Freeride backcountry skis
Product 2022
Woman, Man
This Kästle TX 87 is within the same lines as the TX we tested last year: a combi between relative lightness and a fair amount of material in its core that provides “real” skis for “real” skiers! The TX is also similar to a softer all mountain ski. The pure ski tourer could be taken by surprise but a freerider, a skier who has piste experience who knows how to ride a turn, playing with balance and measuring pressure, who loves fast sequencing, will absolutely love this ski. The Kästle TX 87 is a ski that leans toward freeriding. It has a wide tip that lifts out superfast and has a little characteristic sound.
A super very well-designed ski (straight edges), loyal to what Kästle knows how to do. This is top-of-the-range, so not cheap. But as usual, the durability and toughness are always present.
The Kästle TX 87 is easy to pivot but watch out, you need to be vigilant unlike some 100% traditional touring skis that turn as soon as you twitch an ear. But in the freeriding style the Kästle TX 87 pivot less easily than the Blizzard Zéro G 105. The TX 87 is still very agile in forest skiing, on all types of terrain where you need to be immediately reactive. For someone weighing 70kg you can feel the tail’s presence when riding crusty snow, so you need to pay attention, the flex in this zone remains supple.
The Kästle TX 87’s major qualitities are its ability to go really fast (thanks to the materials and construction) and also its great skill to vary the radius. We really loved this aspect because you can really lengthen the radius and ride long lines in fields of powder, this product doesn’t oversteer. And inversely if you put pressure on the fore, you can reduce the radius, you need a little more skill but it’s not that hard. The Le Kästle TX 87 doesn’t get stuck, it brings solutions, you never get frightened, and you are always in control. The glide on the test ski was much worse than other skis, so check with the ski in stock.
On the uphil the ski is a little heavy than the pure breeds. The Kästle TX 87 is designed for 500/1000 metres vert, not much more. As it is quite wide, cross-traversing the slope, you need physical force on hard snow.
A very good ski to do everything, with an almost freeriding soul. It’s a joy riding through mounds, accelerating, skiing late in the season in Spring snow. A very pleasant ski that has speed underfoot. You don’t need to be a Swiss knife to pivot and ride it.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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