The Dynastar Thread

[TAFKALVS]

I figured since we have threads for a bunch of other ski companies, a Dynastar thread was in order.

I discovered that I liked Dynastar skis a few years back when I was looking for a replacement for my Lhasa Pows. I noticed some of the shapes were similar and I gave them a shot. What I found was the designs work really well for me. At this point I've owned at least 20 pairs of Dynastar skis.

I want this thread to be a resource for anyone casually curious or wanting more info on Dynastar new and old. Let's share reviews, post Dynastar stoke or answer questions.

Because of my weird obsession I have managed to make contacts within Dynastar so if there are new product questions I can try and get answers on that stuff too. That includes Look and Lange too.

I'd break the Dynastar lineup down as follows:

Legend:
All these skis are race construction fat skis. Some have a tiny bit of tip rocker. The 18x sizes tend to be friendly. The 19x sizes call for big boy pants. All of them have turn radius in the high 20m to high 30m. All require a bit of speed and a competent pilot to have a good time. If in doubt, size down.

Good skis in this line up include: Legend Pro (there all multiple versions of this ski, all good), XXL, LP105 (my personal favorite)

Also, Big Dumps can be fun in the right conditions but feel like skiing a 2x6 on packed snow. Very stable, and cheap. Extra full aever.

Haven't spent any time on the legend 115.

Cham 1.0:
These skis are very polarizing. It seems some people really like them (normally people who have a strong technical or race background who like to carve turns) and others hate them.

Dynastar went out on a limb with these and combined race construction with a modern 5-point shape. It works well in some of the skis and not well in others. Lots of tip rocker, no tail rocker and tons of taper. Size up.

Cham 1.0 are available with standard and high mountain construction. The standard construction is very burly race ski type feel. The high mountain construction is a little easier going. Both have plenty of balls for inbounds skiing.

Here's my experience with each:

Cham 87 - great for dad's and dentists but lacks guts. Hated this ski. Too soft.

Cham 97 - my second favorite in the line up. The tapered shape works on this ski. If you can work a ski they'll handle any condition. Shallow powder, crud, corn, ice.

Cham 107 - had both the 184 and 190. Similar to the lp105 but wants to turn more. The 190 is a serious ski that can haul ass in any conditions. Doesn't float amazingly well though and can feel hooky sometimes in crust. Also it doesn't want to finish turns because of all the taper. Weird beast but worth trying a few days. I'd say all the Cham 1.0 need a little bit of ski time to figure out. These are my least favorite.

Cham 117 - never skied them, no idea. They are fairly similar to a Lhasa Fat on paper.

Cham 127 - I spent a lot of powder days on these, they are really fun. I'd put them in the versatile fun shape camp, with skis like the protest or the c&d. Basically a big tapered pow ski with a bunch of metal. They are loose and surfy in pow but can really hold a solid carve going back to the lift. I like my pair and regret selling them. They are pretty cheap so if a protest with metal sounds interesting give them a shot. My favorite of the 1.0 lineup.

Cham 2.0:

Takes the original Cham designs and makes it less out there. Smoother taper, less aggressive sidecut, less metal. Tip rocker with smidge of tail rocker. I really liked these. Size up and mount at -1.

Cham 2.0 97 - takes the og 97 and makes it easier going and lighter weight. These were in constant rotation for me last year. I liked them a lot, good ski for skiing bumps/chalk/groomers/shallow powder.

Cham 107 2.0 - I spent most of last season on these. A great ski, I'd say 80% of the power any of the original legends have but don't require you to go 40mph to have fun. Float well enough for powder, great edge grip, quick in bumps, smooth feel on snow but still have some life. Now mounted with rad 2.0 and my primary touring ski.

Cham 117 2.0 - haven't skied them so no idea.

