Ski Reviews

2025-2026 Dynastar M-Free 112, 190 cm

Reviewer Username: Mark Danielson

Reviewer Height: 6’2″

Reviewer Weight: 205 lbs

Reviewer Experience Level: Expert

DAYS USED: 5 days

TEST LOCATIONS: Crested Butte

TEST CONDITIONS: Pretty firm snow | Softer, but not deep snow | Untracked powder (shallow) | Soft chop / pretty forgiving cut-up snow | Firm, off-piste chop or crud

PERFORMANCE RATINGS

(0 = Terrible, 5 = Okay, 10 = Outstanding)

OVERALL IMPRESSION: 8/10

FORGIVENESS: 8/10

MANEUVERABILITY (How Loose / Easy to Pivot & Smear?): 8/10

MANEUVERABILITY (How Quick / Low is the Swing Weight?): 3/10

STABILITY: 9/10

SUSPENSION: 9/10

EDGE HOLD: 8/10

PLAYFULNESS: 6/10

SKI LENGTH: It felt just right (190 cm length tested)

THIS SKI’S IDEAL TERRAIN: Low-angle, off-piste terrain | Fairly steep off-piste terrain | Very steep off-piste terrain

THIS SKI’S IDEAL SNOW CONDITIONS: Softer, but not deep snow | Soft chop / pretty forgiving cut-up snow | Firm, off-piste chop or crud

WHAT TYPE(S) OF SKIER DO YOU IMAGINE WILL GET ALONG BEST WITH THIS SKI?

Advanced and expert skiers who like to ski a heavier ski, and who especially enjoy skiing fast (where it shines more) in off-piste terrain, and who are willing to put in some muscle for heavier skis. And who get along with a more forward mount position on a ski with a significantly rockered tail. And who appreciate a smooth suspension in fast run-outs on rough snow.

ARE THERE SIMILAR PRODUCTS YOU’VE SKIED THAT YOU CLEARLY PREFER? IF SO, WHY?

I prefer the Rossignol Sender Free 110 191cm. Although I admit that the M-Free 112 190cm beats it in most categories, I’m penalizing the M-Free 112 A LOT for its worse impact shock when landing airs onto firmpack/hardpack. Although the M-Free 112 is smoother for actual skiing along the snow surface, there’s something about Dynastar’s Hybrid 2.0 core that transmits more impact shock underfoot on landings. As a big guy, neither of these skis is wide enough to be a deeper powder ski for me, so I would ski them on non-deep snow days. And in those conditions, that snow gets tracked up, and I would end up landing a lot of airs onto some firm landings, so the M-Free 112’s pretty bad performance for those firm landings is kind of a deal-breaker for me with my surgically repaired knees.

PLEASE ELABORATE ON ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THIS SKI. FEEL FREE TO GO INTO DETAIL!

This ski is in my Top 6 personal favorite skis for 24/25 (and I test a lot of skis). It performs similarly to the Rossignol Sender Free 110 191cm, but there are many significant differences. The #1 biggest difference to me is that the M-Free 112 190cm’s smoother front half inspires way more confidence about not going over the bars, not feeling like you might even get close to going over the bars, and not having the front half catching unexpectedly on anything that could throw you even a little bit forward off balance. That boosted confidence enables me to ski exceptionally hard in all conditions and terrain. On the other hand, the great Sender Free 110 191cm’s stiffer and more precise front half can sometimes have a bigger risk of occasionally catching on something or throwing me forward off balance. And that little thing can occasionally influence me to ski more tentatively or lean back (or crouch down abnormally) in some situations, so that I will be ready to absorb any over-the-bars situations, just in case. Keep in mind that I am 6’2″, so I might be more top heavy than other people when it comes to the risk of going over the bars.

The 2nd biggest difference to me is when landing on firm surfaces, the amount of impact shock felt underfoot on the M-Free 112 is just too much for me with my surgically repaired knees, so there must be something about the core of the Sender Free 110 that reduces that shock impact a little bit. Still, for me to tolerate the shock transmitted even by the Sender Free 110 core, I need to choose a binding that reduces that shock a little bit (and Look Pivots are really bad at shock absorption, so if Pivots don’t bother you, then you probably shouldn’t care at all about any of this impact shock that I’m talking about here).

Other differences between these 2 ski models are explained well in Blister’s reviews and podcasts, so check those out for more info.