Cassiar 95 next to all new Cassiar 94
Ever ski a ski and think, "Yeah, this is just what it should be" -- only to try its replacement and think, "Damn, this is even better; how do they do that?" Well, that's how it is with the all-new DPS Foundation Cassiar 94. While the outgoing model is quite good, light and playful with a whimsical personality, the new one retains all of that but is now stronger and has a more serious side.
DPS knew it had something with the Foundation collection, but being a perfectionist, Stephan Drake wanted more. Stephan and his team took their very well constructed Foundations and put that design into the proven Powderworks chassis and came up with the Foundation Cassiar C2 94. It just rolls right off of the tongue, right? Well what this new ski lacks in verbal smoothness, it makes up for in on-snow performance.
As much as I liked the outgoing 95 -- hell, it was a Tester's Choice last year -- this new shape really is that much better. I know some bigger testers (eg, @Drahtguy Kevin) found the limits of its narrower sibling, the 87. As for me, I found the Foundation Cassiar 87 in the 185 just right; the 185 is just right for the 94, as well. The new Cassiars are fun yet more stable than I expected. (SPOILER ALERT: What do you think I am going to say when I review the all-new 82?)
The Cassiar 94 is really a no-excuse ski. The outgoing model earned some “yeah, but’s”; there were a few limitations, but we rationalized them because it was an entry-level premium ski with dashing good looks. The new model retains the good looks but has the chutzpah to back them up.
- Who is it for? A premium ski at an entry-level price without entry-level performance. Sound familiar?
- Who is it not for? The biggest of the big chargers -- unless you want a playful ski.
- Insider tip: Size up, and when you order the skis, step up and get the Phantom Base Glide Treatment.