Curated Ski Expert Hayden Wright got his hands on the 2023 DPS Koala 103 this spring and put it to the test at Powder Mountain, Utah. Check out how it performed from carving to freestyle skiing. But don’t forget, every skier is unique; if you have any questions about the DPS Koala 103 or would like recommendations on what ski would be ideal for your needs, reach out to a Ski Expert here on Curated.

Before we jump in, a quick note that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands, all of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does DPS claim about this ski?

It’s a brand new design for the Koala 103 this year, but DPS states that they kept a lot of the same technology from their other skis that are less freestyle-oriented. Basically, they want you to have electric turns between each of the freestyle hits you're finding around your home mountain or in the backcountry.

Overall Impressions

What's your overall impression of the ski?

Now, 10 years ago, if I would've told you DPS was going to be making a park ski, you'd be shaking your head, but it is here–it is the Koala 103. My first impression jumping on the DPS Koala 103 for 2023 was “whoa!”. DPS built it to turn the entire mountain into a skier’s park, and this thing is so fun. Everywhere I went on the mountain, on the groomers, off the groomers, it was a total blast.

How would you describe its profile?

The DPS Koala 103 has my personal favorite ski shape. There’s a lot of rocker in the tip for keeping you up on that pow, and it’s loaded with camber so you can rip turns on any kind of condition. And then, for riding switch, you have a full rocker in the tail. It is the most playful ski shape in my opinion.

How is its durability?

It was great today but we didn't really get to put it to the test. I would love to get on these skis for another four or five days and really just thrash and bash them.

Carving

How does it turn?

With it only being 103 millimeters underfoot, it’s really quick edge-to-edge. The 18-meter turn radius is awesome. It feels like less than 18 meters, but this thing is super quick edge-to-edge.

How is its edge hold?

It holds edge great on the hard stuff because it has so much camber underfoot.

Is it easy to control?

I’ve had varying snow conditions with the DPS Koala 103. I skied towards the middle of the day where there were still some shaded hard spots. Then, I experienced only minimal chatter, which is awesome.

Freestyle

How is its pop?

There’s tons of pop on these guys. They’re super fun, full twin. We got early rise in the tip and tail, and tons of camber underfoot while laying arcs and slashing around the slushy conditions here at Pow Mow in the beginning of April.

For somebody who is skiing on mountain and wants to do some park laps, how is this going to perform?

It's definitely a great ski in and out of the park. Not only can it hold its own on the groomers, but it can also hold its own in the park. At only 103 millimeters under foot, it’s still not too wide to slide those rails, can hit the boxes in the park, and is definitely stable underfoot. It has a lot of flex in the tip and tail. It’s awesome for pressing, doing butters, and hitting the park jumps.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this ski to?

The DPS Koala 103 is dialed in for rails, park jumps, big mountain lines, and backcountry booters. I find that whatever I need, the Koala 103 is there for me.

Skis work differently for different types of skiers. If you want help finding the right ski for you, reach out to Hayden or any other Ski Expert here on Curated.