105 mm All-Mountain Ski
DPS Kaizen 105 Alpine Ski
The DPS Kaizen 105 is a resort all-mountain ski for advanced and expert skiers who want one pair for firm morning laps, chopped-up afternoons, and storm days. DPS holds an 18 m turn radius at every length by widening the tip and tail as the ski gets longer, so length choice never changes turn shape, and the 134-105-118 mm sidecut at 179 cm sets a 134 mm shovel in front of a 105 mm waist for float that does not cost edge contact. At 1,873 g per ski in the 179 cm, the DPS Kaizen 105 stays light for a full carbon ski at this width, which keeps the ski quick edge to edge in trees and bumps, while the poplar and ash split core does the damping work in cut-up snow.
Expert Review Specs and setup notes from the CCBB ski desk.
Is This the Right Ski for You?
Best For
Advanced and expert skiers who want one resort ski at 105 mm underfoot, ski long-radius turns at speed, and want soft snow float without giving up grip on firm groomers.
Consider Another Ski If
You ski at a relaxed pace, want a dedicated touring ski, or prefer short-radius turns, since the DPS Kaizen 105 holds an 18 m radius at 1,873 g per ski in the 179 cm.
CCBB Ski Ratings
Downhill Performance
18 m radius, full carbon laminate
Soft Snow Float
134 mm shovel over a 105 mm waist
Firm Snow Grip
Camber underfoot, Rockwell 48 edges
Playfulness
Directional shape, 18 m radius
Rating scale: 5 = top of its class, 4 = excellent, 3 = good, 2 = specialized or below average, and 1 = limited.
CCBB Ski Profile
Dimensions134-105-118 mm (179 cm)
Turn Radius18 m (all lengths)
Rocker ProfileTip and tail rocker, camber underfoot
Flex PatternStiff underfoot, softening through tip and tail
Core and LaminatePoplar over ash split core, dual carbon laminate
Mount PointFactory-marked recommended line
Skin Fit120 mm blank off the 118 mm tail
Recommended UseResort all-mountain and freeride
Why We Like It
- DPS adjusts the tip and tail on every length to hold an 18 m radius, so a 155 and a 189 carve the same arc and length becomes a question of stability and float rather than turn shape.
- The split core stacks poplar over ash on a horizontal bond line, which puts the denser damping wood low in the ski and settles the ride in cut-up snow.
- At 1,873 g per ski in the 179 cm, the DPS Kaizen 105 is light for a full carbon 105 mm ski and stays quick edge to edge late in the day.
- Rockwell 48 steel edges and a 4000 series race base with factory-applied Phantom Glide, a cured base infusion, hold a tune and glide with less routine waxing.
Best Uses
- Resort all-mountain days that mix groomers, cut-up snow, and off-piste
- Long-radius turns at speed on firm snow
- Storm days and soft snow inbounds
- Skiers who want one 105 mm ski for most conditions
- Pairing with an alpine, GripWalk, or hybrid binding for daily resort use
Ski Selection Advice
Length selection on the DPS Kaizen 105 is unusual because the turn radius does not move. DPS widens the sidecut as the ski gets longer while the waist holds at 105 mm, so every length arcs 18 m and the longer skis simply carry more tip and tail area at that radius. Skiers who ski open terrain fast should take the longer length for the extra surface area, and skiers who spend the day in trees and bumps should take the shorter one, without worrying that the ski will turn differently.
The DPS Kaizen 105 carries a factory-marked recommended mount line, and we mount to that line unless a skier asks for something else. Brake width has to clear the 105 mm waist, so a 105 to 115 mm brake is the working range and anything narrower will not close. Match the binding to your boot sole norm rather than to the ski, since a ski does not carry a sole norm and the binding is what has to accept the boot.
For anyone who skins on a resort ski, the tail measures 118 mm at 179 cm, so a 120 mm skin blank trims down cleanly. Cut the skin to the ski rather than to the waist number, because the tail and shovel are what decide coverage.
Confirm brake width and mount line with the shop before drilling.
📏 Technical Specifications Manufacturer specs · Click to expand
Shape and Sizing
Dimensions134-105-118 mm (179 cm). The waist holds at 105 mm across the run while the tip and tail widen with length.
