Lisa’s Review of DPS Wailer 112 vs Yvette
When I get a manicure, I like bright. “Suzi’s Hungary Again” is my current favorite, a yummy shade of pink that I can also use to touch up the nick marks on my DPS Yvettes. Yellow polish doesn’t go well with my olive complexion, so I haven’t had the same luck with the Wailers.
WildSnow Girl, Rachel Bellamy, insists DPS stands for DeepPowderStoke.
Other than topsheet colors, Pure3 Yvette 112RP and Pure3 Wailer 112RP are pretty much the same ski. As you can see on our Ski Weight Comparison Chart, their specs are similar.
DPS Yvette Pure3 Carbon Nano
Length tested 168 cm
Weight 1530 grams
Shape 141/112/128
DPS Wailer Pure3 Carbon Nano
Length tested 168 cm
Weight 1478 grams
Shape 141/112/128
We attribute the slight difference in weight (1.8oz, about the weight of half a small apple) to manufacturing variation.
Regarding length, I usually ski 161cm in a traditionally shaped (minimal rocker) ski (I’m 5’7″, 125lbs). With the long and high tip and tail rocker of Yvette and Wailer, there’s less surface area of the ski on the snow so a slightly longer length is better. 168cm nails it for me.
Pronounced rocker and 112cm underfoot help the ski float on powder. The experience is different than with a flatter ski — more surfy, less snorkel time. Slight camber adds pop on hard pack with plenty of hold. The moderately twin-tipped tail also makes it easier to ski backwards which, of course, I do a lot (though most often unintentionally).
Numbers aside, Yvette and Wailer are just plain fun. We’ve tested them in British Columbia, Washington, Colorado and Europe and they make skiing easy on almost any type of snow short of blue ice.
Yvette arrived first at WildSnow HQ. With her, slarving beautiful white arcs down a peak is a breeze; tight turns in the trees take a bit more effort.
When Wailer joined our posse last fall, Lou mounted the bindings 1 cm forward of midsole (+1) to improve turn initiation. Indeed it worked. At +1, the Wailer feels more reactive. It’s easier to tilt and turn. Lou is right again. When is he ever wrong?
Note: Yvette comes in two lengths, 168cm and 178cm. On the 168s the midsole lines are the same as the Wailer and thus, mounting the bindings 1 cm forward of midsole (+1) worked. On 178cm Yvettes, the midsole mark is adjusted that way already.
The takeaway: Yvette is pink, Wailer is yellow. Pick the one that compliments your skin tone. Then surf the white all the way to the end of the world.
Wailer 112, 168 cm. Same weight and dimensions as Yvette.
Tip rise and rocker set the standard, and is still fairly radical. Fork is for scale. A ruler is so boring.
Lou cut this skin notch in the tails; they don’t come with any climbing skin features, though they do make a good touring ski.
DreamyPowderSki. Lisa on Rogers Pass, BC.
DelightfulPinkSki
DPS Yvette and Wailer available here.
Comments
26 Responses to “Lisa’s Review of DPS Wailer 112 vs Yvette”
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By choice, I’m a one-ski gal, I use my Yvettes for everything. Love them. Love your site. Thanks for covering these great skis.
DearestPowderSticks
Both skis the same means you have a pair to spare. How bout a ski give-away for the best acronym? DudePropulsionSystem
Thanks for the great writeup, Lisa! Have you skied the Wailer 99s, and if so, how do they compare?
My gf and I both have the Wailer 112RPs. Hers are identical in weight to the gram, comparing each ski, which I think is impressive manufacturing. My pair, however, weigh 46g difference between the two skis… not that I notice, of course.
Hi Terry,
Lou has the 99s. He’ll reply soon.
Hi Terry, I’ve skied on both the 99 and the 112. I really really liked the 112, but didn’t need it to peg my fun meter, the 99 worked fine for that. Since the 99 is sleeker in the skin track, I go with it. You can easily guess the difference, 112 was even more floaty and slarvy. I’d recommend either, based on style and destination snowpack type. Lou
Love the “spoon” and fork comparo…..
https://www.wildsnow.com/9909/wildsnow-ultimate-ski-review-quiver-2013-2014/
Its great to read about the cream of the crop for high performance human powered skiing. While I appreciate the unbiased opinions of those who actually get out there and can choose to ski on whatever planks they want, it would also be great to hear about some other more affordable ski options with outstanding capabilities, maybe an “Everyman’s Performance Quiver”.
Hi Dave, K2 Coomback, Voile V8, perhaps bought used or a demo sale from a shop.
Anything in our Ultimate Quivers.
Hey Dave- I would add the K2 Wayback as well. Skied that and the K2 Talkback extensively this last spring. Both at 106mm width, some tip rocker, great all around BC skis. Voile V8’s are a sweet ski too. Hard to beat the performance and value you get out of K2 and Voile, in my opinion.
We need $1000 Joe to visit again.
