The 2022 Kastle FX 106 Ti is an awesome ski, plain and simple. While a lot of skiers may find the 106-ish range to be too wide, that’s just not entirely true for every ski of this width. We’ve seen some big advancements over the years when it comes to the versatility of skis this wide, and something with this build makes a lot more sense than it used to—especially when it comes to all-mountain versatility. While a 106 might have been a strict freeride or powder ski even a few years ago, they now blur the line into the all-mountain realm, and the 106 Ti has a lot of that dual-purpose nature going for it right now, and we’re all about it. Built with a wood core consisting of a central chord of beech and poplar stringers, and the outer portions as plain poplar, the skis have a lot of stability and power coming down the middle-spine of the ski. As a result, these skis are damp and strong in the carved turn, and lighter, more energetic, and playful over the edges. For softer snow, this makes the ski more accessible and fun, and less hooky and grabby. With two sheets of metal and fiberglass to the mix, these FX 106 Ti’s pack a big punch, but are also maneuverable enough for quicker turns and more playful freeride skiing.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber / Rocker
CORE MATERIALS
Fiberglass
PREFERRED TERRAIN
All Mountain, Powder
On the 176, Jeffrey Siegel states that it skis true to length, and for around here in Vermont, it was a good length. “Perhaps if I were out west or where there’s more wide-open terrain, I’d opt for the longer size, but I found no fault with the 176.” Jeffrey scored the ski top marks of 5 out of 5 for flotation, torsional stiffness, edge grip, versatility, playfulness, and overall impression. 3’s for forgiveness, quickness, and maneuverability round out his scorecard, and those are some high overall scores for a ski of this size. Jeffrey states that he “loves the whole FX line, from 86 Ti to 106 Ti, with these just having a bit more of everything that I liked about the narrower skis. More stability, more flotation, more versatility, and frankly, more fun. While they’re not quite as quick as the narrower, they are quick for 106’s, and a lot of that has to do with the more flexible shovel that’s pretty easy to maneuver. Surprisingly great in bumps and trees, this ski really lights it up on the groomers, but I will say that the softer the better in terms of corduroy.” This type of well-roundedness is very welcome in any ski, much less a 106, and we love that Kastle is able to accomplish this feat.
Jeff Neagle also was a fan of the 176, and he noted that it skis true to size “even with the softer shovel.” Jeff scored the ski 5’s out of 5 for stability, flotation, versatility, and overall impression. 4’s were right behind for torsional stiffness, edge grip, and playfulness. Great marks for an awesome ski, the FX 106 Ti is held in high regard by a lot of skiers for sure. “Much improved over last year’s 106 HP, and the metal is not so much that it makes the ski sluggish—quite the opposite, the thinner metal goes a long way in making the ski flex with more consistency, it’s not too stiff by a long shot. Very playful for what it is, and I really like getting this thing up on a high edge angle and letting it rip a carved turn across the fall line. Very impressive overall ski, and a great one for advanced and expert skiers who are looking for something wide, but still with a stronger build.”
Skiers looking for a wider ski in their quiver should take a square look at the Kastle FX 106 Ti. These skis have the best blend of power and agility that we’ve seen in some time, and it makes a lot of sense. For fresh and soft snow in addition to groomers and smooth surfaces, these skis pack a big punch, but also can slip the jab and bob and weave all over the ring. If you’re looking to get the most out of your ski day, you should hop on a pair of Kastle FX 106 Ti’s.
