ptex)?

Mine have 5" of tip splay (ptex-to-ptex) base to base (so, 2.5")

[4FRNT]

I'm pretty interested in Hojis for next winter, and definitely interested in stiff skis so put me down for a vote for stiff.

They definitely aren't noodles to begin with, and any changes we made would be pretty small. We mostly want to make sure our production skis match our final prototypes flex-wise.

[kootenayskier]

I finally had a brief chance to try out the Renegades, swapping my 190cm DPS 112WailerRP Pures for one run with a client in shin deep untracked pow while cat-skiing. First impressions - heavy, required lots of effort to turn, awkward at slow speeds, surprisingly little float (tips dived). When I straight lined to get up to speed they at least felt stable, but overall very dissapointed. It was only one run, but the client instantly loved my Wailers.

[whyturn]

^^^^wailer is a lazy mans pow tool that really has some float issues at 190 and 112 waist. Renegade is a serious ski for charging and slashing and slarving. I suggest your "client" work on staying forward...

[Mustonen]

I finally had a brief chance to try out the Renegades, swapping my 190cm DPS 112WailerRP Pures for one run with a client in shin deep untracked pow while cat-skiing. First impressions - heavy, required lots of effort to turn, awkward at slow speeds, surprisingly little float (tips dived). When I straight lined to get up to speed they at least felt stable, but overall very dissapointed. It was only one run, but the client instantly loved my Wailers.

Definitely took me more than one run to get used to them, but if you're looking for easy slow speed turns the dps 112 is your tool, though I've had no problem skiing my Renegades all over at all speeds and in all conditions. Finally got some knee deep untracked turns on them yesterday, no tip dive issues at all mounted at 87 from the tail. First true pow turns on the remount. So fast on plane.... mmmmmm.

[adam]

^^^^wailer is a lazy mans pow tool that really has some float issues at 190 and 112 waist. Renegade is a serious ski for charging and slashing and slarving. I suggest your "client" work on staying forward...

In fact, it is the most serious ski ever built for the most serious skier ever. There exists in California legislation requiring the owners of these skis to at all times wear a fullface . . . EVEN OFF THE HILL. These skis are so hardcore that if you are in the backseat for even a turn, they self destruct in an explosion that leaves wood splinters and other detritus permanently lodged in the poser's face.

These skis will literally make you take a step back and fuck your own face.
These skis should not be left alone without adult supervision around children under the age of 18.
Lemmy of Motorhead once tried to strap on these bad boys. They ass raped him and then called in all its brethren to run an extremely degrading train on Lemmy in front of his mother.

[Temagami]

These skis will literally make you take a step back and fuck your own face.

Giggity giggity.

[whyturn]

All I was trying to say is that in last MSP flick Hoji had no issues with dive in 4 foot pillow blower in interior BC. I find with a ski this good it's usually operator error not the ski. I have had days with some really good models where I failed to ski them to their potential and I flailed.

But I find renegades will roll over most anything including small groms and badgers. These skis will ski themselves back to the lodge and leave you looking for a ride home in the horse drawn carraige.

[auvgeek]

After one run, I was disappointed. After two runs, I was starting to see why people liked these skis. After 3 runs, I was stoked. YMMV. FYI, this was the 186 and coming from a 202 Lotus 138 earlier that day. The Renegades do not charge as hard (maybe the 196 does), but they are very playful in the trees when piloted correctly. I needed something for trees that can still charge, and the 186 is perfect. Like all skis I like, it's not a ski for the timid but it really rewards good style.

Working on a full review soon.

[4FRNT]

Lemmy of Motorhead once tried to strap on these bad boys. They ass raped him and then called in all its brethren to run an extremely degrading train on Lemmy in front of his mother.

This is a sad, but true, story. Lemmy never had a chance.

[whyturn]

There exists in California legislation requiring the owners of these skis to at all times wear a fullface . . . EVEN OFF THE HILL.

Dude it's LA, we have to wear a fullface at Starbucks.........It's scary out here

[DudeLebowSKI]

I can see where Kootney is coming from. If I happened to be Cat-skiing and my Rens magically showed up at the top on the second day, I'd be bummed about how they skied too.

I know Whyturn has owned both the 112 and the Ren so he's not just spouting shit. To acknowledge his reference to how they look in ski films, the Renegades need to be skied on steep faces or pillow droppy kinda pow terrain which all of the athletes are on all the time. They tend to not film less than death defying runs. IMO, they suck at skiing extended sections of flatter deep pow.

