Review: 190 DPS Lotus 120 Hybrids

[adam]

About me:
i like to ski and i also like to mount skis on the center mount line

Pow: They plane almost instantly and pretty much won't sink.

powder afternoons: handle the chop decently well, to be honest not as well as i had hoped. when compared to the carbon 138, they just don't pop and bounce quite the same; they lack the life. Stay forward though, and they do ok.

trees: they are pivoty and manageable in the trees, but again, when compared to the 138s (which I know is quite a different ski) they don't really stack up. Obviously, the 138s have reverse camber in the tail where these do not, thus making them superior in the trees.

everyday/chalk/bumps: the rocker in the tip makes these really quick in everyday sort of conditions, but they don't sacrifice anything in terms of stability. they will do just about any kind of turn easily; slash to scrub speed, or alternately, a giant carve (riding on the skis sidecut)

groomers: you'll survive. need quite a bit of speed to get them on edge, but they will rail.

in summary, these are good skis. they lack the life of the carbon models, which is certainly noticeable. Sometimes i wish they were mounted maybe +1 or so. their true feat is versatility, if you live in the west you can get away with skiing these everyday.

[TeleThor]

Interesting to finally hear some more about the hybrid constructed skis. Can you make any comparisons to any other rocker/early rise + pin tail skis? AKA are the hybrid (dumbed down...) 120s basically like a pair of skis any other manufacturer might put out, or are they somewhere between the rest of the competition and the Pure line?

[nate s]

Thanks for the review, surprised we haven't seen more hybrid reviews. Did you happen to weigh these before mounting them up, just curious about the weight difference.

[adam]

Interesting to finally hear some more about the hybrid constructed skis. Can you make any comparisons to any other rocker/early rise + pin tail skis? AKA are the hybrid (dumbed down...) 120s basically like a pair of skis any other manufacturer might put out, or are they somewhere between the rest of the competition and the Pure line?

The only other rockered ski I've been on is the Rossi RC112. They are pretty comparable in opinion, but I didn't really spend enough time on them to get a real feel.

The carbon 120s weigh 2 lbs less (a pair) than the hybrids.

[dynodonkeyaltabird]

sweet review. couple questions for you though. what flex? where did you mount them? i found the 200 120s (pure) to be the best crud killers i have ever skied.

[adam]

Flex 2, mounted on the line.

The reason I am slightly disappointed about the crud performance is because of the high standard that my pure 138s set. Skiing those through chop was a fucking blast and completely effortless. They aren't bad at it by any means, but they don't match the pop that you can get out of your turn on the pure models.

[nick > jesus]

so you thought the pure 138s skied chop well?

I always felt that this was the biggest weakness of the pure 120. not because of shape or flex, but rather because of weight. They are too light to pow in crud, they get supper deflected. This why i am planning to get hybrids next season, everything i love about 120s but with more weight (for me a good thing)

[Steven S. Dallas]

so you thought the pure 138s skied chop well?

It's like you guys don't even talk anymore.

[dynodonkeyaltabird]

so you thought the pure 138s skied chop well?

not as good as pure 200cm 120s imo.

[dingjong]

can you comment on the flex 2, please. Have you ever felt like they are floppy, noodley not stable enough?

thanks

[Core Shot]

not as good as pure 200cm 120s imo.

best ski evar

[adam]

can you comment on the flex 2, please. Have you ever felt like they are floppy, noodley not stable enough?

thanks

I have found the flex 2 to be plenty stable. I remember marshal saying there isn't a huge difference between the 2 and 3, only like 10% in the tail or something like that.

Another thing: the topsheet has held up very well. I probably have 15 days or so on these, and have almost zero chipping on the topsheet. Usually by now there would be some on the previous years models, but they have done very well.

[khyber.pass]

I've got the pure Lotus120s @190, and I find them a sweet soft snow ski. Once you get used to the lighter weight, they rail through chop -- it just requires a different stance, a little more forward, with more in the knees. Sure, they won't plough like a heavier ski, but that's precisely because they aren't a heavier ski... that's the point ;p

After riding on the line and really feeling they were too far back for my weight and style, I pushed them up to +3cm upon the recommendation of a buddy who rides the same plank. +3 has sacrificed none of the soft snow performance. They float the same, and I can now whip them around in tighter situations that much easier (ie: couloirs). Mounted on the line they rail on groomers, but mounted +3cm there is less effective edge out front with the rocker, so yah, they scrub and are harder to keep on edge, demanding shorter scrub turns when groomer conditions are bumpy chop. With a ski this size though, groomer performance is not what you are looking for, though they will get you home in one piece if you can ride it out and conditions aren't too bumped (and at mach 9 if you so desire).

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

best ski evar

X3.

So fun and so stable. I love my 192 138's but my 200 120's have finally replaced them as my go to ski.

[frorider]

X3.

So fun and so stable. I love my 192 138's but my 200 120's have finally replaced them as my go to ski.

-1. my 200 120s are great skis but i gots many skis that are way, way, way more stable in variable/tricky snow. i'm hardly the only one to feel that way. compared to a 197 katana...well, there's no comparison. but they are stupid light for the length and width.

the 200 120 so-called flex 2 is pretty damn soft. now my plastic sidewall flex 3 wailer 105s....those are some stiff skis.

[dynodonkeyaltabird]

the ones im talkin bout are flex 3 and are in no way soft.

[SP_sam-O]

I have Adams 138s and I know what he's talking about it crud. I was afraid with a 9.2?lb 202 I would get thrown around lots in crud but I personally ski them from underfoot a fair amount in crud(and I mean ice with hard crud over it) and they feel great. I was really happy with the way I can ski them anywhere which I did not expect(and many 138 reviews here say the can't very well). A smooth groomer is also a ton of fun since I can go down them in any direction and keep most of my speed. They have Dukes.

On a side note, my 189 One Lifes just came, and they are NOT the exact same as LL2s. They look like the best made skis I've ever seen and have a few changes. I'll go make a thread now..

[adam]

I have Adams 138s and I know what he's talking about it crud. I was afraid with a 9.2?lb 202 I would get thrown around lots in crud but I personally ski them from underfoot a fair amount in crud(and I mean ice with hard crud over it) and they feel great. I was really happy with the way I can ski them anywhere which I did not expect(and many 138 reviews here say the can't very well). A smooth groomer is also a ton of fun since I can go down them in any direction and keep most of my speed. They have Dukes.

Glad to hear you dig them. I'm sure they are a fucking blast on big open faces at high speeds.

The ski was bred for AK.