Dynastar Legend Pro XXL Initial Impressions
So you must have seen those big orange rockets leaning up on the shop wall, dwarfing ALL other skis. Those would be Dynastar's latest offering, the Legend Pro XXL. Based on the Legend Pro, the XXL is....ummmm....bigger. 194cm. 109mm waist. 41m turning radius! Wood/metal sandwich construction. The biggest badest ski ever to come out of the Dynastar Race Room.
When I first saw these things, I was scared. I've skied 194 Pros and they kicked my ass (being the scronny midget I am). Stiff and heavy, they needed lots of power to be skied to full potential. Using my keen extrapolation skis, I figured the XXL would kick my ass even harder. None the less, I figured I'd give the XXLs a try.
So last week, during some epic high pressure weather, I dragged the boards over to the Timber chair and clicked in. "hmmmm.....they don't seem so heavy" was my first thought. The geeks at Dynastar came up with the great idea of carving out the middle of ski ski to save some weight, leaving the sides thicker to retain tortional stiffness. Hopping off the chair I took a quick right and poled over to the top of Big Bang. Conditions were chopped windblown powder, perfect snow to test the skis. I dropped in and was pleasantly suprised at how easy these skis ski! They feel as agile as 186s, and the extra girth gives a super smooth ride. XXLs require a slightly different style of skiing due to their huge turning radius. Where 186s can be carved, the XXLs must be pivoted into a slide (three cheers for old school!), a style of skiing similar to the Spatulas/Pontoons. It works. Of course one option is to say 'screw turning' and just go straight. So I slid my way across Curry Bowl and side stepped up to Laundry Chute for the season's inaugural figure-11. Although the chute looked perfect, the skied out crud below didn't look so appetizing. Keeping my buddy's mantra in mind ("Less thinking, more skiing") I pushed off down the chute. I didn't even notice the transition into the chopped crud, the skis turned this usually rowdy straightline into a green run! Even 186s would have kicked me around a bit, but the XXLs soaked up all the chop. It honestly felt like I was floating over the snow. Amazing!
'OK, so what can't these skis do?' I thought. Aha, I bet they can't negotiate tight trees. I rode back up the Timber/White Pass chairs and headed over to Suprise trees. On my way I made a detour up into the Knot Chutes, stopping above a modest rock band with a smooth wind-crusted landing. I pulled off my signature trick (the switch zero spin) and got kicked a little off balance. The skis touched down softly and skied out no problem, me in tow. I think LP stands for Landing Pads. The XXLs truely are landing pads, landing ANYTHING in ANY conditions feels like dropping into a pile of pillows.
I hit the Suprise traverse and refocused on my mission of pushing these skis through tight trees. I was greeted with some leftover pow stashes and pointed the XXLs downhill. They ate it up no problem. At no point was I scared for my life and didn't have any close calls with trees. Using the slide turn technique, the skis can be turned precisely on a dime. Wow! It had been a great day and I headed home for some beers.
We awoke the next morning to 25cm of fresh snow and headed up for first chair. The high winds shut down the Timber/White Pass chairs so everyone was crammed into the Bear/Boom triangle. Being the first 'pow' day of the season everyone was anxious to shred it up. 186 Pros are a little stiff for pow and submarining is a problem. Using my keen extrapolation skills once again I figured the XXLs would be even worse in the pow. Thankfully, the geniuses in the Chamonix Valley Headquarters softened the tip of the XXL (relative to the Pro) to prevent tip dive. Suprise, suprise, it works! We dropped into Boom Gully and the posse dispersed, everyone making huge arcs through the dense pow. Remembering 'No Friends On a Powder Day', loading the lift was first come, first served. After Boom Gully and Linda's were tracked out some of us ventured across Cedar Bowl onto Snake Ridge for more unbeleivable untracked pow. The XXLs continued to perform, leaving clean round arcs in the snow. Not once did I experience any tip dive. Arcing through the notoriously tight early-season alders was no problem for the XXLs, sliding in between the tight gaps with ease. After a few laps Patrol closed the traverse due to continuing snowfall and increasing avi danger, so the fun was over and the crowd thinned. I once again headed home for beers, knowing the boys on Patrol would work hard the next morning to open fresh terrain.
The next two days were a blur, arcing fresh pow, ripping chopped crud, hitting the odd spot of wind-buff, hucking, straightlining, hooting and hollering. Not once did the XXLs complain or whine, they are troopers! It was me that finally broke down, and after charging with the XXls for four full days in the early season my body shut down and I limped my way to the base with images of cold beer floating through my head. That last run down Curry was a killer. The skis took me for a ride, bouncing me around like a pinball. The XXLs were taunting me for one last straightline, one last huck, but I was smart enough to not give in. I knew that the skis were stronger than me, and one of us wouldn't survive one more run.
All in all I am super impressed with the ski-ability of the XXL. When I initially heard of the skis, I figured they were only for the Big Boys skiing in AK. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, this will probably be my go-to ski anytime the snow is soft. XXLs matched with Legend Early Tram NX21 bindings would even make a great touring setup if you've got the legs to hump them uphill.
I did not find one fault with the skis. Obviously they do have limitations, skiing hardpack bumps on the skis isn't fun and ripping through slalom gates isn't realistic. They are big skis and take some big legs to negotiate down the mountain. If you're tired step away from the skis, they will break you! In general, for strong skiers in average conditions, the XXLs can't be beat! Stay tuned for a longer-term XXL review, coming once my legs recover.
