2022 Kastle PX 81

The 2022 Kastle PX 81 is billed as a sporty carving ski, and we think that’s just about right on the money. With skis like this, money certainly does come in to play, but that’s only because Kastle makes some of the best and most precise skis on the market today. While most ski companies use similar materials in terms of wood, carbon, and metal, Kastle uses theirs in a way and manner in which other companies don’t, and that’s the cause of some of the higher prices that we see. At 81 mm underfoot, these skis are squarely in the front side category, but the slightly more forgiving flex versus a race ski does give the skier a bit of leeway to create and manage their own turn shape and profile. This does not really give the PX 81 the license to float and drift through fresh and deep snow, but it does give the ski just a bit of versatility for all-mountain skiing when necessary.

Built with a blend of Poplar and Beech in the wood core, the PX 81 has a stiff and energetic flex to it. Kastle plays around a lot with the width and style of the wood stringers, putting the denser wood in the central portion of the ski while the outer portions (at least up until the sidewalls) has the lighter wood. To add to the density and strength of the mid-chord of the ski, Kastle puts a carbon strip right on top to really boost the longitudinal stiffness and keep the skier on their intended line through pretty much any firm snow that you can find. Two sheets of titanal and two layers of fiberglass complete this burly build, allowing for fantastic carving performance and incredibly strong turning capabilities. Hollowtech in the tips helps with vibration damping, as it reduces mass, and therefore unwanted chatter. In the 177, we’re looking at 15.2-meter turn radius, so these skis are built to carve—that's a pretty darn short arc for that length, so advanced and expert skiers who know how to turn a ski will love the tip to tail edge grip and control throughout the carve.

David Wolfgang was on that 177, and he noted that it was the right size for him, and that’s a good thing because that’s as long as they come. He gave a top score of 5 out of 5 for versatility while the rest of his scorecard were all 4’s. This is a very high level of scoring for a ski at 81 mm wide in the waist, and we love it when a ski that’s normally pigeon-holed for a single use is actually a better all-mountain and well-rounded ski than we thought. For David, this is definitely the case on the PX 81. As a result of that experience, David notes that the PX 81 is a “Good all-around ski. Great carving ski but definitely an all-mountain ski.” When something like this shows another side of itself, it only lends credence and respect to the brand and the line, and since this is a new one from Kastle, that makes a great difference in the mind of the skier.

With a burly build, a snappy finish to the turn, and a narrow-ish waist, most skiers will use this ski exclusively on groomed terrain, and in that zone, they’re going to work really well. The nice, and unexpected, result of a properly-built ski is that it can handle a lot more than just what it was intended for. The Kastle PX 81 is a great example of just such a ski, and we here at SkiEssentials.com are all about it.