Review: The Sexy Bananas - dps Wailer 112RP Pures

[Rontele]

Short answer: these are the most fun skis I have been on. I haven't been this stoked about skiing in sometime.

Long-ish answer (sorry, i cannot nerd it out on reviews).

Type of skier: i am the best intermediate skier in Colorado. Race background, like meadowy skippy pow runs and speed. Long-time tele skier that finally is weaning himself off the free heel for Dynafits. Primarily a bc skier.

Summary: Had a chance to get the Wailers out yesterday in really good conditions. Recycled spongy pow on a good base. Initial impressions were very high. The ski has a great turning radius and nearly effortless edge engagement. The first run, I think I tried to muscle the ski a bit much. However, when I started to finesse the ski more (I am way more of a finesse skier), I found the ski to be way more reactive. It almost "pops" out of the turns at the rocker point.

Was skiing with Marshal and we discussed this incredible phenomenom of this ski. Essentially, you can start engaging a turn on its edge, at the apex of a turn allow the ski to smear/drift out and then re-engage the edge to pump the momentum out of the turn into the next one. Unreal feeling and like nothing else I have ever felt on a ski.

Other than that, they are stupid light, tour well (although I could see serious sidehilling being a bit annoying) and look like sexy bananas.

I am stoked.

[Rontele]

A bit more information

6'2 200 lbs. Dynafits. Skied the skis in primarily recycled spongy pow and some breakable wind crust. Dominated crust and floated through the sponge pow like it should.

[Tye 1on]

Sound like awesome skis, i'd be quite interested in a comparison with a Lhasa 191 if anyone's skied both.

Curious, you think any part of how well these did is the extra power/control from having the heel attached? I know i was a lot more solid in challenging conditions when i went from freeheel to dyna...

[Boomer28]

A bit more information

6'2 200 lbs. Dynafits. Skied the skis in primarily recycled spongy pow and some breakable wind crust. Dominated crust and floated through the sponge pow like it should.

Did you feel that they skied noticeably shorter due to the aggressive rocker?

[marshalolson]

just to clarify a few things:

the w112rp 190cm has a 4cm longer running length that a 205 folsom gambit, 3cm shorter than a 186 lhasa pow, 21cm longer than megawatt, 43cm longer than 4frnt renegade, and 30 cm longer than a 191 on3p C&D.

the whole point of the shovel and tail rockers on the w112rp is to engage them beyond the bases-flat contact point, which the gambit/super 7/s7 do not.

[Rontele]

Did you feel that they skied noticeably shorter due to the aggressive rocker?

Not at all. In fact, I was amazed that the skis were able to do long sweeping gs turns and hold the speed and still make more spoony shorter turns, too.

Tye, I have only skied the 186 Lhasa. There is no comparison. The Lhasa feels dead with WAY too much camber compared to these bad boys. It would be like comparing a Bentley to a Kia (no offense to pechelman )

[PowTron]

just to clarify a few things:

the w112rp 190cm has a 4cm longer running length that a 205 folsom gambit, 3cm shorter than a 186 lhasa pow, 21cm longer than megawatt, 43cm longer than 4frnt renegade, and 30 cm longer than a 191 on3p C&D.

the whole point of the shovel and tail rockers on the w112rp is to engage them beyond the bases-flat contact point, which the gambit/super 7/s7 do not.

Wow, that made my head hurt...but also made me want to ski them .

[Rontele]

Another point worth noting. dps is making an effort to make cutting edge skis that are on the forefront of both design and materials. They are succeeding in this regard and it helps distinguish them from other "indie" manufacturers (i.e., PM Gear, ON3P and Moment for example).

[PowTron]

Another point worth noting. dps is making an effort to make cutting edge skis that are on the forefront of both design and materials. They are succeeding in this regard and it helps distinguish them from other "indie" manufacturers (i.e., PM Gear, ON3P and Moment for example).

Hey Hey Hey...I wouldn't toss ON3P in there. Unless you count DPS and their hybrid construction as being way behind .

Maybe it is. I agree that DPS sounds pretty damn amazing, but I do know personally that Scott and ON3P should never be compared to PM , I mean gear.

[Rontele]

PT,

I do not mean to disrespect Scott or ON3P. They make what appear to be great skis (good looking, too).

[PowTron]

PT,

I do not mean to disrespect Scott or ON3P. They make what appear to be great skis (good looking, too).

No worries, I was joking anyway...well, about most of it. PM Gear, not joking.

Marshal, you wouldn't happen to have a demo in these by chance, would you?

