2027 Kastle Paragon 101

The 2027 Kastle Paragon 101 is a carryover model once again, bringing the same shape, build, and graphics forward into this year. As the middle child of the Paragon line from Kastle, the 101 could certainly be considered the most versatile and the flagship model of the series. We wouldn’t argue, but we would add that it’s an incredibly smooth performer both on and off-trail. The Paragon 101 blurs the line between all-mountain and freeride. One of the cool parts of the Paragon line is that they’re not overly expensive. They’re still pricey for sure, but they don’t carry the same tag as a lot of other premium skis. There’s still a ton of engineering and tech going on here. This is a very well-rounded and high-performance ski with very broad appeal. It rips on piste but also has a freeride vibe to it that makes it a ton of fun.

Due to the overall high quality of their skis, Kastle is not afraid of innovative construction. Built with Kastle’s InfiniCore technology, the Paragon 101 is sturdy and stable in the mid-section while remaining light and agile along the sides. This is due to their mix of denser and stronger beech stringers in the middle while putting lighter paulownia and poplar on the outer portions. They also alter the length of certain stringers to create a particular effect, and we’ve found that it works quite well when constructing new skis. To bring it back to more traditional construction, Paragon 101 uses two full titanal laminates to dampen and power the ski when it’s on edge or busting through crud and chop. The metal does end just before the tips, keeping the very end of the front of the ski lighter and more amenable to flotation and turn initiation. There’s a lot to like about how this build marries with this shape. The skis are solid but not otherworldly, measuring 1986 grams per ski. Tester Christian Strong states: “I think this is a solid all mountain ski. It carved great short and long radius turns thru hardpack. I bet it would be fun In East coast trees, and a blast with a bit of soft snow to play with. This is an all terrain choice for me. It carved up the hardpack and is wide enough to have fun In soft snow as well.”

With a lot of tip rocker and taper, Paragon’s shape and profile leans more to the freeride side of the spectrum. In the 182, the ski hits an 18-meter radius, and it likes it there—great for the mid to long-radius arcs on both smooth and rough terrain. This 101 mm waist is floaty enough, but the tip shape makes it stand out when it comes to staying on top of fresh snow. The mixing of attributes is certainly one of the Paragon 101’s big strengths. Tester Ken Morin says that “This is a very stable ski at speed but its softer tip and tail seem made it fun to ski even in variable conditions. Too bad the conditions didn’t allow testing in more types of snow. The skis even did well in frozen moguls. I really like this ski and will probably buy a pair (unless I buy the Paragon 93!). Again, while hard to truly test all mountain characteristics with the day's conditions, it seems like it should be a good single quiver ski.”

We think that the speed, stability, and versatility of this ski stand out here. For a ski with two sheets of metal, this Paragon 101 has a broad reach. This is a ski that’s accessible for early advanced skiers but is happier when pushed at speed. It responds to input very precisely, so we’ve been seeing more success with experts and advanced skiers with more strength and skill. As a 101, it’s supremely versatile, opening the demographic to skiers who are basically unsure of where or what they’ll be skiing on any given day. When we set out for a normal ski day here in Vermont, it’s tough to think of a better option than the mixed attributes of the Paragon 101.