DPS Wailer 112RP (aka my wallet is in for a beating)

[marshalolson]

hohes, were you finding this sensation in the tip or tail? just curious.

thanks!

[neck beard]

Hi Marshal - in the tips.

With reference to that other discussion about 'tail hooky'. I never had that myself. More so the tail gets locked in with suncrust (I'm also a bad crust skier first and foremost).

[marshalolson]

and was it in the turn initiation (i.e. first 1/4 phase of turn) or turn finishing (3/4 phase of turn)?

[Bird Blaster]

My clips come off more than they did on flatter tails, but the rubber is not at tight as it could be either (nor was it in the past).

About those tips...

They were getting weird on me today in dense wind and sun effected snow on a steep technical pitch. Being so curved upwards, has anyone else found that they (hate to use this word) hook as a result, rather than push on through? With speed and fresh resort legs, no problems, just keep the ski nimble and in the air more, but at slower speeds after at least 4000' of trail breaking in boot deep... the downhill ski wanted to come up hill more than it's role in life requires. When turning, once some cream cheese got compressed under the curve, they ramped upwards an hooked on the curvature, leaving the mid section squirrelly. Anyone else?

Yes - I find those are the conditions that the tips do get hooky. If it is a breakable type crust on top they don't seem to work as well as a more elongated low-profile type tip

[Scotsman50]

My clips come off more than they did on flatter tails, but the rubber is not at tight as it could be either (nor was it in the past).

About those tips...

They were getting weird on me today in dense wind and sun effected snow on a steep technical pitch. Being so curved upwards, has anyone else found that they (hate to use this word) hook as a result, rather than push on through? With speed and fresh resort legs, no problems, just keep the ski nimble and in the air more, but at slower speeds after at least 4000' of trail breaking in boot deep... the downhill ski wanted to come up hill more than it's role in life requires. When turning, once some cream cheese got compressed under the curve, they ramped upwards an hooked on the curvature, leaving the mid section squirrelly. Anyone else?

Cool elf shoe shadows in the long late afternoon light:

I said that a while back but some people thought I was just dissing the ski. They are definitely hooky in wind pack as you( and I) found.
Despite my proclaimed love for my Drifters..I have hardly used them all season and just keep picking up my 112's even on deep powder days. Even my 105's have hardly been skied and I reach for the 112's on firm days as well. It's an amazing ski and I love them more and more as I ski them but they have limitations( all skis do) and hooky in wind pack and getting rattled around in freezing crud are their two weak spots ....which is not surprising.

Detuning the fuck out of the tips to a point even back from the contact point helped the hookiness but as Plugs says..it's the sidecut and tip geometry that make em hooky in windpack....it's also what makes them so fun in good snow.

My wish list for the next generation...reduce the tip rocker...flatten the tail....notch in tail for climbing skin attachment. I'll buy 'em!

[BFD]

My wish list for the next generation...reduce the tip rocker...flatten the tail....notch in tail for climbing skin attachment. I'll buy 'em!

I don't know about the tip rocker having never skied them. I did ski some 120's I have an idea. Being someone who almost always tours and likes to put their skis on in steep places. I agree with what you say.

[neck beard]

Much flatter tail, less tip rocker, 22m radius, same weight and performance. That is a totally different ski, but would be the versatile model. One of the new Dynastar sticks probably have it in the bag, except for the weight?

Regarding the huge tip rocker: I have broken so much deep trail on the 112's this season. I mean more than 50 days where it is boot deep or more, and over touring distances, not dinky sidecountry ridge hikes. And that tip rocker makes those skis float up hill. It is so easy. On the other hand a long side hill rising traverse with a breakable crust is a mild PITA as the uphill ski constantly wants to set a steeper skin track.

By comparison, a pair of 178 BH Maestros break trail like stubborn bitches (they also tip dive a little on descent and ski firm groomers worse than anything I have ever been on, but they handle the wind funk way better).

[plugboots]

One of the Heli guides here has the exact setup I do for BC: TlT5P, 112s, and dynafits and we were laughing that the absolute shittiest condition to ski is the only thing the 112s don't ski well, (and they do it OK, or whatever). Ya sure, lets buy a ski to ski sastrugi.
Oh yeah, my BD half mohairs never unclip from the tail. Ever.

[khyber.pass]

One of the Heli guides here has the exact setup I do for BC: TlT5P, 112s, and dynafits and we were laughing that the absolute shittiest condition to ski is the only thing the 112s don't ski well, (and they do it OK, or whatever). Ya sure, lets buy a ski to ski sastrugi.
Oh yeah, my BD half mohairs never unclip from the tail. Ever.

I found rocking my heels back and skidding the tails was the best technique on sastrugi, ie, unweight the point where the rocker/sidecut engages the snow.

I dig the soft snow and hardpack performance so much and find the ski to be overall so versatile that adjusting technique in sastrugi, the few times I've got to work my way through the terrible stuff, is small penance.

