Author Topic: Review: Kastle FX 84  (Read 6541 times)

Ron

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Re: Review: Kastle FX 84
« Reply #60 on: January 08, 2010, 09:17:52 am »
I just heard from Mike and Phil, Mike demoed the 70 and the 78. I will let him review in his own words but he told me to post that he is truly impressed and agreed his impression was "WOW with Fireworks" (A real quote)  He is demoing the 84 now. 

SnowHot

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Re: Review: Kastle FX 84
« Reply #61 on: January 08, 2010, 11:38:42 am »
Ya don't say ::)
Sometimes you just need to let your Bad Self ski!!
~nolo

Ron

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Re: Review: Kastle FX 84
« Reply #62 on: January 08, 2010, 12:08:48 pm »
whodathunkit??????????????????

Philpug

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Re: Review: Kastle FX 84
« Reply #63 on: January 08, 2010, 07:49:29 pm »
I just heard from Mike and Phil, Mike demoed the 70 and the 78. I will let him review in his own words but he told me to post that he is truly impressed and agreed his impression was "WOW with Fireworks" (A real quote)? He is demoing the 84 now.?

Wait till you hear his response on the MX88.

I skied the RX70 KTi in a 176..it was the first time I skied a ski that actually slowed down time. Effin amazing, if you haven't skied a world class *70mm ski, I suggest you try these.


*SuperShapes do not apply, I said "world class".

Ron

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Re: Review: Kastle FX 84
« Reply #64 on: January 09, 2010, 04:13:54 am »
hmmm  88 huh, Our little mikey is growing up!   ;D

I must now have one........ ;D

LivingProof

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Re: Review: Kastle FX 84
« Reply #65 on: January 09, 2010, 06:53:36 am »
I just heard from Mike and Phil, Mike demoed the 70 and the 78. I will let him review in his own words but he told me to post that he is truly impressed and agreed his impression was "WOW with Fireworks" (A real quote)? He is demoing the 84 now.?

Wait till you hear his response on the MX88.

I skied the RX70 KTi in a 176..it was the first time I skied a ski that actually slowed down time. Effin amazing, if you haven't skied a world class *70mm ski, I suggest you try these.

*SuperShapes do not apply, I said "world class".

Nobody, but, nobody will ever believe Phil skied 70's all afternoon, while Mike was on 88's.
It just can't be true, impossible. A world turned upside down.

PS - If you think he can turn quick on 88's, try following him in a bump run when he's on the RX-70.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2010, 06:55:33 am by LivingProof »

LivingProof

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Re: Review: Kastle FX 84
« Reply #66 on: January 09, 2010, 07:53:20 am »
Kastle FX 84 176cm length:
I mounted this ski with a railflex binding mainly because I wantt to the versatility of being able to move the mount forward and back 1.5cm. I have only skied this ski in the neutral poistion with the boot right on the center line. This skis is very similar in dimensions to the Watea 84 (which I also own although they are reasonably beat up and are now rock skis). Both skis will edge lock carve nicely on hard snow and we had some very hard snow for a few days. Edge hold is better on the Kastle. Both skis are quite quick edge to edge and I am able to do edge locked slalom flushes with both skis. Quickness edge to edge is really a toss up between the two. On hard snow both will do tight brushed carved short radius turns without too much work. Also a toss up on which ski is better or easier at this. Off piste, the FX 84 is more solid without it being less forgiving. Both skis tip easily into off piste SRT's, both skis ski bumps pretty well. I was just able to be more agressive with the Kastle. They are both very friendly skis to ski. The Kastle just has more structural integrity and it can be pushed harder. Usually there is a forgivess give up when this occurs in a ski. I have not found it if it exists. That is the real key and appeal of this ski. Lastly, the thing I have always hated the most about the Watea 84 is that on hard snow at the end of that day when it is not very uniform, at speed, the Watea's tips just flap like carzy even on edge in edge locked carves. It always drives me crazy and it is far from confidence inspiring at speed (even though they actually ski more solid than they look, sound and feel). This is totally absent in the Fx 84 as they railed on this stuff with no deflection. The Kastle is a great ski. Based upon how easy it is to ski, I could actually have gone stiffer and less forgiving. For me the MX series may have been a slightly better choice as I think they are a bit stiffer, but I do love this ski.

For an mid 80mm waited ski that should do everything, this skis lives up to its billing.



JB,

Turning full serious, I and others, have hijacked your review of the FX 84. It really deserves to stand on it's own.

I demo'd the FX 84 yesterday, and, also the Fischer Watea 84 which you used as your "control" ski for comparison purposes. The following is based on 2 runs on each ski. The conditions were not the big mountain, back country terrain that the Kastle website describes as ideal for the FX 84 (the one that wears the black topskin).

 I possess neither the skier nor the ski reviewer skills that you have, and, I hope no one ever buys a ski on my reviews.

First, the XF 84 has an entirely different feel than the RX & MX series siblings. I skied this following demo runs on the RX 70 and MX 78, and, in the very first turns I knew this was a different ski from the RX/MX's (that have white topskins) which feel extremely similar through 70 ,78 and 88 waists. In conversations with Phil, he expressed others have felt this difference. From a review standpoint, I was so smitten with the MX's, that it's hard to be objective to the FX 84. But the RX/MX's fit my eastern style and needs.

