2009 Dynastar Contact 4X4

Dynastar will be adding a new model to the Contact series & its a winner!

The current Contact Limited continues as the Contact 10 in 2009 (confusing, huh)! A new model will be positioned above it, this model will be known as the Contact 4X4.

I had a chance to ski this model today. It features vertical sidewall construction from tip-to-tail. The sidecut now has a wider waist and tail than the Limited model. The Dims are 122-75-106mm in a 178cm. It has a updated Fluid plate system.

The ski really rips. Conditions were soft-groomed, cut-up powder & deep powder at Snowbasin today. Like the Limited, the ski is highly versatile. It railed the groomers with smooth & reliable turn-in and strong edgegrip. The ski could charge through the very soft cut-up powder that was knee deep in most places. Very stable with good resistance to tip dive. The ski can also manage untracked powder. The narrow tail sinks providing excellent soft snow performance. It is possible to ski skinny skis in powder after all.

This will probably replace my Progressor as my all mountain carver.

Michael

How would you compare the new 4X4 to the Limited/11 in bump performance and overall skiability...read forgiveness? Is it a more demanding or stiffer ski overall?

Hi Allen,

In soft bumps the ski was excellent. Firmer bumps were not to be found, however I would guess that the 4X4 would be more demanding to use in firm bumps due to its wider and stiffer midsection and tail.

Michael

Thanks...For my purposes...having wider skis anyway...I will stick with the Limited/11 and save a fortune. FYI the only 2009 4X4 I have seen advertised was at $1500!

Like most of the higher end stuff, the 4x4 will be about $999 when it hits the racks next fall.

SJ

Given its performance in crud, powder and softer bumps...not to mention groomer performance...would it be fair to say that it could offer the soft snow and bump performance of a ski like the PE while at the same time providing better hard snow performance?

IMO............No.

Like most skis of this type this is first, a technical ski and secondarily, a versatile soft snow ski. There are many winners in this group but you have to compare apples to apples to apples. The C-4X4 may be better in soft snow/bumps than say a Volkl AC-30 or Fischer Cool Heat or......whatever. But it will not be able to compete with skis like the PE, Watea 84, Rossi B83, or myriads of other lighter and softer skis. In turn, those skis don't really compete on the more technical end of things.

It is particularly hard for a technical ski to compete with the short running surface of a twip in bumps. (assuming other factors to be equal)

If you want one ski, the best that you can do with this want list is to accept a compromise at one end of the spectrum or the other. Or....you accept a tweener like the Legend 8K that compromises somewhat at both ends.

SJ

Thanks for the very clear reply. I guess I will stick with my original plan PE plus Contact Limited...or PE plus Head Magnum.

Michael,

To bad you could not of skied it on Tuesday when things were a bit firmer. It ripped up the mountain. We had an engineer from a competing company say it was the best ski in the category (Wow!) SJ this belongs in your quiver.

coup

Has anyone skied both the 172cm & 178cm size?

Is the 172cm size beefy enough? Is the 178cm size overkill for anything less than the biggest & fastest skiers?

Michael

I skied the 4X4 early this week at Mammoth on firmish groomers and a mixed bag of rough, ungroomed chalk. Then later this week on very cold very firm, groomers at Kirkwood with a bumpish pitch near the bottom. I personally, felt no need for anything bigger than a 172.

SJ

The 178cm 4X4 felt more demanding than the 175cm Progressor by a big margin. I might go down to a 172cm. The 178cm 4X4 felt like a 183cm Monster 82 in deeper snow while railing on the groomers with rapid edge to edge responsiveness. The 172cm should be very versatile & quicker feeling.

Michael

Here is my take on Dynastar. Anytime you ski a Dynastar and it feels "skiable, but not very responsive, and had a big feel to it" the ski is to big. I run into this all the time, where someone will demo a ski and they come back unimpressed, usually it's length sometimes ego but usually length. I'm 200lbs spent the last three days at Whistler skied everything on the 178cm and it is the perfect size for me. generally I ski as fast as possible.

coup

I should add that when not on the 4X4 I was on the new 184 Legend Pro Rider, and I have to confess, that this was my first time on this ski, and it is a category killer! Maybe the best 100mm waisted ski in the class.

Can you provide any more info on the 184 LP? I have an opportunity to buy a pair at a good price and would like to know what you think of its versatility (hard/soft snow performance, short/long turns, bumps...). How does it compare with skis like the 07/08 186 LP, 184 Mantra, 186 Watea 94, or 183/190 Gotama?

Thanks!

Replacing the Progressor? :O

There are some good deals on this years Ltd. Is the 4x4 worth the extra $300?

PS the 4x4 can be seen at http://www.coloradoskioutlet.com/item4137.htm

That's a tough one. The Limited is easy, fun, fast & very versatile. It's not a ski that feels like a race ski, however. Too smooth feeling and the tail can be skidded a little too easily. This is either good or bad, depending on how and where you ski.

If you want to ski all conditions with a ski that's easy-to-use, stick with the Limited. The Limited can be used in moguls and at slower speeds without much effort or highly developed skills. The 4X4 will require greater skill and effort, especially in moguls.

If you want the kind if edge grip found in a race ski, consider the 4X4.

Michael

How would you compare the 4x4 to the Course 67?

Will the 4x4 be available only in the 2 lengths 172 & 178? I'm on a 165 contact ltd and it feels like the perfect length for me.

I would assume that a 165cm will be available.

Here is a link to Dynastar's promo video for the Contact 4X4

http://light.vpod.tv/?s=0.0.448710

If the 4X4 is more of a race ski than the Contact Ltd, it is interesting how they "compare" the 4X4 with the Course 67

Pix

and 3 more;

Boy those look sharp...

They would be an awesome addition to the quiver...

Too bad my skills are not up to those skis...

Maybe after another 15-20 day season I might think about it...

The Limited could be what you really want.

Michael

Good thing I already have a pair of the Ltd's...

I agree, for the performance the Ltd's have, they are very, very easy to ski...

Somewhere down the road, I will look at getting a more demanding ski, use that to push myself to the next level...

And just being an equipment junkie...

I'll be out in Colorado next winter, If we meet up you can try 'em.

Michael

That is very generous of you...

I will try to go to the demo days at Loveland in November...

Tried last year but got sidetracked...

Hopefully the Dynastar rep will have some 4X4's to try...

By your statement I am assuming you are heading to the southern hemisphere for there winter...Chile, New Zealand...?