Note
I co-wrote this review with Dr. Mike Masiowski, who some years ago at Taos earned the nickname, “Super Mike” for his balls-to-the-wall approach to the mountain. I don’t know whether Mike is better described as a bulldog or a bowling ball, but at around 5’9″, ~200 lbs, he’s a bit of both. He’s also a great guy and a strong skier who likes big skis and 150-flex boots. In short, Mike is a pretty ideal reviewer for this ski, so he and I have both been putting time on it, and are in deep agreement about the Pro Rider. So here is our take.
The Review
As Jonathan noted in his First Look, the 192 cm Pro Rider is a big ski, but not necessarily in the ways we have become accustomed to. It’s not that fat underfoot – only 105 mm. And its tips and tails aren’t that fat, either. It’s also not the longest ski out there — a number of companies still offer skis in lengths of 196 cm, or even 200+ cm (Faction, Folsom, Moment, etc.). The Pro Rider also is not that stiff, or as stiff as it looks.
But it is big due to factors we don’t always mention these days, which in a way makes the Pro Rider a throwback. First of all, this is a heavy ski, not just heavy, but the heaviest ski we have ever reviewed. And that weight adds a level of stability and suspension that very few skis can match.
Yep, this is a damp ski, the dampest ski that I (Mike) have skied since the original Legend Pro (~2005?) and the Stockli Scot Schmidt Pro from 2002/03, and Jonathan claims that the 184 cm Head Monster 108 is similar in terms of damping. What do all these skis have in common? Race-stock construction: lots of wood, metal, vertical side walls, stiff traditional tails.
Another factor that sets the new Pro Rider apart from most contemporary skis is it’s shape. The Pro Rider is not about fun and easy – it’s about stability, confidence, and precision. There is no variable or asymmetric anything. Its shape and rocker profile produce a significant amount of effective edge – and (in addition to the weight) is why the ski feels so big. As Jonathan noted in his First Look, the ski is marked with 27 meter sidecut radius, but on snow, it feels to us more like a 35-40 meter radius.
Groomers
We haven’t had snow in a few weeks, and more and more, I find myself reaching for the Pro Rider; the ski just loves to go fast. On groomers and hard snow it holds with tenacity and precision at any speed. Yes, the Pro Rider prefers big, long arcing turns with not much variety of shape, but with some work, you can get it to swing some shorter turns. Just don’t expect to be easily hopping short fast turns, that’s not going to happen.
While most of today’s skis will at some point experience some chatter or tip flap when the speeds get high enough, that’s not true of the Pro Rider. This ski is confident at any speed – at well over 60 MPH, the skis never lost their composure, and they almost begs you to get in a tuck and let them run. This is where all the dampness and weight give the ski a confidence at speed that I have not experienced in a long time. If you have ever had the chance to ski a 212 cm all-out Super G ski – like the Elan Comprex X – that is the kind of stability the Pro Rider delivers. If you asked me to ski a downhill course for time, the Pro Rider would not just be my first choice, but my only choice. In short, if you like to go fast, you can’t have more fun with a 105mm underfoot ski on groomers.
Steeps
Jonathan and I have now skied the Pro Rider on the steeps of Taos for about 10 days. I have experienced variable steeps – firm, chalky, cut-up snow, and some softer chop. And this is where the Pro Rider revealed what it was designed for: think 2000 vert no-fall zones in Chamonix or Verbier. The Pro Rider carves on, through, and over everything in its path, and especially on steep, windscoured lines — or on faces that transition from ice to chalk to death cookies to pow stashes, it’s hard to think of too many other skis that will handle and smooth out these transitions (at speed) as well as the Pro Rider does.
And one thing that surprised us a bit is that it is quicker than expected based on its groomer performance. Big, firm moguls on Kachina Peak required a lot of input, but that work also came with a stability and suspension that made it far more enjoyable and less jarring to ski the Pro Rider than much lighter (and more “fun”) skis like the 184 cm Black Crows Atris and 186 cm Faction Candide 3.0 that we had out in the same terrain and conditions.
Again, it is important to stress that the even flex pattern and tenacious grip of the Pro Rider result in a predictable and precise tool. But it does require a lot of input, especially in tight spaces at low speeds. If you aren’t physically strong enough to work this ski, it may work you.