I concur with the +1. I have the wailer 112 in a 184 that was warrantied. The first pair was center mounted and I had the second pair mounted +1. I thought they were good mounted center…until I went plus 1. Skied them one day apart so ski 1 was still fresh in my mind. And nice to have a company stand by their product…had one of the skis that had issues with the top sheet delaming. No questions once I sent them photos.
I updated the post with this information from DPS:
Yvette comes in two lengths, 168cm and 178cm. On the 168s the midsole lines are the same as the Wailer and thus, mounting the bindings 1 cm forward of midsole (+1) works. On 178cm Yvettes, the midsole mark is adjusted that way already.
Anyone having trouble with our spam blocker, apologies. I’d added some stuff to the blacklist that was too agro. Should be fixed now.
Getting an average of 2,156 spambot attacks a day, in case anyone wonders why we’re always messing around with this stuff.
Lou
Lisa,
Courtney and I enjoyed running into you today.
What is you’re favorite lightweight binding with brake? Courtney has the Plum race with Ti fork for a lower release value on her backcountry skis, no brakes. Looking for something to use on resort with the convenience of brakes.
Thanks,
John
P.S. Diamond ring doesn’t work! Nor does cream, nail polish, or liners!
Hi guys, I’ve messed around with all sorts of tech binding brakes and truly the only system I like up to this point is Dynafit (Fritschi Vipec has good brake, but we’re waiting to see the new toe configuration for this coming season to see if they took care of the difficult entry, which for resort skiing would be a drag), so for Courtney a Radical ST would probably be fine. I’d also look at G3 ION once it’s been in retail for a few months so we can see if it has any bugs in the first release, which as you guys know is the case more often than not for new tech binding releases on the market. ION could be the best resort binding, as the toe entry system does make it easier to step in. (Bear in mind I’m not including bindings such as Beast here because Courtney wouldn’t need a big freeride binding).
https://www.wildsnow.com/11763/ion-g3-ski-binding-backcountry-tech/
Lou
Those skis rode like a dream! Being a snowboarder that has spent the last few winters on skis, I can say those DPS Yvettes delivered the quality of face shots that I’ve been missing.
Lisa, I just bought the 168 Yvettes for my BC ski, and I am having some dilemma on where to mount them. I am 5’4″ 130 lbs, and an intermediate/expert skier. With my S7’s mounted at recommended, I find myself in the backseat more than I want to be. Do you have any advice on where I should mount them? Can’t wait, I’m so excited for these skis!
Congrats, Kristen. I bet you’ll have tons of fun on the Yvettes.
You should double check the mounting mark before you mount them. My Yvettes are a few years old and their mounting mark is the same as the older Wailers we have. I’ve heard that DPS has since moved the mounting mark on the Yvettes 1 cm forward, which would help eliminate that backseat feeling.
DPS has excellent customer service so call them or contact your local shop if you have a good one.
Let us know how it goes, and happy skiing!
Have some experience on the rossi s7 skis…mounted on the line, didn’t feel any tendency for ‘backseat’ feel. A coupla tips i’ve gleaned over the years. Check forward lean of boots, sometimes a too upright angle can lever the center of mass back if the forward flex inhibits progressive ankle flexion. Many boots offer a few settings of user adjustable lean angle. If forward lean is in most aggressive setting, experiment with different tightness of the top power strap and upmost buckle…sometimes loosening will allow more ankle flexion and keep center of mass over the tips or ski sweet spot. Sometimes tweaking the ramp angle of boot can assist with perceived balance point on the skis as well…sometimes a little heal wedge under the innerboot can help. Don’t know about tuning recommendations for the s7 or the yvette…but detuning the tips and tails on skis sometimes makes them more forgiving and less aggressive with backseat throwing edge grab/engagement.
I am looking to get a pair of Yvettes. I am 5’11 female, 165lbs and I’m a little torn on whether I should go with the 168’s or 178s in length? I come from a racing background but I want to get a light ski for powder that is capable of carving on the crud as well. I have an right ankle issue and I have a hard time setting a harsh angle on my inside right edge on a racing ski but usually have no issues on a lighter all mountain or twin tip. I love how versatile this ski is! Also, what kind of binding would you recommend?
Great write up, Lisa! Thank you. I love my Yvette too.
My impressions about the DPS Yvette 112 and how they ski were identical.
I’m curious what is your favorite ski (skis) for spring corn and steep technical couloirs? There are so many amazing skis however they often come in “men’s lengths” only, starting at 170cm. I am only 5’5″ and 115lbs, I do not have enough weight and power to drive a men’s ski. I typically ski something around 161-164cm. Is there a corn or Euro equivalent of DPS Yvette/Wailer 112?
SkiPioletGirl,
My favorite ski for corn snow touring is the Dynafit women’s Manaslu 161cm. Not sure they are the ski for steep technical couloirs since I don’t ski that type of terrain much. Readers, your suggestions for women’s technical couloir ski?
Looking to mount up a pair of the Yvette 112 in a 168 for my girlfriend, sounds like +1cm is the way to go. For 2015/2016 DPS recommends 71cm from the tail, so should I be going for 72cm to get the magical +1cm mount correct?
Thanks for all the great info on the DPS Wailer and Yvette Lisa!