2027 DPS Koala 103

The 2027 DPS Koala 103 is a carryover ski for this year, bringing with it the same construction, shape, profile and graphic. For years, DPS has been synonymous with innovation in construction, shape, and an individualistic style. They’ve never been a brand that’s been intent on copying the leaders, rather, they enjoy being more creative and having inspiration come from different places, but most notably the greater Salt Lake City ski areas of Alta and Snowbird. These skis make a whole lot of sense in these realms, and the Koala 103 is a daily twin that stands up to aggressive and playful skiing in various depths of snow. With a more central and creative mentality, the Koala 103 is a fantastic twin tip for hard charging and playful skiers.

The construction carries forward with a strong and stable build. Built with a full poplar wood core, the Koala 103 gets carbon stringers on top and bottom of that core. These skis are on the stiffer side, so they do have some reactivity to them due to that carbon additive. As a result, the 184 sits on the scale at 2075 g/ski. Tester Matt McGinnis notes that he “found this ski to be just generally fun! It’s the kind of ski where I can’t say it’s incredible at any one thing, but as a full package, it’s easy to ski, stable, energetic, and just an all-around good time.” This is especially true if you are in softer snow and in more interesting terrain.

The shape stays the same for 2027, with a more centrally and symmetrically themed character. With dimensions of 129/103/119 mm in the 184 cm length, these skis have a straighter cut than most DPS skis at 18-meters. While there’s a 10 mm drop in tip to tail width, the skis are tapered such that there’s a relatively short contact point, making these skis feel more central. The spoony shape in the tips and tails offer great flotation while the dramatic rocker profile adds to the playfulness and fun, especially in softer and deeper snow. Tester Christian Strong says that “it was tough to carve on the firmer and icier snow but as soon as I started working the softer sides of the trail the ski instantly became more of a fun ride. I think this ski would be great in any sort of soft snow it encounters. It was difficult to carve on direct ice. The softer snow makes this ski instantly more playful and fun.”

DPS has some very innovative and interesting skis out there, and the Koala 103 is certainly one of them. It’s got a unique and playful style to it that a lot of skiers will really enjoy, especially if you are more freestyle oriented and more creative in nature.