Freeride skis
Product 2020
Woman, Man
The brand Kästle generally offer products that stand apart from the others, skis with horsepower, tough and (very) well made. Last winter we discovered these new FX 96 HP with delight. We had skied a lot with the precedent FX 95 HP and were expecting to find certain sensations, but we will tell you later what we found.
The Kästle FX 96 HP first and foremost are a superb object! The grey finish with orange lettering doesn’t go unseen. This look rounded off with beautiful integrated metal tip inserts: try searching for the screws or other form of attachments that are so often blatant and unattractive on other brands. Near the HP mark you can see the fibers through the transparent finish. The die cut sole is nothing less than superb.
The Kästle FX 96 HP slide beautifully. There’s a slight noise at the tips which is characteristic with these skis almost like they are hollow, which of course isn’t the case because Kästle are known for their weighty materials.
Off-piste the Kästle FX 96 HP are very fast, lively, when you need them to turn they do. They send vibrations back up through your legs so it’s better if you are a heavier skier with strong thighs to handle them. This is different to the FX 95 HP, which were easier to handle.
We appreciated the pivoting speed of the FX 96 HP. There is a rocker at the front and in the tips, which is very nice. Powerful skis that love to go vroom, vroom, vroom.
On groomed slopes the Kästle FX 96 HP become more complicated to manage. When you use initiate the tips the edges progressively grip and when you expect the fluidity, it doesn’t come. You get segments of the turn. To get a better curve you need to be well-positioned, correct your fore/aft alignment and lean into angulation, sometimes a lot, to grip icy ground. Heavier builds are better equipped for this and if you add speed to the weight the Kästle FX 96 HP are reigned in.
Their 18m radius doesn’t exclude short skidding turns. Carving shorter turns is more complicated, which is no surprise as they aren’t designed for it. What they love best is great sweeping curves at top speed, and in powder if possible.
We were a bit disappointed as the curve variations are limited and carving on hard snow is not easy if you don’t add weight and speed. Off-piste in choppy snow the structure reminds your legs that they are there.
The Kästle FX 96 HP are aimed at heavier skiers who can enjoy these demanding skis at top speed that love careering down off-piste slopes and where you can exploit their limits. On groomed slopes they are less credible.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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