Compilation Review Thread: 06/07 DP Lotus 138

**marshalolson** · 02-28-2007, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by vtdownhiller

I always felt my spats would ski better as a 192....any thoughts or comparisons?

they are basically a longer, wider, lighter, more versatile spatula.

**verbier61** · 03-05-2007, 06:18 AM

one more pow day on the 138 (o5-o6 blems). best pow ski ever, confirmed. had also to face a lot of rain-made crust, and they managed it well. They didn't like frozen bumps, but this was expected. so far, no chips on topsheet.

**adimmen** · 03-11-2007, 07:23 PM

06/07 138 mounted with 916s at -1cm
5'10", 150 pounds
Non racer

These are undoubtedly my favorite skis ever. I bought Spats earlier in the year and absolutely loved them. I couldn’t believe how quick and fun they were in anything soft. But then I read review after review saying the 138s blew the Spats out of the water. I was skeptical given my overwhelmingly positive experience with the Spats and a little concerned about the length given my weight. Needless to say, the 138s exceeded my every expectation. Not cheap but well worth it. If the Spats ski like a dream, these are a wet dream.

About me: My favorite thing to ski is trees. The tighter the better. I can bomb down through the trees and turn on a dime in these bad boys. The huge waist and rockered tip keep me from plunging into all the debris under the snow.

These skis will take any turn shape. You can bob up and down like a yo yo or arc huge turns. I usually can’t resist the temptation to open them up but sometimes you want a positive turn to hike time ratio.

They really start to shine in the days after a storm. Sure, you feel like a hero rocking the powder but even race skis are fun in powder. When the snow starts getting tracked out or affected by the elements, these rule. No need to slow down as the rocker plus waist keeps me right on the surface all the time. You lose some face shots but you also hit fewer rocks.

The first day I skied these was at Silverton. Everyone else was complaining about the crusty snow/refreeze. I sliced through the junk and didn’t even feel the suncrust underneath. I usually went last and ended up catching the first person even when I wasn’t intentionally hauling ass. It’s tough to go slow in these when going fast is so effortless.

I like them so much they are now my everyday ski. Two cautions, however. You can’t lay trenches on groomers when coming back to the lift. You can slide turns or ski from the back seat but racing down groomers is unadvisable. Really hard, really big moguls are no fun. They can be skied and even ski aggressively but it’s a lot of work.

Durability: Bases and edges seem very good. Hit some nice rocks but no core shots or edge problems. Small topsheet chips and gray longitudinal marks are beginning to appear.

Buy these if you can!

**LaramieSkiBum** · 03-11-2007, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by adimmen

06/07 138 mounted with 916s at -1cm
5'10", 150 pounds
Non racer

These are undoubtedly my favorite skis ever. I bought Spats earlier in the year and absolutely loved them. I couldn’t believe how quick and fun they were in anything soft. But then I read review after review saying the 138s blew the Spats out of the water. I was skeptical given my overwhelmingly positive experience with the Spats and a little concerned about the length given my weight. Needless to say, the 138s exceeded my every expectation. Not cheap but well worth it. If the Spats ski like a dream, these are a wet dream.

About me: My favorite thing to ski is trees. The tighter the better. I can bomb down through the trees and turn on a dime in these bad boys. The huge waist and rockered tip keep me from plunging into all the debris under the snow.

These skis will take any turn shape. You can bob up and down like a yo yo or arc huge turns. I usually can’t resist the temptation to open them up but sometimes you want a positive turn to hike time ratio.

They really start to shine in the days after a storm. Sure, you feel like a hero rocking the powder but even race skis are fun in powder. When the snow starts getting tracked out or affected by the elements, these rule. No need to slow down as the rocker plus waist keeps me right on the surface all the time. You lose some face shots but you also hit fewer rocks.

The first day I skied these was at Silverton. Everyone else was complaining about the crusty snow/refreeze. I sliced through the junk and didn’t even feel the suncrust underneath. I usually went last and ended up catching the first person even when I wasn’t intentionally hauling ass. It’s tough to go slow in these when going fast is so effortless.

I like them so much they are now my everyday ski. Two cautions, however. You can’t lay trenches on groomers when coming back to the lift. You can slide turns or ski from the back seat but racing down groomers is unadvisable. Really hard, really big moguls are no fun. They can be skied and even ski aggressively but it’s a lot of work.

