Kastle MX98 thoughts?

[Ken_R]

Which part?
Btw, which size are you looking at?
Very tempting.
After skiing off piste in Chamonix though, and finding the 192 SR95's ('16) to have too much power, I am less tempted. I learned that sometimes it's better to be riding a dead cow than a race horse.

MX98 in 184cm

The Armada I would get the 187cm but the 179cm would also work from I have read.

Really liked the Head Monster 88 in 184cm and also the Bonafide in 187cm, found both easy to ski and fun for me all day at chopped up and firm resort conditions.

Wanted to demo the Monster 98 but could not find one.

Given how crowded ski resorts in Colorado get over the entire season I figured its best to get a second ski to my Quiver to serve as a companion for firm snow and chopped up conditions to my Moment Deathwishes (112mm wide, 190cm long) which I love and rip everything. I ski pretty fast on open slopes and love a ski that I do not have to worry about much regarding the snow condition. One that I can just turn through anything. The Moments do that well but if the snow is firm they do stress my knees a bit. In soft snow and trees the Moments are amazing though.

 

[James]

Well the MX98 would be a blaster. Ask Mike more about them. Sounds like you don't have to ski like Scott Schmidt to enjoy them but if you do that's good too.

 

[Ken_R]

Ok, decided to get the Head Monster 88's 184cm. I loved their feel and stability when I demoed them at Vail and since this is gonna be my low tide, has not snowed in days western resort ski the fact that it is narrower is not a bad thing. At $500 shipped, new, not a bad deal.

 

[Sierrajim]

That was a very sensible choice.

SJ

 

[Ken_R]

That was a very sensible choice.

SJ

I guess I am now a member of the "Crazy 88" club and a believer

So now have a 2 ski quiver for out west.

If there is more than 4" of new snow il ski the Moments... for everything else the Heads.

...will there be more skis in my quiver in the future? If I keep hanging in these forums smart money says there is a decent chance of that happening.

 

[ChrisJ]

Probably a dead thread or too late but alas maybe not... as I heard a rumour an MX 99 is coming out, tighter TR and layer of carbon.
Im a lucky bugger that owns and FX95hp 181and MX98 184. Have skied both multiple days and 2 in the latest week 1 day on each.

M is for magic F is for fun. The FX is more versatile and quicker just a tad and if you just want to roll an ankle it will go along with you. The MX no pressure on the tongue... no love for you, not quite but close.

I’d say the FX95HP is 8/10 as stable and better off piste in decent to bad snow or tight places and the MX98 as good or better everywhere else. I really like the FX95 but suspect the non HP is better for what it’s designed to do off piste for a skier with a quiver - say something 70 ish for hard snow and a pow ski. The shape is so much better than many of the current rocker shapes and it feels almost traditional underfoot. I am not totally sold on metal making it better but the FX inspires you to attack off piste, steeps and trees at full gas. The MX98 yes if the snow is good or if you are a level 8 up skier.

For a place like Aspen or Whistler or many bigger resorts I think the MX98 is totally relevant for a strong technical skier. Rip the fresh,off piste, crud and then GS to the lift with sensations the other skis just don’t have.. and its realy not that hard to ski. Flex is so balanced and buttery smooth. If MX99 rumours are true I suspect it will get rave reviews hopefully from more than a few old schoolers.
I keep thinking back to my best days, turns, runs and that damn MX98 owns most of them..

 

[Philpug]

Probably a dead thread or too late but alas maybe not... as I heard a rumour an MX 99 is coming out, tighter TR and layer of carbon.
Im a lucky bugger that owns and FX95hp 181and MX98 184. Have skied both multiple days and 2 in the latest week 1 day on each.

M is for magic F is for fun. The FX is more versatile and quicker just a tad and if you just want to roll an ankle it will go along with you. The MX no pressure on the tongue... no love for you, not quite but close.

