At the top end of the Cassiar Alchemist line is the 94.2. This ski is blurring the line to the all-mountain range, but still sits in the front-side category thanks to its shape and construction. At 94 mm wide, the skis are wide enough to handle soft snow and backcountry conditions, but they’re built for the trails, with some really nice carbon and wood core construction. It could compete with the Mantra M5’s of the world, but sits nicely by itself in the high-end frontside/all-mountain series. Testers picked up on the fact that it is a trail ski, but has some off-piste capabilities as well. All tested skis were 178 cm.
Troy Dehm thought it made “solid medium to long turns” but wasn’t as comfortable being pushed quickly into short radius turns. As such, he gave the skis lower scores in quickness and maneuverability, but that did not stop him from having a favorable overall impression. He noted that the skis were “stiffer than expected” and that “intermediates with good technique would like this ski. It’s very light and easy to change direction.” As a result, the skis are fun and playful with a penchant for carving.
Benny Wax had a positive experience on the Cassiar 94.2 Alchemist. He loved the flotation, stability and forgiveness of the skis, and also thought they were a versatile stick. As a result of the lightweight nature and medium waist width, Benny places the skis right in the middle of a stacked group of all-mountain performers. He thought the skis were “fun, forgiving, yet responsive.” Nice! A ski that is forgiving and responsive speaks to a lot of different skiers, ultimately making these versatile mountain tools.
David Raybould apparently loved the Cassiar 94.2 Alchemist. He scored it 5 out of 5 for overall impression—something that not a lot of testers do for any ski. “This ski is super playful and a lot of fun. Really excels at medium and long turns. You can rip GS turns on these all day! Best for advanced to expert skiers who like to ski hard and fast.” Sounds good to us, David! When a ski like the DPS Cassiar 94.2 Alchemist garners this type of review, it’s impossible not to note. David finishes his comment section with a one word conclusion: “Rewarding.”
DPS Superfan Jeff Siegel scored the Cassiar 94.2 Alchemist 5 out of 5 for stability. He thought that the skis were rock solid and ready to rip. Also scoring highly for Jeff was the torsional stiffness and edge hold of the skis. For him, this led to a “stable and planky ski without being overly stiff.” He then goes on to ponder whether the skis are “maybe stiff but not planky?” This type of internal questioning is good, because it ensures the fact that the user is not only serious about the review, but also describes the skis in more than one way. This makes the consumer more likely to find a product that best fits their needs and styles. Jeff goes on to say that the skis “were very stable but had to be pushed. Still, it’s a performance freeride ski, and it made great big and medium radius turns.
The continuing success of DPS in the frontside/all-mountain categories is certainly worth noting. The company has made a huge leap over the past few years in creating skis for every type of skier. They are now trying to compete and overtake larger companies by making a superior product. As a result, the Cassiar 94.2 Alchemist is now pitted against more renowned skis such as the Volkl Mantra, Blizzard Bonafide, and Nordica’s Enforcer 93.
