Speed course wc gs r22 review

Overview

The Speed Course WC GS R22 is the non-FIS World Cup giant slalom ski in Dynastar's 26/27 race range: the same construction as the FIS Factory skis, but in 170, 175 and 182 cm with a 20, 23 and 25 m radius instead of the 30 m that adult FIS homologation requires. Dynastar lists the sidecut per length as 104-65-87 mm (170), 102-65-85 mm (175) and 103-65-85 mm (182), so the 65 mm waist is constant and only the tip and tail move by a millimetre or two. It comes on the pre-mounted R22 race plate without bindings. In Dynastar's words, it balances "race-bred power with sidecut that offers easier steering and turn transitions".

On-snow performance

Everything in the spec sheet says hard snow and high speed. A 65 mm waist, full camber and two titanal sheets around a dense beech core are the ingredients for edge hold on injected race pistes and a damp, planted ride at GS speeds, while the 20–25 m radius is where the ski differs from a FIS GS: the arcs are still long, but they can be closed on a normal piste and in a tighter, more turny course set. The 170 cm at 20 m is the quickest and most accessible of the three; the 182 cm at 25 m is closer to a true gate ski and asks for more speed to bend. The flip side is the usual race-ski deal: at low speed, in skidded turns or in soft snow the ski feels heavy, stiff and uninterested, and bumps and off-piste are not part of the brief.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: PEFC-certified beech, 710 g/m³. Dynastar describes its hardness, elasticity and strength as very close to ash.
• Metal: Full Titanal Layer, two full-width, full-length titanal sheets, one on each side of the core.
• Sidewall: Sandwich Full Sidewall Construction with rectangular, vertical sidewalls from tip to tail.
• Base: Sintered Factory Base, a very high-density sintered base.
• Profile: full camber, no rocker.
• Plate: R22 race plate pre-mounted; sold without bindings (Look SPX 12 Rockerace GW or SPX 15 Rockerace).
• Dimensions: 104-65-87 mm / 20 m (170), 102-65-85 mm / 23 m (175), 103-65-85 mm / 25 m (182).
• Weight: Dynastar's table gives 2.0 kg (170), 2.0 kg (175) and 2.1 kg (182) per ski with the plate.

Who it's for & comparisons

This is for athletes, club and masters racers and strong ex-racers who want a World Cup-construction GS without the FIS 30 m geometry, and for expert piste skiers who prefer a long, fast arc and accept that the ski only wakes up at speed. Its direct rival is the Rossignol Hero athlete gs (65 mm, 20–27 m, 170–185 cm), the same concept from the group's other brand with an extra 185 cm length. The Fischer Rc4 worldcup noize gs masters (65 mm, 21–27 m, 181–188 cm) covers the same idea at the longer end, and the Atomic Redster g9 rsm (67–68 mm, 21–27.5 m, 176–190 cm) is the masters GS alternative with a touch more width.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Full World Cup construction: beech core, two titanal sheets, full sidewalls and Factory base.
• 20–25 m radius is more usable than a FIS GS on public pistes and tighter course sets.
• R22 plate for leverage, free flex and direct power transmission.

Cons

• Around 2.0–2.1 kg per ski with plate; heavy to carry and demanding over a long day.
• Bindings not included and restricted to R22-compatible Look models.
• A hard-snow specialist that feels stiff and lifeless at low speed or in soft snow.
• Only three lengths, all 170 cm and up.

Verdict: The Speed Course WC GS R22 is the race-room GS for people who do not need FIS homologation: World Cup materials and plate in a 20–25 m shape that can actually be finished on a normal piste. Cross-shop the Rossignol Hero athlete gs; if you need a 30 m FIS ski, step up to the Speed Course WC FIS GS Factory.