Having said that, we found the Pro Rider to be very accepting of a centered stance – you don’t have to hammer its shovels or tails to appreciate its power. And if you ski at a place that has lots of vert and the room to let your skis run, you may come to really love that power.
Bumps
Unsurprisingly, in large, tight bumps, this ski’s length and weight makes them less maneuverable and not that much fun. But if you only ski in this type terrain on your way to get to steeps and pow, then the Pro Rider is serviceable, and on smaller, softer bumps, you can zipperline these skis (it’s still work), or just straight-up steam roll the bumps.
Jonathan and I skied the Pro Rider in some fairly narrow chutes (the K Chutes) off Kachina Peak, and down some moguled-up terrain in Hunzinger Bowl. And while this is definitely a big ski to swing around, it wasn’t a problem. The Pro Rider’s forte is, without question, bigger, more open lines, but if you’re comfortable on a bigger, longer skis, then this one shouldn’t feel absurd when encountering some tighter spaces.
Powder / Soft Snow
We haven’t yet had the Pro Rider in deep snow, but in 3-4 inches of fresh and cut-up snow, the ski was great. In the cut-up stuff, the Pro Rider’s smooth flex pattern, lack of sidecut, and not-so-stiff tip made it easy to rip through the chop with ease and joy. And my feeling is that the Pro Rider will be really good (if not great) in deep snow. Back in the day before fat, rockered skis, we would look for long skis with a smooth flex pattern to use in deep snow. And the Pro Rider fits what I would have looked for back then. Also, its overall length adds to the surface area you are riding on, so while this wouldn’t be the first ski I would grab for my annual trip to Alaska, I do think it would hold its own.
Thoughts on Length + Mount Point + Final Impressions
The more I ski the Pro Rider, the more I like it. It delivers speed and power with a “smoothness” that is rare. Kudos to the design team at Dynastar for re-introducing a confidence-inspiring, stable ski with no speed limit. The Pro Rider is indeed a throwback to a time when skill, precision, and strength were rewarded — and mistakes were punished.
At 192 cm, the Pro Rider is probably too much ski for most people to be their everyday ski at most ski areas. And at places like Taos or Telluride where firm moguls often are found on a number of the steep lines, Jonathan and I both felt that a ~185 cm Pro Rider would be a better fit, and would run to get a pair before they sold out.
Take massive amounts of moguls out of the equation, however, and we’d both happily stick with the 192’s.
Jonathan and I set the 192s at +1 of the line, and felt comfortable on that mark, never feeling like we had given up any stability, or feeling like we were “off” on the ski. So while you might wish to simply stick to the recommended line, we can vouch that +1 works quite well.
Bottom Line
The Dynastar Pro Rider is a gorgeous ski that delivers big on it was designed to do: rip steeps and variable snow without blinking. And it stays composed at speeds that most skis wouldn’t dare to approach. If you are willing and able to provide the input it requires, you are rewarded with a ride that’s powerful, precise, confidence-inspiring, stable, and smooth.
P.S.
We’re currently A/B-ing the Pro Rider against the 189 cm Kastle BMX 105, and our BMX 105 review will be dropping soon.
NEXT: Rocker Profile Pics of the 192 cm Pro Rider
Jonathan, the test of old chargers vs. new chargers is one big fanastic idea! I love it and can´t wait to read it. I will become a member just for that! :-)
…and yes, I still ride my XXL and my Girish (both in193)
Mmmmm, Girish….
I know this is from years ago. But do you still ride your XXL’s? I still have 2 pairs. Both with more days than any ski should have before retired. But I keep them as the bench mark ski. Every new ski, each new attempt at something revolutionary I ski it. Spend 2 weeks on it. Then step back into the old 194 xxl’s. Put the hammer down and compare. None. Not one has yet to step up in varied or chopped up condition. If you have found one let me know! I owned 8 pairs of the the xxl’s. It was a love affair that lasted years beyond their production. To this date I’m left with a slight empty feeling on every new ski I get. I love the 196 blizzard bodacious in the deep snow now that I moved the mount point back a bit. But they don’t compare in the chop or varied conditions and certainly not the bumps. I ski the Blizzard cochise as well. But still no comparison to the XXL’s. Anyway. Just read this 5 years after you wrote it and wondered if anyone else still skis the XXL’s?
