Elite 7 review

Overview

The Elite 7 is the Xpress-system model in Dynastar's 26-27 Elite line, the women's piste series that carries over the geometry of last season's E Lite 7 W under a new name and new graphics. It is a short-radius carver: 118-67-103 mm with a 9 m radius at 149 cm, 118-68-103 mm and 11 m at 158 cm, and 119-69-104 mm and 13 m at 166 cm. Dynastar aims it at intermediate to confirmed skiers who want to draw quick, clean arcs on groomed snow, and sells it as a package with the Look Xpress W11 GW binding (DIN 3.5–11) on an integrated rail. Underneath sits the same recipe as the pricier Elite 8 and 9: a Hybrid Core 2.0 poplar/PU core wrapped by Omega Ti steel-and-titanal inserts, inside a sandwich full-sidewall build.

On-snow performance

On paper this is a ski built for edge-to-edge speed rather than long, fast GS arcs. The 9–13 m radius and the 67–69 mm waist mean short turns should come almost on their own once the ski is tipped, and the moderate tip rocker, which Dynastar keeps deliberately low, is there to make initiation soft without giving away effective edge. The Omega Ti frame is the stabiliser: two steel and titanal pieces wrap the core in an omega shape, so the construction suggests more grip and calm on hard, scraped pistes than a glass-only ski, while the PU in the core is meant to soak up vibration. At 1,300–1,500 g per ski it is a light build for a metal-reinforced carver, which fits the intermediate-to-advanced target: it should be easy to steer at moderate speed and forgiving of a skidded exit, and only at full tilt on long, steep groomers would we expect the lighter Xpress rail and the 13 m maximum radius to feel like a limit. Soft snow is not its brief; off-piste and bumps are strictly incidental.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: Hybrid Core 2.0 — poplar laminated in three directions (longitudinal, transverse, vertical) with polyurethane, which Dynastar says lets it use less glued fibreglass.
• Metal: Omega Ti — two steel and titanal inserts wrapping the core, derived from the Speed Omeglass race skis.
• Reinforcement: unidirectional fibreglass.
• Sidewall: Sandwich Full Sidewall construction, full-length vertical sidewalls.
• Profile: Tip Rocker — moderate rocker in the tip only, camber underfoot.
• Sidecut: Adaptativ Sidecut — smoother transition between the underfoot sidecut and the tip and tail shapes.
• Base: Sintered Factory Base; Reinforced Durability topsheet and semi-integrated tip protector.
• Binding: Look Xpress W11 GW, DIN 3.5–11, 720 g per binding, GripWalk compatible, on the Xpress rail system.
• Dimensions: 118-67-103 mm / 9 m (149), 118-68-103 mm / 11 m (158), 119-69-104 mm / 13 m (166).
• Weight: 1,300 g (149), 1,400 g (158), 1,500 g (166) per ski, binding not included.

Who it's for & comparisons

The Elite 7 suits intermediate and advancing women who ski mostly on piste, like short and medium turns and want a ski that is light to steer yet has some metal for grip. In Dynastar's own range, the Elite 8 shares the exact same sidecut but swaps the Xpress rail for a Konect plate and the stronger NX 12 binding, and the Elite 9 is the stiffer, 66 mm slalom-flavoured version for faster skiers. Outside the brand, the Atomic Cloud c11 (72 mm) and the Salomon S max n10 (72 mm) are the obvious system-carver cross-shops at a similar level, while the Head Super Joy (75 mm) is a touch wider and more forgiving. Within Dynastar, the wider Dynastar E cross 82 is the pick if you want one ski for the piste and the occasional soft day.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Omega Ti steel-and-titanal reinforcement at an intermediate price point.
• Short 9–13 m radius makes quick carved turns easy.
• Light at 1,300–1,500 g per ski, so it steers without effort.
• Sold complete with the Look Xpress W11 GW binding, mounted and ready.

Cons

• Only three lengths, topping out at 166 cm.
• The Xpress rail limits you to Look/Rossignol Xpress bindings.
• A 13 m maximum radius is short for fast, long GS-style turns.
• Not a ski for soft snow or off-piste.

Verdict: A light, metal-reinforced women's carver with a short radius and a complete binding package: the Elite 7 is the sensible entry to Dynastar's Elite line for piste skiers who want quick turns without a demanding ski. If you ski harder and faster, the Elite 8's Konect plate and NX 12 are worth the extra.