What do orcas, Grizzly bears and the Kästle MX99 have in common? They’re at the top of the food chain in their respective environments and therefore completely in control and utterly at ease. The MX99 instinctively masters all terrain because it never met any member of the snow family that didn’t cower in its presence. It does not find hard snow to be hard and soft snow, even in its densest, most saturated form, is no match for its Titanal-fueled will power. Like all the Kästle MX models, the new MX99 has no attainable speed limit. You can fire the afterburners until your lips flap, but the MX99 will never lose its sangfroid.
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.”
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.
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.
The Sick Day 104 acts avant-garde and rebellious, but it’s actually a retro design that uses fiberglass to dictate flex pattern – soft tip, stiff tail – and rebound (4mm of camber). The energy the Sick Day 104 releases as it crosses the fall line lends the impression it’s quicker to the edge than most skis its size. As befits a ski with a name about slacking, the Sick Day would rather drift than carve, a skill that’s essential in the wildly variable conditions that prevail off trail. Short turns are okay, but they’re a lot like work, so the Sick Day 104 prefers a longer, lazier radius.
