Cage Match Comparison 2017 DPS Zelda 106 Foundation vs 2017 K2 Luv Boat 105

[Tricia]

If you're a girl looking for a powder ski, you may see these two Tester's Choice winners side by side on the wall. With only a few minor differences in dimensions, it may seem hard to make a decision -- so we'll help you sort them out.

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At 106 underfoot, the Zelda comes from DPS's Foundation collection. This construction offers a great mix of power and dampness, along with a rocker profile that provides great float on deep days and power when things get tracked out.

Although this is the second year for the Luv Boat in K2's lineup, it is its first season with the Konic construction, which was originally used in the men's Pinnacle series. Konic makes for a light and lively ski that makes you feel like you can't make a mistake whether you're skiing deep powder or broken chop.

• Why choose the Zelda 106F? You want a powder ski that's ready to charge the steeps.
• Why choose the Luv Boat 105? You are looking for a lively, nimble ski that floats in powder and makes you feel like a rock star all day.
• Other skis in the class: Atomic Backland FR 109 W, Salomon QST Stella 106.

 

[Monique]

This seemed like the best place to put a new review of the Zeldas ...

I finally got my paws on my very own pair of Zelda Foundations. Naturally, the snow spigot was immediately set to the "off" position. No fresh snow. So sad.

Then Sunday morning, while I was getting some boot work done, the flakes started falling. Officially, it was only an inch, maybe two. But it snowed all day, and the wind was also howling, meaning that some spots got more - a lot more. And because the wind was howling and vis was nil, there was literally no lift line for 6 chair the entire time I skied. It's been sunny and warm, but was now overcast, so - south-facing aspects were dust on crust. Other aspects were dust on firm. The fresh snow was ideal for the situation - heavy enough to stick a bit, but light enough that it wouldn't push you around.

For background, I've been skiing gentle terrain for the last few months, but this was my second day of skiing "off piste" since an ACL surgery. Because of this, the Zelda is also wider than anything I'd skied yet this season.

On the first few turns, yes, they felt planky. Of course they did - I haven't been skiing anything that wide. But within a couple of runs, I'd dialed them in, and I no longer noticed the width.

When I demo'd the Zeldas last season, I said they were confidence inspiring. This held true. I *hate* scraped up snow. But I found myself making confident turns, at a pretty good clip, through a familiar, widely spaced glade with lots of natural features (read: bumps and spines all over the place) and slalom-style tracks. The snow under my feet would transition from piles of soft snow to LOUD snow and back again, but I didn't have to care, because the Zeldas tracked perfectly through both.

A couple of seasons ago, the Santa Anas felt like a revelation. They were fun, held their edge on groomers, and busted crud like nobody's business. At my weight, they weren't really powder skis, but they would be powder skis (and especially great "day after powder" skis) for most women.

The Zelda Foundations ... they may be my next big revelation. They were fun, held their edge on snow that was not just firm but LOUD, and ... well, I can't speak to crud busting just yet, but based on last season's experiences, I think they'll be pretty good at that, too. And they're wide enough that they may actually float me a bit. If I weren't still rehabbing my knee, they would be contenders for my daily driver on terrain. Next season ...