2019 Kastle
There aren’t many skiers who should be allowed to procure an MX99. On the feet of an intermediate, it would be like arming a baby with a loaded bazooka. Outraged citizens might well require certification before equipping the average citizen with so much power. Do I...MX89
The one word that percolates to top-of-mind position whenever testers try to sum up their experience of the Kästle MX89 is “solid.” This is a ski for serious skiers who ski not just because they can, but because they have to. It comes alive at speed where it responds to high edge angles at above-recreational rpms. At the moment when lesser skis are losing their grip, the MX89 imparts a sense of ease and serenity, as if the ski were doing 90% of the work. This is how a ski that prefers to be driven by a talented pilot earns consistently off-the-charts marks for Finesse properties. It’s not just the best Power ski in this genre, it’s also perceived by our panel to be the easiest to ski.
FX85 HP
Relatively lightweight and easy flexing, the FX85 HP is also forgiving, as it doesn’t require a technically talented skier to steer it. As Rob from Boot Doctors observes, the FX85 HP is “the finest ski at the Finesse/Power balance aspect. So confident, so smooth, so fine,” he coos. The FX85 HP straddles the line between Power and Finesse properties; last year, we dubbed it a Finesse ski despite a higher Power score because it doesn’t ski like the usual Power selection. This year we’re going with the data that labels it a Power model, but one with a lot of Finesse flavor. Because it responds to a light touch without surrendering steering control, we again award the FX85 HP a Silver Skier Selection.
FX95 HP
The most distinctive feature of the FX95 HP to the eye is the bright teal insert in its Hollowtech shovel. Its most distinctive feature on the snow is its Progressive Rise baseline that gradually elevates about a third of the running surface (404mm in the forebody, 242mm at the tail). Radically loosening the ski/snow connection allows the FX95 HP to be steered by any known technique, from a laid-over supercarve to a perpetual power drift. This may be Chris Davenport’s signature ski, but you sure don’t have to be in his league to imagine it was made just for you. The ever-perspicacious Bob Gleason calls the FX95 HP, “As smooth as crystal and strong as diamonds. Put it on edge with the hip inside and ride, baby, ride.”