Dynafit Carve Lite Skis
Featherweight Perfection
Reviewed by Louis Dawson
If efficiency is job one for your gear, using a shorter, lighter, skinnier ski can make a big difference. Enter the Dynafit Carve Lite -- a terrific plank that's all about flying up the hill, as well as down.
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The Dynafit Carve Lite mixes performance and
weight savings in a winning combo.
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When you need a ski that's moderately light but still comfortable and forgiving for aggressive skiing, reach for a mid-fat such as the Dynafit D812 (coming soon, amazingly good) or Black Diamond Mira. But what about days when the climbing is as important as the skiing? Perhaps you're going for the summit of a Colorado 14er in springtime, anticipating a forgiving blanket of corn snow for the run down. Or perhaps you're tackling a multi-peak traverse in Washington or Oregon, and you're more interested in distance than how much you can climb up and ski down.
I've been skiing the lightweight Carve Lite for more than a year, trying to get a grip on its performance by using it on everything from powder to ice. I'm impressed. In soft snow it has a buttery feel -- smooth carving and responsive to jump turns when necessary. On harder snow, while not the trench digging turn machine of a beefy "carve ski," the torsionnally stronger mid-section of the Carve Lite bites well, as it's reinforced by a raised rib (X shaped pattern visible in photo above) that strengthens the ski under your foot, while allowing the tip and tail a bit more flex for soft snow.
The width is perfect: Wide enough to have that familiar platform feel underfoot, with sidecut for easy turns, but not so fat that you tour with huge piles of snow on your skis dragging down with every step. And they are light -- built with a low density wood core and skiable in shorter (lighter) lengths by virtue of excellent design.
Other things I like: A reasonable price hovers in the troposphere rather than outer space. The tip is drilled with the standard randonnee ski hole, an essential feature for building a rescue sled or hauling skis when they're not on your feet or pack.
In all, the Dynafit Carve Lite
is a perfect ski choice if you're building a super efficient setup for
mountaineering or randonnee racing. What's more, it's a fine option
for less aggressive skiers who want one backcountry ski setup they can
use for everything.
(stats: sidecut 105/72/92 mm, 45 ounces per 170 cm ski)
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