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Thread: DPS Koala?

  1. #1
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    DPS Koala?

    anyone actually ridden them? what did you think?

  2. #2
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    Yes. Fun Ski. Mount point felt a little forward to me for my style of skiing. Damp yet quick with some pop out of a turn. handled skied out PNW (Stevens Pass) chop well. Didn’t toss you around or fail when rolling over a bump to descover the micro chute below was totally scraped clean. Generally prefers a more centered stance. I think most strong skiers would be happy with a pair for western resort pow ski.

  3. #3
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    cool. a pair came through my shop and I was surprised at how burly they were for a DPS. plus I dig the top sheets so I'm pretty interested. I love my Rustler 11's but want something a little more playful and a bit wider, but don't like soft flexy skis like Chetlers or Candides. seems like it could be the ticket.

  4. #4
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    Wonder how they compare to the Proto. Seems like they could fit a similar need for a person.

  5. #5
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    Skied the 184 last week in thick cut up fresh and liked it a lot. Damp and powerful (read: if you think the 112 RP is perfect, you probably won't like it) with solid edgehold. Demo wasn't as responsive to turn input as other skis in the class last week, but I'd be happy to own a pair.

  6. #6
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    looks like a pintail with similar dimensions to the lotus but more sidecut / less early rise and only a 23M turning radius
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  7. #7
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    well, I have a pair of 184's and 189's coming in the mail today, so we'll see. I've hand flexed a pair of 184's and they are surprisingly stiff for a DPS and for a twin tip. I love my Rustler 188 11's, but wanted something a bit wider. Don't really love my Spurs, a bit too long, asym tips are weird in pow, and they are just too stiff (great for days I want to straightline runs all day, too much for anything else). Apparently the 189s are stiffer than the 184's, according to the rep, so I'm hoping the Koalas will replace my Spurs nicely. bit shorter turning radius, bit less stiff, bit shorter should be ideal. and still black \m/. .\m/

  8. #8
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    Got them in hand. 189’s are basically a much stiffer 188 Rustler 11 with more tail and tip splay. Rocker lengths are very similar, turning radius on the Koalas is a bit longer, mount points are nearly identical. Koalas are much stiffer and burlier. Oh and they’re black so of course they’re better looking. Waiting on bindings but will try to report back after skiing them.

  9. #9
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    I haven't had any luck tracking down a weight for the Koala. This is the first pair of DPS' that I have been really keen on. They look like a great build. Anyone have a weight on them? Cheers!
    I like huge dumps.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by goldengarbageman View Post
    I haven't had any luck tracking down a weight for the Koala. This is the first pair of DPS' that I have been really keen on. They look like a great build. Anyone have a weight on them? Cheers!
    Not light. Heavy enough you shouldn’t need a scale. The 184s skied like they’re somewhere between 2100-2300g/ski.

  11. #11
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    Evo lists them at 2200g for the 179cm and 2300g for the 184cm, which would put the 189cm around 2400g... also PSA, it looks like Cripple Creek has the 179/184 on sale for $600 (msrp is $800)

  12. #12
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    Love my Koalas. They are super playful, and easy to stomp airs, bounce through pow and slash. Been on them a lot lately.. the mount point was farther forward than I'm used to but only took a run or two to get used to, they like centered skiing but can be driven.
    www.dpsskis.com
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    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  13. #13
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    Does anyone have a comparison on these to the L120s? Love those skis, but not sure about the newer DPS skis, didn't enjoy the wailers as much.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by sheel44 View Post
    Does anyone have a comparison on these to the L120s? Love those skis, but not sure about the newer DPS skis, didn't enjoy the wailers as much.
    I was skiing the Lotus 120 prior to this.. these are more similar to that than a wailer, if that's what you're asking. A little more width in the tail and obviously not as directional.
    www.dpsskis.com
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    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  15. #15
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    might try to demo them then thanks for the info

  16. #16
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    They are way heavier and WAY stiffer than Wailers. One of the stiffest non-metal skis I’ve seen.

  17. #17
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    Interesting thread. Been on many DPS over the years

    138 crazy fun, but limited resort
    RP better compromise but still can’t charge resort
    RPC charges, but lost the playfulness

    Still have and love 120 for deep days

    Koala intrigues me. I Ain’t buttering switch, but playful and stiff sounds good!
    . . .

  18. #18
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    Can anyone AB against blizzard gunsmoke?


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  19. #19
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    I can’t, but I can say that they have almost the exact same mount point as a 188 Rustler 11 but are considerably stiffer. Similar amount of rocker but more tail splay.

  20. #20
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    Took out the 189s today. Skied mostly steep chop bumps, steep bowls, some deeeep first tracks in trees and pillow lines in cat/hike terrain, with some groomer runs here and there. Very damp, very poppy, playful. Holds an edge well on firm snow for a 119 underfoot wood ski, but not as well as Rustler 11’s, for example. Super fun to hit jumps and side hits, rock drops, excellent in deep pow. First really damp, really stiff ski Ive been on that I would call jibby. Very very stiff and fast as fuck. They’re hard to shut down when you’re really hauling in uneven snow. My Spurs will straightline over the top of anything, but when you want to shut them down, they stop on a dime. Koalas will straightline tough terrain, but it’s more of a “hold the fuck on” until you hit lower angle slopes where you can dump the speed. I think this comes from them being poppy in the sense that, the ski is like a tightly loaded spring. If you have the strength to flex it, it will really pop, if you don’t its like a 2x4. I don’t like them in trees. They’re so stiff that they’re hard to flex the ski into the tighter arcs needed in tight trees. The 179 or 184 would be a better choice for tree skiers. Despite boot center being almost identical to 188 Rustler 11’s, which I sometimes find too centered, the Koalas never felt that way to me. Overall I fuxking love them, but they’re burly for an everyday choice. Would be an excellent Jackson Hole ski. Very unlike any other DPS I’ve been on.

  21. #21
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    They sound fucking awesome.
    Could you measure their true length and the mount point? Should be -8cm from trye center if it’s the same as the rustler 11s

    2020 is really blowing me away with a bunch of brands I usually dont care about coming out with stuff I’m interested in, k2, armada and now DPS?

  22. #22
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    They are awesome. I’ll try to do that later when I’m home.

  23. #23
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    Just rehashing this thread.
    a positive attitude will not solve all of your problems, but it may annoy enough people to make it worth the effort

    Formerly Rludes025

  24. #24
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    I am sure most of you already saw this review, but if not Blister published a full review recently. Sounds like a slight change from the regular DPS' program for sure.

    https://blisterreview.com/gear-revie...tion-koala-119

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by kid-kapow View Post
    I am sure most of you already saw this review, but if not Blister published a full review recently. Sounds like a slight change from the regular DPS' program for sure.

    https://blisterreview.com/gear-revie...tion-koala-119

    I have about 6 or 7 days on my 189's now, and I agree both with what I wrote before and the Blister review. The only thing I would really disagree with about the Blister review is that they are so stiff they can be scary in tight stuff, especially really tight trees. Unless you are a really strong skier with strong legs that can flex these, they are a lot to handle in trees. I def agree with them that most people should go for the shorter length.

    but holy fuck are they fast and damp.

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