2019 DPS Lotus 138 Spoon Powderworks

DPS Lotus 138 Spoon Powderworks Edition, 182cm New in Package. These have been sitting down stairs since I purchased them late 2018. Willing to ship to US for $50USD.

DPS LOTUS 138 SPOON REVIEW
Sell your Subaru. Sell your bike. Hell, sell weed if you have to- if you ski a lot of untracked powder you want this ski on your feet.

Here is my unbiased take on the 2013/4 DPS Lotus 138 Spoon 192cm. I searched wide and far for reviews of the new design, and couldn't find much, which made me nervous to drop this much cash on skis. and I'm SUPER STOKED I did. These skis rock, and are BY FAR the best powder ski I've ever used. So I feel obligated to share my experience.

ABOUT ME:
I am an AMGA certified guide and teach climbing, mountaineering, and backcountry ski courses for a college outdoor leadership program in the four corners. I'm a formally trained ski racer and spent a couple years as full time ski patroller for Beaver Creek. My home range is Colorado's San Juans where I spend most of my days in the backcountry or skiing Silverton Mountain. I love high speed GS sized turns, pillow lines, and drops up to around 15'.

I'm 5'10, 165lbs. I have no affiliation with DPS. Blah blah blah, onto the skis.

REVIEW:

Like I opened with, these skis blow me away. I've gotten 5 days in so far, all in the backcountry, and I'm already in love. Conditions have ranged from sun crust to 2 week old boot top to 36" of fresh. I was super nervous ordering 192cm skis, but they are by far the most nimble powder skis I've ever used. In tight trees I can slash quick turns like I'm on a groomer with slalom skis. Yet on open slide paths they feel like GS skis, arcing big power turns at 30mph (clocked by GPS). They feel rock solid at that speed, and I know they'll go waaaaay faster. I just haven't been on the right slope with safe enough avi conditions to find their speed limit (if it exists).

I'm a huge fan of lively, carbon skis, and that's exactly what they are. When you drive the ski by loading up the shin of your boot they launch you out of the snow into the next turn. Porpoising has never been so effortless. Yet, they're not hooky either, which is a complaint of the pre-spoon versions. I can hold onto a drifting, smeary turn for as long as I want. And yet they're equally adept at directional charging in a traditional turn shape. Did I mention I'm in love?

Their sweet spot is enormous. I can ski in a aggressive racer stance and load the tips with absolutely no hint of tip dive. If I wind up in defensive, backseat "oh crap" stance I can still whip off quick direction changes. Once in motion, you'd never guess you have so much real estate under your feet. Unlike some other big skis, these don't feel like they're in charge.

Drops? Holy shit. They're effortless. As long as you land upright, you're good. Instantly back in control, and ready to charge, turn, or dump speed.

I'm grinning as I write this. I honestly feel like these skis have taken my game to the next level, and make it even easier to rip like our heros in the movies.

I haven't gotten them onto wind board or groomer like conditions so I can't comment. I imagine they could be terrifying though. Curious to find out.

TOURING:
This has been interesting. First, they're heavy. 10lbs unmounted. Surprisingly, for as much surface area as they have they're slippery on steep uphills. I find I have to really focus on technique, keeping my hips forward, back straight, weighting my heels. They're very unforgiving if you lean forward or hinge at the hips during super steep-grab-a-tree sections. I think it's because of the full rocker. During the moment when one's weight shifts forward, the entire ski rocks and breaks loose. They're also dicey during off camber kick turns.

I use Black Diamond 140mm mohair mix skins (which I barely had to cut). I'm no stranger to mohair mix, and have used them on other skis. Never experienced this before. The struggle on the uphill is totally worth it though.

My 138s are mounted with Dynafit Speed Radicals. No brakes. Without bindings they were 10lbs on my home scale.

SKI COMPARISONS:
Over the past few years I've spent quite a bit of time on the Atomic Automatic 186cm, Voile Drifter 182cm, Voile Charger 181cm, and Blizzard Cochise 185cm, and K2 Seths. In powder, the L138 is in a league above. Here's are my thoughts:

Atomic Automatics: A big disappointment. This ski was too damp for me, with not enough spring or energy coming out of turns. Sure, they're easy to ski and make all the turn shapes. But, they were too boring and forgiving. Plus, in storms that put down two feet or more they felt too narrow, sunk, and felt sluggish. I've heard they're great resort powder skis, but I only skied the backcountry in them. Sold 'em.

Voile Drifter: Until I put on the L138 this was my favorite backcountry powder board of all time. No speed limit. Big float. Loves GS sized turns. Lots of pop and energy due to the carbon. I had a pair of these for two years, sold them for the automatics, regretted that, and then bought another pair. The L138 feels even noticeably more stable and energetic at speed though, and is dramatically more nimble in the trees. Sure, they're lighter and easier to tour in, but the L138 is so much more fun on the descents that I don't care.

Voile Charger: Also an amazing ski in my opinion. Perhaps the best all around backcountry ski I've used. Like the drifter, but some of the float and high speed performance has been traded off for versatility and ability to crank quick turns in trees. I keep borrowing these from a buddy when I have to get on a plane and can only bring one ski (ex. Chamonix, BC, etc.)

Blizzard Cochise: My favorite resort powder ski for dumps up to 12" or so. After that it's just too narrow and lacks float. But, it's incredibly fast and powerful in all turn shapes and conditions. No speed limit either. Not as poppy as voile's carbon skis, but who cares. These things rip. Just don't go into the deep or they'll auger in. As the powder turns to crud these do better and better.

K2 Seth: Good float, and fun at speed in long radius turns, but that's about it. I felt like I was along for the ride. Too damp and one dimensional. A heavy beast in tight trees. Sold 'em.

138 SPOON VS. PREVIOUS 138
This 5th generation is a totally different ski than the last generation. Another buddy owns a local mountaineering shop and we had his 2012 138's side by side with mine. His had dramatically more rocker in the tip and tail. His "flat" spot under the foot was much shorter. His were also noticeably lighter, despite also being 192cm. We scaled them, but I can't remember the exact difference. He was impressed by the new design, and felt they had a "less radical and better looking shape" than his.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
I hope folks find this long review helpful. I felt like I took a big risk buying these without much info since they were so changed from the previous version. I couldn't be happier. For powder skiing, they're tits. This is the ski I wish I had on my last trip to AK. Definitely a quiver ski though. To compliment them I'll be selling my Drifters and replacing them with 8lb all condition ski for monster vert days, corn, and above treeline variable/mountaineering conditions.

https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/2012-2013-dps-lotus-138-pure

Volkl, Rossignol, Atomic, Armada, K2, Elan, ON3P, Praxis, Blizzard, Dynastar, Head.