Curated Skiing Expert Allie Staffen got her hands on the 2024 Dynastar M-Menace 90 this spring. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but consider the fact that each and every skier is different; if you have any questions about the M-Menace 90 or need recommendations on which ski would be best for you, reach out to a Skiing Expert here on Curated.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Dynastar claim about this ski? Dynastar claims that this ski is an all-mountain, intermediate to advanced ski that's meant to really explore absolutely everything.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of the ski? My overall impression of the ski is not only is it durable, but it's also very approachable and dependable.

How does the shape of the ski affect the way it rides? This ski doesn't have a whole lot of camber in it; however, it does have a partial tip. It's pretty close to a full twin tip, so it makes it really easy to be able to ride switch and be able to learn how to do that.

What is the flex like? This ski is not the stiffest out there; however, it's definitely not a wet noodle. So, you're going to be able to have some stability whenever you're making those turns or drops.

Carving

How does the ski turn? With that rocker in the tip, it makes it really easy to initiate those turns. And then, because that tail is a partial twin tip, it does help you finish out those turns really nice and easy. However, it doesn't give you too much power or make you sling out of them.

What is the edge hold like? The edge hold on this ski is pretty decent. I wouldn't say that you want to go mach speed down some icy turns, but it is going to hold up really well on those icier days.

What about dampness? Any chatter in the skis? For being a partial twin tip, you would expect it to have a little bit more chatter whenever you're getting up to those higher speeds; however, it felt pretty damp to me.

How does it feel in terms of speed? This is not a race ski. However, you can get it up to those moderate speeds, even to get it up to those higher speeds, and it's going to hold up pretty well.

How is its energy/acceleration? This is not a ski that wants to go fast right out of the gate. You are going to have to put in the work if you want to go fast.

Freestyle

Could you speak about playfulness and pop? Playful-wise this ski is on the more moderate side. The ski doesn't have a whole lot of pop, especially whenever you're going off of jumps. However, it's reliable and predictable, and if you're just getting into those, that's what you're really going to want.

Is it good for skiing switch? Even though it's not a full twin tip, it is a partial twin tip, so it is fairly easy to ski switch.

How is the ski with jumps? I loved this ski off of jumps. The stability on those landings were amazing. I was able to really land in the front of my boots and not get kicked back into the back seat.

Can it handle the park and what features is it best for/should avoid? If you're really trying to get into park, this is a great ski to start out on. If you've probably spent more than 30% of your time in the park and you're not so new to the park, there are other skis out there that are better for you. But, if you want to take this off of jumps, you want to start doing some box slides, and hitting a little bit of tiny rails, this ski would be fantastic for you.

Freeride

How is it in powder? I wouldn't make this ski your designated powder ski; however, if you're just getting out of rentals, that 90 underfoot is going to be a little wider than what you had been on before and you’re going to be able to float in that softer snow.

How is it in uneven terrain and chunder? This ski was actually pretty decent in uneven terrain and some chunder. I did get bounced around a little bit out there, but compared to rental skis, this ski feels like butter.

How is it skiing in the trees? How is its maneuverability? This wasn't my favorite ski in the trees. I did have to work a little bit harder to make those quick pivot-y turns. However, if you have wider trees and you don't have really tight trees like what we have at Eldora, then it's going to be really nice to be able to get in there and start to explore those trees.

What terrain is this ski good for? These are a fantastic all-mountain ski. You can really make the whole mountain your playground. Especially if you're just getting out of those rentals, these are a fantastic option for you to really level up.

What terrain should skiers avoid with it? Definitely avoid the foot plus of powder that we get out on the West Coast in March. But, other than that, this ski was fantastic.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend these skis to? I would definitely recommend these skis to teenagers and lighter weight adults, especially if you're out in the Midwest.

Who should avoid these skis, there are better options out there for them? If you're an expert level skier or you’re just getting into the sport and you're a beginner, these are not the skis for you and there are definitely better options out there for you.

If you could pack these skis for anywhere in the world, where would you take them? I’d take them out to the Midwest. I’d hit up Perfect North in Ohio and I’d go to Hidden Valley in Missouri. They're an all around fun Midwest ski. And, honestly, even if you're on the West Coast, these are going to be great for the Rockies.

Skis work differently for different types of skiers. If you are wondering whether the M-Menace 90 is the right ski for you, chat with Allie or any other Skiing Experts here on Curated, and they’ll put together free, personalized ski recommendations on the best skis for your needs.