DPS Kaizen 112

The Kaizen 112 is DPS's wide-waist touring ski — built for backcountry skiers who are going out specifically because it dumped, and who want to skin to untracked lines without carrying a 5-pound ski on each foot.

Same split core as the Kaizen 100: poplar over ash, damping glue at the bond line, full carbon laminate above and below. At 112mm underfoot, it's a powder ski. The deep tip rocker and taper give it genuine float — the 141mm tip at 189cm planes over soft snow without any effort. The lowered tail rocker profile adds edge engagement for traverses and variable descents.

Weight is the story. At ~1,867g in the 178, this is a 112mm-waist ski that weighs less than many 100mm all-mountain skis. On a long skin, that matters. DPS achieves this through carbon construction — not by cutting material out of the ski. It still has full-wrap sidewalls, Rockwell 48 edges, and a race-grade sintered base.

On firm snow, it's predictable but not its happy place. 55% effective edge is less than the Kaizen 100, and you feel the width on hardpack traverses. This is a ski for powder days and spring corn, not icy mornings.

Five lengths from 158 to 189. The 178 and 184 are the most popular for average-to-tall male skiers. Phantom base comes factory-applied.

If you tour in the Cascades and you're chasing powder, this is the ski. If you need hardpack versatility, stick with the Kaizen 100.