Skip to content

Cookies 🍪

This site uses cookies that need consent.

Learn more

Zur Powderguide-Startseite Zur Powderguide-Startseite
gear reviews

Ski Short Test | Dynastar Cham 97

Serious all-round ski in my ski family

by Steffen Kruse 01/12/2015
I chose the ski because I needed a successor to my old "all-round weapon" and the bigturns/small turns area is already very well covered by my ski family (see picture). So much in advance, the ski is just as much a "bullet" as its siblings are and absolutely fulfills my expectations.

The Cham 97 is available in lengths of 166, 172, 178 and 184 (my length) cm. For my taste (I'm 186 cm, 83 kg and a friend of a faster riding style) there could definitely be a few more centimeters in length. But in the steep couloirs around Chamonix you probably won't need them ... Larger models (190 cm) are available in the Cham 107 and Cham 117 brothers. Perhaps this is just a feeling of habit that will wear off after more intensive use of the skis. According to the manufacturer, the radius is 15 meters for all lengths. As the weight of the ski (2.3 kg per ski) is of secondary importance to me and the downhill performance is what counts most, I opted for the "more stable" version. For all touring freaks, there is a much lighter high-mountain version (1.8 kg/ski).

I first made friends with the ski on the piste (grippy), where it impressed me with its amazing precision and maneuverability. Only the "fluttering" nose took a little getting used to, but this is difficult to change with a rocker tip. The ski is therefore suitable for more than just crossing the piste from one powder spot to the next.

But now to the actual field of action of the Cham 97: In powder, the rocker tip provides plenty of lift, which is additionally supported by the pintail. The sand-width construction (wood core, fiberglass, titanal coatings) makes the ski extremely stable, both in rough terrain and on bigturns.

gear reviews
presented by

Conclusion

While the "older" freeride collection from Dynastar was more popular with a smaller group of users, the Cham 97 is a really easy-going yet serious freeride ski. It's not for high-speed turns and big dumps (that's where I fall back on its stubborn, older and wider brother), but it's an interesting choice for anyone looking for an all-round ski. Thanks to its wide range of uses, it covers almost all needs.

Advantages & disadvantages

+ All-rounder, wide range of uses
+ Robust construction
+ Super float in powder
- Could be offered a few centimetres larger

Details

  • Test version: Dynastar Cham 97 in 184 cm

  • Lengths: 166, 172, 178, 184 cm

  • Dimension: 133-97-113

  • Radius: 15 meters

  • Weight: 2.3 kg per ski

  • RRP: 579.99 EUR

Here's the Dynastar website with additional information.

Photo gallery

This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

Show original (German)

Related articles

Comments

gear reviews
presented by