DPS Wailer 112 RP Ski Review

Summer has been going on for a while. Most people are out enjoying the sun, biking, climbing, running, and getting after it. But there have been a lot of comments about winter lately. The building stoke for the season to come. People are swinging by the shop researching ski shapes, and deciding on what models to buy. There are a lot of models of skis out there, some poorly designed but well marketed, and others extremely well thought out, built to perform, and marketed a touch less.

(Photo Above:  Posted earlier in the year, Zack Wasson on his Wailer's enjoying some blower pow)
The DPS Wailer 112RP ski was the one ski that made me feel brand new again. I've skied on a lot of skis from ski tests to demos, to nabbing friend’s skis. Last winter was no exception. I got on the Wailer 112RP, skiing it as much as possible, and desperately trying to find its weaknesses holding off on a review. Skiing the 190cm in blower powder, corn, ice, chunder, breakable crust, groomers, and sastrugi, this 112mm waist ski is seriously fun.  (Photo Below:  Holding The Wailer 112RP, photo by:  Tobias Van Veen)

Maneuverability
Whenever I read reviews in magazines about how this ski turns on a dime, and so on, I roll my eyes as it seems every year someone else is pulling this generic saying out. But it this case, it truly does. The 112 starts, holds, and finishes its turn exactly when you want it to. Great so it turns….. But here’s the difference between all other skis. With the 112, you can straight-line your run getting up to an incredible speed, and simply throw the Wailer sideways and start wiggling through the trees with ease and control. All other skis out there would most likely double eject you into a tree well for trying to push them so hard.

The past few years, people around town have been praising the Rossi S7. My friend Matty Richard has noted the amount and scale of terrain people have now been able to get into, due to its quick easy turning, massive float, and ease of use. The Wailer 112 is no different in the sense that it can get a less advanced and experienced skier into rowdy terrain, but that with a slight shaping change, it performs better for the advanced and elite skier while giving the less experienced skier far more for/aft stability. The biggest difference is in the tail.

(Wailer 112RP Tail above)

The tail of the 112 is less rockered that the S7. This provides the skier with more control and power in his or her turn. It also makes stomping landings off cliff’s or pillows far more simple and the worry of having your skis take off from under you, or flipping back because you don’t have enough tail is gone. Those skiers who like a powerful tail, and release from their turns, will be delighted with the difference the Wailer provides.  More for/aft stability, more control at higher speeds, sounds like a better design to me. This leads us to talking more about Rocker.

Rocker
If you haven’t heard about, or understand Rocker in skis yet, welcome to the future. It’s pretty much the difference between getting punched in the face and eating ice cream on the beach. So I’ll explain it for those who still may be rubbing their cheek after that last experience. Rocker is essentially, and in the most basic way, extending the arc of the skis shovel (tip) and tail farther down the running length of the ski, creating a monster shovel and tail and effectively reducing the skis length of camber.  If I have already lost you please refer to the diagram below. What is does is keeps the skis tips above the snow, allows a 190cm ski to turn more like a 170cm ski, while still feeling stable and in control. Turning, pivoting, hucking, slashing, straight-lining, is all effortless and far more enjoyable; *please see eating ice cream on the beach.

(Rocker measurement from 190cm ski)

The 112 is well balanced and importantly not overly rockered. It is incredibly stable and solid under food, due  to the rocker being perfectly aligned. To be honest, I found skiing it in conditions I wouldn't exactly call stellar (read breakable crust), it made the poor conditions fun. I know, who could have thought breakable crust could ski well?

One key feature to my breakable crust experience, and which translates to better tracking of the ski, is it’s narrowing of the tip. Where the ski comes of the ground (effectively where the rocker starts) and where the ski is it’s widest (450mm from the tip) the ski begins to narrow again. This really helps the ski track because when the ski is put on edge, the tip and edges still maintain some rise, stopping the tip from catching on crust or the rapidly moving soft surface, which would cause you to “catch an edge.”

Construction
The Wailer 112RP, comes in two options for the consumer. A Hybrid core: A mix of fiberglass, carbon and bamboo. Typically this is a touch heavier, but has a bit more dampening for in-bounds crowd. I ski on the Pure Construction, which is a Carbon and Nanotech Resin core that is built off a Poplar/X-Wood core. The Pure is much lighter and great for the touring crowd, but also skis in bounds extremely well.

Both the Pure and Hybrid core skis have 2mm edges, and great Austrian World Cup Race Bases. These  bases are hard! A few times I have landed hard on a shark fin rock, expecting to have absolutely destroyed my bases, and been prepared for hours in the shop fixing and patch the skis. But to my surprise not even a core shot, only a long scratch, which I didn't even bother about.

Yes, I’m stoked on these skis, but there is a negative. And here it is, the bases are very high end, and I do have to wax my skis on a regular basis, otherwise they can dry out. What a big negative (sarcastic tone). Funny enough, people have complained to me about that, but honestly, for the speed and durability of the base that’s a small price to pay.

Overview
Skiing on these skis is game changing to say the least. I won’t review an obviously flawed or poor product, only the cream of the crop, and these are one of the best products out there. I cannot put into words how well they ski. Any skier, elite to intermediate, will benefit from this ski.  DPS has more genius in the works, and those who really love to ski will be smart to take notice. There is even more I can say, but may end up going to far, and overloading the Ski Theory server. You want these skis.

Lengths
168cm, 178cm, 184cm, 190cm
More detailed dimensions here.