The Dynastar Thread

[jackattack]

anyone skiing the menace 98? looking for an all mountain freestyle ski that I can charge down groomers but also playful for natural hits and glades

yeah, there are several mini-reviews around, but it will absolutely do what you want it to.

That ski is a sleeper, the 187cm can charge.

[glademaster]

Not normal on the X106. Have them replaced. I have handled several pairs are all were tight fit and finish wise.

Indeed, I'm working on it. I skied Dynastar race boards in my pubescent speed suit days and loved their feel on snow. I have no doubt it will get sorted and they'll ski great once I get them all squared away.

I'm glad I gave them a thorough once over before I mounted them though.

Now I have an excuse to be a snow snob for a few more weeks: the skinniest ski I have with alpine binders on it at the moment is a Steeple 116.

[GoldMember]

Can confirm the wacky factory tune on the orange x106's (182). I just spent a few hours in the garage setting the side edge bevel. Coming from the factory it ranged from 0-3+ degrees from my observations so required quite a few passes.

On the plus side, the sidewall was very easy to remove to get better access to the edges.

Going in for a grind is recommended!

Overall the ski felt great on snow after the tune, though I should have gone for the 188.

I would agree that taking them in for a grind with structure and getting the bevels set before skiing them is probably a really good idea. I did with both my x96 and x106 and they've always skied great for me. In my experience, factory tunes aren't all that great on higher end skis as I think they believe most people who ski them are likely to do their own thing, anyway so they send them out with a rudimentary tune and let you take it from there.

[Colorado_Freeskier]

yeah, there are several mini-reviews around, but it will absolutely do what you want it to.

That ski is a sleeper, the 187cm can charge.

2nd that...I bought the predecessor (Slicer Factory) a few months ago. Wanted the 87 but it was out of stock and since it was to be my mellow skiing with the kids ski i didn't care. To date I've only had it on hardpack though but it fucking rips even at a 181...if you like to carve they rail like no other twin tip I've been on. I'm usually on FIS GS boards for hardpack and Pro Rider 192s for everything else.

[buttahflake]

Skied the m free 108 at steamboat today in 6-12 inches of blower. Ski test for Outside and Mountain Magazine. 21 skis in the All Mountain Powder category. This was, hands down, the best ski in this cat. So easy to use, the sweet spot is enormous. Way nicer than the new Katana.
I want a pair.

[CascadeLuke]

Skied the m free 108 at steamboat today in 6-12 inches of blower. Ski test for Outside and Mountain Magazine. 21 skis in the All Mountain Powder category. This was, hands down, the best ski in this cat. So easy to use, the sweet spot is enormous. Way nicer than the new Katana.
I want a pair.

Nice. Any other new boards worth mentioning?

[noslow]

anyone skiing the menace 98? looking for an all mountain freestyle ski that I can charge down groomers but also playful for natural hits and glades

As other have mentioned, the Menace 98 is a fantastic ski for the money! I’m 175lbs and had the 181cm version for a bit and thought it was very playful with a nice flex pattern(soft tip/tail but solid underfoot) but found it didn’t charge quite hard enough for my liking. The 187cm is stiffer, heavier, more damp and more stable at speed. Much more “serious” of a ski vs the 181cm. Shockingly good grip on groomers.

So depending on your size, the 187cm is more fun at speed on groomers but more work in tight spaces and bumps. Mine 181cm weighed 2140g each and the 187cm 2250g each. Swing weight isn’t the lightest so it skis like a heavier ski than my 186cm Enforcer 104s which weigh the same(and measure the same 184.5cm). More stable and damp than the Enforcers but not as much fun at lower speeds compared to the Enforcer.

Corbetts.com has the Menace 98 on for $400 CAN/$303 US right now and will be $100 CAN cheaper in their Mid March sales I’m sure.

[noslow]

Skied the m free 108 at steamboat today in 6-12 inches of blower. Ski test for Outside and Mountain Magazine. 21 skis in the All Mountain Powder category. This was, hands down, the best ski in this cat. So easy to use, the sweet spot is enormous. Way nicer than the new Katana.
I want a pair.

Curious what size you tried out and what’s your size? Disappointed there’s not a size between 182cm and 192cm.

[buttahflake]

I skied the smaller one, 5’10” 150 pounds.

[SkiLyft]

Curious what size you tried out and what’s your size? Disappointed there’s not a size between 182cm and 192cm.

6ft 205#

The 192 skis very small — don’t be intimidated!


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[RickyRumpus]

Is the M Free 108 more ski than the new Katana?

Thanks for the response on the Pro Rider edge tune. I'm going to take it to a good shop to tune it. What base/edge angle(s) would be best for using them as they were intended, what should I ask for at the shop?

[jackattack]

Is the M Free 108 more ski than the new Katana?

