If you’re a freeride skier, you’ve heard of the M Free series. Marble coated topsheets from the last few seasons have graced the steep chutes of Little Cottonwood Canyon, Aspen, Taos, and Jackson Hole. They have a cult following for their hefty construction that can plow through anything, while being flickable and manuverable. A couple of seasons ago, they updated their 108 and 100 in the line, while the M Free 90 remained more of a tweener freeride ski. This year, Dynastar introduces a new narrow freeride ski in the line that matches the construction of the wider sibilings. In our Dynastar M Free 94 Review, we break down who its for and how it compares to the plethora of other freeride all-mountain skis out there.
Dynastar M Free 94 Review: Field Notes
The new M Free 94 gets many of the same upgrades as the wider sibilings. The shape is familiar—deep tip and tail rocker with big splay. It is more muted than the bigger models to be more tuned for firm snow skiing, but this is certainly a progressive shape.
On the inside, you’ll find a Hybrid Core 2.0, just like the rest of the M Frees. Dynastar blends their polyurethane material with strips of wood to use less titanal and epoxy for a cleaner and more sustainable construction.
The M Free 94 is also considerably lighter than the wider ones, at 1700 grams, while the 100 sits at 1800 in the same size, and the 108 at a whopping 2150 grams.
Here’s some more technical specs:
Dimensions: 124 / 94 / 118 (179cm)
Sizes: 156 / 163 / 171 / 179 / 188
Radius: 17 meters (179cm)
Weight: 1700 grams per ski (179cm)
I skied the 179cm at 5’8″ and 135lbs. That’s generally on the long side for me, but it didn’t particularly feel too long. I’d probably notice it in tighter chutes or terrain, but it felt like I could manage bumps and trees well enough. The ski is plenty damp and stable to be run on the shorter side, and I imagine I’d get along with the 171cm well enough.
Groomers
I was keen to see how the M Free 94 would do on groomers, with the progressive shape and flex pattern. While it doesn’t arc a carve quite like an M Pro (the directional collection from Dynastar), it certainly holds its own. I found it to feel much more intuitive to carve than the 100, and has a real agile feel that gets over on edge quickly.
Because it weighs a little less and has so much rocker, you can find a bit of a speed limit here. I didn’t necessarily because of the size, but if you’re a hard-charging, fall line hawk, you’ll probably miss some support for higher speeds and full arcs. Especially compared to some all-mountain chargers that feature loads of metal like the Enforcer or Mantra might.
That said, that’s not really what this ski is for. It’s got loads of rocker and a more progressive design designed for more loose and playful skiing. Is the carving experience fun and engaging? Totally. It’s also fairly accessible. It doesn’t take as much force to engage the shovels, but the dampness still supports fast riding. It’s not something I think people will easily “grow out of”, and it easily lends itself to recovering from the backseat and skidding turns when needed.
Bumps and Trees
This is where the M Free 94 excels. It’s quick, nimble, and easy to control. Our testers noted that this ski feels notably less full gas than the M Free 100, just in that it’s a bit easier to drive and push through hard snow. I totally agree. It feels much easier to reel back in from the backseat, or recover from a missed turn here or there.
Because of the progressive shape, riders can easily slash or pivot this ski. That’s both confidence inspiring for progressive skiers, while also fun for more advanced riders who love a playful ski that can swivel on a dime.
Compared to some other skis in this narrow freeride category, it feels like the M Free 94 smoothes out vibrations more effectively. Even though we expect the core’s flex to be tuned slightly softer than the 100, the Hybrid Core 2.0 does a great job of quieting things down when the snow is icey or a bit variable in the trees with different warming.
Powder and Mixed Snow
While we haven’t tested in six-plus inches, we did get a soft snow day early season at Vail on some groomed terrain. The M Free 94 handles soft snow with grace. The tapered tip floats well and gives a proper surfy feeling. If you’re skiing powder occassionally, the M Free 94 will give you plenty of ski to work with.
When we get to mixed snow, the M Free 94 excels over many of it’s compatriots with a slightly heavier build by being able to push through heavier snow and crudy snow. It can push through crud more seamlessly than something more lightweight. At the same time, it doesn’t require the input that something heavier or loaded up with metal would ask.
That said, it doesn’t quite have the heft or surface area that the M Free 100 offers. I don’t think anyone would be surprised when we say the M Free 100 beats the 94 in this category. Not only in waist width, but a stiffer construction that rides a bit more reliably through the heavier snow.
Bottom Line
The M Free 94 is the perfect compliment to the rest of the line. It’s beefier than the old 90 and functions as a sort of “real ski” compared to that one, but is much more accessible compared the wider models. It’s easier to engage, more nimble, while still injecting that freeride fun for folks who aren’t hunting powder all day and night.
It also serves as a sort of heftier option compared to some similar freeride skis. If you like the idea of something playful and nimble, but want something more planted or like to ski fast, this is your ticket.
