by Jackson Hogen | Sep 8, 2017
When Kästle chose Head to be its partner in production, it was a wise investment that continues to reap dividends. Just imagine all the experience in Head’s Race Department, all the different iterations of a wood/fiberglass/Titanal construction it has concocted, just in the last few seasons, in order to service its international stable of stars. When Kästle elected to revitalize its RX12 series this year with new SL and GS models, the team with which it collaborated not only could build anything it wanted, it probably already had.
by Jackson Hogen | Sep 8, 2017
There’s no way that Kästle can build a bad GS ski. In fact, it would almost be impossible for it to make anything less than a superb one. That’s because Kästle’s stock construction – vertically laminated poplar and beech core, prepreg fiberglass and top and bottom sheets of Titanal – starts race ready. Add a tip and tail design meant to wrench every last millimeter of edge contact possible and a cambered baseline that’s on the same page, swirl in Kästle’s signature Hollowtech to smooth out the forward suspension, and you have a winning formula.
by Jackson Hogen | Sep 8, 2017
The Elite LT Ti is so mellow it permits you to drift without protest, but it’s so exhilarating to give it the gas that you won’t want to scrub speed until the lift line. For the strong skier, the Elite LT Ti is probably the best of the hard snow Rossis. As Matt from Footloose observes, “Comparatively speaking, this ski has more to offer than the Pursuit 800: more performance, dampening, horsepower and versatility.”
by Jackson Hogen | Sep 8, 2017
The wheelhouse of this slalom are turns that dive in and out of every arc with the staccato speed a ZZ Top guitar solo. “This ski lives up to its name: SHORT TURN,” opined Zac Larsen. “Your legs run out of turns before you run out of mountain.” Brother Luke Larsen was on the same page, advising prospective ST skiers to “buckle up – it’s got a lot of rebound.”
by Jackson Hogen | Sep 8, 2017
You expect a race slalom ski to be comet quick, and the Völkl Racetiger Speedwall SL UVO doesn’t disappoint in this signature department. What you don’t expect is the grace to accept longer turns when requested and a ride so polished it feels like the ski is doing all the heavy lifting. As nimble as teenage gymnasts, these Völkls nonetheless never act nervous. Their imperturbable calm is attributable to the UVO dampening element affixed to the forebody, allowing the skis to maintain snow contact through any turn shape.
