This review isn’t just about a ski, but about the brand that makes it. Kästle is one of the oldest brand names in skiing, but as is the case with every ski brand with a long history, the road taken hasn’t always been smooth. I was Equipment Editor at Snow Country Magazine during the dark days of the oddly shaped B-52 and the “Thesis” series with hollow channels in the core. A brief period of ownership by Benetton did the brand no favors and in 1998 Kästle dropped off the map.

The Kästle that returned in 2007 was a completely rebuilt brand. Its MX models soon carved out a reputation as some of the world’s best carving skis, and it also cultivated a following for its FX all-terrain skis and BMX Big Mountain models. The one fly in the ointment was the loss of Kästle’s Hohenems plant, which required the new Kästle to partner up with other factories to make its skis.

In 2018, ConsilSport, a Czech manufacturer owned by former ski racer Tomáš Němec, acquired a majority stake in Kästle. Last year, production moved to the Czech factory in Nové Město na Moravě, while Kastle maintained offices and a limited production capacity at the original site in Hohenems.

All of which makes the return of the MX88 to the current line a significant re-launch, as it’s not only a revered model with more than 10 years of history, it’s also one of the first skis made by Kastle for Kastle in over two decades. To finally get to the point, the resuscitated MX88 is a gem, perhaps the smoothest, most unperturbed ride in a genre overstocked with stellar skis.

The changes to the new MX88 are similar to the tweaks applied to the Blizzard Brahma 88 and Nordica Enforcer 94 in that the particulars sound inconsequential, yet the total effect is stunning. The size mix is different (159,166,173,180,187) and the sidecut is 1mm wider at tip and tail, but the sidecut radius for each length is nearly identical to the corresponding MX89. Using poplar in the core in lieu of silver fir makes the MX88 considerably lighter than the MX89 (1859g@173cm v. 1989g@172cm), so the new model feels more nimble. The forebody now has a hint of early rise but it doesn’t compromise snow contact because the new Hollowtech 3.0 tip design muffles shock before it can knock the edge off line.

All these embellishments, combined with the scrupulous base and edge finishing, makes the MX88 easier to bow and more subtle in its transition from edge to edge. The new MX88 takes less effort to guide without surrendering an ounce of its power quotient, so it’s more amenable to the movements of the less skilled skier.

It’s not necessary to ski the MX88 with the speedometer pegged, but if would be a shame not to let it run. One of the reasons you pay top coin for the MX88 is that it can handle speeds that cause most models to wilt. The more comfortable you are with speed, the happier you’ll be on the MX88.