Stats
Size: 163 cm
Turn Radius: 15.2 meters
Weight: 1382 grams
Skier Profile
Skier Size: 5’2, 123 lb
Skier Type: Steep and Deeps, Type 3 skier
Ski Review
Intro: Renoun's first women's ski the Earhart 88 is Renoun Skis's dive into the world of female riding. While at an 88 mm waist, this inbounds ski offers some features that are unique to Renoun with their Patented VibeStop™. For those of you who are searching for your first pair of intermediate skis, read more below.
What Renoun Says: "Release any limitations with the Earhart 88. Named after the legendary pilot, the Earhart was crafted by a team of women to make any terrain fair grounds for flying. A progressive rocker profile helps navigate bumps and pop through powder, while a maple core gives a responsive, lively feel without being too flighty underfoot. Patented VibeStop™ technology absorbs chatter, reducing fatigue and increasing control at speed."
Review:
We wanted to ensure we gave the new Earhart enough time to truly find where she shines. Being the first addition in a ski line is never easy. The 88 Earhart offers easy turns for those skiers who are looking for their first pair of "real skis". The extra rocker in the tip makes the length feel more approachable than other skis in the 88 mm waist market. The Earhart 88 is a great ski for those skiers who are looking to gain confidence on piste and with their turns. While the Earhart has some interesting qualities, it's important we note that the ski requires a proper detune on the edges before use. Advanced/ expert riders will benefit from a stiffer more aggressive ski.
Carving: With a partial titanal metal sheet and their 15% early tip rise, learning to ski on the Earhart 88 is no longer a daunting task. Considering the 15.2 meter turning radius (163 cm length), practicing those quick turns is a breeze. Designed to allow quick turns from side to side, the Earhart felt easy to turn.
The edge angle had to be pushed into a more aggressive ski stance to get on true edge to carve. We did find that the Patented VibeStop™ created less chatter than other options at lower speeds, esp. over firm hardpack. However, when you start to push higher speeds, those of you who are more advanced/expert skiers will find that is where the Earhart 88 limitations start to show. At higher speeds on groomers, we found the Earhart 88 to be hooky and felt wobbly. We felt that the more you push the ski, the softer the ski flex felt, leaving us second-guessing our decisions to press the ski.
Bumps: When we took the Earhart 88 on some classic Tahoe bumps, we found that at lower speeds and less aggressive skiing, the Earhart performed well. The theme of the Earhart 88 is quick turns, which makes learning to ski bumps fun and approachable. Thanks to the early rise in the tip, the ski feels ready to change direction the moment you plant that pole. The maple wood core makes for a light weight ski which allows for that poppy feeling.
Once we started pushing the gas on speed and more technical skiing, we again found the ski's limitations. The tip angle again felt like it wanted to "grab" you at higher speeds and throw you over the handlebar. It’s important to note that we feel that the Earhart 88 is best for on-piste skiing.
All Mountain / Big Mountain: At an 88 mm waist, it's hard to expect a ski to perform as well as an all-mountain/big-mountain ski. The Earhart 88, when taken off the piste, feels as though she prefers to be back on the cordoury. While we couldn't recommend you take the Earhart on any gnarly techie terrain, those of you who are just starting to wander off-piste will feel at ease knowing that needing to turn on a dime is not overwhelming.
In softer snow, the Earhart 88 has decent float under 2 in of fresh snow, thanks to the skis' camber. However, in slush, we found the ski wanted to sink at the tip, making it not an ideal spring ski for those conditions.
Overall Take Aways: The Earhart 88 is a good option for those of you who are searching for a first pair of skis that are not a "beginner ski". For those who are just starting to navigate the mountain and searching to gain confidence in skiing, check out Renoun's Earhart 88. Other options to consider for intermediate skiers: Black Pearl 88 and Head Joy Skis.
For advanced or expert users, check out the K2 Mindbender 89 Ti and the Volkl Secret 88.
Where to Buy: https://renoun.com/products/earhart-88
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