A contemporary freeride assortment with traditional Kastle DNA
When you ask me what skis Powder7 staffers have cherished probably the most over time, the Kastle FX95 HP will probably be one of many first fashions I point out. These issues r-i-p-p-e-d. And whereas we loved the following variations with extra taper and rearranged carbon and steel, none of them gave us fairly the identical buzz because the OG. So once we realized that Kastle is changing the FX sequence with a contemporary assortment for 2024-2025, you’ll be able to think about the intrigue.
Kastle Paragon Evaluate: Subject Notes
The brand-new Paragon assortment is a full overhaul of FX. It takes the ZX chassis, that new-ish line of wooden core freeride skis, and powers it up with two sheets of titanal. So, dimensions between the Paragon and the ZX skis will mirror one another, together with medium-radius sidecuts and loads of camber. Rocker profiles are additionally fairly comparable, with rocker and taper within the ideas and tails (although the tails are extra squared off and flatter than these of many different freeride skis). The shapes and flex patterns change barely, with the broader skis being extra tuned for freeride snowboarding and the 93 wanting probably the most like an all-mountain carver. With that steel, Paragon skis are available heavier than the ZXs, though they’re notably nonetheless lighter than loads of different skis of their respective classes. Thank a strategic mix of poplar, beech, and paulownia within the wooden cores.
Oh, and whereas these are freeride skis, they’re nonetheless constructed by Kastle. So conventional mount factors are on faucet! That’s -11 centimeters and alter from heart.
Right here’s the spec breakdown:
Paragon 93 // 163cm (1657 g/ski, 12.7m radius), 170cm (1742 g/ski, 14.6m radius), 177cm (1827 g/ski, 16.4m radius), 184cm (1912 g/ski, 18.2m radius)
Paragon 101 // 169cm (1851 g/ski, 14.6m radius), 176cm (1926 g/ski, 16.4m radius), 182cm (1986 g/ski, 18m radius), 190cm (2071 g/ski, 20.3m radius)
Paragon 107 // 168cm (1878 g/ski, 15.1m radius), 178cm (1993 g/ski, 17.9m radius), 184cm (2053 g/ski, 19.2m radius), 192cm (2138 g/ski, 21.3m radius)
Whereas I caught just a few laps on the 107, I spent most of my time on the Paragon 93 and 101. So this overview will comply with suite. For reference: I measure 5’7″ and a pair McDoubles north of 160. I skied the 177 Paragon 93 and the 182 Paragon 101. Testing grounds had been Crested Butte, Loveland, and Monarch Mountain.
Groomers
Spoiler alert: There’s going to be a theme with this overview. So many skis had been rebuilt or debuted for this new ski season (hurray!), and so lots of them are being billed as extra accessible and simpler to ski than ever. To be clear, we love that. However, we additionally love a redesign that doubles down on a ski’s (or model’s) high-performance character. This yr’s winner is Paragon.
Relatively than diluting the brand new skis, Kastle harkened again to that FX95 HP and the also-famous BMX105 HP. This stuff ski like tanks! And when you get particular traits out of every one in particular snow and terrain varieties, the overarching assertion is that this: All of them wish to go quick. They’ll all be pushed laborious throughout the mountain, and athletic superior to professional skiers will get pleasure from them probably the most.
Paragon 93:
Because the de facto on-piste ski within the assortment, I’ll name out the Paragon 93 particularly. It’s a lot faster than the opposite two skis with a shorter flip radius and extra camber. It’s a blast on contemporary wire, slushy corn, and agency groomers. In comparison with different low-90s all-mountain skis, the Paragon 93 is well-balanced if a contact on the playful facet. It’s loaded with power and comes out and in of carves. When you could lock it in, it’s stout sufficient to offer. On snow, I considered it as a midpoint between the brand new Blizzard Anomaly 94 and the Rustler 9. Not as directional as the previous however extra highly effective than the latter. I’ve by no means skied a Kastle that sucked on groomers, and the Paragon 93 carries the household torch.
Paragon 101 and 107:
Groomer efficiency in these two skis scales as you’d anticipate. The 101 feels much less snappy and energetic than the 93 and extra tip-and-go. It could rip off brief carves, however it additionally needs to make longer arcs. Whereas the Paragon 93 carves fortunately in any respect speeds, the the 101 needs a bit of extra enter. It needs to be pushed. So long as you give it sufficient fuel, it feels as clean and intuitive on agency snow as any ~100mm ski I’ve ridden.
These feedback then apply to the 107. Naturally, it feels much less inclined to carve than the 93 or 101. However in comparison with different mid-fat skis, it holds its personal, erring on the extra aggressive/extra energy facet of the spectrum.
