DPS wailer 112RP or RPC115 based on skiing style

[1000-oaks]

^ Does it ever go any other way?

[Andyski]

RPCs are 186 and 192 fwiw, and the 186 is way too short for you.

[LiveLarger]

RPCs are great. They are plenty damp to ski at the resort and edge hold is impressive. The pintail design don't give you much of the rebound effect you probably appreciates in a GS ski tough. They are ridiculously easy to ski in pow. You can really lean forward on the tips and they won't sink.

I'd say you should have gotten the 192 though.

Oh, and did anybody notice how OP asked for advice and everybody started recommending different skis then what he asked about?

[sethschmautz]

Oh, and did anybody notice how OP asked for advice and everybody started recommending different skis then what he asked about?

Ha ha.

[ChowdahRidah]

I agree with all that has been said. As someone that has skied both, it sounds like the RPC is the right choice. The RP is softer and has a lower speed limit. The RP is a fun ski, and I think has slightly better grip on groomers but doesn't feel quite as comfortable at speed and not quite as good in mixed snow as the RPC.

I'm am similar to you, maybe 10 pounds lighter. Ex-racer in my early 40s. I skied the big planky powder skis for over a decade and I am never going back. The pure DPS skis feel like race skis only wider. They are quick edge to edge with great excelleration out of the turn. Also at a third lighter, I feel like I have a lot more legs at the end of the day. Yes you give up the tank driving ability in bad cruddy snow conditions but you also gain a lot of finesse. The RP can get a little hooky in these conditions as well.

The one thing I will add is the 99 skis a lot more like a narrow RPC than an RP112. The speed limit is the same as the RPC and has much more of a full tail than both. I skied it most of the time last year and it is impressive. Its significantly better than the RP and RPC on hard snow and floats surprisingly well for 99 under foot due to the big shovel. It is the true one ski quiver for where I ski in Europe. If I still lived in CO I'd be on the RPC or the 120s as my one ski quiver because the snow is typically softer even in bad years. But in Europe we get conditions that are more like Maine or Vermont at times, so it helps to have a bit more grip under foot. I prefer the Swiss Army knife like ability of the 99 for skiing in Europe. I only bring my bigger skis on the plane if the forecast is calling for freshies. A narrower ski is also slightly easier to tour on too.

Have fun!

[LiveLarger]

But in Europe we get conditions that are more like Maine or Vermont at times
Have fun!

Dude, Europe is a whole continent. You can't talk about snow as if it's the same in all of the 50'ish countries. And even then, it's different within the countries. Where I ski in Europe, it snows 150-200 inches every month during winter and you will have maybe three days where you need anything but powder skis. To be frank, it sure sounds like you are doing it wrong.

[galibier_numero_un]

I like how the OP asked for advice, then basically ignored all of it.

^ Does it ever go any other way?

Missed my opportunity to chime in and be ignored. Still ... I feel so ... ignored.

... Thom

[CaliBrit]

Dude, Europe is a whole continent. You can't talk about snow as if it's the same in all of the 50'ish countries. And even then, it's different within the countries. Where I ski in Europe, it snows 150-200 inches every month during winter and you will have maybe three days where you need anything but powder skis. To be frank, it sure sounds like you are doing it wrong.

So you are claiming a Euro resort with 600 inch season average? Location please, I might move

[LiveLarger]

So you are claiming a Euro resort with 600 inch season average? Location please, I might move

600 is stretching it a bit, but in the 4-500 range there are several.

This is one of them:
http://www.onthesnow.com/western-nor...ki-resort.html

Edit:
Apparently I'm over calculating it. Average is 440 a year. But still far away from mostly skiing hard crap

[ChowdahRidah]

Yep, that's why the sentence ends in "at times". I grew up in New England, lived in CO for 6 years and have skied in Europe the last 8. I added my experience with the 99, because he mentioned he wanted a one ski quiver and plans to come to Austria this season and also skis the hard pack in Michigan as well. While my main objective is typically touring and skiing powder, as an ex-racer it drives me crazy not to have precision on piste, which is why I mentioned the 99s. OP mentioned he is also an ex-racer and may have similar preferences to me so I thought I would share.