I’d add:
New School:
Fischer Watea 106
190cm Cham 107 (190 is a totally differnet ski than the 184s)
ON3P Wrenegade
Old school:
Movement Goliath
The 190 Watea 106 would definitely to belong (only thing is that it’s actually quite a bit lighter than some of these other skis). And original Wrenegade, I’d bet yes. The current Wrenegade is a really nice ski — and caveat: we’ve only skied it in a 184 — but I’m not sure that even the 189 would end up in the top 5 of current ‘burliest’.
The 190 Cham 107 (1st gen) is easily the stiffest flexing ski I’ve ever felt. It’s really burly. Way better ski than the Cham 107 184 if you want a charger.
Another new school charger is the Icelantic Seeker. Really stiff, flat tail, straight shape, ton of camber with a little tip rocker. I owned a pair of the 190s for a while but they are way too burly to be fun on anything but the most open slopes. Basically felt like skiing on a 2×6 most of the time, only really wake up about 40-50 mph.
old school: Nordica W105.
– Cochise for sure. It was one of the Blister’s favorites until 2015/16. Once the carbon was introduced, you suddenly stopped talking about it.
– Kastle BMX 105 HP. I like that Kastle is getting some attention on Blister.
————————–
– Moment M1. The ski was introduced last year with a great fanfare on Blister. Even though I was seriously considering it due to lack of any additional information/review, I lost the interest.
– I am not sure if Moment Belafonte (old or new) could make the top 5. Looking at the list, it’s not easy to beat any of the skis there.
Had the original Katana, but one of the skis fell out of a cliff in Engelberg. Never found again. Tried the Renegade – hooky, unstable and in general not good at all IMO. Have just bought a pair of the carbon Cochise, and really hope they will be more similar to the Katana.
191 Head Monster 108, and the 190 Icelantic Seeker.
The carbon katana skis similar to the metal one. I have both.
If you’ve seen how the long tips work on the Katana 197 you wouldn’t be surprised about Dynastars comment about deep pow ;)
Do you have in mind the fully rockered Katana?
I’m not sure I can afford to hang around Blister Gear Review much longer………..
If only these made the trip south with you we would have our answers though this ski certainly radiates “what you see is what you get” in the photo’s. &%*# Yes to the graphics! By far the most exciting ski on deck at Blister. Get yourself some Muscle Milk and report back ASAP Jonathan. Please.
Gonna need some snow!
The 184 105 PR is one of my fav all time skis. It works in just about any condition, and does so many things well.
The 192 is a different animal.
For best results, stay in open, steep terrain, and bring your balls…
Ha. I laughed out loud. And open, steep terrain on these sounds really fun…
I think Dynastar missed a big opportunity by not rerealeasing the 184 or resizing 105 like they did the Cham 2.0 – 183 and 188 length would probably sell better than the 192.
I’m not so sure about the “big opportunity” part. Big is relative, of course, and shorter skis outsell longer skis. But I would assume that Dynastar quite likes their lineup of current skis, so bringing the Pro Rider back was never about trying to move as many units as possible or competing with their other all-mountain skis. We keep talking about the value and rationale of limited-quantity runs of bigger, heavier, more demanding skis, and I think that’s precisely what Dynastar is up to. Would I be mad if they brought back the 184? Not at all. Do I think they’d move enough 184 Pro Riders for them to think of this not as a branding play but as a straight sales play? I wouldn’t bet on that.
I have skied the 192 Pro Rider for the last 4 years, and it is my favourite ski ever. I always fall back to it as my do-anything daily driver no matter what the conditions are. They even float surprisingly well, because of the soft-ish flex.
The closest ski I have found is the old Stöckli Stormrider DP+ (101 waist) in 186cm length. I have that one too.
The last generation of the metal Katana in 191cm should be close on paper, but they feel much more planky and unforgiving. Loads more work when crud-busting. A bit better in the powder with the wider waist and fullrocker. I have skied them for the last 2 years as my powder ski.
