For 2017-18 DPS sought to provide an answer to the downfalls of carbon fiber skis of the past. Enter: Alchemist. Carbon’s attractive attribute—a low mass with high strength—is also its weakness, as it can cause chattering at high speed in variable terrain. The new Alchemist design seeks to smooth out the ride. DPS sandwiched an aspen wood core between two layers of pure prepreg carbon fiber laminate, blended with its own proprietary dampening materials. The Wailer 112, in particular, boasts a comfortable 18-meter turn radius, versatile rocker-camber-rocker profile and a tapered, flatter sidecut at the edge contact points for a smooth ski in any type of condition.