Bumps and Bushes
Paragon 93:
The Paragon 93 destroys moguls. It’s obtained sufficient heft to offer a steady platform underfoot, protecting you glued to your zipper strains. The rockered/tapered ideas hyperlink easily from one trough to the following, protecting the ski from feeling too cumbersome or hooky in contemporary or wind-deposited snow. The medium-to-stiff flex sample bends with terrain, supplying you with some forgiveness with out folding like softer skis can. And it weighs in lighter than some comparable choices with titanal, which means it doesn’t punish you too laborious for back-to-back-to-back bump runs. And as somebody who enjoys attacking the autumn line down mogul strains, I benefit from the squared tails. They allow you to monitor straight and keep in your line. And but, robust skiers will probably be shocked at how simply the tails launch, which makes it straightforward to shed velocity in tight timber or moguls. Don’t take that too far; skis with extra tail rocker and softer flex patterns will nonetheless be extra forgiving. However I feel skis just like the Anomaly 94, M7 Mantra, and Enforcer 94 really feel extra locked-in by means of the tails, making the Paragon 93 a pleasant midpoint.
Paragon 101 and 107
With an idyllic 101mm waist width for western all-mountain snowboarding, the Paragon 101 will get the eye right here. We find yourself snowboarding so many tracked-up bump and tree strains in Colorado that we want our quiver-killer skis to pack critical all-mountain chops. The additional girth within the 101 makes it much less nimble than the 93, however it additionally feels a bit softer and extra forgiving than the 107. That performs properly in bumps and steep tree alleys, the place you get a considerably forgiving trip contemplating the ski is constructed with two sheets of titanal. And as a lot as I say I’ll purchase a narrower ski for dry spells, it hasn’t occurred within the final decade. So, I find yourself taking my 100-110 ish skis all over the place, which means I depend on versatility. The Paragon 101 feels intuitive sufficient to deal with all of the terrain all over the place I ski, and in most snow circumstances. It could torch a bump line after which navigate a chalky chute and really feel at house in each locations. It’s the most enjoyable if you drive it and ski quick, little question, however it slows down and facilitates extra finesse snowboarding a bit of higher than I assumed it will.
Within the Paragon 107, I observed a substantial step up. It’s extra of a hoss and just about prefers to go by means of obstacles reasonably than round them. When you’re contemplating a mid-fat ski and also you spend numerous time within the timber and bumps, know that the 107 needs to assault and can punish you in case you get backseat. Fall-line hawks will find it irresistible. Informal freeriders and freestyle-minded people is not going to.
Powder and Combined Snow
Paragon 93 and 101
The 93 supplies a strong trip in smooth and blended/uneven snow, the place the taper and rocker and titanal preserve the ski from killing your vibe. Once more, the form of the guidelines and tails assist them smear and slash higher than a number of comparable skis round this waist width. However in case you spend a number of time off-piste and looking for Bigfoot, you need one of many wider choices.
My wow second with the 101 got here after I took it down Crested Butte’s Spellbound Bowl. Eight-ish inches of largely untracked snow gave technique to some crunch beneath. The ski completely crushed. It was intuitive and dependable in any respect speeds, however I discovered myself shortly trusting it to ski sooner and sooner. The guidelines don’t hook, and the suspension is exceptional. True to the Kastle title, and that legendary FX95 HP, it felt downright smoooooth. In pure pow, it’s pure to need one thing wider (hey 107), however for a directional freeride skier who mixes airs and slashes into attacking the autumn line, the Paragon 101 felt primed.
As for the 107? That is your alternative for day-to-day freeride snowboarding. Of the three, it feels probably the most demanding. However in case you like velocity and energy with a contact of freeride taste (or sufficient maneuverability to barter scary terrain), you’re going to get alongside properly with this ski. Once more, I discovered it straightforward to ski sooner than supposed, and that’s a testomony to its glorious suspension. Different skis are floatier, extra drifty, and simpler to maneuver. However in addition they don’t really feel as dependable in steep, consequential terrain or crappy snow. And for my cash, the Paragon 107 can deal with all of the calls for of big-mountain snowboarding in addition to any ski I’ve ridden. If you wish to blast your approach down big-mountain strains, you got here to the appropriate place.
Draw back
I really feel like I’ve gotten a bit wordy. Perhaps a three-for-one overview was a foul concept! So, I’ll preserve this half brief.
Relative to the typical skis in every of their classes, the Paragons really feel extra damp and extra demanding. Like I mentioned, that’s intentional. So I can’t actually fault a ski for doing what it’s presupposed to do (ie, packing a punch to your freeride endeavors). However it might be a purpose to not purchase them in case you don’t desire a ski to make you push it laborious. If that’s you, however you continue to need Kastle, try the ZX sequence.
Backside Line
With glorious suspension, that plush Kastle really feel, and a mannequin to match most skiers’ wants, Kastle’s new Paragon skis put all people else within the all-mountain/freeride class (so…everybody!) on discover. They name again to Kastle’s finest freeride fashions of the previous, whereas nonetheless managing to up the ante. When you’ve learn this far and also you’re salivating, you gained’t be upset.
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