In your test I would include the new Stöckli Sormrider 115 (195cm), Black Crows Corvus (193), Blizzard Cochise(192cm) and Kästle BMX105 HP (189cm).
Good thoughts, feedback, and comparisons. Thanks!
I’m curious to see where my old 190 Katana ends up in this lineup as well. It’s definitely a bit softer and shorter than the 191, but it may actually have better suspension as a result?
Finally, I have been waiting forever for someone to mention the Stockli DP pro +. I’m not kidding, I owned the 176 (it finally broke a couple years ago) and I think that ski is burliest I’ve ever used- I suppose I was lighter back then. . I own 196 Renegades, 192 Atlas, 186 Variant 113 (for chargers). this year I picked up a full camber Parlor 186 stiffest Cardinal 100 that they had as a return in their shop. It’s 2007 again! The skis rip. Anyone else got experience with the Stockli DP pro + and can chime in??
I am all in on Blisters High Horsepower Shootout! This ski kept me awake last night. No, I don’t need this ski for every day but I want it for Those days. The “I’ll have the steak and eggs for breakfast” days. This thing screams get your ass up there. Backcountry show 1pr. in stock, hope these are not hard to come by in the coming weeks.
The Stockli Stormrider 115 is an interesting suggestion. I’ve definitely been impressed by some of the older Stockli’s I’ve been on.
I may also throw my 190cm Down Showdown 115M into the mix (though it doesn’t really exist anymore).
Hey Brian- did you ever try the Stockli DP pro or pro+? If so care to comment how they fit in chargerville?
Or any older stockli, I’ve tried most of them. Thanks!
Also looking forward to the comparison as someone who likes damp skis and still uses an original 186cm 97mm Legend Pro for most non-pow days, but I’m on the smaller side at 5’9″ 160 so have to infer for more midget sizes.
I can compare a ’13 green Stockli Stormrider 95 (rode most of last season) to the original 186cm Legend Pro 97mm underfoot (still use, have had a few pair) and 187cm XXL(owned for a year, don’t currently have). The stockli has a wee bit of tip rocker which makes it way more versatile in terms of turn shape, crud, deeper snow. It is also super smooth / damp. Really nice ski. It doesn’t have nearly the same top end as either LP which basically keep saying “Come on wuss, is that as fast as your going to go???”. The stockli doesn’t feel nearly as confidence inspiring at super high speeds and this is before they have supposedly softened the last few years of the 95mm ski. Oh yeah, the more recent 184cm +/-100mm LP was a noodle comparatively. Sold that quickly and haven’t been on a recent Dynastar since which makes me sad. Love to see the resurrection of a true Legend Pro (just wish they had some smaller sizes…)
Looking forward to trying my new Monster 98’s this year which feel quite substantial. Hoping they are somewhere between the two or I will keep rolling with my 97mm LP’s.
Great comments, Doug, thanks. And I can assure you, there is nothing noodle-like about the Monster 98. Closest analogy is that it’s a better-carving 13/14 (cambered) Volkl Mantra. Feels more like a fat race ski than that Mantra did.
Pray for my wallet Jonathan, I pulled the trigger on a set of 191 Head Monster 108s (I could only find one pair in america!), and some custom 191 On3p Wrenegede 113s! The 191 monsters are almost 2800 grams per ski LOL, I cant wait to see what they’ve got. The wrenegades are much lighter (2400g/ski), they lack metal, are slightly softer in the tip but just as burly through the tail, and I bet they will be better for powder or chop. These wrenegades here only have about 1mm of camber each, and are a little bit more refined than the 2014 wrens you reviewed a while back. This is what On3ps FWT athletes are skiing on when theyre not on the Billy Goat.. I believe.
Look forward to the charger comparison! I will probably buy a membership soon because of how many more charger skis you’re reviewing nowadays. Let me know if you ever in Tahoe, Jackson, Or SLC and want to take some laps on these planks, to compare to the Pro Rider.
Good news, that Pro Rider is coming back. But 192… I’m not sure, that it will be enough.
I spent full summer in trying to replace my old, 198, full rockered Katana – there are not a lot of life on it, too much rocks and a bit more rocker on one.. but it’s no one similar skis on the market. I have think about Shiro 203 – but volkl don’t make shiro in this season..