Legend X:

New line up for Dynastar. Takes some of the elements of the Cham 2.0 and merges it with the shapes of the Powertrack series and the layup on the Dynastar piste skis (powerdrive) which is essentially a full length rubber damping strip isolating the core from the sidewall. Really cuts down on vibration in rough or variable snow without having to turn the ski into a plank. It works pretty well in the race skis, haven't gotten a chance to spend much time on these yet. 88, 96, 106 and 117 ("Factory") are available. Comparing those skis to the Cham 2.0, the Legend X all have longer sidecut/effective edge, far mellower taper and overall I think will be well received by the tgr crowd. I'll have a few pairs available this season to try out.

[TAFKALVS]

Place holder 1. Review links on the forum.

[TAFKALVS]

2 Generations of LP 105. Me on the left, Kopi_Red on the right


Speedzone 12s, night skiing some ice junk at Stevens Pass.


Cham 127s on a 40" overnight day of total blower powder at Mission Ridge.


Skinning for early season turns, Cham 97 2.0


One of my funnest runs ever at Mission Ridge, 15" overnight. Skied on 190 Cham 107 1.0


Skinning for turns up Chinook Pass with Neil Fiedler, NW_Skier and SASS_Ski

[Island Bay]

Good idea - good work!

I'm a total Dynastar newbie, so I thought I'd jump in at the deep end and get a pair of ProRider 192. Have come to realise that heavy chargers are fun, and my 184 Monster 98s haven't been hard work or in any way difficult to ski. When the ProRiders came my way serendipitously I just couldn't say no, but I am prepared to have my arse kicked. We shall see.

Wish I could contribute with wise words or even a shitty 1 day review, but it'll be many months before they'll see snow.

[Self Jupiter]

Dear diary...

just kidding, great post. ^ if you aren’t intrigued by that ski above, I’m not sure you belong here

[nyskirat]

Wish I had gotten my hands on a pair of those.

[nyskirat]

Came upon these.

https://suburbanskiandbike.com/Dynas...-184-AMFR0014/

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/spo...393956813.html

[mntlion]

for more vintage Dynastar, message gwat or waxman.

[TAFKALVS]

for more vintage Dynastar, message gwat or waxman.

I hope they post in here too

[Fred Pabst]

I remember my MV5 geants as the best ski ever. Early 80's?

I have owned quite a few. I had a pair of Vertical Assaults as a tele ski, my first tele fat ski. They were awesome with Rivas and Merrill Supercomps. The were hideous in florescent pink.

I've owned:
Bigs
Legend 8800
Legend Pro X
Legend Pro XXL
Legend Pro 115
Big Dumps

Did not buy into the Cham series for whatever reason. I was not a fan of that style of tip shape.

No doubt they make a quality ski.

[djhutch]

The ski they don't make (yet) is the one I am interested in the most = a Mythic 107.

The ski they currently make that I am interested in is the Legend Factory (117mm). Seems like this ski has been slow to ship since I still haven't seen it in any store. On paper, it looks identical to the Cham 117 which was a good one-ski quiver for Cascades piste.

[creaky fossil]

Nice work LS.

I've been on Cham 1.0 97 since its intro. Bought w/o demo. Confounding ski the first day, actually hated it. Couldn't figure out how to get it to feel like anything other than a plank with loose tails. Later, I thought of the 5pt and imagined skiing just the interior radius, like a SL or beer league ski. Next time on the ski I did that and it began making sense. By the end of the 1st season it felt like a totally different ski -- not planky, could finesse the tails from butter to slice, and it's continued to be my daily ski 95% of the time since then. I'm old, skinny and terrified. 178cm tall and so are the Chams. I weigh 145, the Chams + P12s weigh almost that much.

2 seasons back I got Cham 2.0 HM 107 for AT and I like them a lot. I'm on 184 there with Dynafit Comforts. Have skied them on-area as well. Like them enough to consider putting inserts for alpine bindings. The Dynafits already are done with inserts.

I don't think I can afford new skis this year but I would like to ski the Legends.

[TAFKALVS]

The ski they don't make (yet) is the one I am interested in the most = a Mythic 107.

