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Dynastar 363 & 563 for intermediate?
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

Hi,
Looking at buying some good on piste skis in sales.
I''m an intermediate probably upper end of intermediate. Can ski ungroomed and small moguls and will happily go down most blacks and single diamonds in Canada
I prefer harder reds closer to black as my sweet spot rather than Euro blue runs
Last year I picked up a pair of K2 Mindbender 85 177 which I struggled with in bad conditions in Chamonix but enjoyed in Canada where there was a lot of ungroomed

Im now looking at proper carve groomer ski something that will be fun and I can grow with as my skills grow further. A holiday in the Dolomites early next year in the diary and I fancy a nice carver ski for there.
Looking at sales Ive seen the Dynastar 363 and for £40 more the Dynastar 563
Does anyone have experience of these? Im tempted to go for the 170 as I think I found the 177 on the K2s a bit long for me
Im 180cm tall and weigh around 74-76 kg and Im relatively fit.
I have my own boots Lange RX100 which fit well which I was given by a friend, another question for that would it be worth buying new insoles though I do find the boots comfortable
Thanks in advance for any advice
B


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 27-11-24 9:57; edited 2 times in total
ski holidays
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

Hi and welcome snowHead

I haven't tested those skis specifically, but I have just spent the last two weekends testing loads of piste skis from lots of brands (not Dynastar, they weren't there), ranging from top-of-the-line slalom skis to floppy noodly crap “designed for women” rolling eyes. This is what I've learnt:

1. Don't buy skis you haven't tested. The feel of skis and whether you can ski them or they will ski you can vary massively between models. An ideal “on paper” ski may be anything but once you get it on a mountain.
2. Don't buy the cheap/bottom of the range skis. For any given range of skis, the top model(s) (most expensive, usually) will be the ones they put the effort into with the design and construction. If you can't yet ski these skis, then get some lessons and hire something more appropriate for now.

The 363 is an entry-level beginner's ski, and you will likely outgrow it quickly. From looking at the website, both the 363 and the 563 seem to be very similar. They will likely be very easy (low effort) to ski, but lack liveliness and stability at speed. Personally, I wouldn't buy either for now – the Dolomites are piste ski heaven, so there will be plenty of choice for rentals. It may be worth you trying out some full camber skis (better on hard pack/ice) against skis with tip rocker, and also some softer skis against some stiffer ones so you have a better idea of the differences.

170cm sounds about right for your weight, but I probably wouldn't go longer.
Custom moulded insoles are pretty much always a good idea, but do check the fit of your boots properly (plenty of info on this site about that) as they weren't fitted to you originally.
snow conditions
snow conditions
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Thanks for your response, a lot of really helpful advice, appreciated
ski holidays
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.

@nomadicbry, welcome to SH's.

A lot to unpack here. First question is on buying v renting. Buying skis means you have take them with you and you have to service them = hassle, cost. For a one or two trips a year, where you fly, this needs consideration.

However, if it makes sense and/or you just want to do it.... yes, try before you buy is the ideal scenario. But it's not always possible. It helps if you know what sort of ski suits you - through hiring, what you have used before, knowledge of your skiing style, physique - along with understanding how to read the blurb/reviews.

That you liked the Mindbender in good conditions but less so in bad suggests technique/experience issues rather than the skis. This is a versatile ski that should suit a lot of skiers and be a good jack of all trades ski.

Not sure the 363 is entry level, as there is a 263. I don't know that ski but it seems suitable for the OP. Me and the kids have used Dynastar all mountain skis which have been really good.

Regarding the boots. If you have no problems with them I wouldn't worry. But when they come to end of life I would go to a proper boot fitter as by then you will probably appreciate a custom fit.
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