There is a lot of confusion about the North Sails 2014 Platinum 490cm mast.
According to North, the 3 big Warp sizes that are sailed on a 490cm mast got a new bend curve, and for those you need a 2014 Platinum mast.
But there were also rumours about a 2014 Platinum 490cm mast with the older bend curve, for older Warps.
Some people called the new 490 Platinum the 490DS.
On the masts themselves, however, you can't see anything: no DS marking or anything like it.

Luckily North has finally explained it:

"From the 2014 season, the Warp F2014 8.6/9.2/9.6 needs the Platinum 490/DS mast. DS stands for Drop Shape and has an adjusted curve.

In addition, a Platinum 490 mast is available in 2014 for, for example, 2012/2013 Warps or other sail models.
This one has the same curve as the 2012 and 2013 Platinum 490 masts.

When ordering, all 2014 North Platinum SDM masts have article number 14400-1606, followed by the type (400/19, 430/21, 460/25, 490/28, 490/DS).

So you see the 490 mast in two types, the 490/DS and the 490/28, where the /DS has the adjusted curve.

On the mast itself you can recognise it by the serial number:
- 140106-490B/350.xxx for the 490/28
- 140106-490B/1065.xxx for the 490/DS

You can also check it by the diameter, measured at 150cm from the bottom of the mast:
- 490/28 has a diameter of 49mm (the same as 2012/2013)
- 490/DS has a diameter of 44mm

For 2015 there is only one Platinum SDM 490 type, with the same curve as the 2014 490/DS mast. Article number 14500-1606 490/28.
The Warps F2015 8.4, 9.0, 9.6 must be sailed on the 2014 Platinum SDM 490/DS mast or the 2015 Platinum SDM 490 mast.

The other Platinum SDM 400, 430, 460 masts have an unchanged mast curve, like the 2012/2013/2014 models.
In addition, the wall thickness of all Platinum SDM masts from 2014 has been increased, for durability.

Advice from North Sails: all sizes of Warps (and Rams) from 2014 or newer must be sailed with a 2014 Platinum mast or newer. The Gold mast is also not recommended for a Ram or Warp."

Still open is whether the 2014 Drop Shape mast is the same as the older Drop Shape 490 masts.