Pinnacle 85
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Considering the reputation of Kästle’s formidable MX84, one might expect the LX85 to be likewise endowed with near-nuclear power. Yet this beauty is no beast, but a gracious cruiser that orders groomers for its main course with off-trail conditions on the side. Its slalomesque turn radius suggests a quick stick, but the slight tip taper and early rise on the LX85 don’t naturally dip into a short turn, allowing the skier to find a languid, GS arc that holds with minimal edge angle. “Stable at speed,” confirms one of the Footloose crew. “It does well with longer radius turns vs. short.”
BMX105 HP
The Kästle BMX105 HP can carve if it must, but carving usually means hard snow, and hard snow isn’t its preferred milieu. The BMX105 HP is nearly the opposite of a carving tool despite being built from the same ingredients, contorting Kästle’s customary wood/glass/Titanal sandwich into a double-rockered baseline with only a hint of sidecut. Tapered tips and tails connected by a straighter sidecut create a platform that planes evenly though deep, uneven snow, but be prepared to exert more effort if you want to initiate a tight line on hard snow. It can get away with liking its turns long and fast because its classic construction ensures that no powder on earth can withstand it.