138 mm Powder Ski
DPS Lotus 138 Ski
The DPS Lotus 138 is a deep snow specialist for skiers who own several pairs and want the one that only comes out when it is bottomless. A 138 mm waist and a full rocker profile put the entire base on top of the snow rather than in it, and a 32 m turn radius means the ski banks and drifts through long arcs instead of cutting short ones. The DPS Lotus 138 comes in two lengths, 182 and 192 cm, and both are built for open terrain where a ski can run.
Expert Review Specs and setup notes from the CCBB ski desk.
Is This the Right Ski for You?
Best For
Expert skiers with a deep quiver who ski storm days, heli terrain, and bottomless snow in open country, and who want float and drift rather than edge grip.
Consider Another Ski If
You want a ski that works on more than the best days of the season, since the DPS Lotus 138 is 138 mm underfoot on full rocker and gives up nearly all firm snow grip.
CCBB Ski Ratings
Downhill Performance
32 m radius, full carbon laminate
Soft Snow Float
138 mm waist, full rocker
Firm Snow Grip
Full rocker, 138 mm waist
Playfulness
Full rocker, long taper
Rating scale: 5 = top of its class, 4 = excellent, 3 = good, 2 = specialized or below average, and 1 = limited.
CCBB Ski Profile
Dimensions138 mm underfoot, tip and tail not published by DPS
Turn Radius32 m, published as one figure for both lengths
Rocker ProfileFull rocker, tip through tail
Flex PatternProgressive through a long, tapered tip and tail
Core and LaminateWood core with a full carbon laminate
Mount PointFactory-marked recommended line
Skin FitMeasure the tail before ordering a skin blank
Recommended UseDeep snow only
Why We Like It
- Full rocker from tip to tail means the DPS Lotus 138 planes on top of deep snow at low speed instead of needing speed to get there.
- A 32 m radius keeps the ski from hooking into a turn when a 138 mm platform is already doing the work, which is what makes the drift feel controllable.
- The full carbon laminate keeps a ski this wide from feeling like a plank, so the DPS Lotus 138 can be moved around rather than only pointed.
- Rockwell 48 steel edges, a 4000 series race base with factory-applied Phantom Glide, and an aluminum tail bar are the same durable finish DPS puts on its resort skis.
Best Uses
- Bottomless storm days and deep snow
- Heli and cat terrain
- Wide open bowls and big faces
- Trips built around deep snow forecasts
- Skiers adding a dedicated powder ski to an existing quiver
Ski Selection Advice
The DPS Lotus 138 comes in 182 cm and 192 cm, and length choice is about terrain rather than height. The 182 cm is the pick for anyone who will ski trees or tighter lines on a deep day. The 192 cm is the pick for open faces and speed, where the extra length adds planing surface and settles the ski down.
The DPS Lotus 138 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 138 mm waist, so a 140 mm brake is the practical minimum and many bindings will need brakes bent or swapped. 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.
DPS does not publish tip and tail widths or a weight for the DPS Lotus 138, so we do not print numbers we cannot stand behind. We will measure and post both when a pair is on the shop scale. Skin sizing depends on the tail width, so measure the ski before ordering a blank.
Confirm brake width and mount line with the shop before drilling.
📏 Technical Specifications Manufacturer specs · Click to expand
Shape and Sizing
Waist Width138 mm
Turn Radius32 m, published by DPS as a single figure rather than per length
Lengths182, 192 cm
ProfileFull rocker, tip through tail, with a long tapered shape
Tip and Tail WidthsNot published by DPS. We will post measured figures once a pair is in the shop.
Construction
CoreWood core, species not published by DPS
LaminateFull carbon
Base4000 series race base with factory-applied Phantom Glide, a cured base infusion
EdgesRockwell 48 steel
TopsheetTextured polyamide
WarrantyLifetime warranty on new DPS skis
Compare the DPS Lotus 138
DPS Lotus 138 vs. DPS Lotus 112
The DPS Lotus 112 is the powder ski for a normal season, 112 mm underfoot with a 15 m radius that still works in trees. The DPS Lotus 138 is 138 mm on full rocker with a 32 m radius, which is a different tool entirely. Skiers who ski powder often buy the 112, and skiers who already own one buy the 138.
Shop the DPS Lotus 112
DPS Lotus 138 vs. Atomic Bent Chetler 120
The Atomic Bent Chetler 120 is the more versatile of the two, narrower at 120 mm and usable on days that are merely good. The DPS Lotus 138 is wider on full rocker and is built for the days that are not merely good. Skiers who want one powder ski take the Bent Chetler 120.
Shop the Atomic Bent Chetler 120
DPS Lotus 138 vs. DPS Kaizen 105
These two are the ends of a two-ski quiver rather than alternatives. The DPS Kaizen 105 covers the season with camber, an 18 m radius, and firm snow grip. The DPS Lotus 138 covers the ten days a year when nothing else is as good.
Shop the DPS Kaizen 105
Common Questions
Who should buy the DPS Lotus 138?
The DPS Lotus 138 suits expert skiers who already own a resort ski and want a dedicated deep snow ski. A 138 mm waist on full rocker planes at low speed and drifts through a 32 m arc, which is what makes deep days feel effortless and firm days feel wrong.
What does the DPS Lotus 138 weigh?
DPS does not publish a weight for the DPS Lotus 138, and we will not repeat a number we cannot source. Full carbon construction over a wood core puts the ski well under what a 138 mm metal-laminate ski would weigh, but that is a construction statement rather than a figure. We will post a measured weight once a pair is on the shop scale.
What bindings and brake width work with the DPS Lotus 138?
Brake width has to clear the 138 mm waist, so 140 mm is the practical minimum and many bindings will need a wide brake ordered or fitted. The DPS Lotus 138 takes alpine, 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.
Should I get the 182 cm or the 192 cm DPS Lotus 138?
Choose by terrain rather than by height. The 182 cm is the pick for anyone who will ski trees or tighter lines on a deep day, and the 192 cm is the pick for open faces and speed, where the extra planing surface settles the ski. Both lengths carry the same 32 m radius.
Can the DPS Lotus 138 be skied on groomers?
It can be, and it is not pleasant. Full rocker means almost no edge is touching a firm surface, and a 138 mm waist puts the boot a long way from the edge, which makes every edge change slow and physical. Treat groomer laps on the DPS Lotus 138 as the cost of getting back to the lift.
Does the DPS Lotus 138 tour?
Skiers do tour on the DPS Lotus 138 with a pin-tech binding, usually for a specific deep objective rather than for daily touring. A 138 mm ski is a lot of surface to drag uphill, and skin sizing needs a wide blank cut to the ski. DPS builds the Pagoda Tour CFL line for skiers who want a purpose-built touring ski.
Is the DPS Lotus 138 the same ski it has always been?
The shape has been refined since its first release rather than replaced, and DPS still describes the DPS Lotus 138 in the same terms: full rocker, minimal sidecut, and a long tapered outline. Anyone who has skied an older Lotus 138 will recognize this one.
Our Verdict
The DPS Lotus 138 is unapologetic about what it is. A 138 mm waist on full rocker with a 32 m radius is not a compromise anyone made by accident, and on a bottomless day the ski does something narrower skis cannot, which is plane early and drift on command. Two lengths, 182 cm and 192 cm, both point at open terrain. Skiers looking for one powder ski that also works on a firm Wednesday should buy the Lotus 112 instead, and skiers who already have that ski will know exactly why this one exists.
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