New for season 2024–25, lightweight and versatile with a short turn radius, it's lots of fun for skiers with good technique, but not difficult to master
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Buyer’s Guide reviews
The charts show our impressions from testing
Product info
Category average
In words
Intro
TX is Kästle's lightweight touring collection, which also includes the race model. The 88 is the narrowest non-race ski, sitting alongside the 94 and 99. The cap sandwich construction wraps lightweight paulownia in carbon and fiberglass laminate, for a weight of no more than 1,365 g (3 lbs.) in the longest length, and one of the shortest turn radiuses in the category. It's had a radical overhaul this season, though as ever the focus is on lightweight skiability.
On the snow
You only need to think about turning and it does it. With that 15 m turning radius it couldn't be any other way, and if we were trying to find its target market, it could well be skiers who love short, tight turns. It's easy to handle, playful and versatile, though to get the best from it, you need to get to know it, which good skiers will have no problem doing. With its low weight and agility you can take it anywhere, even on more committing lines, maybe a narrow couloir. The sidecut would suggest it's not suited to steep descents or couloirs, but it doesn't get in the way, and it's particularly nimble on tight terrain and mogul fields. It offers plenty of contact with the terrain, so you could even go for a slightly shorter length. TL;DR: the UP models from the TX line with their poplar cores are more pliant and playful, suitable for all; this model requires a certain amount of skill and technique, but if that's you, you won't be disappointed.
Lab
Slightly concave at the tip, almost completely flat after 10 passes on the base grinder. Structure applied with smooth borders, needs redoing; waxed. Good edges 1.9 x 1.6 mm at 90.6° (too much), base edge 0.75°. Very coarse finish, rust in places, edges need checking. Tuning essential.
Technical specifications
Construction
cap-sidewall
Materials
paulownia, glass fiber, carbon fiber
Base
sintered UHMWPE with graphite and carbon
Available sizes
151, 159, 167, 175, 183
Released in
2024
Made in
Czech Republic
Price
899 €
Declared specsMeasured by us
We measured the length 175 to get all the details
175 cm
Length
XXXXX
125 cm
Tip width
XXXXX
112 cm
Tail width
XXXXX
88 cm
Waist width
XXXXX
N/A
Edge contact
XXXXX
N/A
Camber
XXXXX
N/A
Tip rocker
XXXXX
N/A
Tail rocker
XXXXX
1.300 g
Individual weight
XXXXX
N/A
Left weight
XXXXX
N/A
Right weight
XXXXX
15,5 m
Sidecut radius
XXXXX
N/A
Load-bearing surface
XXXXX
N/A
Tip torsion
XXXXX
N/A
Center torsion
XXXXX
N/A
Tail torsion
XXXXX
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