Also +1 on the W112RP's trail-breaking abilities in deep snow. The splay on the tip helps significantly in what I tend to call "trench warfare" (ie wallowing in the tits-deep).

[neck beard]

Sorry Marshal, I missed this.

and was it in the turn initiation (i.e. first 1/4 phase of turn) or turn finishing (3/4 phase of turn)?

I'm going to really concentrate on exactly when it hooks today/tomorrow/next time, but for now based on memory it enters a turn smoothly then hooks up more into the final 3/4 phase of the turn.

[marshalolson]

hohes, one final question... is it the uphill or downhill ski?

you might try a few things as well, and get away from a true 2 foot carve in these funky conditions:

1. drive the down hill ski harder (i.e. straighten the knee), which will also unweight the uphill ski
2. stem the inside ski (i.e. more bases flat), and let it skid around the turn
3. turn off-edge with both skis and let the skis drift rather than carve

just a few thoughts. hopefully something works.

obviously sastrugi is a little challenging to ski in general... unless you are on a full r/r type ski and can just slice thru it like a knife in butter

[gritter]

obviously sastrugi is a little challenging to ski in general... unless you are on a full r/r type ski and can just slice thru it like a knife in butter

... so when do we get that mini L138 Marshal?

[neck beard]

Marshal - it is mainly the downhill ski that hooks up.

Thanks for the technique tips, straight up I admit to being not a strong skier technically so blame myself before I blame the ski. Can't speak for others.

[marshalolson]

Thanks for the technique tips, straight up I admit to being not a strong skier technically so blame myself before I blame the ski. Can't speak for others.

nice, not trying to say something in your skiing needs to change, just some ideas on how to try skiing the funky sonw with some different styles to see if something might work a little better.

[neck beard]

I am always interested in getting better on windboard and crusts and listen up when people talk.

[Tutuko]

Summer's already started for me so its time to ponder for next years season...

In addition to a ever popular 100mm rockered daily driver like w99, bonafide (my case) are people adding the 112mm rocker camber skis as their powder sticks or would preference still be towards a lotus-type shape? with 120+, close to or fully rockered.

From reading through this thread the 112rp is obviously versatile and playful, but in soft snow incl. trees, open glades etc. is the lotus shape still not superior/ just as playful? In my case, a pure construction with dual tech/ duke binder option as a 50/50 backcountry/frontside tool in coastal mountains, BC.

[marshalolson]

tutuko, the lotus is a very different ski than the wailer 112. 40+m radius vs. 18m radius. tail rocker or pin tail?

the wailer 112 excels carving across the fall line, be it in pow or on firm. this ski will excel for skier that are more neutral in position, and prefer to round their turns.

the lotus 120 excels down the fall line. it can release and ski tighter radius turns with its heavily tapered tail. this ski will speak to someone that likes to put a lot of energy into the tail.

hopefully that helps? but the reason both skis exist is to speak to different folks. one is not better than another in soft snow. its more that different skiers prefer different shapes.

[Tutuko]

Thanks for the reply and insight, i was just/also wandering with all the positive reviews if people were finding this ski (112) so 'electric' and 'versatile' it was encroaching on the amount of use they get out of lotus type shapes, or any 120mm+ skis?

[marshalolson]

i can't really speak for anyone else, but this season, for me, the wailer 112 & 99 were everyday inbounds skis and the lotus 120 was an everyday BC pow/touring ski.

i look at it this way: is owning a hammer and a drill overlap? they both drive pins of metal into wood. different tools for different jobs. just my .02

[Wetdog]

Summer's already started for me so its time to ponder for next years season...

In addition to a ever popular 100mm rockered daily driver like w99, bonafide (my case) are people adding the 112mm rocker camber skis as their powder sticks or would preference still be towards a lotus-type shape? with 120+, close to or fully rockered.

From reading through this thread the 112rp is obviously versatile and playful, but in soft snow incl. trees, open glades etc. is the lotus shape still not superior/ just as playful? In my case, a pure construction with dual tech/ duke binder option as a 50/50 backcountry/frontside tool in coastal mountains, BC.

Having skied both and owning the Wailer 112 I would say that for mixed resort use, the Wailer is your ski. The Lotus is awesome in soft back country conditions, but I didn't like it at the resort. For me the wailer handled the inevitable groomers and ice way better. The Lotus was OK if the surface was soft, but on icy or hard packed surfaces I found them a bit treacherous and not all that fun. The Wailer are a blast and for a bit more relaxed style. With Dynafits in the BC the Lotus would rule!

[foreal]

First day out after detuning the fuk out of these from the tip to the round emblem on top sheet. Man, what a difference. Completely eliminated the occasional hookiness I would get in PNW pow.

Continue to love the versatility, float and surfability.

[Staedtler]

After spending a season at fernie with the 112's i'm another happy customer of dps. Fantasic ski for the soft.


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[marshalolson]

112 stoke:

[Bird Blaster]

^^^ LIKE!

[Scotsman50]

He musta hit some windpack at 2.14!