Kästle MX98 — Review

The Kästle MX98 is the wider end of the brand's MX all-mountain line — a 98 mm-waist freeride-leaning ski built around carbon-reinforced Hollowtech 3.0, Early Rise tip technology and Kästle's race-inspired sandwich construction. With a long sidecut radius (~20.9 m at 178 cm) and substantial weight (~2070 g per single ski at 178 cm), it is positioned as a stable big-mountain all-rounder rather than a tight-turn carver.

The long 20.9 m radius makes the MX98 a long-arc ski — happiest at speed on open faces and big mountain terrain, less natural in tight trees or short-slash variable. The Early Rise tip plus the wider waist give it enough soft-snow ability to handle 10–20 cm of fresh, while the substantial mass and Double Titanal stiffness keep it composed on hardpack between powder runs. It is not a touring ski, and it is not a frontside carver — it is a directional freeride 98 for skiers who want metal-laminate stability across variable.

The MX98 uses Kästle's race-inspired classic sandwich construction with a poplar/beech wood core, Double Titanal layers and carbon-reinforced Hollowtech 3.0 — the updated version of the Hollowtech shovel that reduces tip mass for swing weight without sacrificing torsional stiffness. The Early Rise tip technology provides minimal rocker for soft-snow flotation while keeping the classic camber underfoot. At ~2070 g per single ski at 178 cm, this is a heavy 98 by modern standards, which is exactly what gives the ski its planted feel at speed.

The MX98 fits advanced-to-expert skiers who want a stable, directional freeride 98 with race-derived feel rather than a playful pivoter. Compared to the Head Kore 100 Ti it is similarly metal-laminate but heavier and longer in radius; against the K2 Mindbender 99 Ti it is similarly stable but with a more frontside-tuned feel; the Black diamond Impulse Ti 98 is a comparable directional 98 alternative with similar weight.

Pros

• Strong stability at speed from Double Titanal + carbon Hollowtech 3.0.
• Useful soft-snow Early Rise tip.
• Austrian Kästle build quality.

Cons

• Very long radius limits short-turn versatility.
• Heavy for the segment (~2070 g per ski at 178 cm).
• Demanding flex profile.
• Limited current-season retailer stock since the model has been replaced in Kästle's lineup.

Verdict: a serious directional freeride 98 for skiers who want a heavy, stable platform for big open terrain rather than a quick-turning all-mountain crossover.