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  1. #26
    adam is offline The Shred Pirate Roberts
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    Rip nailed it . . . 138s need three things: soft snow, steep terrain, and a skier who is in the front seat. Thats the way to ski these bad boys.

  2. #27
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    Nov 2010
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    107
    A friend of mine has recently returned from a two week trip to Caucasus mountains. There wasn't much new snow and the conditions included everything from bumps, to some powder, tracked powder, crud and refrozen crud. He brought two pairs of skis - the Ant's and the 192 Lotus 138s, rocker 3.2, hybrid construction flexed in 2.
    He skied one day on the Ants and then spend the whole two weeks on the 138s. According to him, there is nothing like the 138s in the pow but more interesting he found them to be a joy in the heavily tracked snow and bumps! The only place he had some problems was in refrozen crud.

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chugachjed View Post
    Sent them to me and I will test them thoroughly. If they are defective I will be able to tell you within the span of one season. I will not charge you for this service as long as you pay for shipping.
    I am Chugachjed's apprentice and I usually test the skis the following season after him. He can mail them directly to my house and I will be sure to return them the following year. The 2 year testing program is minimum and we actually suggest 4+ years. My services are free and I pay for shipping until I complete the apprentice program

  4. #29
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    Oct 2004
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    one thing to note as that each different rocker generation had a different 0 line, so just going off the +/- measurement is not exactly apples/apples.

    but yeah, keep skiing them, once it clicks (and it certianly will), you will be a happy happy camper!
    go for rob

    www.dpsskis.com

  5. #30
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    i recommend you pick up a used pair of K2 KVC Comps and spend some time getting them dialed in the pow. the L138s should come naturally after that. maybe lose some weight too sorry, i have a mean streak when i'm drinking whiskey...

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
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    I like to compare it to DH specific bikes as well, especially when talking to people hating on new skis. If you get a 9inch bike and then go ride the same mellow trails you ride on your CC hardtail..well no shit it makes it easy. But what you need to focus on are the trails and lines that only a DH bike allows you to ride, and the speed at which you can ride it.

    I do think there should be some sort of universal ski law that you must learn to ski powder with a regular camber 95mm or less underfoot ski before you are able to use any rev/rev or superfat ski.

    And Hohes - C'mon man. I was just trying to come up with an useful analogy for you internet dweebs out there.
    Last edited by rip; 04-28-2011 at 03:56 PM.

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    SF, CA
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    Sorry for the radio silence - I wanted to be very, very thorough before posting again. I gave these 2 solid powder days, compared side by side with regular skis and powder skis with sidecut (lhasa pow 191s, someone else on Pontoons, Generic 115 skis), and have my final opinion.

    Verdict? Much Better.

    I haven't adjusted the bindings yet. I have to think about it more but I'm leaning towards moving forward +1 over adjusting ramps or any of the other suggestions. To answer a few of the posters, I’ve skied dukes on other skis and used other AT bindings. I know how to ski powder in a full camber ski as well as one with a big shovel and a small amount of rocker.

    In wide open spaces (KT-22 for example) these things just kill it. Visibility was HORRIBLE and I still felt confident skiing by feeling. Face shots on demand and you can feel the envy from the chair above. I even clicked into generic 115 sidecut skis to compare on the same run and the difference was night and day.

    In the trees: These are still great in the deep. I found myself needing to go faster to get them to turn tight but that's more my (lack of) ability level than anything else. They're stiffer than what I’m used to or comfortable with but hopefully that'll prove to be an asset later on. As a comparison, I was riding with my buddy who's the same ability level as me. He was on Pontoons and we went into deep, tight, and at places, steep trees. He was having a MUCH harder time than I was maneuvering around and his skis were more than 10cm shorter.

    Stability: Most importantly - the handlebars issue has been solved. I'm not sure how, maybe practice? In low visibility I didn't see a jump and landed WAY too far forward on harder packed snow. On any other ski I'd have flown forward and made a big mess. These refused to flip me. On moguls getting down to what I want to ski these are getting better. I don't look great doing it and you can hear "clack clack clack" but they work.

