DPS Alchemist Wailer 99 / Nina 99
Best all-around
Brand: DPS Skis
Model: Alchemist Wailer 99/Nina 99
Our take
Since the dawn of modern ski touring, the Wailer—in all its forms—has been hard to beat. Its only flaw? Like most carbon skis, these lightweight beauties can get squirrelly at Mach speed or in hard stuff. But with the new Alchemist construction, which uses secret dampening materials between sheets of aerospace-grade carbon, the Wailers get a hair heavier and a much smoother ride. “I stopped switching between resort and touring rigs because this ski eats frozen corduroy, icy groomers, and bumps without issue,” one tester says. (Ding: All that proprietary goodness ain’t cheap.)
The details
The Wailer maintains its shape, including a large shovel tip and huge effective edge, for best-in-test responsiveness.
Trail cred
“The wide paddle stayed on top of a foot of fresh when I laid a track—and when I cashed in on the run down,” our tester says.