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  1. #1
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    School me on the Praxis Protest and DPS Lotus 138

    First, yes I have searched...and read every thread I can find about the Protest and the 138

    Very few include a direct comparison by someone who has skied both.

    Here is my deal:

    1) I am a gear whore.

    2) I skied the 185 Praxis Powder's I bought off Kidwoo for the first time this week in the heavy, wet, manky snow we've gotten in Tahoe. Yes it was long overdue and basically, they have opened my eyes to the fun you can have on a R/R ski. The surfy, slashy, pivoty feeling is awesome. SUPER fun - downright easy to ski in anything soft, busts crud better than I thought it would, and as others have said, confidence inspiring (also not even close to being as bad on groomers/traverses/etc as I anticipated based on what other have said here). I like the slightly larger tip (than tail) as well - design seems solid.

    3) I am going to Haines this year for the first time. I have never skied AK but I have heard that in addition to being scared shitless I will be maching huge faces and runouts and my concern is a) the 185 Powder boards might not be big enough and b) a full R/R ski could get squirrely in these situations. Is this concern even warranted?

    With it's Powder board heritage, but slight camber and sidecut, the 188 Protest seems like it might be the ticket.

    Likewise, the 192cm 138 looks super fun and was pretty much made to be an AK powder tool.

    So, any/all feedback about the two skis is in this situation is appreciated. Obviously this is going to be a pure pow ski so no need for versatility, performance on groomers, etc...

    I'm taking the 191 Lhasa Pow already, so the Protest/138 will be the pure pow fun tool. And if my experience with the Powder's this week is any indication, the Lhasa's may not see much action...

    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
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    I am rocking 138s and Super 7s (as backup) for my heli trip to AK this year. I am banking on being on the 138s 100% of the time given that my guides will be on Pontoons. I bought the 138s specifically for AK for the exact reason you mentioned---AK powder tool.
    60% of the time, it works every time.

  3. #3
    adam is offline The Shred Pirate Roberts
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    I think Stephen Drake skis his 138s in AK, but I believe they are the 202s, which is what you should get. I loved my 192s (my favorite ski every) but they tended to get a bit squirrelly when you really started to go fast through chop.

  4. #4
    VC's Avatar
    VC is offline Calmer then you are Dude
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    Praxis 205 powderboard

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maker View Post
    I am rocking...Super 7s (as backup) ...
    Is that plural again?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by spindrift View Post
    Is that plural again?
    haha....yeah, I lost that one the day after I met you guys. got hooked up with a single so I am good for now....I am going to bolt them next year though for the 4frnt renegades.

    nice skiing with you guys....surprised we didnt bump into each other again, although I spent a lot of time combing for my ski.
    60% of the time, it works every time.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    i've skied both, but on tele. frankly, i think you're splitting hairs. skiing the protests convinced me i wanted board like/similar to them. i only had 1 day on the protests, it was life changing, of course. i had enough faith in my skills that i would be able to get used and love to whatever i bought. i got the 138's because they're lighter (i tour with them) and on closeout - mine are several versions old. i really enjoy my 138's, a lot!

    i'm having a hard time understanding how the praxis powders would be squirrley (except maybe due to length), but truthfully have not done much research on the subject.

    i think the more important thing is to get some time on snow and comfort with whatever boards you take with you....

    have fun.
    cheers

  8. #8
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    Nov 2009
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    i have lotus 138/192, last generation (got them in November). I skied them a few times and Dolomites (where I ski) are not Alaska so I cannot compare, that said and for what I can tell, they rule. incredibly agile and solid, I have got the impression though that for Alaska the longer version would be better (202).

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by bodywhomper View Post
    i'm having a hard time understanding how the praxis powders would be squirrley (except maybe due to length), but truthfully have not done much research on the subject.
    yeah, maybe I'm full of shit. maybe they are perfectly fine at super high speed - just haven't gotten there yet.

    Quote Originally Posted by bodywhomper View Post
    i think the more important thing is to get some time on snow and comfort with whatever boards you take with you....
    totally agreed, which is why I'm trying to figure it out ASAP.

    thanks for the responses people, keep em coming....

  10. #10
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    I've skied a good amount of different kinds of powder skis out there and in my opinion 202 Lotus 138s are by far the best ever made. I'm skiing Stevens Pass for the most part, which has lots of tight areas, and they ski them with ease(mounted at what looks like -0.5 of the line). On bigger open powdery areas, the faster you go the more stable they are, and they are way more stable than long fat powder skis with normal sidecut at speeds. In variable they're fine, I'd rather be on XXLs or XW Labs in crud with no powder patches left, but the 138s aren't hard to get through that at all. Groomers are fun if they're smooth.

    I think that the 138s are designed way more with charging in mind than the Praxis Pows, it seems like Praxis Pow/Donner Party shape(all reverse sidecut, only slightly larger tip than tail, no straight spot, mounted closer to center) is made to be pivoted from the center in powder, while the 138s are mounted farther back and are more made to slash the tail instead of slashing sideways(like ARGs do, I haven't skied Praxis or Moments though). At least that is what I have found, I have about 12-13 days on mine this season(it's been a slow season, maby 20-25 days).

    Mine are 202 07/08 rocker 2 flex 2, and I'm 6'1" 175 and 15.

  11. #11
    adam is offline The Shred Pirate Roberts
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    Quote Originally Posted by SP_sam-O View Post
    Mine are 202 07/08 rocker 2 flex 2, and I'm 6'1" 175 and 15.
    Wait, you are 15 years old!? Thats got to be the biggest age/ski size ratio ever.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by SP_sam-O View Post

    I think that the 138s are designed way more with charging in mind than the Praxis Pows, it seems like Praxis Pow/Donner Party shape(all reverse sidecut, only slightly larger tip than tail, no straight spot, mounted closer to center) is made to be pivoted from the center in powder, while the 138s are mounted farther back and are more made to slash the tail instead of slashing sideways(like ARGs do, I haven't skied Praxis or Moments though). At least that is what I have found, I have about 12-13 days on mine this season(it's been a slow season, maby 20-25 days).

    Mine are 202 07/08 rocker 2 flex 2, and I'm 6'1" 175 and 15.
    Interesting observation, and makes perfect sense if you look at how far back the mid-sole is on the 138 and how much more asymmetrical it looks vs. a Powder board.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by adam View Post
    Wait, you are 15 years old!? Thats got to be the biggest age/ski size ratio ever.
    Hah, I try to talk my friends into decent lengths, but some are just hopeless(lizzies...). Some are in the mid 190s for pow skis now, and a few(a bit older than me) still have 210ish DH skis from racing we sometimes use.

    I don't get why most people are on tiny skis now, they suck at real skiing.

  14. #14
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    GET THE 202 138s!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously though, having skied spatulas all last year, I did feel that they lacked the true stability/length for super steep, super fast charging. I hve trouble believing that 138's in such a gargantuan length would suffer from the same issue.

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