2022 Dynastar M-Free 118

So this is a fun ski from Dynastar, and thankfully it returns unchanged for 2022. As the widest ski in the M-Free lineup, the 118 lives in rare air in terms of how wide and playful and surfy and smeary and fun-loving as it is. Thanks to the shape, construction, and profile of the skis, the M-Free 118 loves to be found in deep snow, and the deeper the better as far as the 118 is concerned. Built with Dynastar's hybrid core, consisting of a Poplar central chord surrounded by polyurethane material on either side, the skis have a unique feel to them that creates an amazing amount of energy and stability. It does come at the cost of weight, though, as these skis do tip the scales, but as most wider powder skis do, the rocker profile and fun-loving character more than make up for it.

Bob St.Pierre skied the 189 and noted that it was a very good length for him. "It looks quite ample underfoot and through the shovel, but it still skis true to size." Bob scored the ski 5's out of 5 for playfulness, flotation, stability, and overall impression. Lower scores of 2 out of 5 were given for quickness, maneuverability, and versatility, and that's kind of to be expected from a ski this size. "Even though I only scored it a 2 for quickness and versatility, I'd say that's very much relative to size. For a 118, it's still on the quick end, but for any ski, it's pretty slow from edge to edge, and certainly takes a maximum amount of effort to get it up on edge on anything other than fresh snow. The dramatic rocker profile does give the ski a surprising amount of energy, though, and for a ski this wide, it's actually pretty versatile. I'm not anywhere close to choosing it for my daily driver, but it is a whole lot of fun in soft snow. Very dramatic tip and tail rocker. Ideally suited for someone who spends most, or all, of their time in deep, fresh, and soft snow." This does seem more like a specific tool in the toolbox, and it does quite well in those circumstances in which it's intended.

Also on the 189, Marcus Shakun noted it was a perfect length for him. Another tall skier like Bob, Marcus would likely feel that the 180 was too stubby. He scored the ski 5's out of 5 for flotation, stability, and overall impression as well, with 4's for quickness, maneuverability, playfulness, and forgiveness. "Even though there's some weight to the ski, it still flexes appropriately, especially for the application of skiing very deep snow. We actually got out on these in Utah for a Dynastar test last year, so I got to ski them in some pretty good snow, and they were (and still are) some of my favorite powder skis I've ever been on. There's not a whole lot of hype for these, but there probably should be, especially in the freeride and deep snow world." They're kind of unassuming looking, so we can see why there's a lack of hype, but the reality is that the skis have all you need for flotation and fun in the deepest of snows and on the biggest of mountains.

If you're looking for that wide and playful freeride ski to round out your quiver, look no further than the Dynastar M-Free 118. The shape, combined with the rocker profile and build, makes for an amazing feeling through the snow. While on the heavy side, that heft equates to stability, so skiers who are looking to charge pretty hard and get the most out of that 24-meter turn radius in the 189 will have a lot to enjoy about the M-Free 118.