My experience from 6 years skiing CO, UT and WY is the snow there never gets nearly as firm as it does in New England even in the worst of times, so your one ski quiver can easily be 115+ under foot. My experience in Europe is far more feast or famine. Even when Europe is at its best because of the huge peak to valley vertical, you can experience amazing deep pow on top and then encounter some really gnarly shit snow at the bottom where wider skis can start to be a bit of a liability. He mentioned he is going to St. Anton. I have probably skied 60 to 80 days in St. Anton over the last 8 years. I've skied it at it's best in waist deep pow and I've also spent a month there where it was basically like skiing Maine, VT or NH... firm solid ice every day because it didn't snow once. And that was mid season. It also rains and has fog there occasionally mid season, something that I've never seen out west in the States. Rain and fog does happen in the New England, the January thaw before the nasty February freeze out. So while the terrain in Europe has nothing in common with New England, the snow and weather, AT TIMES, does. As anyone will tell you last year in NE would be a FEAST 500+ inches but that does not happen every year (unfortunately). Bottom line because of lower elevation in Europe the snow has more water in it than Colorado and Utah, etc. so when it's "famine" the off-piste and pistes turn very firm. If you have to choose one ski, a Swiss Army knife ski, like the 99, comes in handy and makes the trip far more enjoyable if the conditions are shitty.

Also, you need to differentiate between European skiing, which I think most consider Switzerland, Austria, Italy and France as the main countries and then Scandinavia is a completely different topic. Either way, where are you skiing? Because apparently I'm doing it wrong! I choose resorts all over and ty to mix it up every year but the last couple years I have tended to gravitate towards either Austria or the Dolomites for long weekends and then do a week or 2 a year in La Grave and the surrounding resorts because I like the guide I use there. I definitely need to switch it up.

[rod9301]

Try the French Pyrenees, no crowds, tons of snow, steep terrain, low avie danger.
They get 500-600 inches per year

[LiveLarger]

Try the French Pyrenees, no crowds, tons of snow, steep terrain, low avie danger.
They get 500-600 inches per year

Are they getting 5-600 on regular basis? I'm pretty sure the resort I was linking to is one of the snowiest places in Europe.

[LiveLarger]

Y
Also, you need to differentiate between European skiing, which I think most consider Switzerland, Austria, Italy and France as the main countries and then Scandinavia is a completely different topic. Either way, where are you skiing? Because apparently I'm doing it wrong! I choose resorts all over and ty to mix it up every year but the last couple years I have tended to gravitate towards either Austria or the Dolomites for long weekends and then do a week or 2 a year in La Grave and the surrounding resorts because I like the guide I use there. I definitely need to switch it up.

The whole concept of Europe as one entity is an purely US American thought. There are huge discrepancies in geography, culture, people etc. Lumping it all together is like lumping St. Thommas and Alaska in the same group and then start talking about how it's "there".

Anyway, the place I linked to is on the Norwegian west coast. Terrain isn't as big as in the alps, but it snows a whole lot more and plenty of steeps.

[ChowdahRidah]

The whole concept of Europe as one entity is an purely US American thought. There are huge discrepancies in geography, culture, people etc. Lumping it all together is like lumping St. Thommas and Alaska in the same group and then start talking about how it's "there".

Anyway, the place I linked to is on the Norwegian west coast. Terrain isn't as big as in the alps, but it snows a whole lot more and plenty of steeps.

I think you just proved my point? Norway is in Scandinavia not the Alps. They are two very different places last time I checked my map.

And the only generalisation I made about the Alps was comparing the weather to CO and UT. But if you want to get into discussing generalisations about culture and people I'll move to a forum where people have a better understanding of basic geography first.

I'll have to check out Norway and pee in the snow.

[LiveLarger]

I think you just proved my point? Norway is in Scandinavia not the Alps. They are two very different places last time I checked my map.

And the only generalisation I made about the Alps was comparing the weather to CO and UT. But if you want to get into discussing generalisations about culture and people I'll move to a forum where people have a better understanding of basic geography first.

I'll have to check out Norway and pee in the snow.

At first you compared Europe as an entity to Vermont.

But in Europe we get conditions that are more like Maine or Vermont at times

If you are going to insult people's intelligence, you need to start getting your facts straight. The above quote may be right for where you are going, but it may not be right for another place. Even within the Alps there are differences and Europe is a whole lot more than the alps, and also a whole lot more than the alps + scandinavia. You can add stuff like Serbia, Bulgaria, kaukasus to the list as well. I do however agree with you that a lot of the famous resorts in the alps don't have consistent snowfall.

Edit: Anyway, reading your second post, I think we for most part agree. I just get pissed when I hear people talk about Europe as one thing and I'm above average grumpy because I want to ski and nothing is currently open here.

[rod9301]

Are they getting 5-600 on regular basis? I'm pretty sure the resort I was linking to is one of the snowiest places in Europe.

