The 2019 Dynastar Legend X 88 is a wood core, dual metal laminate ski that is made to rip the whole mountain. As a relatively stiff ski, the X 88 holds a great edge, and with its 5-point sidecut, can also make a wide variety of turn shapes. As opposed to the similarly waisted Blizzard Brahma, which performs more like a wide race ski, the Legend X 88 behaves in a more user-friendly manner. Make no mistake, the skis are quite performance-oriented, and intermediates will most likely feel overpowered. The turn radius is on the shorter side (18 meters at 180 cm length) due to the shortened sidecut, so the ease of turning the skis is pronounced. The rockered tips and tails will assist in flotation and turn initiation, but the width is on the narrow side for some true powder skiing. Our testers were pretty high on the versatility and stability of the Dynastar Legend X 88, and were pretty consensual on the fact that a wide variety of skiers will appreciate the Legend X 88’s all-mountain nature.
Bob St.Pierre was one of the testers whose high scores included stability and versatility. He skied the 180 cm length and found that it skied true to size. All of his other scores were in the “average” range, leading to the notion that the skis will have a broad appeal. Bob notes that the skis “will get caught in the middle of a bunch of similar products, and the best way to find out which one works for you is to try them all. They all have something a little different to offer, and the Legend X 88 is perfect for weekend folk looking for a straightforward and easy ride. It’s kind of stiff for intermediates, but the 5-point sidecut means easy turning.” It’s true that there are a lot of different companies making the 88-90 mm waist all-mountain ski, but Dynastar’s stands out because of that shorter radius.
Charlie Roy skied the 186 and found that they would make “great East Coast all-mountain skis.” Charlie takes note of the unique shape and claims that “the taper in the tip and tail make it great in the bumps, trees, and crud.” This is another great point by Charlie, that the shape of the skis allows it to pivot easily and makes off-piste and terrain skiing fun and easy. With a shorter turn radius comes quicker turns, and the performance in the moguls is no exception. Charlie scored the skis 4’s out of 5 for all categories except flotation and forgiveness. That makes sense given the construction and shape of the skis. Charlie “would ski this on all but the firmest of days and recommend this ski for advanced and expert skiers that are looking for a one-ski quiver.”
Michael Rooney called the 180 cm X 88 “a high end cruising ski. The X 88 carves through choppy snow unfazed. You will never wonder if your X 88 is up to whatever you put it through.” Michael scored the skis 5’s out of 5 for stability, torsional stiffness, versatility, and overall impression. For someone with an extensive racing background, this is high praise for an all-mountain ski. He also claims that “the X 88 will be right there with you all the way whether you are a solid intermediate or more advanced.”
James Stewart skied the 186 cm X 88 and had a very favorable impression of the skis. “This ski can seemingly do it all. Happy doing shorter radius turns, but you can tip it up on edge and let it run too. Also happy to be skidded.” It’s this type of versatility in the turn shapes that make the X 88 standout. Whereas stiffer, more trail-oriented skis will lock the skier into one type of turn shape, the X 88 with its 5-point sidecut can handle a lot of different turn shapes and sizes.
Our testers confirmed suspicions that the 2019 Dynastar Legend X 88 is a smooth-turning performer that is capable of handling a lot of different skiers and ability levels. The versatile nature of the skis cannot be understated, and the 5-point sidecut makes different turn shapes and styles possible and fun.
