2027 DPS Koala 111

The 2027 DPS Koala 111 is a carryover model for this upcoming year, building off the success of last year’s changes. Sporting a dramatic rocker profile and taper shape to go along with a wide-bodied construction, these skis are inspired by the deep mountains and craggy peaks of the Wasatch Mountain range in Utah, and it shows up on snow with how these are built and shaped. Since they’re a bit more of a specialty brand, DPS doesn’t quite get the recognition it deserves in the twin tip world, but these 111’s fit right in when it comes to shape, construction, profile, and overall attitude. There’s some nice flex and playful shaping here that makes for a whole lot of fun in softer snow.

DPS uses their hybrid carbon construction in their Koala 111, basically using the same Wailer build here. We use a full polar wood core and carbon strips on top and bottom of the core. We got out on them on a nice snowy day here at Stowe, and tester Matt Stromecki was more than impressed: “These were pretty surfy and surprising. They felt a bit heavy on the feet but the shape and profile keep them afloat with ease. Also, on soft groomers, they turned really well—better than many other high-profile skis in this range.” At 2200 grams per ski in the 184, there is some heft here, but the taper and shorter effective edge makes it a lot more mobile. Built with a poplar wood core and two sheets of fiberglass infused with carbon stringers, this isn’t a complex construction, but it’s very effective in terms of providing stability, smoothness, and energy to the snow. If you’re a skier with a modern and youthful style, we can see the Koala 111 working out very well.

With creativity and surfy character at the forefront of the shaping principles, the Koala 111 features 40% rocker and 60% camber. There’s a lot of splay here, though, as the ski closely mirrors a narrower twin tip with freestyle capabilities in a wider package. This allows for fun and creative skiing in deeper snow as this Koala is a great option for freeride powder skiers with a park influence. With measurements of 139/111/127 mm in the 184, the skis produce an 18-meter turn radius. Due to the taper shape, it’s incredibly easy and rewarding to access this arc, and the ski feels more central than others in this realm. Matt “liked the ease of use here, as this 111 skis like a very mobile ski. I understand that it’s meant for wider Utah spaces, but it worked great in our tight VT woods as well.” Again, we do think that youth plays a big role in the success of this ski.

The 2027 DPS Koala 111 is a great option for advanced and expert freeriders with a creative background. Whether you’re looking to take advantage of backcountry booters, big pillow lines, or gnarly drops in bounds, these Koala 111’s will fit right in. With a peppy build and a great new look, the 2027 DPS Koala 111 is an awesome, albeit slightly out of the box choice, for skis in this range. It is more specific to conditions and terrain for more aggressive skiers, but they really excel in that zone.