2025 Kastle ZX92

This is one of those narrower freeride skis that is worth a closer look. The 2025 Kastle ZX 92 takes a similar footprint and concept and puts it in a narrower bodied format. We’ve loved this trend to narrower skis in the ZX line, and maybe that’s because we ski in Vermont, but also because it’s just a great shape and profile to go along with the fun-loving build. The 108 and the 100 offer a lot of energy and pop to a wide range of skiers, and the 92 takes it to the next level in terms of quickness and agility. By following the same theory as its wider brothers, the ZX 92 is built more as a gateway ski to the Kastle brand. While still very high quality and precise, it’s not quite as sophisticated as the MX or Paragon lines, and that does bring the price down to a more reasonable level. This makes the ZX 92 more affordable and accessible for a younger and less established generation of skiers. In the 92, this opens all-mountain applications for skiers in the intermediate, advanced, and moderate expert ranges. With an eye for quality, these skis are surprisingly agile and a ton of fun.

From a construction perspective, this ski follows suit. Like the other skis in the ZX range, the 92 consists of poplar and beech stringers in the wood core. These stringers are on the wider side when compared to the narrower, and therefore greater quantity of, stringers in the MX and Paragon lines. This is a big part of the difference in perceived quality between the lines, and while this may be true when you’re looking at it from a distance, the reality is that the macroblock stringers of the ZX make more sense for what the ski is. We also get two layers of fiberglass in the ski, making it energetic and poppy. To keep the unwanted vibrations to a minimum, Kastle employs their Hollowtech tip technology that reduces mass in the shovel to keep chatter down. Otherwise, it’s a simple build, with the 176 cm length registering 1700 grams per ski. That’s light and a big reason for the ski’s agility. Tester Jeff Carpenter notes that he “had a ton of fun on this ski in trees and moguls with several inches of fresh snow and this is where this ski excels. It's super light, energetic and drifty in soft snow but I could feel its limitations at speed while skiing fast and trying to make longer arcing turns in chopped up snow.”

For narrower skis that follow freeride footprints, this is a good one. We’re getting a relatively short turn radius in this ski, with the 176 generating a 16.4-meter arc. While the build and the shape won’t make this thing excel in long and fast GS style turns on steep and firm terrain, it opens up the shorter arcs, skidded turns, and smeary slashes in softer snow and more varied terrain. When the longer tip rocker and taper is introduced to the mix, it makes the ski very agile and maneuverable, especially in the tip. The tail is slightly flatter and less rockered, making it quick and responsive. This is the blend of attributes that makes the ZX 92 a whole lot of fun for a range of skiers from intermediate through expert. Carpenter also notes that the ZX 92 excels in “shorter radius turns in soft snow, moguls, trees and tight steep terrain.”

For skiers looking for a fun-loving option for pure all-mountain bliss, this is a great place to look. Given the light weight, surfy nature, and integrated skin notch in the tail, it’s acceptable to discuss this ski as having a touring application as well. While most skiers won’t see it as a daily tourer, those looking for a hybrid ski or an occasional skin ski will find a lot to like about the 2025 Kastle ZX 92. It has a proven pedigree when it comes to surfy and drifty performance, and when you add in Kastle’s commitment to quality, precision, and poise in a freeride ski, the ZX 92 makes a whole lot of sense in a versatile format. We love this ZX line and appreciate the narrow options like this.