[Rontele]

And look, I may call ON3P a garage shop type ski, but that should not take on a bad conontation. The other skis I have are Iggies and those are, without question, garage shop skis...

[DeathVan]

Rontele, MarshalO

Where did you mount your 190cm 112RP?

[Rontele]

Rontele, MarshalO

Where did you mount your 190cm 112RP?

Pretty sure that marshal put up all of the measurements in Verbier's 112 thread. He can chime in as he is the only one (besides pechelman) that I would let mount my skis.

[single]

To get off the DPS smugwagon, I for one like my lhasa pows WAY better than the DPS 120 carbons I owned last year. Much more versatile, more fun, better skiing. I also like my lhasas better than any moment I have ever skied.

That said, I am looking forward to trying out the RP112 and some of ON3P's offerings. And I am REALLY digging my 138s I just mounted up. What a blast.

[DeathVan]

Thanks Ron, I'll go find it

[vailcat]

Single I will have a pair in Boze when the next shipment goes out mid Dec I believe. After you mount them up for me you are more than welcome to try them out

[FrankZappa]

Nice review!

The only drawback you note may be in long sidehilling. Any other stuff or conditions you think it might not be too good at?

Would you rate it as a possible one ski quiver contender?

Since you recently converted to the dark side, what would think of it freeheel? - Would you recommend it tele?

Do you think it excels / or targeted for the, or have opinions on:
alpine
AT
Tele
inbounds/slack/BC/extended BC

What range of skier types would you recommend it to?
Anyone you wouldn't?

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

Marshal, you wouldn't happen to have a demo in these by chance, would you?

Not sure what Marshal has or will have, but there will definitely be some 112 demos on the front range. I may have a pair coming in a few weeks that I'll put demo bindings on - but I'm still waiting to find out 100% on that. If those don't make it I'll 100% for sure have the full demo fleet for at least one weekend in March - stay tuned for more info but it'll probably involve a resort demo day and a semi-DL Berthoud demo day. I'll keep everyone posted.

Oh and stoked to hear the positive review of the 112's!

[Rontele]

Nice review!

The only drawback you note may be in long sidehilling. Any other stuff or conditions you think it might not be too good at?

Would you rate it as a possible one ski quiver contender?

Since you recently converted to the dark side, what would think of it freeheel? - Would you recommend it tele?

Do you think it excels / or targeted for the, or have opinions on:
alpine
AT
Tele
inbounds/slack/BC/extended BC

What range of skier types would you recommend it to?
Anyone you wouldn't?

I think sidehilling would be the only downside and frankly, its not that bad. You just have to weight the ball of your feet to engage the edge to stick. I think it would excel as a tele ski and would be a great tele quiver of one for bc/inbounds. The only inbounds limitation I have would be that I am running Dynafits.

[highrustler]

Thanks for the glowing review, my blue 190's are sitting here all lonely next to my desk. I'm stuck between Dynafit/Baron/Duke. I can't get myself to go w/ Dukes on such a light ski. The Baron's would be a better option, but the DF's could really be the ticket. Decisions....

[Rontele]

Thanks for the glowing review, my blue 190's are sitting here all lonely next to my desk. I'm stuck between Dynafit/Baron/Duke. I can't get myself to go w/ Dukes on such a light ski. The Baron's would be a better option, but the DF's could really be the ticket. Decisions....

I am the wrong person to ask since I'll rarely ski these inbounds. If this is your quiver of one, then I would put on a more burly, everyday binding. If this is going to see primarily bc use, then you would be stupid not to put on a Dynafit.

[Kai]

Thanks for the glowing review, my blue 190's are sitting here all lonely next to my desk. I'm stuck between Dynafit/Baron/Duke. I can't get myself to go w/ Dukes on such a light ski. The Baron's would be a better option, but the DF's could really be the ticket. Decisions....

I was originally thinking Dukes, but in the end, I mounted mine with Marker F12's.

Lighter than Dukes/Barons, but can still use non-dynafit boots.

We'll see how they work out.

[DeathVan]

re-post from MarshalOlson re: mounting point

it is approx -8cm

for referance the lotus 120 is -9, the lotus 138 is (i think) -10, the 4frnt VCT is -7cm, and the EHP is -8 (90% sure).

did do a bit of testing of the mount point from -7.5->-8.5
__________________

-I have been searching my butt off, can't find the one describing how to measure for the 112RP specifically

i.e. I remember a post describing that one measure along the base XXcm from the tail?? or something like that

VVV
Marshal has too many posts for me to search and still get paid for working today

[Wild4umlauts]

rontele - what mounting point did you end up going with?