It’s more playful than the katana, but I’d say no less powerful, they just deliver the power differently.

[phatty]

It’s more playful than the katana, but I’d say no less powerful, they just deliver the power differently.

Now that's what I like to hear. I'm going to need to find a pair to try out here. Unfortunately I have sasquatch feet (340 bsl) so I can rarely borrow anyone else's. Anyone know of any 192 demos near Seattle?

[Eluder]

anyone skiing the menace 98? looking for an all mountain freestyle ski that I can charge down groomers but also playful for natural hits and glades

They are just rebbaged Slicers, good ski though.

[Norseman]

Rejoining the club with some LPRs courtesy PrinceDynastar.

[Chugachjed]

Rejoining the club with some LPRs courtesy PrinceDynastar.

Fuck yea.

[Jongle]

anyone skiing the menace 98? looking for an all mountain freestyle ski that I can charge down groomers but also playful for natural hits and glades

I picked up a pair (with the old Slicer topsheets) for $300 CAD from Corbetts last summer for the same purpose as you describe. They carve well; easy to bend into a turn and surprisingly damp when on edge. They feel a bit more locked in than I expected, maybe because the tip/tail rocker and taper are pretty minimal. They can still be broken loose from a turn pretty easily, but not nearly as easily as something like Wildcat 108s, which I've been spending most of my time on this season. The main shortcoming of the M98s as carvers is that you can't finish a turn very powerfully because of their soft twinned tails. However, those tails also make it super fun to boost off of side hits etc. You can really load up the tails and generate extra pop from them.

I've had some weird moments where the tips or tails get hung up and feel kind of catchy in 3D snow, not just compared to the WC108s, but also to more traditional skis like the Mantra 102s. I'm still skiing them on the factory tune though so they might benefit from a good detune or base grind.

Based on my experience with the Wildcat 108s, seems like the PB&Js might also be worth a look for you. I would expect the PB&Js to be less damp and less fun to carve than the M98s, but also way looser and easier to flick around.

I've got the M98s mounted at -6 from center and am skiing the 181 (5'7, 165).

[noslow]

I picked up a pair (with the old Slicer topsheets) for $300 CAD from Corbetts last summer for the same purpose as you describe. They carve well; easy to bend into a turn and surprisingly damp when on edge. They feel a bit more locked in than I expected, maybe because the tip/tail rocker and taper are pretty minimal. They can still be broken loose from a turn pretty easily, but not nearly as easily as something like Wildcat 108s, which I've been spending most of my time on this season. The main shortcoming of the M98s as carvers is that you can't finish a turn very powerfully because of their soft twinned tails. However, those tails also make it super fun to boost off of side hits etc. You can really load up the tails and generate extra pop from them.

I've had some weird moments where the tips or tails get hung up and feel kind of catchy in 3D snow, not just compared to the WC108s, but also to more traditional skis like the Mantra 102s. I'm still skiing them on the factory tune though so they might benefit from a good detune or base grind.

Based on my experience with the Wildcat 108s, seems like the PB&Js might also be worth a look for you. I would expect the PB&Js to be less damp and less fun to carve than the M98s, but also way looser and easier to flick around.

I've got the M98s mounted at -6 from center and am skiing the 181 (5'7, 165).

I’m 10lbs heavier than you and had the 181cm M98 and agree it was a little soft tip/tail for my liking. Fun and playful but not great for high speed carving. The 187cm is an amazing carver with added weight, stiffness and dampness vs the 181cm. Great for ripping groomers but have experienced the tail catching too in rougher terrain. Probably the very flat rocker and blunt and heavy tip/tails causing issues. The Menace 98 with more modern and lightweight tip/tails so they don’t bulldoze as much and pivot easier would be a fantastic ski!
I’d bet your skis might be a bit edge high too as both my 181cm and 187cm were. Less catchy after a stone grind.

Was able to test the 182cm and 192cm MFree 108 today and it was very similar to the Menace 98 differences between the 181cm and 187cm. The shorter 182cm MFree 108 was a bit soft for my liking but an absolute blast in bumps and in tight areas. Carved well but not as great as the 187cm M98. The 192cm MFree 108 was stiffer, more damp and more stable and it was awesome in open spaces where you could let them run a bit. Not the best for tight moguls and trees though. I’d love a 186cm version with similar flex to the 192cm.

[Kopi_Red]

These skis are sooo good.

[toast2266]

^^^ same here.

[Island Bay]

Nice!

Jealous of you, Kopi and Toast. Could do with a day of LP hooning.

[nyskirat]

God those AD LPs are amazing.

[waxoff]

^^^ same here.

[pressing like button]

[detrusor]

Looking forward to a weekend of super g turns on the AD’s!


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[ZomblibulaX]

Near new 187 menace 98s in SLC for cheap on GS:
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...-One-Mount-175