Is Dynastar a Good Ski Brand?

Dynastar isn’t as good of a ski brand as it used to be. While this isn’t necessarily a bad brand, it isn’t a leader in the modern skiing industry. Dynastar is generally viewed as more of an old-school brand that is good for resort skis and beginners. 

I’m Christine, the creator of this blog and lifelong skier. I’m passionate about everything related to the sport and get out in the snow as often as possible. I’ve used many ski brands over the years and know through first-hand experience how Dynastar holds up. 

This post will explore Dynastar as a ski brand. I’ll tell you why I don’t think it’s a top brand in the industry and why you might want to explore other options. My goal is to help you make an informed purchasing decision. 

Let’s get after it. 

Key Takeaways

  • Dynastar is not a top ski brand in the modern ski industry. This doesn’t mean it’s a bad brand. It’s just not typically a popular choice with the average skier. 
  • Dynastar used to be a leader in on-piste and race-style skis but has not adapted that well to more freestyle and twin-tipped focus. This is the main reason it’s not that popular today. 
  • The brand has been around for a while, so it does have good customer service and support. And it is still developing new skis to try and compete in the market – some of which are intriguing. 

Is Dynastar a Good Ski Brand?

Dynastar is not generally recognized as a good ski brand by most skiers today. That’s not to say that it is a bad brand, but it can’t compete with the major players in the industry. I don’t know many skiers who use the brand’s products today. 

Dynastar is a French ski company that has been making skis for over 40 years. It was once a pretty good name in the industry that specialized in race-style skis that were directional and built to go fast at the resort. 

But as trends changed in the 1990s and beyond, Dynastar couldn’t keep up. Race-style skis gave way to twin-tipped models, and freestyle skiing became much more popular than racing. This shift made Dynastar less popular with skiers overall. 

Today, Dynastar offers a number of skis in a variety of categories. They still focus on race-style skis, and I think that’s where the brand excels. The other options it has aren’t as good as the competition, so I don’t recommend the brand to most people. 

Rossignol purchased Dynastar in recent years, and this merger is probably a good thing for Dynastar. By having the support of a larger and more popular brand, it might be able to shift its focus and regain some popularity.

Dynastar Skis

Even though Dynastar isn’t a top name in the industry, it still offers a few skis that might meet your needs, depending on the type of skiing you like to do and other preferences you might have. 

The brand still excels with its race-style designs, which are excellent if you are a ski racer. The Speed Course WC FIS GS is a superb racing ski built to meet professional racers’ needs.

The M-Tour 99 is a solid touring ski that can serve you well in the backcountry. This lightweight model can still give you decent performance on the way back downhill. They will work well with skins on. 

And the E 4X4 5 is a pretty good women’s all-mountain ski for intermediate skiers. These give you excellent carving power and the ability to adapt to changing conditions on the fly. The only downside is they aren’t twin-tipped.  

FAQs

Here are a few short answers to some of the most frequently asked questions related to if Dynastar is a good ski brand. 

Are Dynastar good skis? 

Dynastar skis aren’t bad in quality, but they don’t have that good of a reputation for performance or innovation. The brand is a bit dated, and the skis it makes aren’t that popular with most experienced skiers. But it does have a few models worth looking into. 

Are Rossignol and Dynastar the same? 

Rossignol does currently own Dynastar, but the two brands are still separate from one another in terms of the skis and other products they offer. Rossignol is one of the biggest brands in the industry, and that’s how it was able to purchase Dynastar. 

Where are Dynastar skis made? 

Dynastar skis are made in France in the Mont Blanc Valley. This is where the company was founded and where it still produces many of its products today. Dynastar is owned by Rossignol now, so its production facilities might change at some point. 

Final Thoughts

Dynastar isn’t a top brand in the ski industry, but that doesn’t mean it’s a terrible option to look into. If you like to race or go fast, this brand has a long-standing reputation for excellent race skis that will keep you flying down groomers. 

The rest of the Dynastar lineup will leave you wanting more. It might be worth renting some of these skis if you want to try them out, but I don’t recommend any of them as the best option. 

Have you ever used Dynastar skis? Which model did you pick, and what did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

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  • Donna Rutana

    I currently have the 2015 88 Cham skis in the 159 length. I am 5’6″, 153 lbs. I love them and loved them when I first did a demo back in 2015. They have a turn radius of 12 which has helped me make quick fast turns on groomers, and in the bumps. My only issue is the tips are high and I am told when in 8-12″ of pushed around snow, I get thrown around as snow gets under the tips and throws me around. Weather this is the reason I get thrown around in this type of snow is unknown. They are quick, responsive, and I hate to get new skis just because they are 8 years old. However, if I could find a ski that gives me all I get with these but wouldn’t throw me around in pushed around deeper snow or crud, I would update.

    Reply
    • Christine

      Hi Donna,

      That’s great you’ve had good experiences with the Cham. If you like them and they work in most situations, there’s no reason to get a new pair. A wider ski might help you bust through crud and not get thrown around as much, but I assume you’re not actively seeking out those types of conditions anyways. If the skis work well for you in most situations, aside from that, my best advice is to try to avoid those conditions as best you can. Or you could get a wider and more recent all-mountain model that will help you navigate just about any condition that comes your way. Just don’t throw away the skis you like if you upgrade! Hope that helps.

      Reply
  • Casper

    Good article, and I like how you disclaim with “Personal take”.
    I can’t say anything about the Speed / Piste Range skies. But since the Legend 8000 series, Dynastar has been at the absolute top for all mountain skiing. With this, I include slopes.
    One might want a ski that has a specific style or niche. But as an all mountain ( Piste, Touring, Free ride) skier the Legend-8000 series have never let me ( and many other professional skiers ) down in the European alps! I can’t speak about the New M-Line series… But hopefully just as good as the Legends…

    Reply
    • Christine

      Hi Casper,

      Great to hear your Dynastars are treating you well. I’ve always had good experiences with them. Enjoy the alps!

      Reply