RX12 GS Masters review

Overview

The RX12 GS Masters is the giant-slalom ski Kästle builds for the masters racing category: a 68 mm race platform in 183 and 185 cm with a 114-68-95 mm sidecut and a radius of 20.2 m at 183 cm and 27.8 m at 185 cm. It uses the same Race Department recipe as the Factory FIS skis — Hollowtech Race tip, Infini Core RACE poplar/beech core and double titanal in a sandwich build with phenol sidewalls — and is sold either with the COMP 16 race binding on the WC PC Interface 10 mm plate (€1,349) or flat with no base mounted (€949). For 26/27 the whole RX race line was redesigned with a full-surface finish in Kästle's mint colour.

On-snow performance

On paper this is a ski for long, committed arcs at high speed on hard, well-prepared pistes. Two full titanal sheets over a poplar/beech core give the torsional stiffness and damping a 20–28 m ski needs to hold an edge at GS speed, and the Hollowtech Race tip is Kästle's answer to tip flutter when the ski is loaded early in the turn. The two lengths behave like two different skis: the 183 cm at 20.2 m is a masters GS ski for tighter-set courses and strong piste skiers who want one long arc, while the 185 cm at 27.8 m is a straighter, faster ski that only makes sense on open courses and wide, empty pistes. Neither length gets easy at low speed, and the 10 mm plate adds leverage over the edge. Soft snow, bumps and crowded slopes are outside its brief.

Construction & specs explained

• Construction: sandwich with phenol sidewalls.
• Core: Infini Core RACE, poplar and beech, with double titanal.
• Tip: Hollowtech Race.
• Profile: standard camber, Fast Grip shovel and tail.
• Factory tuning: 87° side bevel, 0.6° base bevel.
• Binding base: WC PC Interface 10 mm with the COMP 16 race binding, or flat (no base mounted).
• Dimensions: 114-68-95 mm (183 and 185 cm).
• Radius: 20.2 m (183 cm), 27.8 m (185 cm).
• Weight: Kästle publishes no weight for this model.
• Price: €1,349 with COMP 16, €949 flat.

Who it's for & comparisons

This is a ski for masters racers and ex-racers who train on gates and want a masters-category GS ski, plus a small group of very strong piste skiers who have run out of ski in the regular Kästle RX12 GS (168–183 cm, 17.2 m at 178 cm). The direct rivals are the Fischer Rc4 worldcup noize gs masters (181/183/188 cm, 21–27 m) and the Atomic Redster g9 rsm (176/183/190 cm, 21–27.5 m). The Rossignol Hero athlete gs (170–185 cm, 20–27 m) covers the same radius band with a shorter entry length.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Race Department construction: double titanal, Infini Core RACE and Hollowtech Race tip.
• Two radius options, 20.2 m and 27.8 m, cover both tighter and open masters GS courses.
• WC PC Interface plate with COMP 16 race binding available as a ready-to-race package.
• Factory race bevels of 87° and 0.6°.

Cons

• Only two lengths, 183 and 185 cm, both for tall, strong skiers.
• The 185 cm at 27.8 m is a very long-radius ski that needs a course or an empty piste.
• Kästle publishes no weight; expect a heavy race ski once the plate is on.
• Premium price of €1,349 with binding.

Verdict: The RX12 GS Masters is a specialist: a masters-category GS race ski in a boutique Austrian build. If you race masters GS or train on gates, it is one of the few purpose-built choices; otherwise the regular RX12 GS is the better buy.