DPS has taken an interesting twist with their ski models for 2024. With the proliferation of touring and hybrid skis in the past five years, some companies have made their existing shapes lighter for uphill efficiency while others have stuck to more touring-specific skis to separate the resort from the backcountry. In the case of DPS, they started by making a tour version of their popular skis, but then changed the resort skis and left the tour models alone. Mostly, it seems that they did this because the Pagoda Tour skis were very good, and there’s no reason to change them at this point in time. Really all they did was change the naming structure of the shape and rocker profile to fit the current model, but overall, these skis return unchanged from the past few years in terms of construction and footprint.

Built with a high level of sophistication, right here in USA, the 2024 DPS Pagoda Tour 106 has a lot of technology built in. Like most lightweight and touring skis, it all starts with a paulownia wood core. This core is bolstered by stringers of varying levels. We get a mix of ash for power, aerospace foam for lightness, and a center strip of algal material for silence and eco-friendliness. On top of the wood core we get a binding retention plate that has some sort of structural benefit and we get two sheets of aerospace grade carbon on top and bottom. The carbon is the big deal here, as it has been with DPS forever now. This level of carbon does not readily wear out, giving the ski the same power and energy on day one as it will theoretically have on day 200. If you need some help in justifying the cost of these skis, perhaps that will assuage some trepidations. While there are lighter touring skis out there, there aren’t many with this level of technology and performance. The 179 weighs in at 1550 grams per ski, which is just a tad heavier than we normally see with dedicated touring skis, but not by much.

While the overall footprint is not dissimilar from last year’s Pagoda 106 C2, they simply call it “Directional” now. The RP moved to “Rocker” but they all retain the same principles and measurements. With the 106 being a directional shape, that calls for a longer turn radius of 19-meters, allowing the skier to have a bit more control over the shape and duration of the turn. This is more beneficial for skiers who take a more aggressive and direct path down the fall line and is more amenable to higher speeds and longer arcs. From an uphill perspective, this is also more efficient because the straighter cut tracks better when climbing. There’s still a good amount of rocker in this ski, comprising about 30% of the running length while the remaining 70% is energy-providing camber. At 106 mm underfoot, it’s still a great floater, as the whole point of getting into the backcountry is finding untracked lines.

We’ve been big fans of these skis over the past few years, and it seems like a natural transition for DPS to take their experience with carbon and move it into the touring world. They’ve always made light skis, and now with a few tweaks here and there to the build, the touring aspect of the Pagoda line is shot right to the forefront of the conversation. Sure, there’s a price tag to contend with, but you’re getting a high-quality ski that’s handmade and consists of high-tech materials and engineering. The extra bonus is that they have a long life span so you won’t have to buy a new set any time soon.