Yeah, sometimes more. It's a maritime climate, so it dumps, more than the alps.

[ChowdahRidah]

So is Oslo or Bergen the closest airport and what do you estimate the transfer time is? I've also heard good things about Vos. Any good?

[LiveLarger]

None of this exist, go to the alps!

[Prince of Tirol]

I agree with all that has been said. As someone that has skied both, it sounds like the RPC is the right choice. The RP is softer and has a lower speed limit. The RP is a fun ski, and I think has slightly better grip on groomers but doesn't feel quite as comfortable at speed and not quite as good in mixed snow as the RPC.

I'm am similar to you, maybe 10 pounds lighter. Ex-racer in my early 40s. I skied the big planky powder skis for over a decade and I am never going back. The pure DPS skis feel like race skis only wider. They are quick edge to edge with great excelleration out of the turn. Also at a third lighter, I feel like I have a lot more legs at the end of the day. Yes you give up the tank driving ability in bad cruddy snow conditions but you also gain a lot of finesse. The RP can get a little hooky in these conditions as well.

The one thing I will add is the 99 skis a lot more like a narrow RPC than an RP112. The speed limit is the same as the RPC and has much more of a full tail than both. I skied it most of the time last year and it is impressive. Its significantly better than the RP and RPC on hard snow and floats surprisingly well for 99 under foot due to the big shovel. It is the true one ski quiver for where I ski in Europe. If I still lived in CO I'd be on the RPC or the 120s as my one ski quiver because the snow is typically softer even in bad years. But in Europe we get conditions that are more like Maine or Vermont at times, so it helps to have a bit more grip under foot. I prefer the Swiss Army knife like ability of the 99 for skiing in Europe. I only bring my bigger skis on the plane if the forecast is calling for freshies. A narrower ski is also slightly easier to tour on too.

Have fun!

IN case anyone is still interested in the RPC vs. RP2 debate, I've now had occasion to ski it a week on mostly firm colorado snow, and this past week in Austria both on and off-piste, including knee deep schnee last week.

Depsite all the huge range of predictions found in the above thread, I find the RPC to be a very versatile ski. It's strong points are no speed limit, excellent edge hold on hard pack, and extreme versatility during transitions from crud to pow and groomer.

Weaknesses of the RPC in my opinion, is that despite their light weight I don't like them much in bumps. Seems like more work than I'm used to. They will surely carve really nice, round GS turns on firm snow, but you'd better have the speed up to do it. Very easy to turn, perhaps a little bit more work to scrub speed when you need to, but quite versatile overall and really a delight in powder. AND---- in tracked out powder or loose snow, you can just go mach 5 and rip fast GS turns without fear of getting pushed around on them.

Really glad I ended up with the pure 3 const. , RPC and no regrets on the 186 length either, tho I'm sure the 192 woulda been fine as well.

Thanks for the range of opinions offered here, I think either ski would have been fine in the end but I'm glad I got the RPC.

[LiveLarger]

IN case anyone is still interested in the RPC vs. RP2 debate, I've now had occasion to ski it a week on mostly firm colorado snow, and this past week in Austria both on and off-piste, including knee deep schnee last week.

Depsite all the huge range of predictions found in the above thread, I find the RPC to be a very versatile ski. It's strong points are no speed limit, excellent edge hold on hard pack, and extreme versatility during transitions from crud to pow and groomer.

Weaknesses of the RPC in my opinion, is that despite their light weight I don't like them much in bumps. Seems like more work than I'm used to. They will surely carve really nice, round GS turns on firm snow, but you'd better have the speed up to do it. Very easy to turn, perhaps a little bit more work to scrub speed when you need to, but quite versatile overall and really a delight in powder. AND---- in tracked out powder or loose snow, you can just go mach 5 and rip fast GS turns without fear of getting pushed around on them.

Really glad I ended up with the pure 3 const. , RPC and no regrets on the 186 length either, tho I'm sure the 192 woulda been fine as well.

Thanks for the range of opinions offered here, I think either ski would have been fine in the end but I'm glad I got the RPC.

I agree with everything you said apart from the bump comment. I do ski bumps quite a lot with mine, and as long as it's soft bumps, they do fine. Icy bumps, and I prefer something more forgiving. Bumps with pow on top is awesome on this ski. Just keep your balance in check and let them fly. You are in for one hell of a ride. Fun.

It's a real shame that DPS is getting rid of this ski. I can't see anything in their lineup that a could replace the RPC.