I have enough boards now to realize that each ski has it's own individualized personality rife with both strengths and weaknesses.

10/11, 186 - mounted at both 86 and 88
5'8 160lbs

[whyturn]

Thanks Dude, I actually skiied 196 all week in Utah and Wyoming. both steep and low angle. POW, trees, glades, groomers, ICE and windbuff. 196 was way better than my 186 at low angle and in flat sections they trucked. The 196 is a winner and super easy, like a 188-190. Love IT!!!!

Buddy demoed everything under the sun (Icelantic, wailer, R2, and others I forgot) wailer sank in 12-16" softies in WY. R2 was fun as expected and float was better. Icelantic Keeper was too stiff for him (6' - 160)

I am highly impressed with the Ren's and feel they are truly a one ski quiver for out west (196 anyways)....

But so many good skis right now, great time to be a skier and have so many choices - HOJI and 4FRNT killed it on this one.........

[DudeLebowSKI]

Thanks Dude, I actually skiied 196 all week in Utah and Wyoming. both steep and low angle. POW, trees, glades, groomers, ICE and windbuff. 196 was way better than my 186 at low angle and in flat sections they trucked. The 196 is a winner and super easy, like a 188-190. Love IT!!!!

Buddy demoed everything under the sun (Icelantic, wailer, R2, and others I forgot) wailer sank in 12-16" softies in WY. R2 was fun as expected and float was better. Icelantic Keeper was too stiff for him (6' - 160)

I am highly impressed with the Ren's and feel they are truly a one ski quiver for out west (196 anyways)....

But so many good skis right now, great time to be a skier and have so many choices - HOJI and 4FRNT killed it on this one.........

DUDE! Why do you gotta be that way?!!? WHY do you have to INSIST that I spend the remainder of my season's savings on 196's? It's YOUR fault! It's all your damn fault. For Fargo's sake, I thought I was over this...

[whyturn]

I'm biased by the conditions we had last week. Could have skiied any rockered and been happy.

I got 7" and 25 lbs on ya, just go faster like Hoji does

[DudeLebowSKI]

Haha... I love my Rens now and have them 'figured out'. Plus I never ever ever ski anything but the most EXTREME STEEP-TECH terrain so float in the flats is a non-issue

[|K_M|]

Finally got my 196s in working order, currently with plums but mounted with inserts @ sports creel in spokane (thank you so much micah. so so much, you put a ton of work into these and it shows. THANKS!). fucking beautiful skis.

[slashy]

All of the samples/demos of the HOJI will come from the Elan factory, as well as all of the production HOJIs. Renegades will stay entirely in the White Room.

There is some talk of making the HOJI marginally stiffer than the samples we got, but I can't really confirm either way at this point. My guess is that we won't make any flex changes until next year.

@ 4FRNT, next year is that then 2013/2014 range or are we talking about the skis that will be in shops next winter ? 2012/2013 ?

[mntlion]

right now, stores are skiing the samples, and with small changes this what will be in ski shops for you to buy in 6-8 months.

[auvgeek]

Some Renegade stoke. Not the best edit - kinda washed out in the open places, but some of the trees were fun today. Definitely off my game a bit today (notice the two crashes!), but it's the only day this year when I've worn a cam and got some decent tree action with the Rens, so I figured I'd post it up. The second fall was definitely a pre-release, fyi. Not sure why - I was using FKS 18 w/din set at 13 and the forward pressure seems correct. Anyway, think I sprained my wrist (hope it's not broken) because of it. Hope it heals overnight and I can ski tomorrow, but that's not gonna happen. I'm wary of upping the din much more, so I'm not sure what to do next.

[allTandA]

all this talk of the 196's...has me thinking I should trade my shorties in this summer. Every once in a while I feel like the extra length would be nice----> increased fore/aft stability. Yesterday in cut up heavy pow fo sho! But man the shorter length is nice at time, as maneuverable as the CRJ and sooooo stable in any and all turn shapes

Another route would be keeping the 186's since they kill in trees/tight zone and super variable. then hooking some 196 protests for a longer stick. Anybody skied both the RENS(esp the 196) and Protests?

FYI. 6'2" 190 at 87.5

[50degrees]

Been looking at these skis via these reviews among others. Any chance of demoing these in Whistler from now until the end of the season? Did some research but either a) suck at research or b) couldn't find any demo info on these.
Pretty sure I'm interested in the 186 but perhaps shouldn't limit myself to that length (longer??).
Any demo info is greatly appreciated. :-)

[Tupp-]

I'd also be interested to know where a demo could be acquired in whistler...