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    Another amen to what everyone else has been saying. These skis are hungry, you need to feed them, feed them speed, feed them steep terrain, feed them soft snow. They will thank you for it. 1st day out on my 138s I was only doing steep lines in deep blower and after a couple runs I felt like superman. The next day I was doing much more mellow stuff and I felt like wtf where did my cape go.

  9. #34
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    Jan 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by IvanLipko View Post
    Actually I still can't get why people buy dps skis in F3 - my 2's are so damn stiff, stiffer than XXL's.
    from my experience, flex 3 is not the problem. Flex 3 200cm Lotus 120s=BEST SKI EVAR!
    Perhaps you'd be more comfortable on epicski or Paula's Ski Lovers, AltaNancy.

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    I felt the same way when I jumped on my 195 PowBoards for the first time. They were fun as hell but it took about 20 minutes to really get it dialed. I have always drooled over a pair of 202's but can not really justify a pair yet and it would just put too much overlap in my quiver. Like everyone said they just eat speed, the faster you go the easier they get not when its wide open that cool but can be daunting at first in trees cause you are just at another level of risk. The cool thing is they shut down like no other ski so its easy to stop the shit from hitting the fan. I do not know where the 192's that I tried were mounted but I still felt as if the skis had a massive sweet spot so moving the mount +-1cm should not change the ski that much. Before drilling a bunch of new holes in the ski wait and see if you style naturally adjusts to the current mount point.

  11. #36
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    736
    "138s are your dick, you just need to find a powder pussy."

    Best ski review quote ever.

  12. #37
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    Dec 2010
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    Two cents from a fairly new Maggot... You may, if possible, want to even test another or several lengths & rocker profile combinations. If we are following the girl analogy... don’t be afraid to date and find the right one for you. So just be yourself. Sure be willing to try new things... new positions, new flexes & rocker profiles. You’ll find the right ride for you. I bet we are all giving you advice on the Lotus 138s we love and they are probably all different years, rocker profiles, flexes...

    I don’t even think you told us what LENGTH you had… and yet you still got some good, pointed advice and input.

    That length should make a fairly significant difference as they have two completely different rocker profiles from 192cm vs. 202cm, even in the same year ski, and as you can imagine would ride considerably different. But we LOVE our 138’s so much all we can do is share our personal specs and experiences in hope you find the same magic. This forum is really great because these guys are willing to share and I am thankful. It helps to hear others stories of falling in love with their ski but it is no substitute for you experiencing the different skis for yourself.


    My first pair was last year’s Lotus 138 in 192cm flx2. I got lucky and hit it off pretty fast and really loved them in the steep and deep... but they took a little extra work outside of ideal steep deep conditions and outside those conditions I went for other skis to do the job.

    A few weeks ago I bought a pair of 202cm Flx2 from the last year they did the Bamboo side wall. This was a completely different ski to me. I would name this the Lotus 138 RP (resort pow). It seemed so much more dynamic and versatile to me than the 192cm with the deeper rocker profile. Despite what I thought was love, I sold that first pair within hours because this older vintage ski was just perfectly suited to me and I felt it elevated me to, again, a new level of skiing. I was/am in love with this ski and it does not end with the deep pow... she runs on hardpack, groom, mixed crud and really runs... FOR ME. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy the speed she delivers and the feel of control at that speed and mixed terrain is incredible.

    Don’t be afraid of testing these skis and getting your own opinion. If it’s one thing I can rely on, from my experience here in SLC, is that it is easy to re-sell a DPS ski. If the ski is not for you there are plenty of Men willing to take her off your hands. I also skied three different Lotus 120's this season before I found one that I did not like. It was a grey top with pinstipe Lotus 120 190cm flex3 that I’m sure somebody here absolutely would love to have in their quiver. I just could not turn off the speed in the trees without serious work and felt a bit out of control not being able to shut the beast down. It wanted to run and it took a stronger man than I to show it who was boss without feeling like a full time Job. Again, I had cash in hand by 8am the next morning and I had two other 120s that I love and can't decide which one is best.

    I think it is so cool there are more guys putting effort into new ski designs and materials not used years ago and at a higher quality… and they deserve to be given a ride because you’ll find the one that changes everything for you. So don’t feel like you have to force the relationship, or even that something is wrong with you, on a particular run of ski if it does blow your mind. There are several personalities of the Lotus 138.