Your review is so much more insightful. My very lightweight analysis: it did all I asked it to do in medium radius turns on some deteriorating eastern hardpack at the low end of the speed spectrum. Easily goes edge to edge, nice carve feeling. 2000 vertical feet of eastern skiing can't judge this ski. I'd love to have em for a full day of mixed skiing in Big Sky.

The FX 84 is a little more damp, perhaps closer to my Head 78's. I, too, thought it skied very close to the Watea 84. It goes from edge to edge very well. I would encourage anyone to get on a pair, especially if you are in the big mountains for which it was designed.

To touch on the Watea 84. From the second the rep was fitting them, the bases felt "grabby", no glide. In the liftline with Phil, I'd be poleing, he'd be gliding. This sensation carried over onto the hill. It ruined any objective analysis of what this ski can do. I discussed this with the Fischer rep and, without saying so directly, indicated it had been a while since they were waxed or that maybe they were waxed for higher temps (Which in the East is about 2 weeks ago as it's been cold). But Fischers Eastern business is in the Progressor series, so, no surprise here....

Again, John, sorry for the hijack. Try the MX series and let us know.

Mike?
« Last Edit: January 10, 2010, 06:46:50 am by LivingProof »

Philpug

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Re: Review: Kastle FX 84
« Reply #67 on: January 09, 2010, 08:57:29 pm »


JB,

Turning full serious, I and others, have hijacked your review of the FX 84. It really deserves to stand on it's own.

I demo'd the FX 84 yesterday, and, also the Fischer Watea 84 which you used as your "control" ski for comparison purposes. The following is based on 2 runs on each ski. The conditions were not the big mountain, back country terrain that the Kastle website describes as ideal for the FX 84 (the one that wears the black topskin).

 I possess neither the skier nor the ski reviewer skills that you have, and, I hope no one ever buys a ski on my reviews.

First, the FX 84 has an entirely different feel than the MX series siblings. I skied this following demo runs on the MX 70 and 78, and, in the very first turns I knew this was a different ski from the MX's (that have white topskins) which feel extremely similar through 70,78 and 88. In conversations with Phil, he expressed others have felt this difference. From a review standpoint, I was so smitten with the MX's, that it's hard to be objective to the FX 84. But the MX's fit my eastern style and needs.

Your review is so much more insightful. My very lightweight analysis: it did all I asked it to do in medium radius turns on some deteriorating eastern hardpack at the low end of the speed spectrum. Easily goes edge to edge, nice carve feeling. 2000 vertical feet of eastern skiing can't judge this ski. I'd love to have em for a full day of mixed skiing in Big Sky.

The FX 84 is a little more damp, perhaps closer to my Head 78's. I, too, thought it skied very close to the Watea 84. It goes from edge to edge very well. I would encourage anyone to get on a pair, especially if you are in the big mountains for which it was designed.

To touch on the Watea 84. From the second the rep was fitting them, the bases felt "grabby", no glide. In the liftline with Phil, I'd be poleing, he'd be gliding. This sensation carried over onto the hill. It ruined any objective analysis of what this ski can do. I discussed this with the Fischer rep and, without saying so directly, indicated it had been a while since they were waxed or that maybe they were waxed for higher temps (Which in the East is about 2 weeks ago as it's been cold). But Fischers Eastern business is in the Progressor series, so, no surprise here....

Again, John, sorry for the hijack. Try the MX series and let us know.

Mike?


Mike,

It looked like you had FX and MX mixed up, I fixed it for you.

When can you get me the Heads? I want to get them to the perspective buyer while he is still hot for them.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2010, 08:59:20 pm by Philpug »

Ron

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Re: Review: Kastle FX 84
« Reply #68 on: January 11, 2010, 08:01:57 am »
looking forward to getting on the 88. I skied the 78 yesterday in the 176 at Blue yesterday. The conditions were pretty good. The 78 in the 176 is an amazing ski. I have the plate system.  I would really have to ski the griff' back to back to really compare but it is very responsive, quck, smoooooth, and just fun to ski. I played around on a green run that was in really nice conditon in skiing very slow ( a fun drill JC taught us) the objective is to ski as slow as possible but keeping the movement smooth and fluent. Then started on some slow easy turns- varying radius, There wasn't enought pitch to really crank it up for big GS turns but skiing short radius turns along the edge were a blast, the ski really engages well: it has  HUGE sweetspot. You could easily go from very tight zipper-line like turns to medium turns, the tail doesn't lock you in but you could really feel the entire ski  underfoot. One of the race runs opened and it has a hard pack base with the typical blue granular surface onthe steep section. I took it in there to play around and looked for sections where the snow varied. I skied it over scraped off hard-packed into soft, loose granular piles, again, the ski really handled it well, did not get deflected and really had incredible edgehold. It inspired confidence and since I am not a good hardpack skier, I had a lot of confidence in the ski and skied much more agressively than I normally do. I loved it.  i look forward to getting this in a few inches of fresh to see how it handles it. I am curious to see if the tail hookup in the snow or if you can slide them when needed. My guess it will do just fine. Very impressed with this ski. VERY.