4FRNT Skis Renegade Limited Edition Ski - 2010 BCS

There's some good engineering in these skis. They've got really mellow sidecut so they track straight in powder/choppy stuff. They're sufficiently fat to float, and stiff enough to blast through crap and not "goo-out" when you power a powder turn. All the things you'd expect from a fat/straight/stiff/rockered ski.

The shocker is how lively these can be on hard-pack. It think it has to do with the rocker radius matching the sidecut radius, but when you lay these skis over to carve they lock in, and then rebound out the other side with some intense pop. You can let them run and they'll make nice wide turn like their 35m sidecut would suggest, but if you get over the front of them and bend the skis you'll have some real carvers.

I think this dr. jeckll and mr. hyde nature of the skis it what is really impressive. They don't feel cumbersome or like a liability on hard pack or ice, even at top speed. Quite the contrary is true, they're lively and stable. Even tracking straight on hard pack they don't feel wobbly or snaggy. Also impressive considered the full reverse camber.

In powder they really shine, but that's to be expected. You get somewhat of a similar phenomenon in powder as on hard pack though. When you want to go straight, they got straight, no hooking or trying to initiate a turn. But if you get over the front and power them they start getting lively and snappy again.

I'm 150lbs, but I'd say the tail is stiff and it gets a little softer in the tip, but still sturdy. They'll kick you are if you don't stay on top of them, but if you do you're rewarded with a solid platform. They're plenty nimble and can pivot on a dime. I say bring on the 196 :)