ProView – DPS Phantom 2.0

Permanence • Performance • Environment. That’s what DPS PHANTOM 2.0 is all about. If someone asks you about DPS PHANTOM wax, be sure and tell them that it is NOT WAX. 

DPS PHANTOM 2.0 is an innovative and permanent, wax-less solution made for the base of your skis or snowboard. DPS has devised a technologically disruptive way to permanently bond their solution to any polyethylene base and create a smooth glide that lasts the life of the base. Yep, you never have to wax your boards again. 

DPS has found an ingenious way to neutralize chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that contribute to ozone depletion in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. DPS PHANTOM 2.0 is an environmentally friendly solution that should catch on and become widely adopted in the snow sports industry very soon. 

Although I was skeptical at first, DPS PHANTOM 2.0 did not disappoint. The application and curing process was fairly easy to perform at my home and performance in the backcountry was stellar. I’m completely stoked by this product and see it as one of the most innovative products to hit the snow sports industry in years. Say goodbye to traditional wax that is bad for the environment and welcome this new era of environmentally friendly, permanent base glide treatment for skis and snowboards.

My overall experience with DPS PHANTOM 2.0 was an excellent one. However, as I applied this to the base of my DPS Alchemist Wailer 106 skis I thought to myself, “I really hope this works!” After waxing my own skis for the past 33 years I was a bit skeptical.

The first thing I noticed about DPS PHANTOM 2.0 were the package contents. The following items were in the box:

• Packet of Part A 
• Packet of Part B 
• Rubber gloves
• Rubber sponge
• Cork & Roto brush tool
• Instruction booklet 

If you are the type that doesn’t like to read directions, change that right now and make sure that you read them. It is important to follow the DPS instructions step-by-step for a successful application.

Pro Tip:

Before you even begin to prepare your skis for application, take a look at the weather forecast. You must have continuous, direct sunlight during the curing process. Choose a day when you will have clear skies and direct UV exposure. Clouds are a no-go for this curing process so make sure you plan accordingly. The temperature also needs to be above 32˚ Fahrenheit. 

Preparation Process

The first step was to remove any wax that existed on the bases of my skis. There are three methods that can be used to remove the wax. You can use olive oil and a roto brush if you want to put in the work or you can use a citrus based cleaner to remove it. A third and best option is to take your skis or snowboard to a shop and have them run through a stone grinder. This is the method that I chose. 

*Note that I did not do any base or edge repairs for this review, but I recommend that you do so prior to applying DPS PHANTOM 2.0.

A big thanks to Carter Nuttall over at Outpost Sunsport in Fort Collins, Colorado for helping me with this part of the project. He ran my skis through their Wintersteiger Omega which removed the wax and provided the perfect polyethylene base surface for the DPS PHANTOM 2.0 application.

Application Process

Once I returned to my home, I setup my workbench to accommodate the skis and began the application process. 

In the first step, I applied packet “A” of the permanent base glide treatment to the bases of my skis. As the instructions stated, I was careful not to drip contents onto the tip and tail so that it didn’t run off of the ski. Once the liquid part “A” was dripped onto the ski bases, I then spread it around using the included rubber sponge in a circular motion. The liquid will stain the top sheet of any ski or snowboard, so once I completed this step, I wiped down the top of the skis. 

After applying Part “A”, it was time for the first curing process to begin. I found an area in my back yard that was exposed to direct sunlight. I laid the skis with their bases up toward the sky for 1 hour and let the sun’s ultraviolet rays do their bonding magic.

I knew that the skis were ready for the next step once an hour had elapsed and once the bases turned white with a chalky-like coating. The next step was to use the provided roto brush to scrape off the white coating. Once that was all scraped off of both skis, I gently wiped the bases with a microfiber cloth. 

Next, I repeated the same process as above but this time with packet “B”. After dripping the liquid onto the skis and rubbing it with the rubber sponge, it was time again to set the skis outside to cure in direct sunlight. I set my timer for 1 hour and waited for the final result. 

Once the second go-round of 1 hour in direct sunlight had elapsed, I noted that the bases were sticky to the touch (no white, chalky finish this time) and brought them back inside for a final scrape down. 

I rated the application and curing process with a 4 out of 5 stars just because of the amount of time that the skis have to sit out in the sun. This wouldn’t be possible during the winter months in some geographical locations due to many days with cloud cover and low temperatures. Alternatively, it would be possible to have a ski shop do this work for you or perform the curing process at an authorized DPS dealer that has a DPS curing station. 

At the time of writing this review, there were no DPS curing stations in my area and I wanted to perform these steps from the perspective of the average DIYer to show that it is possible to do this on your own.

Performance

A few days after completing the DPS PHANTOM 2.0 application and curing process, I jumped in the 4Runner and headed up to Rocky Mountain National Park to test the finished product on a backcountry ski trip. I couldn’t wait to get onto the snow.

Applying my climbing skins to the surface of the skis proved to be no different than normal. I toured for 1.5 hours up the mountain, met some new friends along the way, transitioned from uphill to downhill, and immediately noticed a smooth glide. 

I had heard reports of PHANTOM being “sticky” at first when backcountry skiing but that proved to be incorrect in my testing. The second I began skiing downhill, I noticed that there was a silky smooth glide to my skis that I hadn’t experienced before. 

The glide was consistent as I traversed an access road toward the area that I had planned to ski. There wasn’t much angle to the slope I traversed but my skis continued to glide quickly over the snow. 

At that point, conditions were clear skies, winds out of the Northwest and the temperature outside was 32˚F. Snow conditions were hard packed with just a dusting of fresh snow from the night before. 

I dropped deeper into the trees and continued to glide effortlessly through the snow while picking up speed in my turns. At this point, I did not feel any sporadic resistance from the base area of my skis like I normally do with wax. The result was again, a smooth, consistent glide.

At that point, I was stoked and ready to get after it on a steeper slope. I skied over the crest of the hill and dropped into a more challenging section. It was mostly shaded with pockets of sun, lending well to my testing. 

As I picked my line, I skied both in the shade and in the sun to test how well the skis turned in crud and in softer snow. I was impressed at how well I could control my speed in difficult terrain. The glide was super consistent so I had an easy time anticipating each turn before they occurred. 

As I reached the end of my run, I let my skis run out as fast as they could go and I was elated. Not only was it a great day for backcountry skiing, DPS PHANTOM 2.0 did not disappoint. 

Here’s a quick list of features about DPS PHANTOM 2.0:

• patent-pending polymer technology
• UV light chemically bonds PHANTOM 2.0
• faster cure time than the old 1.0 version
• permanent, one-time application
• wax-less base treatment that absorbs deep into the base material
• great glide performance across all snow temperatures
• no need to re-apply after seasonal stone grinds
• environmentally friendly

DPS PHANTOM 2.0. I found out that it really does work – extremely well. Visit your local shop or order online before next ski season. This product most likely will become one of the most highly demanded products in the ski/snowboard industry. 

➳ Outdoor Prolink provided equipment and associated materials for this review. All photos are a courtesy of LaGuardia Adventure Photography.

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