Elite 2 review

Overview

The Elite 2 is the entry point of Dynastar's women's piste line for 26/27, the Elite family that now runs from the Elite 2 up to the Elite 9 Konect and takes over from the E-Lite names. It is sold as a pack with the Look Xpress W 10 GW binding on the Xpress plate. The shape is a short-radius women's carver: 69–70 mm underfoot, 116–117 mm at the tip and a radius that climbs from 9 m at 138 cm to 14 m at 170 cm. Dynastar describes it as a versatile piste ski that "makes carving accessible to beginners", with a women-specific Adaptiv Sidecut. The build is the simplest in the line: a poplar wood core, fibreglass and a CAP construction.

On-snow performance

On paper this is a ski built to make the first carved turns easy rather than fast. The 9–11 m radius in the three shorter lengths means the ski wants to turn as soon as it is tipped on edge, and the moderate tip rocker — Dynastar keeps the tail flat — should make flat-ski pivoting and skidded turns forgiving while the carve is still a work in progress. The CAP construction and the light poplar core keep swing weight low, which the construction suggests will favour short, rhythmic turns at low to medium speed over long arcs. Without sidewalls, metal or a sintered base, edge grip on very hard snow and stability at speed are where the design tops out; riders stepping up from rental skis will notice the difference, strong intermediates may find it soft. At 69–70 mm it is a groomer ski; soft snow is only for the odd detour.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: Poplar Wood Core — Dynastar's "traditional core with a density of 450 g/m³", chosen for the balance of elasticity, strength and weight.
• Construction: CAP — Dynastar says the cap "combines a core with fibreglass and makes the ski lighter, more forgiving and more manoeuvrable".
• Reinforcement: fibreglass, "braided glass filaments in different weights". No titanal, no carbon.
• Profile: Tip Rocker — "moderate rocker in the tip only", camber underfoot, flat tail.
• Sidecut: Adaptativ Sidecut, a smoother transition between the underfoot sidecut and the tip and tail geometry.
• Durability: Reinforced Durability — semi-integrated tip protector and a reinforced topsheet.
• System: Xpress plate with the Look Xpress W 10 GW B83 binding (DIN 2.5–10, ISO 5355 A and GripWalk soles, 260–332 mm).
• Dimensions: 116-69-102 mm (138, 146 cm), 117-70-103 mm (154, 162, 170 cm); radius 9 / 10 / 11 / 13 / 14 m.
• Weight: 1,200 g (138) to 1,600 g (170) per ski according to Dynastar's size table; retailers list the same figures per ski.
• Lengths: 138, 146, 154, 162, 170 cm. Dynastar lists the pack at €420.

Who it's for & comparisons

The Elite 2 is for women who are learning to carve or ski a week a year on groomed slopes and want a light, affordable, forgiving ski with the binding already sorted. In Dynastar's own line, the Elite 3 shares every spec on the sheet and sits €50 higher, while the Elite 5 moves to a sandwich sidewall build with the Hybrid Core 2.0 for intermediates to advanced skiers. The Dynastar E cross 78 is the wider all-mountain alternative in the women's range. Elsewhere, the Atomic Cloud c7 (71 mm, 142–163 cm) is the closest cross-shop: also a cap-built women's entry carver with a system binding. The Rossignol Nova 4 ca from the same group is wider at 75 mm and comes in the same 138–162 cm lengths, and the Head Pure Joy (75 mm, 143–163 cm) is Head's lightweight answer in the same price class.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Short 9–11 m radius in the popular lengths makes carved turns easy to start.
• Light poplar/CAP build keeps swing weight low for beginners.
• Tip rocker with a flat tail: forgiving entry, no loss of tail grip.
• Lowest price in the Elite line, binding included.
• Five lengths from 138 cm cover small riders well.

Cons

• CAP construction without sidewalls limits grip on hard, icy pistes.
• Will feel soft once speeds and edge angles rise.
• System binding (DIN 2.5–10) cannot be swapped for another model.
• On the spec sheet it is identical to the Elite 3, so the choice comes down to price and looks.

Verdict: The Elite 2 is a light, forgiving first carving ski for women on groomed slopes. If you are already linking clean carves, skip to the Elite 5 or a sidewall-built competitor.