It’s tough being the offspring of a genius. Someone is always comparing you to Dad and it’s impossible to measure up. So it must be for the new MX89, taking its place in the Kästle line in the tracks of the MX88, indisputably one of the greatest skis ever made.

It’s not that the MX89 is a slacker; if anything, it might be an over-achiever, trying so hard to earn top grades for technical merit that its social skills suffer. There was an effortless quality to its predecessor associated with how quickly it tucked the skier into the turn; the slightly softer forebody of the MX89 doesn’t engage as aggressively, leaving it to the skier to seek a higher edge angle with a more aggressive move of his own. This phenomenon, we surmise, lies at the root of the new ski’s dip in Finesse scores compared to illustrious antecedent.

Unlike most of the Realskiers test panel, the majority of our readers never skied the MX88, making comparisons pretty pointless, so let’s reconsider the MX89 on its own merits. Its standout properties are a lust for speed and edge grip that feels nuclear powered compared to the general population of AME models. The MX89 is unequivocally a Power ski, meaning it requires a pilot whose standard style incorporates a high edge angle, whether ripping groomers or plundering the off-piste potpourri of moguls, trees and powder.

We don’t often speculate about tuning but in this case we feel compelled to point out that when a fundamentally precise ski displays temperamental traits, some Finesse properties can be restored by tinkering with base grinds and edge angles.