2021 DPS Alchemist Wailer 112 RP

I think these are the fun ones. The ones that DPS had in mind way back when they started building skis. I'm only speculating here, but this thing has the foundations of the ski company written all over it. It's a wide ski with deep rocker profiles and taper shapes. It's built for shorter turns in deeper snow, and it's designed and built to do so with a fantastic combination of light weight and high strength. These things will literally bounce down powdery hills thanks to the RP shaping and the overall surface area. A 15-meter turn radius is the main culprit here, because at the 112 mm waist width, the skis have to have some serious shape to them. As a result, the tapered tips are super-wide and will stay afloat on pretty much any depth of snow. Same goes for the tail, that the widest point of the tail is well forward of the rear of the ski, putting the bulk of the surface area closer to the middle of the ski. In deep snow, this creates a unique and floaty feeling that is hard to match. Built with an aspen wood core, DPS uses two full sheets of carbon to get the ski to behave like the high-end product that it is. For any skier wondering if it's worth the hefty price tag, well, that depends on your personal finances, but we do know that it performs very strongly for how light it is, and that's usually a hallmark of expensive outdoor gear. Skiers who like to dance and bounce their way down snowy and powdery hills will love the Wailer 112 in that application for sure.

Jeff Neagle skied the 184, and unsurprisingly, gave it 5's out of 5 for flotation and playfulness. The shape has everything to do with that. Also thanks to the shape, Jeff gave it a 4 for quickness and maneuverability, showing that the spoony shape really can make a nimble turn. "The Wailer 112 is a classic DPS. This is basically the type of ski and shape that put the company on the map to begin with, and the Alchemist construction takes it to another level. It's a powder ski through and through, and it's specifically a quick, maneuverable powder ski. The aggressive rocker and taper shape makes it super easy to smear and pivot, even in deeper snow conditions. Unlike a lot of skis this wide, it's also quick at a higher edge angle because of the 15 m turn radius." It really does all come back to that RP shaping that makes the ski so prone to swivel-like turns.

And in terms of making the skier able to truly get the most out of the ski, it's all about that radius. "So, no matter what style turn you're making, the ski is going to respond quickly and change directions on a dime. I put it more in the precise, nimble category than the hard-charging category. If you just want to straight-line things or make huge arcs in open terrain, it's not the best, but it's a whole lot of fun in chutes, trees, and other terrain that requires technical skiing. Quickness, but strong torsional stiffness too, so you can trust it when things get a little hairy out there. Also a really good choice for a powder AT ski. Certainly light enough for touring and obviously great for backcountry terrain." Bonus points for DPS, making a wide ski that's incredibly light-so much so that it would effectively double as a touring ski.

I guess I'd call it a versatile powder ski? The shape and the build make it incredibly impressive and unique. Skiers who love to stay right on top of any and all soft snow will love the DPS Wailer 112 Alchemist.