The Koala is where DPS stops being serious and starts being fun. The 103 is the narrower of the two — still wide enough for soft snow, but manageable enough for everyday freeride laps.

For 2026, DPS moved the Koala to hybrid carbon construction and brought manufacturing back to Salt Lake City. The bamboo-poplar bi-phase core stays, but now it's wrapped in triaxial fiberglass with unidirectional carbon stringers tip to tail. You feel the difference — the ski is more alive underfoot than the previous Foundation-tier construction. Lighter, snappier, better energy return.

This is a twin-tip. Raised tail, tapered shape, 40% rocker in both ends. It's the playful DPS — the one you grab for laps through trees, pillow lines, butters off rollers, and the kind of skiing where you're grinning the whole way down. The bamboo core gives it a surfy, damp feel without being dead. It absorbs landings without punishing you.

The 18m turn radius is longer than the Wailer (15m). Medium-to-long turns feel natural. Short slashy turns work because of the rocker, not the radius — you can pivot it around, but it's not a slalom ski.

On groomers, it's fine. Not its specialty. Edge hold is adequate, not razor-sharp. The urethane sidewalls are softer than the Algal Tech on the Wailer line. This is by design — the Koala is meant to be forgiving, not aggressive.

Three lengths: 168, 176, 184. At ~1,900g in the 176, it's light for a 103mm freeride ski.