The DPS Koala 103 is a fun-loving freestyle ski that has a wonderful mix of energy and playfulness to it. DPS has been at the forefront for unique and interesting shapes for quite some time, so it was great when they entered the twin tip world with the Koala skis a few years ago. The ski returns with a new graphic for this year but remains the same in terms of build and shape. When a ski is developed by pro skiers in places like Alta and Park City, it’s going to have a lot of strong qualities to stand on. The stiffer flex and relatively heavier weight of this ski keeps it somewhat in the expert category, although advanced skiers who are more aggressive will also find a lot of success here. By using some of the construction techniques that existed in both the Foundation and Pagoda skis and putting some new spins on them, the Koala brings its own character to the table when it comes to both creative and aggressive ski styles.

By relying more on the Foundation style of construction that we’ve known in the past, the Koala 103 has a sturdy feel to it. By starting with a dense hardwood core, DPS adds two layers of triaxial fiberglass to the top and bottom. This adds both weight and energy, allowing the ski to be operated at a high level with no regard for gentleness. Embedded in the fiberglass are two strips of carbon, both top and bottom, giving the ski an added level of stiffness and responsiveness. Like normal, DPS uses a textured polyamide top and urethane sidewalls to give the ski its signature sound and feel. With top-level bases and edges, the quality of ingredients here definitely stands out. In the 184, we’re getting a weight of 2075 grams per ski which is on the hefty side, especially for a ski without metal, but it makes sense when considering the energy that’s required to get the ski to perform under duress and in a stable and strong manner.

By calling the shaping of the Koala 103 “Freestyle,” DPS is certainly putting this ski in a box. It’s more than that, for sure, but it still has that creative mentality to it that allows skiers to be able to use this ski in the park and beyond. These Freestyle shapes produce an 18-meter turn radius and contain a good amount of rocker. When the bends in the tips and tails are combined, the rocker comprises about 40% of the ski while the camber makes up the remaining 60%. This is a fairly short effective edge, and on snow, that means the skier will have better success if they stand in the middle zone of the ski rather than pressuring the tips and tails to get it to turn. If you choose to do that, then the ski will hook in very easily, making it come around sooner than you may want. By standing in the center and using the effective edge, this ski comes alive.

Expert skies will find a lot to like here, especially when it comes to the dramatic rocker profile and taper shape. There’s a lot of splay, and that makes freestyle skiers very happy as it can be used in a multi-directional nature to enhance the creative aspects of the sport. Thanks to their high-end construction techniques and engineering, DPS puts a new spin on a modern freestyle ski, taking it to the next level when it comes to blending freeride performance with park prowess.