Speed 450 review

Overview

The Speed 450 is the top Xpress model in Dynastar's Speed piste line, one step below the Konect-plated Speed 550 and 650. It carries over unchanged into 26/27 and is sold as a system ski with the Look Xpress 11 GW B83 binding. Dynastar pitches it as "fast, fun and responsive" for good skiers who want to improve their carving, and the geometry is a classic recreational slalom-to-GS blend: 118-68-103 mm and an 11 m radius at 158 cm, growing to 120-71-105 mm and 17 m at 182 cm. What sets it apart from the cheaper Speed 350 is metal: Omega Ti steel and titanal inserts wrapped around the Hybrid Core 2.0 in a sandwich full-sidewall build.

On-snow performance

On paper the Speed 450 is a short-to-medium-turn carver that should hold an edge on firm snow better than its 1.4–1.7 kg per-ski weight suggests. The narrow 68–71 mm waist gives fast edge changes, the moderate tip rocker is there to ease the pivot and let the edge engage along its full contact length as soon as the ski is tipped, and the Omega Ti inserts are Dynastar's answer to vibration and chatter when the speed goes up. The radius grows with length, so the 158 and 166 cm (11 and 13 m) should feel slalom-like, while the 174 and 182 cm (15 and 17 m) lean towards wider arcs; skiers who want short turns should size down. Dynastar notes that the Xpress interface allows a more accessible flex than a plated race ski, which fits the "improve your carving" brief. Expect little outside the groomers: at 70 mm underfoot and with camber-dominated profile, soft snow and bumps are not what it was designed for.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: Hybrid Core 2.0 — a tri-directional poplar core combined with polyurethane; Dynastar's patent-pending tri-directional wood layer reduces the glued fiberglass layers.
• Construction: sandwich with full-length sidewalls (Dynastar's description also mentions ABS sidewalls channelling energy to the edge).
• Reinforcement: unidirectional fiberglass plus Omega Ti — steel and titanal inserts placed around the core in an omega shape for stability under pressure.
• Sidecut: Adaptativ sidecut, a smoother transition between the underfoot sidecut and the tip/tail shapes.
• Profile: Tip Rocker — moderate rocker in the tip only, camber underfoot.
• Base and durability: sintered base, semi-integrated tip protector and reinforced topsheet (Reinforced Durability).
• Binding: Look Xpress 11 GW B83 Black Blue Steel, DIN 3.5–11, 73–83 mm brake, 720 g per binding, tool-free adjustment for 260–385 mm soles, alpine and GripWalk compatible.
• Dimensions and radius: 118-68-103 mm / 11 m (158), 119-69-104 / 13 m (166), 120-70-105 / 15 m (174), 120-71-105 / 17 m (182).
• Weight: 1,400 / 1,500 / 1,600 / 1,700 g per ski (Dynastar's 26/27 catalogue, listed per pair and halved).

Who it's for & comparisons

The Speed 450 is for advanced piste skiers who carve most of their turns and want metal damping without a race plate or a race price. Within the line it shares its per-length sidecut and radius with the Dynastar Speed 550, which adds the NX 12 Konect plate and about 100 g per ski; the Dynastar Speed 650 is the narrower, more slalom-shaped flagship with the SPX 12. Against other brands, the Volkl Peregrine 72 is the more serious, stiffer full-titanal carver, the Salomon S max 10 is the closest system-ski rival with a single titanal layer, and the Head Supershape e v5 is the softer, more forgiving alternative for skiers still building confidence.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Omega Ti steel and titanal inserts for damping and edge hold on firm snow.
• Same sidecut and radius per length as the pricier Speed 550, in a lighter package.
• Moderate tip rocker and 11–17 m radius make it approachable for short and medium turns.
• Xpress 11 binding included, DIN 3.5–11, GripWalk compatible.

Cons

• A groomer specialist with little to offer in soft snow or bumps.
• Lighter than the plated Speed 550, so slightly less composure at very high speed.
• System binding cannot be swapped and tops out at DIN 11.
• Radius grows quickly with length, so sizing matters more than usual.

Verdict: The Speed 450 is the value pick in Dynastar's metal piste range: the 550's geometry and Omega Ti damping with a simpler Xpress binding. Strong carvers who want more leverage should go to the 550; everyone else gets most of the performance for less money and weight.