2021 DPS Pagoda Piste 94 C2

The 2021 DPS Pagoda Piste 94 is a new ski for the company this year, and we actually got a chance to ski it in December-the first 2021 ski we skied, in fact. Built with a new core and the C2 shaping, the Pagoda Piste 94 represents a new direction for DPS, getting somewhat out of their normal powder/soft-snow skis into a more front-side ski. Even at 94 mm underfoot, they're looking to make this a stronger carving ski than they've ever made before. They're even making this ski in a 100 mm width so if you're looking for a wider carver, there's that, too. But we think 94 is the sweeter spot, especially for harder snow here in the east. While much of their building techniques remain the same, the big thing is the addition of a full ash wood layer on top of the aspen/ash main core. This gives the ski a stiffer and more direct energy, and while they still have the same dual-carbon laminate, they're saying that it's been upgraded over previous years. One thing we know for sure is that it works. These things are some of the most precise 94's, especially without metal, that we've ever been on. Featuring the C2 shaping, the skis generate a 19-meter turn radius, and this is more in line with harder snow and more GS-oriented turn shapes. This shaping also makes for a longer effective edge, creating a smoother turn from tip to tail. Skiers looking for that versatile and top-tier all-mountain ski with a precise carving personality should take a long look at these new skis.

Bob St.Pierre got to ski the 184, and while it was a fine length for testing, he's always on the lookout for the longer lengths to add to his personal collection. Regardless, a nice time was had to be sure. High scores abound, with 5's out of 5 given for stability, quickness, maneuverability, torsional stiffness, edge hold, and overall impression. Forgiveness got a 3, speaking volumes of the stiffness of the ski, and playfulness as well, implying that these skis are more business-like than other DPS offerings as well as other skis in the ~94 range in general. "I've liked other DPS skis in the past, but have never been wild about the C2 shaping, until now," Bob begins. "From the first turn, I felt that these were certainly different animals from something like the Wailer 100, which I really like. The longer edge of the C2 shaping makes a lot of sense in this application, and the additional ash laminate really makes a huge difference. For something so stable at speed, it's impossibly light. That's why these things cost as much as they do-there's just something about the combination of speed, quickness, stability, and performance that you rarely, if ever, see in a ski."

In terms of that performance, Bob continues by saying "the energy coming out of the turn is much more reminiscent of a cheater GS ski more than a 94 mm underfoot all-mountain stick. There's just a tremendous amount of pop and snap coming out of the tail end of the ski-whether it's their new carbon or the addition of that ash laminate, I'm not so sure, but whatever they did, it works really well. It took a hot minute to get used to the fact that the skis don't feel substantial on your feet, but after half a run, the confidence built up and I felt like I could do no wrong on these skis. Really an excellent overall effort from DPS, and now it feels like they have a ski specifically made for us eastern skiers." Whether or not that was a conscious decision on their part or not doesn't seem to matter-these skis simply rip.

There's a lot of competition in the ~94 range, from a Rossignol Experience to a Volkl Mantra and a lot in between. While DPS didn't go the route of some others and slap a bunch of metal in the ski, they chose to stick to their methodology and came up with an alternative ski that's more unique and interesting than a lot of other models in this category.