Turn Radius18 m at every length
Lengths155, 163, 171, 179, 184, 189 cm
Weight1,873 g per ski (179 cm)
ProfileTip and tail rocker with camber underfoot, and less tip rocker and tip taper than the rest of the Kaizen line
Construction
CoreSplit core, poplar over ash, bonded horizontally with a damping adhesive
LaminateDual carbon fiber laminate with reinforcement underfoot
Base4000 series race base with factory-applied Phantom Glide, a cured base infusion
EdgesRockwell 48 steel
TopsheetTextured polyamide, with a Carbon Reveal clear topsheet offered on the Kaizen line
WarrantyLifetime warranty on new DPS skis
Compare the DPS Kaizen 105
DPS Kaizen 105 vs. DPS Kaizen 100
The DPS Kaizen 100 runs a 132-100-117 mm sidecut and a 15 m radius against the 134-105-118 mm and 18 m of the DPS Kaizen 105, on the same split core and carbon build. Skiers who want short, quick turns and tight terrain take the Kaizen 100. Skiers who want float and long turns at speed take the Kaizen 105.
Shop the DPS Kaizen 100
DPS Kaizen 105 vs. Blizzard Rustler 10
The Blizzard Rustler 10 answers the same question with a metal laminate over wood, where the DPS Kaizen 105 uses a dual carbon laminate over an ash and poplar split core at 1,873 g per ski in the 179 cm. A metal laminate buys damping and costs swing weight, so the Rustler 10 suits skiers who want a heavier ski underfoot and the Kaizen 105 suits skiers who want the lighter one.
Shop the Blizzard Rustler 10
DPS Kaizen 105 vs. Atomic Bent 100
The Atomic Bent 100 is the freestyle-leaning ski of the two, with a twin-tip shape and a mount point set forward for switch landings and slashes. The DPS Kaizen 105 is directional, mounted back from center, and built to an 18 m arc, so the choice is between a ski for playing with terrain and a ski for covering it.
Shop the Atomic Bent 100
Common Questions
Who should buy the DPS Kaizen 105?
The DPS Kaizen 105 suits advanced and expert skiers who want a single resort ski at 105 mm underfoot and ski long-radius turns at speed. The 134 mm shovel and tip rocker float in soft snow, and camber underfoot with Rockwell 48 edges holds a firm groomer, so the ski covers a full resort day rather than one condition.
Is the DPS Kaizen 105 a touring ski?
No. The DPS Kaizen 105 is a resort all-mountain ski at 1,873 g per ski in the 179 cm, and listings that file the Kaizen 105 as an alpine touring ski, including an older one of ours, have it wrong. Skiers do tour on the Kaizen 105 with a tech binding, but DPS builds the Pagoda Tour CFL line for that job, and a ski at this weight climbs as a resort ski rather than as a touring ski.
What bindings and brake width work with the DPS Kaizen 105?
Match brake width to the 105 mm waist, which puts the working range at 105 to 115 mm. The DPS Kaizen 105 takes alpine, GripWalk, hybrid, and pin-tech bindings, and no reinforcing plate is required. Match the binding to your boot sole norm rather than to the ski, because a ski does not carry a sole norm and the binding is what has to accept the boot.
What length DPS Kaizen 105 should I get?
Length does not change turn shape on the DPS Kaizen 105, because DPS holds an 18 m radius at every length by widening the tip and tail as the ski grows. Take the longer length for more surface area and stability in open terrain, and the shorter length for quicker handling in trees and bumps. The run is 155, 163, 171, 179, 184, and 189 cm.
Does the DPS Kaizen 105 change for this season?
The construction carries over. The DPS Kaizen 105 keeps the poplar over ash split core, the dual carbon laminate, the 18 m radius, and the 134-105-118 mm sidecut at 179 cm. The change is cosmetic, with new topsheets across the Kaizen line, including a Carbon Reveal clear topsheet that leaves the carbon layup visible.
What skins fit the DPS Kaizen 105?
A 120 mm skin blank covers the DPS Kaizen 105, because the tail measures 118 mm at 179 cm and skin width is set by the tail rather than the waist. Trim the skin to the ski itself. Tail and shovel width scale with length, so cut the skin for the length you own rather than to a chart.
What does Phantom Glide mean for waxing the DPS Kaizen 105?
Phantom Glide is a base infusion cured into the base at the DPS factory rather than a wax that sits on top of it, so the DPS Kaizen 105 arrives ready to ski and needs less routine waxing than an untreated base. Structure and edge tuning still matter, and the ski takes a normal shop tune.
Our Verdict
The DPS Kaizen 105 is the pick for a skier who wants one resort ski at 105 mm and skis it fast. Holding an 18 m radius at every length is a real design decision rather than a spec-sheet quirk, and it means the 155 and the 189 make the same turn, so length selection comes down to how much ski the skier wants underfoot. The poplar over ash split core supplies the damping that a carbon ski at 1,873 g per ski in the 179 cm would otherwise give away, and the 134 mm shovel with tip rocker floats well enough to make storm days worth the same pair. Skiers who want a short-radius ski for tight terrain, or a purpose-built touring ski, should look elsewhere in the line.
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