Maybe, someone could recommend ski for me?? I want to have long, stiff big-mountain charger))
I would also throw the BD Zealot 192 in the mix of skies which are no longer made. I am talking about the 11/12 and forward model which introduced some “present” features and not about the older brown and green model. On hardpack, tracked out and not so deep pow I love that ski. They just seems to be unable to handle crust very well as they tend to hock on the taper part of the shovel.
I mounted them with Vipecs nowadays and have even done 2000m vertical days which them as I like them so much on the down.
Salomon Qlab ought to be in your powerhouse ski past and present shootout, though it’s very present, as of this season it’s the past : (
I had the 192 with the very subtle Aurélien Ducroz graphics on them… Utter weapons of skis they make pretty much any terrain their bitch. The one part I never quite got on with was the hinge point on the tip, given how stout the tail was. But still it was always funny to arc past my pals on their race stock stuff with these just steam rollering the slopes into nothing. You also need a dam powerful boot to drive these things.
I think a good old vs new comparison (from the same brand) would be the Pro Rider and the current Cham 107 2.0 in a 189. I have skied both, much different skis as far as shape, turn radius, and float. The 107 2.0 189 is quite stiff and burly, but the shape makes it pretty playful. The pro rider goes straight and doesn’t exacly float or dump speed very well. One thing I have always liked about Dynastar is how much camber they put in their skis..the faster you go, the smoother they get. Just ski them like gs race skis (high edge angles) and they are at the top of the class as far as stability.
If you can find some, I’d like to see how the old Stormrider Pro 105 compares.
As a new 194 Moment Belafonte owner, I would love to read a comparison of the 192 Pro Rider to that ski!
Why not the 4frnt devastator among the present ones? Imho is the only modern burly charger that differentiate himself with its full rocker from all the rest…
Well? how do they ski??
There is almost no info on the interwebs. You should at least do a quick update.
What about the camber? Seems like a lot more than the XXL, the cadillac damp crud crusher. Among other things, I did not like the Chamonix combination of stiffness and camber. Just demo’d the QLab which might be a great ski if it were flat. Lots of camber bounce when trying to flatten crud piles.
Well, how is the test going? Really waiting for some news ;-))
The first review drops this week…
Enforcer Pro 115 doesn’t (quite) make the cut?
I find myself in a quandary. I’m old enough, and my knees suck badly enough, that I’ve had to slow down a bit, but in terms of how I like a ski to feel, I at least kind of hate the feel of most of the new shapes, especially excessive tail rocker.
So a ski like this Dynastar, “neutered” a bit in terms of stiffness, is what I’m looking for next season.
Tom – it remains to be seen, but I really don’t think the Enforcer Pro 115 will be nearly as much ski as the Pro Rider. But I also think that the width and sidecut differences between the skis will make them feel pretty different on snow, too.
But if you’re willing to bump up in width to ~115, but want something with a fairly similar profile as the Pro Rider, read my review of the 186 cm Moment Governor. Could be a very good match for what you say you’re looking for.
Thanks, will do!
Having owned the 184 and 192 PR 105s and the 196 Governor, there is no comparison in terms of “chargerness”. The Governor is really easy to ski given the amount of tip taper. This ski is my daily driver for anything remotely soft, and I would not hesitate to take it into the tightest of steeps. It pivots on a dime. It also has very soft tips.
The 192 PR 105 is old school to the core, especially in terms of shape. Yes, the flex isn’t that stiff, but it doesn’t have to be due to the length and shape of this ski. This ski has one of the longest running lengths of any current ski. It takes much more work to ski than the 196 Govy. As much as I miss my 184 PRs, the Govy is a much more fun and versatile ski.
And given everything Tom has said he’s looking for – and everything you have just written – I still believe that the Governor — the 186 Governor, to be clear — would be a good match for him.
I’m so excited about this review. If only I hadn’t moved back east in the interim! So glad that they’re still making skis like this…when the they stopped it before I was sad…when the old Katana was stopped, I was sad, when the Influence 105 and Mothership were dropped…really sad! Long live flat tailed metal lam skis!