Durability: Bases and edges seem very good. Hit some nice rocks but no core shots or edge problems. Small topsheet chips and gray longitudinal marks are beginning to appear.

Buy these if you can!

nice review.

I've actually found that high speed is the way to go on groomers. Slow and in the back seat makes them squirlly. If you stay forward and get up on an edge, you can carve them. It is a little disconcerting if the slope infront of you is crowded, but if not, let them run and get them up on edge - they'll turn. Staying forward on groomers has been key for me - back seat was a no no

**marshalolson** · 03-11-2007, 08:55 PM

agreed. getting your weight forward and driving downhill is super fun.

**adimmen** · 03-11-2007, 08:58 PM

I'll try that. When I get lazy or tired, I think I tend to get in the backseat.

**jerr** · 03-12-2007, 03:05 AM

Originally Posted by adimmen

I'll try that. When I get lazy or tired, I think I tend to get in the backseat.

When I get tired I tend to rest my weight on the front of my boots. You should try it. I might be mad but I think it's actually easier.

**upallnight** · 03-12-2007, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by jerr

When I get tired I tend to rest my weight on the front of my boots. You should try it. I might be mad but I think it's actually easier.

if your boots can hold you up, that stiffness probably affects how much you can actively drive them, too. those boots might be holding you up far more than you think.

want to verify if you ski on the balls of your feet? try AT boots for a day.

**Fritz** · 03-13-2007, 08:46 AM

Pic from yeserday. I'll write a review once I've had a few more days on em as I've only had them in a foot of steep pow with some high speed hucks

**verbier61** · 03-13-2007, 08:52 AM

C O O L .......

**focus** · 03-13-2007, 09:15 AM

Sitting in Michigan, 50 degrees, watching the snow melt.....

Fritz's picture makes my heart hurt. Screw the glitzy new skis, man....I'd be happy with 158cm rentals to be where Fritz was when he took that pic.

**marshalolson** · 03-13-2007, 09:57 AM

heh. its 70degrees about an hour and a half from fritz's pic.

gotta love colorado. i'm going mountain biking right now.

**teambigdave** · 03-21-2007, 03:51 PM

my .02 (after one measly day)

dp138 flex 3
mounted w/916 -1
me = 6' 190(and not getting smaller)
24ish yrs skiing
other pow skis = Sanouk, 192 Bros

After a season of too much sailing and not enough skiing I finally was able to get on these this past Sunday during superterrificawesome day @ Killington. Conditions were as reported w/30" spots but plenty of scrapped off and bumped up areas in between.
I've never skied a reverse camber ski before so I have no comparable knowledge but as stated many times, these skis are FUCKING RIDICULOUS in powder. they are seriously beyond words fun and easy to ski in deep snow. Any speed(including plaid

) or turn shape can be done and it's almost laughable how easy it is to rip continuous verticle. Once things get more tracked out, the benefits of the ski are even more apparent. slowing down is totally unnecessary as the ski just merrily planes its way through everything.
Tree skiing is another area where the FUCKING RIDICULOUS comment needs to be applied. Tree skiing in NE is a different ballgame because you can just direction and speed so easily. It is very easy to keep lines going fluidily because the "oh shit I'm gonna crash" factor basically disappears. If only for the ability to rip through the woods alone, these are worth the money.
I bought the Flex 3's because i was concerned about how the ski would deal with the crappy scrapped, bumped conditions and hardpack. i kinda figured that since the actual ski length is pretty damn short the added stiffness would help deal with the instability. I *think* that is the way to go if you're skiing in a place where conditions are going to be variable. I never thought for a second that the ski was too stiff fore and aft. I fact, I can see why some folk might want a longer (like 200cm+) length. High speed runouts and flats are kinda sketchy and I did miss the "power" associated with a traditional big ski. I certainly wouldn't trade the 192 Bro's in for these because I really do enjoy ripping high speed GS turns through funkier conditions. The smearing, wiggle type turn is not something i would want to do all the time. Big, fast, stiff skis are just as fun, just different fun.

Durability and construction seem great. there were many rocks hidden beneath that didn't hurt the bases or edges at all. I hit a stump dead on with mucho speed that forced a "splinter" underneath the topsheet at the
tip. No big deal and certainly not the skis fault.
All and all, dp138's = $$$$$$$

Save up and buy them

NOW