About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the skis, which I purchased with my own money in December of 2022.

My take

The DPS Koala 118 is geared toward advanced-expert skiers looking for a strong ski that can handle deep powder and won’t fold up when the going gets rough. Their relatively heavy, stiff construction makes them an excellent choice for resort powder days, where the snow gets chopped up and tracked out fairly quickly. To quote DPS, the Koala 118s are “skis built for animals.”

About the skis

• Model: 2023 DPS Koala 118
• Size: 189cm

About me

• Height: 6’0” (183cm)
• Weight: 220lbs
• Experience: 14 years of snowboarding/skiing

Test conditions

• When I bought these: December 2022
• Days tested: 2
• Mount position: Recommended Line
• Boots: 2023 Dalbello Krypton AX T.I.
• Boot Size: 27.5
• Bindings: 2023 Marker Duke PT 16
• Where I’ve used it: Crystal Mountain, WA
• Terrain: Off-piste in powder, soft chop, and crud, as well as groomers and trees.

How they perform

What I was looking for

I was looking to replace my existing powder skis with something burly that would hold up to skiing fast through choppy snow. More specifically, I was trying to find an option with a relatively short turning radius and a moderate to progressive mount point.

Why I chose this gear

I landed on the Koala 118 due to its 19m turn radius, flex pattern, and weight. I was seriously considering two other skis along with the Koala 118–the Salomon QST Blank and Moment Wildcat. Ultimately, the QSTs were too similar to other skis in my quiver, and the Wildcat’s sidecut was a tad too long for my skiing style.

What I love about them

• Speed: These skis love speed. In my experience, they feel supremely stable and hold their line without much effort.
• Edge hold: Given that these are 118mm underfoot, I’ve found their edge hold to be perfectly acceptable. Predictable is probably the best way to describe them. Even when crossing skied-off icy patches, I never feel like I will wash out.
• Turns: High-speed turns in both powder and chop are super fun. It feels like the faster I go, the more the skis come alive. Conversely, skiing slowly is a little more work, especially in deep snow.
• Powder: Powder is the Koala’s bread and butter. The wide waist, huge shovels, and ample rocker profile allow for smooth turns in fresh snow. More impressive, however, is their soft chop performance–happy to rip full speed through chopped-up powder, these are my first choice for big storms and the days that follow.
• Trees: Trees are a double-edged sword for the Koala. On the one hand, if the trees are spaced enough to keep momentum, they’ve proven to be perfectly maneuverable and pretty darn fun. However, when things get tight, and it’s hard to keep speed, their heft starts to show.
• Durability: Although I’ve only skied them for two full resort days, so far, there isn’t a scratch on them. In my experience, the DPS polyamide topsheets do a great job of resisting dings and scratches.
• Weight: I consider the heavy nature of the Koala 118 to be a huge benefit for resort use. Thanks to their heavy, stiff build, they can charge through chop without deflecting.
• Switch riding: Now, I’m not really one to ski switch, but if skiing switch in powder is someone’s thing, the Koalas have a good amount of tail rocker and a mount-point suited to the job.
• Stability: At the risk of repeating myself yet again, their heavy weight and stiff flex really provide a nice, planted feel. I’ve personally experienced very little chatter, and I would consider the 118s to be on the damp end of the spectrum.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Backcountry: I should preface this by saying that I’ve decided to use Duke PT 16 AT bindings on these so I can use them on short tours and lift-accessed backcountry days. That said, make no mistake, these skis are heavy. A bunch of lighter-weight options would work better for ski touring.
• Other: The only real drawback I’ve come across is that they’re not particularly forgiving. That’s not to say they’re difficult to ski, but being so stiff and heavy, they can be a handful at slower speeds. On that same note, although they float very well, due to that stiffness, they certainly prefer some speed in deeper snow.

Favorite moment with this gear

Sliding off the lift for the first time—on a powder day, no less—I could tell right away how much horsepower these skis have under the hood. Certainly, due to the fact that I came off of skis weighing an entire pound less per ski, the Koala 118 felt like a powder charger without limits.

Value for the money vs. other options

Price-wise, the Koala 118 lands right in line with other skis of its caliber. In fact, when cross-shopping them against the QST Blank and Moment Wildcat, all three of them were the same price. Maybe more notable is the fact that it’s easily the most affordable DPS powder ski over 112mm.

Final verdict

DPS has come up with an incredible powder ski fully capable of ripping powder runs, stomping landings, and charging through soft-chop well after the storm passes. I think they say it perfectly on the label. These are “skis built for animals.”