DPS Lotus 120 200 Impressions

**Buster Highmen** · 12-31-2007, 10:12 AM

First, I'm not sufficiently widely experienced in sampling skis, even the new funshape (copyright - lemonboy) types. Nor do I really have the time to write something really thorough.
Second, about me: 6', 180, 50++ ex-racer, freestyler weenie pow fiend from the PNW. I've preferred stiffer skis like Asteroids and Explosivs and only recently began skiing and really appreciating the GotoMommas. Touring came more easily years ago, but these days as a daddy, I max out the vert by skiing the chunderous liftserved platitudes with the multitudes. I can be frequently found weekend warrioring at Alpental, Crustal as well as occasionally bombing around LCC/BCC with a yearly interval lurking around Telluride and Silverton.

I mounted them with freerides at midpoint, but the ascension clipfixes are too short!

Anyway, here's some impressions of the flex 2 DPS Lotus 120 in a 200 cm.

Yes, a 140mm wide tip 200 cm ski is huge, a real canoe to step into. But the most amazing thing about them is how easy they are to turn. Even a crusty curmudgeon such as myself can whip them around with ease. Maybe the no camber has something to do with it. Maybe the surreal levity of a ski so big: I keep picking them up to assure myself I'm not imagining this. Even so, I've skied them in bump fields, little, jagged bump fields and they can perform. Trees and glades have been easy too, but I honestly haven't tried to ski the really weedy weirdnesses around.

As far as stability, they're awesome: a Cunard per pied, a Cadillac per foot, a huge honking spruce goose that just demolishes the terrain. But bizarrely, they can turn. There's a steep, narrow sidehill chute around here that they could just chaw down with simple smooth speed. There is a little tipflap at high speed on the groimers, but the ski still feels succulently stable.

They slarve super well of course. And on the other side of that facet, they hold an edge and carve well too. You have to stay on them and drive the turn, but they really do a swell precise slice. Now I haven't skied them on ice yet, but everything from some defreakulous light waist deep (on these!) to the thicker schmoo we in the PNW prefer to advertise, they rock. They're especially nice in chop where they just P-Funk motorbooty through.

They're lively. Something I really like about stiffer skis is how they kick you from one turn into the next. These skis flex differently, soft forebody and tail with stiffer underfoot. Overall softer than either my old Stockli Asteroids or Explosivs, yet really lively providing lift and bounce into the next turn.

Torsionally, really really stiff too, so great edge bite.

As far as durability, I've hit a few rocks. They were probably only little rocks that left a couple of edge burrs, but the bases don't show a thing.

In conclusion, I'm a happy camper. These are great skis.

**lemon boy** · 12-31-2007, 10:29 AM

pure awesomeness

**Buster Highmen** · 12-31-2007, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by lemon boy

pure awesomeness

What about yours? Didja fix the mismount?

**marshalolson** · 12-31-2007, 01:06 PM

buster: glad you dig them. look forward to more thought the more you get on them too.

LB: you fucked the mount up?

**squatch** · 12-31-2007, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by marshalolson

buster: glad you dig them. look forward to more thought the more you get on them too.

LB: you fucked the mount up?

Yeah he put tele bindings on by accident

**pechelman** · 12-31-2007, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by squatch

Yeah he put instatele bindings on by accident

fixed it for ya

**gamma** · 12-31-2007, 07:29 PM

hahahaha.. what a surprise.. you should try the 138s!!!!

**lemon boy** · 01-01-2008, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by marshalolson

LB: you fucked the mount up?

per the squatch: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=106544

buster- no, not yet. Waiting...semi patiently.

MT · 01-01-2008, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by lemon boy

per the squatch: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=106544

buster- no, not yet. Waiting...semi patiently.

So, are you going to trade those to me for a case of Hamm's Golden Draft when you decide they are too long for you?

**lemon boy** · 01-01-2008, 08:31 PM

magic 8-ball sez: fat fuckin chance.

**Vitamin I** · 01-01-2008, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

...Yes, a 145 tip 200 cm ski is huge...

Typo? Or did they really come out of the factory at 145mm? Website still says 140/120/125.

.

**Buster Highmen** · 01-01-2008, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by Vitamin I

Typo? Or did they really come out of the factory at 145mm? Website still says 140/120/125.

.

Sorry, I was having a flashback. But the skis absolutely r00l.

**2FUNKY** · 01-01-2008, 09:01 PM

This is my next ski, hopefully this year but prolly next year.

**marshalolson** · 01-01-2008, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by lemon boy

per the squatch: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=106544

buster- no, not yet. Waiting...semi patiently.

**Buster Highmen** · 03-24-2008, 02:42 PM

So it's been a few months of use and a few places. Alpental, Crustal, Silverton (uuhhh...ohhhh, Silverton), Telluride and Kendall Mountain Recreation Center. And a palette of snow conditions: corn, dust on crust, PNW spackling compound, San Juan silverlight pow. Big open bowls well above treeline, weedy wickets, bowls, spines, and corned beginner groimers.

I'm still sold on these skis as possibly the best ski I've ever owned.

Admittedly on ice, they're hard to crank and bite, but it's possible. And in egg carton bumps, they're not as feasible as narrower planks.

But in the varieties of wild snow, ungroomed snow, crust, windboard, chunder, cut pow and of course deep light fluff, they're the best skis I've ever driven.

I had an opportunity to tour a couple of days in the San Juans, up a grueling steep zig-zag in the trees where despite their length and girth, they felt light and easy. Even for a flatlander deskjockey wheezing up to 12k+ as the anchor in a pack much more seasoned skiers, they're so much lighter than any other setup I've used. One day we skied some shots in the trees, northfacing, narrow natural slots with features that begged for air and tight turns. And it was easy. I saw windows and corridors I didn't think I could hack, but the damn things just turn on a dime and I threaded slots and gulleys I didn't think possible.

Other days, my boy requested that I ski with him on "the big skis". So I did, slicing around the 250 vertical drop of the Kendall Mountain Center in sunny Silverton corn where I discovered their carving capabilities. I couldn't help grinning.

The most bizarre thing about the skis is the ease of turning coupled with the carvability, size and stability. I'm amazed.

Great job, DPS. And thanks Marshall.

**Fritz** · 03-24-2008, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

I'm still sold on these skis as possibly the best ski I've ever owned.

But in the varieties of wild snow, ungroomed snow, crust, windboard, chunder, cut pow and of course deep light fluff, they're the best skis I've ever driven.

Seconded.

**JONG Q Public** · 03-24-2008, 06:24 PM

You probably don't want to listen to me since I made the same dumb ass mounting mistake as Lemmonboy but I agree with the the above. These skis rule. I know LB said it first but the best thing for me is the the ability to really drive the tips and not stuff one. If I skied the Ants or Verdicts the way I ski the 120s I know I would have more then a few face plants. I plan to post more of a review after a little more deep snow time on them. I just ordered new skins to fit these bad boys and I am heading to Jackson again on Wed so I plan to get that deep snow time and report back.