2027 Kastle Sublime 88

With a pure all-mountain shape and construction, the Kastle Sublime 88 is a well-rounded ski that operates well in a multitude of terrain conditions. This ski works great for advanced and expert skiers who are looking to make all sorts of turns all over the mountain. Thanks to Kastle’s commitment to quality and precision, the Sublime 88 links amazing carved turns while at the same time is amenable to varying conditions and terrain. This ski feels equally at home in the bumps and trees as it does in a groomer format.

Built with Kastle’s Twin Core consisting of poplar and beech, the skis have a nice blend of sturdiness and smoothness. With more of a macro block format than the thinner stringers MX’s Infinicore, the Twin Core allows for increased flex without taking away any measurable smoothness. We get two sheets of metal in this ski so it holds up to some aggressive use. The 180 sits on the scale at a stated weight of 1987 g/ski so there’s some weight here as well. That said, it does feel more agile than some of the top-flight skis in this zone because it’s got a more well-rounded shape. Tester Bob St.Pierre notes that “The Sublime 88 is a quick turning carver with a balanced feel. I like the mix of metal and shape here as it allows skiers to dip into a deep bag of tricks whether you're looking to ski bumps, groomers, or in the woods. This is an all-terrain and all-conditions ski. While it won't float as well as the wider skis nor will it hold an edge as good as the narrower, it's a great mix with lovely versatility. This is a wonderful all-mountain ski with cool and crisp vibes. Great new addition to the Kastle lineup.”

At 88 mm underfoot, these skis have a lot to offer an all-mountain skier who fairly evenly splits their time in an on and off-trail format. The 180 features an 18.4-meter turn radius and it feels comfortable in that zone but is also able to switch it up and make both shorter and longer turns. It’s a very intuitive feel that gets along great with the construction—it's a nice blend, and the ski works in harmony with the skier. There’s not a lot of rocker here, nor taper, but it is rounder and more welcoming than the MX88 by a long shot. Colin Wiedersheim notes that it’s “Grippy and stiff, the Sublime 88 pulls you and locks you into a turn like you may expect from Kastle. Despite less metal than its burlier cousin the MX88, the Sublime was a delight on groomers. A responsive and crisp turner, the Sublime 88 rewards you for driving your tips and completing a full turn. You’ll feel that tail and it’ll be a bit stiff if you’re lazy.”

We think that this ski is going to find a dedicated audience—Kastle fans who are not sold on the full effort of the MX88 will love the easier going vibes of the Sublime 88. There are a lot of skiers in this zone—taking a high-end ski and making it more accessible for more skiers is a sure way to make a lot of customers very happy, and we feel Kastle has done a great job in this regard.