Kästle RX11

Test du Kästle RX11 en 165 centimètres, 68 millimètres sous le pied, radius de 12,7. Un ski court d’inspiration slalom fait pour tailler des petites courbes avec des angulations extrêmes. II possède une super accroche, une très bonne glisse. 

Test of the Kästle RX11 in the 165 cm length, with a 68 mm waist and a 12.7-meter turn radius. It is a short, slalom-inspired ski built for carving tight turns with extreme edge angles, featuring superb grip and excellent base glide.

Naturally, given its sidecuts, the Kästle RX11 wanders slightly when running flat. The moment you lay it on edge and apply a bit of pressure, however, it tracks true without a hitch—it obeys the pilot’s commands implicitly. You can carry serious speed on this Kästle RX11.

You can even lengthen your turn radii, whether through skidded, drifted, or fully carved turns. Of course, on paper, its absolute home turf is carved turns. On edge, it moves fast and draws you into arcs where acceleration builds up rapidly.This speed is quite manageable on blue runs, where it is thoroughly enjoyable. But on steeper slopes, you pick up a lot of velocity, making it crucial to stay in control—and that is no small task.

That said, much like the Kästle GS model, this is a ski you can drift or skid quite easily, meaning you can always escape tricky situations. The Kästle RX11 is not a trap-laden ski, even though its tail is quite energized: you just shouldn’t let yourself get lazy on the heels, as is true for all short slalom-oriented skis.

Extremely enjoyable on groomed, open pistes, it slices through snow like a true razor blade. It perfectly embodies the true definition of a carving ski on hardpack, delivering genuine sensations and sharp edge angles! The Kästle RX11 isn’t necessarily an exclusive ski in the sense that, as mentioned, you can skid it out when needed. While maybe not an everyday all-conditions ski, it remains relatively accessible.

You don’t particularly feel the weight of the Kästle RX11’s tip on the snow; it actually feels quite light underfoot. It isn’t a pure race ski, even though its racing DNA is unmistakably clear.

It features a very good, highly durable topsheet. In terms of construction details, we note a fitted tip protector—a minor pity—alongside overall gorgeous finishing, great base glide, and outstanding edge grip. It is available in a wide range of sizes.

It is targeted at technical skiers who won’t let themselves get caught out on hardpack when locked on edge, where the ski can otherwise pull you along. A great choice for those who favor short-to-medium turn radii, demand superb grip on ice,but don’t want a full-blown racing machine. A very successful and accomplished ski.

"It is targeted at technical skiers who won't let themselves get caught out on hardpack when locked on edge, where the ski can otherwise pull you along. A great choice for those who favor short-to-medium turn radii, demand superb grip on ice,but don't want a full-blown racing machine. A very successful and accomplished ski."

Rating

• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
• Turn initiation
  8
• Carving turn
  8,5
• Skidding turn
  7
• Transitions
  7,5
• Overall grip
  9
• Liveness
  8,5