Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti Review
Our Verdict
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This Product
Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti | |||||
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Awards | Best Overall Men's All-Mountain Ski | Our Favorite Carving Ski | Best Bang for Your Buck | ||
Price | $699.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $679.99 at Amazon Compare at 4 sellers | $750 List | $409.96 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $549.95 at Evo Compare at 4 sellers |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | An eco-friendly, but slow-flexing core limits the performance of this otherwise versatile ski | This legendary ski will help you overcome any challenge the mountain puts in front of you | A versatile design makes for a well-accomplished all-mountain ski that excels in the art of the carve | Strong, athletic skiers will be able to dance down the mountain on this powerful ski | A solid blend of performance and value for the intermediate-to-advanced skier |
Rating Categories | Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti | Volkl M7 Mantra | Armada Declivity 92 Ti | Atomic Maverick 95 Ti | Salomon QST 92 |
Stability at Speed (20%) | |||||
Carving Ability (20%) | |||||
Powder Performance (20%) | |||||
Crud Performance (20%) | |||||
Terrain Playfulness (20%) | |||||
Specs | Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti | Volkl M7 Mantra | Armada Declivity 92 Ti | Atomic Maverick 95 Ti | Salomon QST 92 |
Length Tested | 178 cm | 184 cm | 188 cm | 180 cm | 184 cm |
Waist Width | 94 mm | 96 mm | 92 mm | 95 mm | 92 mm |
Dimensions (Tip-Waist-Tail Width) | 128-94-118 mm | 139-96-121 mm | 133-92-119 mm | 129-94.5-113 mm | 129-92-117 mm |
Turn Radius | 17 m | 17.9 m (calculated) | 18 m | 19.3 m | 16 m |
Available Lengths | 154, 162, 170, 178, 186 cm | 163, 170, 177, 184, 191 cm | 164, 172, 180, 188 cm | 172, 180, 188 cm | 152, 160, 168, 176, 184 cm |
Camber Profile | Progressive Rocker | Tip/Tail Rocker | EST All Mtn Rocker | Tip/Tail Rocker | Tip/Tail Rocker |
Manufacturer Claimed Weight per Pair | 7.9 lbs | 9.6 lbs | 8.5 lbs | 7.9 lbs | 8.6 lbs |
Core Material | Poplar, Titanal | Multilayer Woodcore, Tiitanal, Carbon Fiber | Poplar, Elastomer, Titanal | Poplar, Titanal | Poplar, Carbon/Flax, Titanal |
Our Analysis and Test Results
There are a myriad of technologies that Dynastar crammed into the M-Pro 94 Ti. Hybridcore 2.0 is described as a modest but determined method to reduce the quantity of glued fiberglass within each ski – Dynastar is quick to mention and expand upon every way they are working to make their skis in an eco-friendly manner, and we applaud them in this effort. The impacts on this ski's performance, however, are unclear.
Performance Comparison
Stability at Speed
One of Dynastar's new, performance-focused technologies incorporated into the M-Pro 94 Ti is a Hybrid 2.0 Poplar Tri-Directional PU Core. The combination of poplar and polyurethane (PU) aims to provide better resistance in compression, promote dynamic reaction in flexion, and increase torsion control. Even with noticeable tip rattle due to the pronounced rocker profile, this ski absorbed vibrations well and remained compliant at high speed through a variety of turn shapes.
Carving Ability
The M-Pro 94 Ti moves decently from edge to edge and, thanks to its stable construction, feels fairly solid to carve. However, this ski is slow to flex, which makes it difficult to shape each turn fully. We would continue to run into issues with the flex of the M-Pro 94 Ti throughout our testing process. There is a noticeable delay between when the edges engage and when the ski actually starts to de-camber. This translates to more time in the fall line without much opportunity to check your speed between turns. Additionally, the full sidewall – behind the binding, in particular – tended to grab, which left many testers feeling unbalanced during turn transitions.
Powder Performance
Like many freeride-inspired skis, the M-Pro 94 Ti has a progressive rocker that is designed to help the creative and progressive skier with maneuverability. A combination of rocker in the tip and tails and camber underfoot has become fairly standard in the all-mountain category and certainly helps skis like the M-Pro 94 Ti – which is only 94 millimeters underfoot – perform better in deep snow than a fully cambered ski would traditionally. However, due to the overall slow flex of this ski and some nervous energy in the tips, it wasn't able to perform as well in powder as other similar skis we tested.
Crud Performance
Dynastar's Adaptativ Sidecut is intended to smooth out the difference in sidecut between the relatively narrow waist width and the wider geometry in the tip and tail, which they claim improves performance on hardpack and in powder. Even though the M-Pro 94 Ti adapts well to abrupt changes in terrain, again, the slow flex interferes with an otherwise smooth transition. This was particularly noticeable in crusty or slushy, though overall, the M-Pro 94 Ti handles less-than-desirable conditions gracefully.
Terrain Playfulness
The progressive rocker of the M-Pro 94 Ti – with a long profile in both its tip and tail rocker – definitely makes this a highly maneuverable ski both on the ground and in the air. However, it does tend to deal with terrain by absorbing impact rather than reflecting it in any sort of energetic way. Although we still experienced difficult exiting small radius turns in the same way we did while carving, the M-Pro 94 Ti is definitely a fun ski.
Should You Buy the Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti?
This ski is fine, but it's nothing special, especially when you put it up against more exciting all-mountain skis. We truly appreciate the environmental consciousness Dynastar brings to the construction of the M-Pro 94 Ti. We're just worried that it does so at the expense of performance. If they can dial in the hybrid core construction to breathe some rebound into the poplar-polyurethane core, this line could very well improve in the near future. If you choose to buy the M-Pro 94 Ti, our one piece of advice is to get this ski tuned before pushing it out on the hill – our test team was particularly unimpressed with its tune right out of the wrapper.
What Other Skis Should You Consider?
The Atomic Maverick 95 Ti is a longtime fan-favorite at a similar price point. The Maverick 95 Ti is just as lively as the M-Pro 94 Ti, yet improves upon every performance metric. For decisively better carving performance, the Armada Declivity 92 Ti is a fun all-mountain ski, both on- and off-piste. The Salomon QST 92 brings similar frontside performance to the table but is a bit friendlier to intermediate skiers.