Really like the old vs new charger shootout idea. Given al the recommendations here though, may I suggest you keep it focussed on the more well known skis? E.g cochise, katana, pro rider, corvus, kastle 108/105 etc.
This review is awesome. Thanks! Another ski that has no speed limit is the 194cm Kastle MX 98. Stepped up to them from the 187 carbon tip Bonafide and love the Kastles in big open spaces, still learning to drive them in bumps. Had I read this review first, I may have kept the Bonafides and gotten the Pro Riders!
Why isn’t the 194 4frnt devastator on the current list? It is almost as heavy as the pro riders and considered one of the best crud skis out there. I believe it is considered more ski than the cochise.
Stoked to hear more about the BMX 105
First off, I fricking love the idea of the old school vs new school beefy charger comparison. I really hope you follow it up with old school vs new school more playful soft snow ski comparison (EHP/Shiro/Gunsmoke/Hell Bent/etc vs Catamaran/Kartel 116/Bibby/etc)
For the old school charger list, why not consider:
1) Line Mothership 195 cm
2) Salomon El Dictator 194 cm
3) Volkl Explosiv 190 cm
4) Blizzard Bodacious 196 cm
And for the new school chargers, why not consider:
1) 4FRNT Devastator 194 cm
2) Moment M1 192 cm
3) Down Showdown 115M 190 cm (per Lindahl)
I actually like your current list a lot, just food for thought. At 5’9″ and 150lbs, I wouldn’t ski any of those above skis in the above lengths, though I’ve done time on the 185ish versions of the metal Katana, Mothership, and Devastator.
Jonathan, The timing of your review is perfect. I was at Crystal Mountain Washington yesterday, Mostly sunny, smooth groomers and soft to set up variable off piste. Sorry for the long story, but there is a point. Thinking we were going to rip groomers all day I brought my Dynastar CR 78 Pros, when I got to my friends shop(World Cup Skier Service) Joe the owner tells me he’s demoing some Atomic Vantage 90 CTI’s and tells me we are skiing the whole mountain. Not wanting to go back home and delay getting to the Mountain early I say what can I ski, while he looking around I see the 2012 Legend Pro Rider 105(184) on the back wall, with demo bindings and a fresh tune, I say I’m taking these, Joe laughs, I don’t, I remembering skiing these 4 years ago and really liking them, so much I named the Ski the Honey Badger after the You Tube Video-The Crazy Nasty Ass Honey Badger by Randall. After ripping some groom on the 78’s we decide it’s time to go off piste, so I grab the 105’s and all I can say is I just felt like I skied your review of the new pro rider except in a 184. I had a blast and in some respects on groomers getting back to the chair I actually enjoyed the 105’s to my 78’s for nuking GS and Super G turns even much more than my 2013 Cochise. The 105 is a heavy beast, I’ll bet 2500 grams plus per ski, they just blast through anything but you have to be on them or as you said they will work you. I had a blast on them and it was fun to go back in time, these thing still rock today.
I look forward to the New vs. Old school reviews coming up. FYI, if your looking for Old School skis Joe has these 105’s, Legend Pro 115’s with demo bindings and New and never mounted 192 Legend Big Dump’s and a 192 Atomic Atlas.
As always I enjoy and appreciate the in depth reviews.
Great feedback, Matt. I literally got goosebumps reading your description of skiing the 105s. And yes, “these things still rock today.”
Jonathan,
LP105 has been my go to this season. i picked up a cheap pair of the 11/12 version mounted on the line. They are an amazing ski and the more time I spend on them, the more I come to appreciate them.
me: late 20s, 210lbs, 5′ 10″, ski pretty fast at mountains with maritime snowpack.
Couple things:
Bumps: I bet you would find them more fun in bumps mounted on the line – and if you detune them slightly. My pair will pivot and skid easily if I give them just a tiny extra umpf of shin pressure. The beauty of this ski is you are able to push them as hard as you want and they never fold or chatter.
