 Poster: A snowHead
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DPS is known for its all-mountain, freeride, and powder ski collections. This year, the Salt Lake City brand is breaking into the carving ski space with some help from with Ted Ligety.
DPS has carved a name for itself by selling high-end “pow surf,” touring, all-mountain, and freeride skis. It’s the largest domestic ski producer in the U.S., yet it’s never designed a ski specifically for on-piste conditions. But this year, that’s changing. On Dec. 11, DPS opened preorders for its first-ever carving ski: the Pisteworks 79.
This ain’t your grandpa’s / Swiss Bob's carving ski, either. Like many of the DPS models, Pisteworks leverages unique technology that sets this ski apart from the pack. Instead of using metal in the construction (like many racing skis), Pisteworks uses a proprietary carbon laminate that the brand alleges improves stability, agility, and responsiveness.
By analyzing real-time data during turns and optimizing the feedback loop, we’ve developed a ski that delivers a planted yet thrilling ride throughout the entire turn,” Ted Ligety, two-time Olympic gold medal alpine ski racer, said in a press release. “These skis will change your life.”
Ligety worked with DPS to design the Pisteworks ski specifically for carving performance. Through extensive testing and design work, he helped the brand dial in the ski’s flex, energy, and feel.
“We’ve spent years mastering carbon fiber construction for powder and freeride skis,” Zach Clayton, the global marketing manager at DPS told GearJunkie. “Moving into carving was our way of applying that expertise to create a ski that matches the stability and power of traditional metal but with the agility and energy that only carbon can provide.”
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've got DPS Alchemy 112s and absolutely love them. 15m turning radius is just crazy for a board this wide. They're light, too, and quick edge to edge in trees or on the frontside packed powder. A bit of chatter on firm stuff, though, and not really a great high speed carver, so this ski sounds really interesting. Will check them out - I think I heard about these when I toured their factory last winter in SLC. Cool. Thanks for the heads up.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Weathercam, Interesting.
"It’s the largest domestic ski producer in the U.S.,"
Moment Skis state on their website that they are the biggest ski manufacturer in the US.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The white knight investors are really banking on this saving the company. It was the only rational avenue really, and seems like they've pulled out all the stops. Good luck to them! Might give them a go if I see some demos...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Yes but...$2156 per pair 
Interesting to see if the production models come down in price...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| HammondR wrote: |
"[DPS is] the largest domestic ski producer in the U.S.,"
Moment Skis state on their website that they are the biggest ski manufacturer in the US. |
I would imagine one can define that concept in several different ways.
Both of them will perhaps find a future with tariffs and trade wars something of a concern.
Winterstick manufactured snowboards in the US, but was finding it hard to make that work, so appears to be stopping doing at least that.
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| Thomasski wrote: |
| The white knight investors are really banking on this saving the company. It was the only rational avenue really, and seems like they've pulled out all the stops. Good luck to them! Might give them a go if I see some demos... |
Where did you get that info from? I haven’t seen any news about the company being on the ropes or needing saving. They just signed Ligety in July and hired a new Global General Sales Manager in August who came from Dakine. They also have a job posting on their website for general production staff.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@phil_w, don’t think Moment will have any problems. Their market is almost entirely domestic. It is only the difficulty of buying in the uk or France which has prevented me buying for some years.
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Not any additional info on the source. Just says “strong rumor”. I searched the interwebs and could only find two “sources” for any sort of rumor. Both were posts back in May or so about a mass layoff under the same user name (negin) on Reddit and again on some oddball ski forum called NewSchoolers. Oddly, couldn’t find any news of that anywhere on national or local news sites, and there hasn’t been anything in the news that I could find since.
So just wondering whether the rumor being cited is based on this negin dude’s post, or if there’s something else out there about it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I got the news from a known employee's post stating that all staff had been told that their jobs were at risk as the company (DPS) was being forced into receivership.
The employee then updated to state that a bid had been placed to continue the business with a massive funding injection. There was then speculation about who and how much, but no inside answers were forthcoming...
About two weeks later the news hit (unofficially) about the change in direction and the Ligety collaboration, then a week after that it became 'common knowledge'.
If you're a detective after after irrefutable evidence, then I would speak to the owners and their accountants...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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The prices are just getting crazy. Shame as the skis are great…
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| The prices are just getting crazy. Shame as the skis are great… |
I think this has been on the cards since Stephan Drake (original joint founded and the ‘D’ in DPS) was ousted in 2019 as the result of a clash with a powerful investor.
Four months later they went into lockdown for 18-24 months, and then massively over expanded both their range and production, also as has been pointed out doubled their already top end prices. For many in the US, DPS already stood for "Dentists Power Skis”, as only they could afford them.
This 2019 article reports the event. Interestingly a few of the comments mention exactly this happening:
https://blisterreview.com/industry-news/dps-skis-co-founder-stephan-drake-no-longer-with-dps
I’ve never seen so many new or as new DPS skis on eBay, there is even a used pair of Lotus 138’s that have been for sale for months, which would have been snapped up immediately a few years ago.
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You know it makes sense.
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I'd have to imagine that "all carbon" piste skis would be just a little bit skittery (and crap) ...
Just sayin'
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| under a new name wrote: |
I'd have to imagine that "all carbon" piste skis would be just a little bit skittery (and crap) ...
Just sayin' |
I’ve not tried them but historically they have made great quality and highly accessible skis that are fun to ride and make everything feel easier. I would place a pretty good bet that these new carving skis do something similar.
But for sure they will feel very different to heavy, metal race skis.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@BobinCH, I take your point, but metal cores do not nead to be heavy ... c.f. my Movement GO 98s ...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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And why does it matter if piste skis are heavy anyway? You aren't fighting gravity you are using it.
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FAQ
