Dynastar was the first major brand to convert its central collection, the Cham series, to a 5-point sidecut, a silhouette that now exists in so many iterations it has become a standard design element for any ski with pretensions of off-trail aptitude. The original Chams weren’t lukewarm versions, either, but were steeply rockered at tip and tail, with their widest points pulled way back towards the ski center. This reduced its effective edge length even when tipped on edge. The sidecut that determined turn shape was restricted to the short camber zone, effectively creating a short-radius ski for carving inside a longer baseline.
Over the years Dynastar modified the Cham line, lowering the lift at tip and tail to produce better edge contact and overall stability and gradually shrank the number of models using metal laminates to zero. But the tapered tip and tail remain the signature trait of the Legend X line, a son of Cham series launched just last year.
To keep the Cham concept relevant in a market that had co-opted its keystone feature, Legend X adopted a dampening system Dynastar had created for hard snow. Called Powerdrive, it consists of a 3-piece section of sidewall in the forebody that serves to liberate the central laminates from bondage to the outer sidewall. When the front of the ski encounters resistance, the main components in the core are better able to sheer to absorb the distortion. This keeps the ski on the snow and dissipates shock without resorting to the heft of metal reinforcement.
As an all-terrain tool, the Legend X 88 is expected to perform at an elite level on groomers as well as off-piste. The basic design is already optimized for off-trail antics, so Dynastar elevated its hard snow chops by adding metal laminates for good measure. (The 88 is the only Legend X model so equipped.) The increases in horsepower allowed the Legend X 88 to slip in among our Recommended Power models.
While the inclusion of metal indubitably makes the Legend X 88 a better ski than its mates, it still shares with them a fundamentally easy-going disposition. “It’s a great all-around ski,” confides Bobo’s Theron Lee, an admitted Dynastar admirer. “Smooth and stable at speed, easy to turn. Tip does move a lot, but not as distracting as it sounds. 88 width makes it good in both firm and soft snow.”
Ward Pyles of Peter Glenn got along famously with the Legend X 88. “Like your favorite pair of pants, always what you want to have on. Lots of versatility, responds according to how much you ask of it. It rises to the occasion every time. Absolutely a go-to!”
A strong ski that doesn’t require a strong skier to appreciate it, we recognize this virtue by awarding the Legend X 88 a Silver Skier Selection.