    I must say DPS makes a killer menu of skis. That first Lotus 138 opened my mind to a whole new way of skiing powder and made me want to try them all. I’ve sampled and narrowed down an almost a complete DPS quiver from Cassiar, Wailer RP, & a couple Lotus's that I bought thinking I would sample and put them back into circulation… But now I can’t let them go. That’s just how love works... you date as many as you can until you find the one you can’t let go. In my case it’s a little bit more like Big Love when it comes to skis.

    Sorry if that just makes it harder. But I it think it’s a beautiful truth. I say embrace it and enjoy the rides
    Last edited by Olympus; 04-02-2011 at 02:21 AM. Reason: spacing

  13. #38
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    ^^ Wow, great words. Thanks.
    == | slacktopia | ==
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  14. #39
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    Bumping this because I bought a used pair of 202 138 F2 from the bamboo-sidewall generation from bptempleton (thanks mang!). My thoughts echo Olympus' exactly, and I think that's one of the best reviews I've seen on the site.

    After a handful of days on them, I'm willing to say it's the best, most confidence-inspiring ski I've ever skied. It almost feels like cheating. It's odd to term a ski this wide as a quiver killer, but it's the ski I want whenever there's more than 6"...and if there's less than that I'm in the bc. Powder is heavenly, but we all knew that. The impressive part is how well they ski after the resort has been tracked out. I can carve trenches down a chopped-up mogul field at like 40 mph no problem. They can ski tight trees - much better than I expected, actually. But let's be realistic: I'm 5'11" 165# on a 202 L138. If the trees are spaced widely enough, it's not a problem, but once they get tight the speed has to drop. But I think it's a big credit to the ski that I'm not scared to take them into the trees, I just know I can't ski them as quickly as my 186 Renegades, for instance.

    I borrowed my friend's 196 Protests the other day because it wasn't a pow day and I hadn't finished installing inserts on my other skis. I skied the Protests for a few runs, and then switched back to the L138. I can't think of a condition or time where I would want the Protest instead of my L138s. I convinced the same friend to take them for a few run last weekend. I wouldn't presume to speak for him regarding which ski he actually prefers, but he couldn't get over how fast and confidence-inspiring they were.

    I will note two issues:
    1) The bamboo sidewalls crack. This scared me pretty badly at first (there were not cracks when I bought them), but it's just cosmetic, according to Marshal. Throw some epoxy in the crack and call it good.
    2) DPS added a significant more amount of rocker, in both height and length, to the current version. I really wish they still made the "202 L138 RP," but I'd like to try the new 202 at some point.
    "Alpine rock and steep, deep powder are what I seek, and I will always find solace there." - Bean Bowers

    photos

  15. #40
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    @rip --- heh. powder pussy. heh.
    == | slacktopia | ==
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    still bangin' beats

  16. #41
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    Dec 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by auvgeek View Post
    Bumping this because I bought a used pair of 202 138 F2 from the bamboo-sidewall generation from bptempleton (thanks mang!). My thoughts echo Olympus' exactly, and I think that's one of the best reviews I've seen on the site.

    After a handful of days on them, I'm willing to say it's the best, most confidence-inspiring ski I've ever skied. It almost feels like cheating. It's odd to term a ski this wide as a quiver killer, but it's the ski I want whenever there's more than 6"...and if there's less than that I'm in the bc. Powder is heavenly, but we all knew that. The impressive part is how well they ski after the resort has been tracked out. I can carve trenches down a chopped-up mogul field at like 40 mph no problem. They can ski tight trees - much better than I expected, actually. But let's be realistic: I'm 5'11" 165# on a 202 L138. If the trees are spaced widely enough, it's not a problem, but once they get tight the speed has to drop. But I think it's a big credit to the ski that I'm not scared to take them into the trees, I just know I can't ski them as quickly as my 186 Renegades, for instance.

    I borrowed my friend's 196 Protests the other day because it wasn't a pow day and I hadn't finished installing inserts on my other skis. I skied the Protests for a few runs, and then switched back to the L138. I can't think of a condition or time where I would want the Protest instead of my L138s. I convinced the same friend to take them for a few run last weekend. I wouldn't presume to speak for him regarding which ski he actually prefers, but he couldn't get over how fast and confidence-inspiring they were.

