Last week was Diva East, where members of the Ski Diva community gather at an eastern ski resort — in this case Sunday River — to get to know one another in person (we had a western gathering at the end of January, too). Some of the women who came I’d met before, and it was a joy to see them again. But some had never been to a Diva event, and it was fun to make new friends, too. All in all, a fantastic time.

Ski Divas at Diva East 2020, Sunday River
So what better to bring to a gathering of Ski Divas than a new women’s ski: the Earhart 88 from Renoun. Actually, it was pretty brave on my part. What if the Earharts didn’t work out? What if I couldn’t keep up with everyone else? Just to be safe, I stashed a back-up pair of skis in the car, ready to step in if the Earharts were a total bust.
Turns out this wasn’t necessary. The alternates never came out to play (and I love those skis, too).
About Renoun Skis.
In case you’ve never heard of Renoun Skis, let me give you some background: Renoun is a small company headquartered in Burlington, VT. What makes them different from anyone else is their use of HDT, or hyper-dampening technology. You know how skis tend to chatter at high speeds, or over terrain that’s unforgiving, such as ice and hardpack? HDT makes use of a non-Newtonian polymer that adjusts in real time to the skier and snow conditions. Put simply, when you ski on a stiffer surface, the ski becomes more rigid and damp. And when conditions become more forgiving, such as powder, the ski becomes softer, less damp. Instantly.
For a small company, Renoun has attracted some pretty big accolades. In 2015, Renoun captured the coveted world-class ISPO GOLD Award in Munich, Germany, in recognition of its pioneering technological design. And in December, 2015, the New York Times put it on its list of the year’s hottest ski gear.
I’ve been familiar with Renoun Skis for a few years. I reviewed their Z-77 in 2017 and their Z-90 in 2018. Both are great skis. Just an FYI, the Z-77 is no longer available; it’s been replaced by the Atlas 80. I’ve never tried the Atlas, and it may be a great ski, but I’m sad to see the Z-77 leave the line-up. So. Much. Fun.
So why did Renoun introduce a woman’s ski now?
Renoun’s been around since 2011, and its main focus has always been men. But with growth came a decision to make the brand less male-centric. “Originally we were going to work on making the brand more middle of the road — adding more photos of women and tweaking the color palette, which was very dark and ominous — to make us more approachable to women,” said Cyrus Schenck, company founder and president. “However, Rhiana, our female operations director, pointed out that rather than basically giving the website a face-lift and doing lip service to women, we should make a women’s line instead. So that’s what we did.”
The development process involved getting feedback from a wide range of female skiers — everyone from racers to recreational skiers who ski only a few times a year. Cyrus noted that all the skis were tested blind, so no one knew which ski or construction and/of shape they were on. “Only after everyone skied them a few times did we reveal which ski was which. Sometimes we were very surprised by the reactions, and sometimes not at all. The most important element for us men was to stay out of the discussion. To make sure we stayed neutral, we never even rode the skis. We wanted to understand the feedback without bias. Rhiana was the lead-point on many of these discussions as she actually skied them and was pivotal in translating the feedback as it pertains to the Renoun brand. In all, it was the most tested ski we’ve ever produced.”
Now a bit about me.
I’m 5’1″, 112 lbs, and a fairly aggressive advanced skier. I’m not the best skier on the mountain, but I’m far from being the worst. I ski around 90 days a year, primarily in Vermont, which means I see it all: a lot of ice (AKA hard pack), packed powder, sometimes powder on top of ice , and once in a while — but not too often — some actual powder.
As for reviewing skis, well, to be honest, I’m not that sophisticated. You know those reviewers who go on and on about torsional stiffness and other technical aspects? That stuff pretty much eludes me; I’m just not technically oriented. Come to think of it, though, this may make me a perfect ski reviewer. Because I’m probably like most people. I know if I like a ski and I know if I don’t. And bottom line, that’s what really matters.
About the skis.
Here goes:
First, the name: Earhart. As in Amelia Earhart. How fitting is that? I mean, this woman was as bad ass as you could get. A woman pilot in the 1930’s? Who tried to fly solo around the world? I rest my case. What’s more, the aero theme is more than fitting. Who doesn’t want a ski that makes you feel like you can fly? So yes, I approve.
Second, the graphics. For some good skis, Renoun has been seriously deficient in the top sheet department. The Z-77’s and the Z-90’s frankly look like they were designed by engineers. Which they were, but that’s beside the point. Anyway, with the Earharts, Renoun finally has an attractive pair of skis in its mix.
See what I mean?

Renoun Earhart 88, Z-77, and Z-90.
Here are the specs:
Waist: 88mm
Dimensions:127-88-111mm
Radius: 14.5m (170cm), 13.5m (163cm), 12.5m (156cm), 12m (149cm)
Lengths:170, 163, 156, 149cm
Weight: 1,440g/ski (170cm), 1,400g/ski (163cm), 1,350g/ski (156cm), 1,300g/ski (149cm)
And here’s their construction:
Technology: 8 inlays of HDT™ (14-16% core volume)
Core: Aspen with HDT™ inlays & titanal binding retention plate.
Reinforcement: Two partial sheets of Titinal metal, carbon fiber and tri-axial fiberglass
Profile:
Camber with a bit of tip and tail rocker, but nothing crazy.
So how’d they ski?
Sunday River was a perfect place to demo skis. The terrain is nicely varied, and we had just about every type of condition imaginable: A couple days of hard pack and wind-scoured ice, followed by a warm up with soft, spring-like conditions.
I skied the Earhart in a 156, and my first impression was man oh man, these are light skis. In that length, the Earharts weigh only 1,350g per ski (that’s just under 3 pounds). To be honest, this took a bit of getting used to; I’m more accustomed to a ski with a beefier feel. But once I skied them a bit, oh, mama! There’s no going back. The light weight makes them incredibly quick — easy to turn and maneuver, with a playfulness that’s just plain fun. But the low weight doesn’t come with any sacrifice in stability. The company says HDT reduces vibration by 300%. I don’t know if that’s the exact number, but I will say this: these skis provide a nice, smooth ride in all sorts of conditions. You don’t get bucked around, and you don’t feel chatter. I had them on groomers, ice, trees, bumps, soft snow, packed powder, and they performed equally well in all. There’s a tenacious edge hold on ice, but a nice, buttery feel on softer snow, too. What’s more, the 88 waist is perfect for most east coast conditions, the tail rocker makes them release nicely in the bumps, and the tip rocker gives you the lift you need for softer snow.