Powder: call me crazy, but I have skied these in up to knee deep medium-density snow. Are they a powder slasher? No. But I find them to be very predictable and fun in powder. You just have to keep them pointed toward the fall line. Where they do excel is a normal “resort powder” conditions, where maybe the first few runs are deep and then after that it’s a mix of crud or soft pockets. The dampness of the ski really smooths out the transitions between chop piles. They don’t float but you don’t get much tip dive either, if that makes sense. The ski gets on plane with a little speed and just stays there. You don’t feel like the tip is constantly hunting between surface and bottom like many of the newer charger skis with more rocker do.
Low-Angle Trees: to me this is the big weakness of this ski – they are very difficult to manage in soft low-angle snow that is also very tight. You can’t get the ski to plane or bend and you really feel the full length. While this might not seem like a big deal, at most of the mountains here the terrain after an open bowl or chute can sometimes get a bit bushwackey. Firm, low-angle, tight is fine. But soft tends to really hang things up.
Windbuff: This ski kills it in windbuffed snow. Yesterday I had a blast skiing the Southern Cross chairline at Stevens Pass – it starts as an open low angle pitch and mid-run transitions to a steep open double fall-line (with a small ridge down the center). The upper pitch was crud bumps, which this ski is unflapped by (just plow through, popping off of the larger bumps, skimming the smaller ones). The lower pitch was perfectly smooth windbuff with a few patches of crud and white ice. I was able to ski full throttle, making huge turns down the fall line and popping off the ridge which would allow me to unweight the ski and land in my next turn. Regardless of the slope conditions the ski kept going. These are exactly the conditions that this ski is designed for – if you watch the FWT it seems to be the bulk of what gets skied.
Ice: we have had some serious freezing rain in the PNW and there have been points where legit blue ice has formed in spots. Due to the dampness and edgehold on this ski, I was able to ski some conditions that those on more modern skis were really struggling with. The traditional shape and long sidecut is extremely predictable and never once did I feel like I couldn’t trust the ski.
Sadly, word on the street is that Dynastar will not be doing another run of this ski next year. I am so in love with this ski I would really like to snag another pair but I can’t find any for sale. However – according to a friend who used to ski on the Lp105 – the Wailer 105 Hybrid T2 is a very similar feel. Comparing his skis to mine they appear very similar in shape, etc. It would be great for you you guys to do a comparison review on the two skis.
Back in October I would put in an extra interval or two when cycling into shape for the upcoming season thinking about skiing these. Fast forward to today and not yet 5weeks removed from back surgery, it would take me four trips just to carry these across the room, one for each unmounted ski and one for each Pivot 18. Matters not, I still want em!
Recovery will happen…
Hey Big K, all the best wishes for your recovery. Your post got me off the couch and made me work out for my Legend XXL. Thanks for the motivation!
Q: What happend the Blister’s Big Mountain Shootout — Old vs New?
I heard the Blister team’s ACLs got scared.
Well, it truly does look like a scary set-up of skies to test…
Ha, our ACL’s aren’t scared, it’s truly just been logistical difficulties — conditions, location, and reviewers’ schedules.
But I’m still very much hoping that May / June conditions will continue to cooperate, we can get a number of other reviews crossed off our list, and we can get this done. Basically, I’m dying to get back on the 191 metal Katana in particular….
2017 192 Pro Rider Factory
Hi just brought a pair and love them!! wow what an awesome ski! smooth, fast and powerful able to tackle any line with confidence!
Where did you find them? Thanks
Ordered a pair from dynastar distributor in New Zealand!
Live test. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAxpY1ha-To
This ski got 6 wins and 6 podiums on Xtreme Verbier over the years.
I own a pair, best hard charging ski on the market if you can get a pair! Not for the faint hearted but truely rewarding in all snow conditions at you expect when skiing out of area big mountain skiing.. nothing I have skied really compares to these that give you the complete confidence to go hard.. I am sure all the loyal dynastar patrollers at snowbird have a pair stashed for those big mountain days! Or they have a pai of the new 115’s! Thanks Dynastar you make a skiers ski!
Jonathan?
sorry for asking – will we get this old vs. new test as a Christmas gift, or as a new years surprise or just one some time later this season… :-)
…Just got my old Katana, Girish and Legend XXL ready for the season…
Jonathan,
Love your review re: the Dynastar Pro Rider. Considering it’s discontinued (and too big at 190cm for my 5’6 140lb frame). What’s on the market currently and comes close to having the beautiful outline /rocker / weight of that original Dynastar Pro Rider?