    I will note two issues:
    1) The bamboo sidewalls crack. This scared me pretty badly at first (there were not cracks when I bought them), but it's just cosmetic, according to Marshal. Throw some epoxy in the crack and call it good.
    2) DPS added a significant more amount of rocker, in both height and length, to the current version. I really wish they still made the "202 L138 RP," but I'd like to try the new 202 at some point.
    Glad to hear you like them! I love them in most conditions as well, but the real game-changer for me was skiing them in heavy, deep chopped up snow late in the day at Baker. They're so stiff and so HUGE that they absolutely crush sloppy mashed potatoes. You can ski crud like it's untracked, where other skis I've been on in those conditions deflect pretty badly.

    I'm also very interested to try the new 202's. I've fondled them in the salon in SLC, and I'm a little confused why they decided to move to full reverse-camber, instead of having a small flat area underfoot as with earlier iterations. It seems like it would only very marginally improve pivoty-ness, while severely impairing hardpack performance, where I found the older 202's pleasantly manageable. If I've learned anything about DPS, though, it's that they do A LOT of research so I won't bash them until I try them.

    RE: the bamboo sidewalls- I wouldn't worry. I skied my L120's more than 100 days and never had a hint of a problem. Just keep you eye on them.

  17. #42
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Seattle, WA
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    22
    Bumping this because I bought a used pair of 202 138 F2 from the bamboo-sidewall generation from bptempleton (thanks mang!). My thoughts echo Olympus' exactly, and I think that's one of the best reviews I've seen on the site.

    After a handful of days on them, I'm willing to say it's the best, most confidence-inspiring ski I've ever skied. It almost feels like cheating. It's odd to term a ski this wide as a quiver killer, but it's the ski I want whenever there's more than 6"...and if there's less than that I'm in the bc. Powder is heavenly, but we all knew that. The impressive part is how well they ski after the resort has been tracked out. I can carve trenches down a chopped-up mogul field at like 40 mph no problem. They can ski tight trees - much better than I expected, actually. But let's be realistic: I'm 5'11" 165# on a 202 L138. If the trees are spaced widely enough, it's not a problem, but once they get tight the speed has to drop. But I think it's a big credit to the ski that I'm not scared to take them into the trees, I just know I can't ski them as quickly as my 186 Renegades, for instance.

    I borrowed my friend's 196 Protests the other day because it wasn't a pow day and I hadn't finished installing inserts on my other skis. I skied the Protests for a few runs, and then switched back to the L138. I can't think of a condition or time where I would want the Protest instead of my L138s. I convinced the same friend to take them for a few run last weekend. I wouldn't presume to speak for him regarding which ski he actually prefers, but he couldn't get over how fast and confidence-inspiring they were.

    I will note two issues:
    1) The bamboo sidewalls crack. This scared me pretty badly at first (there were not cracks when I bought them), but it's just cosmetic, according to Marshal. Throw some epoxy in the crack and call it good.
    2) DPS added a significant more amount of rocker, in both height and length, to the current version. I really wish they still made the "202 L138 RP," but I'd like to try the new 202 at some point.
    This. Skiing AUV's L138 for the first time I was a little worried because they're 202 and R/R, which I've never been on. First run was mildly tracked powder and man they ripped. I couldn't get over how fast you can ski them in almost any snow. The most impressive part wasn't the speed but how easy/comfortable the skiing is at those speeds. It was so easy to go Mach 11 and not feel out of control. I have never felt that comfortable going that fast on my Protests. I've only got a couple runs in on the L138 but more will come, right AUV? I'd really like to ski them back to back with the Protest.
    Oh and the quiver killer comment, I can totally see that...

  18. #43
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Vancouver/Whistler
    Posts
    222
    RIP i think you nailed it... and i think TurboLT was just having an issue with with regards to LOFT. Has anybody else had an issue with LOFT on a ski?
    What do you mean why do I have duct tape on my skis!?! It improves edge hold, increases pop, adds durability, and most importantly, boosts horsepower by like 30%... what? your skis don't have horsepower?

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