The ski they currently make that I am interested in is the Legend Factory (117mm). Seems like this ski has been slow to ship since I still haven't seen it in any store. On paper, it looks identical to the Cham 117 which was a good one-ski quiver for Cascades piste.

Agreed on the Mythic 107.

I just got a pair of the Legend Factory, what's your BSL? I'm in the Cascades, you could try mine. They are a little different than the Cham 117 2.0, stiffer, less camber. Feel damper too but that's all hand flexing, I haven't skied them.

Reine Barkered skied them on the FWT Alaska stop: (I asked him, he said they are the stock Legend Factory.)

[doebedoe]

So you're telling me I should buy those Legend 94s w/ Axials2s for $100 from CL....

[TAFKALVS]

So you're telling me I should buy those Legend 94s w/ Axials2s for $100 from CL....

Correct.

[willywhit]

we used to hang out and ski with the NE rep, Billy. haven't seen him in years. Cool guy, kitesurfer, ripper. I heard he got married, which is hard to imagine.

[doebedoe]

Correct.

And when my SO asks why I need them...how are they that much different than my 187 Atomic Alibis or 177 Head Monsters 83s. Besides they look more vintage and rad.

[TAFKALVS]

Nice work LS.

I've been on Cham 1.0 97 since its intro. Bought w/o demo. Confounding ski the first day, actually hated it. Couldn't figure out how to get it to feel like anything other than a plank with loose tails. Later, I thought of the 5pt and imagined skiing just the interior radius, like a SL or beer league ski. Next time on the ski I did that and it began making sense. By the end of the 1st season it felt like a totally different ski -- not planky, could finesse the tails from butter to slice, and it's continued to be my daily ski 95% of the time since then.

Yes, this is how they want to be skied, on edge. I think the people who had the most problem with the Cham 1.0 are expecting them to be some kind of slarve machine but the brutal edge grip and big tip doesn't allow for that. Good ski for a committed fall-line skier.

I don't think I can afford new skis this year but I would like to ski the Legends.

Worth trying to grab a demo on a pair, they are good.

[TAFKALVS]

And when my SO asks why I need them...how are they that much different than my 187 Atomic Alibis or 177 Head Monsters 83s. Besides they look more vintage and rad.

They'll increase your libido and testosterone by 20%.

[willywhit]

last pair of dynastars I had were the gold Course SL boards with the red chicken heart tips, on pro form , in '87

[TAFKALVS]

last pair of dynastars I had were the gold Course SL boards with the red chicken heart tips, on pro form , in '87

Sweet. I skied on a pair of those at LBD 2016:




The very long sidecut, (210) length and narrow waist made my knees fucking hurt and left me feeling like I didn't know how to ski. You guys were tough back in the day.

[LightRanger]

Came upon these.

https://suburbanskiandbike.com/Dynas...-184-AMFR0014/

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/spo...393956813.html

With the DynaDuke plates on those Liberties in the photo and the location, I bet that person posts here.

I, like Creaky, never understood the Cham 1.0 hate. I have 184 107s and really like them. I'd say my only gripe is I wish they skied longer and think I probably should've gotten the 190s. And I'm *not* a long ski dickwaver. My usual length is low 180s. But the running surface is just really short on that ski and it can feel a bit squirrelly at speed running flat. Really needs to be kept on edge.

Bluesbrother49 (Andy) will probably check in here at some point. He's our local Dynastar rep out of Truckee. Good dude.

I also share the calls for a Mythic 107.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[jackattack]

Came upon these.

https://suburbanskiandbike.com/Dynas...-184-AMFR0014/

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/spo...393956813.html

Any bay area mags want to facilitate shipping those LP105's?

[Norseman]

Checking in here with my still-beloved 194 XXL. 41m radius, yeehaw.

[nyskirat]

With the DynaDuke plates on those Liberties in the photo and the location, I bet that person posts here.


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Good catch, you're probably right.

Still figured whomever had them would likely find quite a few interested parties here.