Here I go, skiing the Renoun Earhart 88’s.
An unmatched guarantee.
If all this intrigues you, here’s a head’s up: you can’t get the Renoun Earhart in a store. Actually, you can’t get any Renoun ski in any store. They’re only available on line at the company’s website. So what’s a skier to do?
Order them. Because if you don’t like them for any reason, there’s a Moneyback Guarantee, which lets you ski them a few days (within six months of the original purchase date) and send them back for a full refund, or swap them out for another size, if you prefer. I don’t know any other ski company that does this. You have absolutely nothing to lose.
So what’d you think, Ski Diva?
I think the Earharts are a ski that Amelia would be proud to have as her namesake. Like her, they fly. Bottom line: you will, too. A great all-mountain ski, particularly for you east coast Divas.
Two ski poles up!
Our lady testers had similar experiences and raves about the Earhart 88s!
http://www.exoticskis.com/Forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=593
Dakotah:
“I first tested the Earhart ski while it was still in the prototyping phase. I tested four (I think… it’s been a while!!) versions of the ski including the very first prototype as well as a few of the following iterations that Renoun was exploring at the time. As far as women’s skis go, I was impressed by the Earhart even in its development phase. It was a playful, maneuverable, and well rounded ski that worked with me as a skier instead of against me.
I am a little bit unique in the skiing world because of my size and skill. I’m an expert skier who is five feet tall and barely 100 pounds–it is so easy for me to end up on a ski that makes me feel tired, incapable, or bored. I was afraid of this when I stepped into the Earhart, but what I found after my first few runs was the opposite–even skiing the 170 prototypes, the Earhart ski served me through carving groomers, hitting some bumps, freshies here and there, and even through the slushy stuff. Basically, whatever I felt like doing (or NOT doing) on the mountain, the Earhart was there for me.
The Earhart is a really fun, interesting ski underfoot that easily conquered the melding pot of conditions we’re faced with every day in Vermont. It would make anyone, anywhere feel successful, confident, and secure in their turns and get the most out of their time on the mountain. This is an incredibly trustworthy ski–an extremely user friendly and versatile piece of equipment. Any ski that I can have a blast on as an ex-racer, and then hand off to my mom to try out for a few runs is a very unique ski. No matter the style or skill, the Earhart seemed to step up to the challenge (or tone it down) as it was met by different skiers or changing conditions. Testing the Earhart ski was such a special experience. In part because of the ski itself, but also because of the care and consideration of the small company creating it. In the course of a few days, we not only tested some great skis, but we found ourselves in a wonderful little community of women skiers. Every step in creating this was taken with women in mind and with women in the driver’s seat. Women in sports (and women everywhere!) want to be listened to and taken seriously. The team behind the Earhart was tasked with an incredible responsibility of building something that women can use, enjoy, and be taken seriously on. They did all of these things, and kept real, actual women at the epicenter of the entire process. Renoun let women guide them, and that intention and thoughtfulness has allowed them to launch an extremely mindfully made ski for women. Not to mention, Renoun has given women an every day, reliable, enjoyable, and adaptable ski that isn’t frilly or pink… which we’re all so grateful for, because that happens a lot!”
Piper:
“After skiing the Earharts in almost every condition the East coast has to offer, I can say it is one of the most stable and adaptable skis I’ve been on. As an 18 year old female skier with a fair amount of experience, but no competitive background, I was able to click in and go with the Earharts. No matter the conditions or my plan for the day, I’d be sure to put these skis in the car. The Earharts will flow down the mountain without needing an overly assertive skier, but can also open up into big arcing turns if you’re willing to lean into them. I found the Earhart skis can be reigned in for bump runs, glades, and tight trails just as easily as they can spread snow on the groomers. These skis will get as serious as the skier wants them to be (for most of us anyway!).
On a lot of all-mountain skis, I’ve found myself fighting to stay out of the backseat, especially in soft snow, but haven’t had this feeling with the Earharts. Having a ski designed by women in the ski community means we finally have something that caters to the female body’s lower center of gravity, makes serious turns without needing a taller or heavier skier to keep them in control, and inspires confidence. I’ve had some of my best ski days this season on the Earharts, and am sad to send the demos back!”
Glad to hear both Piper and Dakota enjoyed the Earharts as much as I did! It’s been almost a year since I’ve written this review, and my opinion hasn’t changed. I still think the Earhart is a great ski.
How would these compare to Blizzard Black Pearls? My BPs are 6 years old, and need to be replaced. I normally ski on a 170, but bought the BP in a 166. I have always felt the BP got a little chattery at higher speeds, especially on hardback. I feel I’m skiing slower due to that (or age?). But I love how they are comfortable at most speeds, from slow green runs, to flying down a steep groomer, bumps, powder, and crud.
Not being a Black Pearl skier, I really couldn’t say, though I do know that the Earhart’s don’t have this problem. You might want to give them a try!