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Renoun Citadel 106 Review (2018-2019)

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Renoun Citadel 106 Review (2018-2019)


Here's a quick summary after a bunch of us spent several weeks last Spring on these expensive ($1,399) freeride boards. The non-Newtonian polymer (HDT in Renoun's marketing blurb) dampening material is real. Like the Z77, Z90, Endurance 98 and Endurance 104's we tried, the faster you ski, the quieter these get. Cyrus is rumored to be licensing the patented technology to interested ski companies both in North America and Europe... Few ski companies offer a 100 day "Try-them-or-we-buy-them-back" no-risk policy with a two year warranty against defects. Curious to see what other people think if they get a ride on these new skis designed in Burlington, Vermont.

This is the first ski we've tried in 13 years that two different testers immediately pre-ordered for next-season delivery from the company after testing....

Manufacturer Info:

Cyrus Schenck
Renoun Skis
266 Main St., Burlington, Vermont, United States
(802) 778-9163
info@renoun.com
http://renoun.com/

Summary:

Bottom Line: The Renoun Citadel is one of the best all-terain freeride skis we have ever tested. Two different testers immediately ordered pairs for themselves after spending several days with the Citadels. You can try this ski for 100 days and return it for a full refund if you don't like it, then live with a two year warranty against defects. Cyrus Schenk's claim to have "The World's most stable full-carbon ski ever" is not marketing hype. It is indeed true.

The Renoun Citadel 106 is Cyrus Schenk's "ski-I-could-finally-build-for-me" model after 3 years of getting Renoun off the ground as a business with actual cash flow and growing customer base. The geometry, flex and camber profile really share nothing with the now-discontinued Endurance 104 (which tons of people all over the skier spectrum really found fun and friendly). The Citadel uses an aspen laminated core with a full sheet of carbon fiber (a first for Renoun) and twice as much HTD (Hyper Dampening Technology) polymer as any other model (12 inlay strips into the core).

The Citadel 106 is shockingly light for its size (1744 grams and 1721 grams each ski on our 185cm test pair [which actually measures 182cm tip to tail straight tape pull]) and feels extremely light underfoot...mimicking a touring ski-like feel. The tips have a moderate rocker profile, midbody is cambered and the tail is nearly flat with minimal rocker. The initial impression we had when clicking into Citadels mounted with alpine bindings (we used Tyrolia PRD12 adjustables) is that this ski will be light-handling and shouldn't be pushed too hard or fast since it might get skittery and wash-away as it folds under pressure. We couldn't have been more wrong. The Citadel pretty much surprised everyone by taking strong, forceful input pressure under high edge angles at high speeds like a GS ski, but with half the weight and half the effort you'd expect. The Citadel can deliver a high-performance, sporty, athletic, confidence-inspriring ride at slow or high speeds with complete security and composure on soft or packed surfaces, even when it feels like a lightweight underfoot. It's quick, fun, stable, easy, sporty, serious, quiet, secure and playful all at the same time (yes..it's hard to believe our own words, but read on...).

At 106mm underfoot, the Citadel can set, hold and switch edges on packed surfaces like a ski with an upper-80s waist, isolating and quieting firm condition vibrations with an eerie, almost elegant feel along its entire length. On packed groomers, you can run it flat with a drifty, almost smeary style, or ride it deeply on-edge like a GS-sized carver with some hip-dragging angles. In cut-up or junky conditions, you can dance through the crappy snow with surpising agility because of the low mass underfoot, or set a solid trajectory through the crud and power-track your way to your turn points with very little deflection or kicked-around feelings. The soft flex of the forebody can lead to some perceived flap at speed through junk, but the line always seems to hold solidly on-track so you don't need to make corrections or put your skis back on your line. Powder surfing is completely intuitive, essentially effortless and a nice mix between directional and smearingly surfy feel with on-demand depth and turn shape changes with almost zero effort. In each environment, the Citadels lived up to the Renoun reputation for becoming quieter and quieter the faster you ski them...so the family trait endowed by the twice-the-usual dose of HDT polymer seems to be nicely demonstrated in this design.

The ExoticSkis test crew is pretty skeptical and devotedly critical since we find most ski tests in the large magazines to be shallow and all too often full of hyperbole and lacking criticism of ski personality traits and behaviors. After the first few days on hardpack, crud and powder outings we wondered how a ski like the Renoun Citadel can deliver such an easy-to-handle, yet high level of performance in all these different conditions and surface environments. Many skis deliver a "great", "pretty good" or "OK" performance at one or some of the conditions we put the Citadels through, but we can't remember a ski with this much fun-factor and so little disappointment in so many kinds of snow with so little pilot effort required.

In summary, the premium-priced Citadel represents an honest-to-goodness reference standard of 100-110mm freeride skis for the huge swath of skiers between beginner and professional hard-core charging athlete. That's a wide market segment. The geometry and componentry of the Renoun Citadel simply work better at delivering a ton of fun for all kinds of surfaces than nearly any other skis we can think of for the majority of skiers out there. Beginners and pro-level hardcore Nice work. The bar has been raised, which is good for skiers everywhere. Everyone really loved this ski.



Link to full review with pics.

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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Nice but hard to justify $1500.00 . . . still, a bit tempting as they do sound like they're very close to being a "one" ski quiver . . . and I should get 10+ weeks skiing this season . . . hmmmm . . . tax refund this year should be good Confused Confused Confused

There's the obvious advantage of less luggage weight too . . .
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Close to £1500 in the UK when you include shipping, VAT, duty & the clearance fee. That's over 3 times more than the superb & slightly lighter Scott Superguide 105 Shocked
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
@spyderjon, makes marginally better sense for me here then Toofy Grin . . . though I could be persuaded to fit a set into my bag to bring over in Feb fer a small remuneration wink

I can pick up the '18 Scott Superguides fer $450 . . . the '19's are $700


Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Sun 2-12-18 20:31; edited 1 time in total
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
exoticskis wrote:
The non-Newtonian polymer (HDT in Renoun's marketing blurb) dampening material is real.

Not sure I ski fast enough for Relativistic effects to be noticeable.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
We're impressed.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Indeed pricey....but Cyrus Schenk offers a 100 day "try-them-or-we-buy-them-back" guarantee....that impressed me...lotsa confidence in the product. Cyrus Schenk definitely aiming at the high-end of the price spectrum for civilians.... Cool technology inside.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I knew I'd seen that green slime before . . .
http://youtube.com/v/XxKAAu-tsuo
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Back to reality, if I thought that I wanted to buy my last pair of skis ever, these are an interesting option with that satisfaction or return policy.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I've been a very naughty boy Twisted Evil so sod Santa, got myself a Crissy prez. . . . Better schedule a trip to Spyderjon's at the end of Feb Toofy Grin

Oh, and the bindings will be NTN so unless your name is Ronald or you can provide documentary proof yer 'plates' are not size 9 typhoid tootsies to use my boots . . . You'll never get to play on them Toofy Grin Toofy Grin Toofy Grin
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