I’d say the FX95HP is 8/10 as stable and better off piste in decent to bad snow or tight places and the MX98 as good or better everywhere else. I really like the FX95 but suspect the non HP is better for what it’s designed to do off piste for a skier with a quiver - say something 70 ish for hard snow and a pow ski. The shape is so much better than many of the current rocker shapes and it feels almost traditional underfoot. I am not totally sold on metal making it better but the FX inspires you to attack off piste, steeps and trees at full gas. The MX98 yes if the snow is good or if you are a level 8 up skier.

For a place like Aspen or Whistler or many bigger resorts I think the MX98 is totally relevant for a strong technical skier. Rip the fresh,off piste, crud and then GS to the lift with sensations the other skis just don’t have.. and its realy not that hard to ski. Flex is so balanced and buttery smooth. If MX99 rumours are true I suspect it will get rave reviews hopefully from more than a few old schoolers.
I keep thinking back to my best days, turns, runs and that damn MX98 owns most of them..

I just saw the rep a few days ago and he din't mention a MX99 but again I didn't ask specifically if there was to be one either. I actually would be surprised if they did produce it. The original one was a hallowed ski that lived two lives and with the second life having a production run of jsut over 100 skis with a price tag of around $1,350. Another reason I would be surprised if they did produce it is that the FX95 FX95 HP are doing pretty well and sales of these could canabilize their sales. A like a MX99 would is usually an "Athlete" ski but Kästles athletes, Chris Davenport and Griffin Post are skiing FX and BMX's respectively. But again, I have been wrong before

 

[Mike King]

I have seen the MX99. The Kastle rep was taking it out to ski with Reps from Ski Magazine when I picked up my new MX84s last week in Vail.

 

[Philpug]

I have seen the MX99. The Kastle rep was taking it out to ski with Reps from Ski Magazine when I picked up my new MX84s last week in Vail.

LIke I said, I have been wrong before.

 

[SkiFree]

Since this thread has come back to life, I am wondering whether bringing my beat up 184 2016 Mantras or the equivalent mx98 to J Hole in a week is a more sensible choice. Slightly worried about "low tide" conditions scratching my brand new beauties . Maybe having a 'quiver' is more curse than blessing...

 

[Mike King]

There are only 2 types of skis: rock skis and unmounted skis.

 

[ARL67]

I always wanted to try the MX98 and found a great set in 174 with Attack Demo's -> should arrive next week !

 

[Alexzn]

I would be quite interested in the MX99, the only thing that was stopping me from coveting the MX98 (besides price) was the sidecut. A real wide GS ski with a real GS ski sidecut sounded a bit too much for normal skiing. A reduced sidecut on the MX99 may be a step in the right direction. I am sure it removes a bit of the very top end performance, but I would bet I never reach the speeds when that would actually make a difference... Comparing the MX99 with the FX95HP would be a Kastle cage match I would gladly participate in...

 

[Mike King]

From what Matt Miller told me, the dimensions are not much different than the MX98. It will have a bit of early rise.

All that being said, they still have a few MX98's in the warehouse. I would suspect that they are available for a pretty decent price, so if you are interested in a pair, perhaps talk to your Kastle dealer and see what kind of deal they might be able to secure for you.

Mike

 

[ARL67]

quick update -> Got my MX98's 174 over the holidays, scraped & brushed off the storage wax, and could tell they were quite railed. Had them out yesterday on some very hard snow & crusty patches, and was expecting a planky ski with little bite, and me skidding sliding around. That was not the case ! They had some nice grip, and were easy to swing around when required. They were a little randomly skittish on a few occasions, but I will attribute that up to them being railed, so I dropped them off at a the local ski shop for a full lap on their Montana machine. I've done much flirting with lighter skis over the last couple years, so it was nice to be on a solid damp ride again, especially with my Hawx Ultra 110 boots that transmit more vibration. The MX98 will be in the bag making a repatriation to their homeland for my trip to Austria Feb 1, along my BMX105 181 ( non-HP ). I always pray for snow on trips, so never travel with a skinny ski . Both have Attack 13 Demos, so I can travel with just 1 set of heels & toes.