DPS Koala 111 — Review

The DPS Koala 111 is the most playful, progressive member of the DPS lineup: a surf-and-jib powder and soft-snow ski built to slash, butter and drift rather than charge in a straight line. With a 111 mm waist it sits squarely in the wide freeride class, but the personality is deliberately loose and forgiving rather than locked-in and aggressive. It is aimed at skiers who want float on storm days and a ski that rewards a centred, creative stance in the resort. Note that this is an inbounds, resort-oriented tool: at 2200 g per ski in the 184 cm length it is not built for touring.

In soft snow the Koala 111 is in its element. The rockered tip and tail plane easily and let the ski pivot, smear and release with very little effort, so slashes and buttery, jibby moves come naturally. Camber underfoot keeps some snap and pop on hand for takeoffs and firmer patches, and the 18 m radius at 184 cm makes medium-radius turns feel intuitive. Because the tune is playful rather than planted, the trade-off is top-end stability: pushed hard at speed through chop, or leaned into on firm hardpack, it gives up some of the composure and edge bite that heavier, more directional skis deliver. Ridden at a relaxed, surfy pace it flatters the skier; treated like a charger it shows its limits.

The Koala 111 is built on a hardwood core with a hybrid carbon laminate — fiberglass infused with carbon strips — which adds liveliness and a springy, energetic feel without the deadening mass of a full metal laminate. A sintered base holds wax well and speeds up glide across variable snow. The sidecut at 184 cm measures 139 / 111 / 127 mm with an 18 m radius, and the profile pairs a rockered tip and rockered tail with camber underfoot for float on the ends and grip in the middle. It comes in 168, 176, 184 and 189 cm. At 2200 g per ski (184 cm) it is on the heavier side for its class, which lends stability underfoot but works against uphill use.

This ski suits playful freeride and freestyle-minded skiers who prioritise soft-snow float, buttering and a forgiving, surfy feel over outright charging. If you want a more directional, metal-laminate freeride ski that drives harder, the K2 Mindbender 108Ti is the more planted option. The Head Kore 112 Ti is a lighter, metal-topped freeride reference for skiers wanting less swing weight, while the Nordica Enforcer 110 free is heavier, planted and charge-oriented for those who value stability at speed. Within DPS, the DPS Koala 103 is a narrower, more all-mountain sibling, and the DPS Lotus 117 is a directional powder charger for straight-line float.

Pros

• Loose, buttery and forgiving with an intuitive, surfy feel.
• Strong float from the rockered tip and tail on deep, soft days.
• Playful, creative character that rewards jibs, slashes and butters.
• Lively hardwood-and-carbon build with pop underfoot.
• Sensible length range from 168 to 189 cm.

Cons

• Heavy at 2200 g per ski, which hurts agility and endurance.
• Poorly suited to touring or long uphill use.
• The playful tune gives up top-end stability for chargers at speed.
• Only average on firm hardpack compared with metal-laminate rivals.

Verdict: The DPS Koala 111 is a specialist's playground ski: a loose, buttery, forgiving freeride-freestyle tool that floats generously and rewards a creative, surfy style on soft-snow days. It is not the ski for skiers chasing top-end stability or lightweight touring, and it feels only average on firm hardpack. But for resort powder days and a playful inbounds approach, it delivers a distinctive, fun-first ride that few skis match.