Thnx – M
So Basically, are there any companies currently making a ski that is extremely similar (in all aspects) to the Dynastar Pro Rider?
(and is still on the market and possibly comes in 170 lengths)
Just spent the last four days on Pro Riders and Head Monster 98s. Life is good on these skis.
Another 4 days on the Pro riders at Craigieburn, and my appreciation of them has only grown.
I read the above review again, and I can totally vouch for their performance on steep, variable snow. Incredible stability and hold. What really keeps surprising me is how well they perform in steep, variable, TIGHT chutes. Just get your speed up and trust the skis, because they will not let you down. And throwing them sideways to control speed is easy – if you’re going fast, that is.
Had them out in heavy’ish, non-perfect powder too, and they went really well. Not as good as my Praxis Protests, but they did eat up vert at a (wonderfully) alarming rate.
Hey Jonathan, curious about that big mountain shoot out, will it ever happen? I think a lot of people would be interested….. I sure as hell am!
Tempted to say Best Ski Ever, but I’ve just had the most insane day of shallow powder in the Pro Riders.
Holy heck, they are missiles!
Public service announcement: Dynastar has built another limited batch of 192 cm Pro Riders, that appear to currently be available only from EU distributors. The ski has been renamed the “Legend Pro Rider F-Team”, and if you search for that you’ll find both Dynastar’s product page and the retailers that have them. There appear to be at least a few pairs still available as of 1/9/20.
All of the specs are identical to the 2016 Pro Rider, though the graphics are changed to match the current PRO-TO. And Jonathan Ellsworth confirmed for me today that it’s the exact same ski as the ’16 PR. Mine arrive tomorrow.
Just a subtle reminder that I, and I am sure many others, would love to read this old vs new charger comparison!
At the rate the ski industry is going the “old vs new charger” comparison will soon be coming to a deep dive near you. The Pro Rider is officially back for 20-21 (as the “M-Pro 105”) and a bunch of other makers seem to be headed in the direction of heavier and less rockered/tapered chargers. What was old is now new again.
I’m just jonesing for Head to bring on a “Monster 2.0″…
Head needs to bring back the Monster 108. Best ski ever. I had both 184cm and 191cm. I just got some Pro Riders for this year, and they look great too. The new Rossi Squad looks rad too.
Sometimes, I think I can’t love anything but the Bodacious 196. But I think I could love me some Pro Riders, too.
Just came back to this Thread. 4 years since the old vs new chargers announcement. The „new“ chargers are old by now :-)
Anyway, I would have loved it. Must be difficult to get it all together.
Just about to invest in a backup pair.
Has anything emerged in the last 4 four years to knock these off the podium, or even threaten to?
For those looking for a new sibling to your XXL/LP105/Monster/W105 T2/Etc etc.
Please check out and support the Heritage Lab line, for this case the R99 or R120: https://heritagelabskis.com/products/r99
Marshal is rebuilding the titans of freeride.
Snowbird had dynastar demo days April 9th & 10th. The narrow skis were fine but the best skis in my book were the 105 M-pro Pro Riders at 192 cm. They were solid on really hard frozen corn snow that gets groomed every night on Regulator where the end of the run is at 50-60 MPH based on a tracker. On the flip side the skis were very accessible skiing softening bumps later in the day. You could point them down a seam and stay relaxed the entire time making for good stamina while moving at a very decent clip not missing a turn. Never did the skis feel heavy or need to be manhandled to get them to work or to get out of brewing trouble. Reviews here on the website are almost universally of shorter skis. Must be a sign of the times that technical skiing is now reserved only for competitors.
Yup. I still ski my 192 Pro Riders (with “Legend F-Team Pro Rider” topsheets from 19-20, right before they formally relaunched them as the M-pro 105) and I don’t see anything that can replace them. For me they share my skiing affections with the 189 Fischer Ranger 107 Ti, which is a stiffer, turnier, and more modern but also discontinued ski that charges at least as hard. I choose between them cased on conditions and how I want to ski.
Anyway, hopefully somebody will bring more skis like these back to the market again. It’s a legit niche that needs filling IMO.