When Kästles, Stöcklis, and Renouns become commonplace, it is time to elevate your options. I was invited to the Mudroom at Caldera House in Jackson Hole to test out Kästle’s Limited Edition 93mm Supra and Bomber’s new 84mm 50/50 ski, the Pro Terrain. The Mudroom’s manager, Gov Carrigan, made sure that these skis (along with all of the shop's demos) are tuned impeccably on its new Wintersteiger fully automated machine so everyone can get the true feel of an ultra-premium ski.
The Mudroom at The Caldera House, Jackson Hole
First up is the Kästle Supra. At 130-93-117, the 177 has a 20.3m radius and is mounted with a Kästle-branded Tyrolia K12 CTI Pro system binding. It has a shape, design, and construction that share nothing, including the location it is assembled, with any mainstream Kästle other than the fact that “Kästle” is embossed on the topsheet. Kästle is not marketing to the Nth-degree skier on the hill; it already builds skis for the Chris Davenports and Griffin Posts of the ski world. The Limited Edition -- yes, limited to 500 numbered pairs -- is meant for the most discriminating skiers looking for refinement. Chances are, they own more than one Breitling timepiece, a Bentley or two, and already have a couple Kästles in the quiver at one of their homes -- one of which could very well be at Jackson.
On the snow, the Supra has the feel of an MX89. The DNA is there for sure, but there is an extra level of smoothness. Where the MX needs 30 mph to get its jam on, the Supra is fine at 20; where the MX wants to control your experience, the Supra is more, dare I say, submissive. Think about a car that needs to be driven versus one that likes to be driven -- but still has the power. This goes back to the Bentley I mentioned earlier. The Supra is not a gussied-up MX; it is a different experience.
The Bomber Pro Terrain comes in at 125-84-111 in a 171 with a published 18m turn radius. Mounted with a Vist 412 system binding, the Pro Terrain was a surprise bordering on shock. I haven’t been on a Bomber since some of the early production models a few years ago (see reviews HERE). The 171 was a bit short for me; the 181 would be a great sizei for, say Sun Valley, but on the tighter Jackson Hole trails, I decided to err on the shorter side. I would love, love, love to get on this in a 175-177. I mean, we are talking about a ski whose price tag has a curved number to the left of the comma, therefore a buyer who isn't accustomed to compromising; with 10cm size increments, some will fall in between sizes.
On-snow performance of the Pro Terrain is stellar. What I was most impressed with was not so much how the ski enters the turn, which is uber smooth, but how it exits. The Pro Terrain has one of the best turn finishes I have ever experienced from a consumer-level ski. I have been on all too many skis where the design focus was on the forebody and the tail never got the same attention; with the All Terrain, I could tell that the back half received just as much attention as, if not more than, the rest of the ski.
The Mudroom at The Caldera House, Jackson Hole
First up is the Kästle Supra. At 130-93-117, the 177 has a 20.3m radius and is mounted with a Kästle-branded Tyrolia K12 CTI Pro system binding. It has a shape, design, and construction that share nothing, including the location it is assembled, with any mainstream Kästle other than the fact that “Kästle” is embossed on the topsheet. Kästle is not marketing to the Nth-degree skier on the hill; it already builds skis for the Chris Davenports and Griffin Posts of the ski world. The Limited Edition -- yes, limited to 500 numbered pairs -- is meant for the most discriminating skiers looking for refinement. Chances are, they own more than one Breitling timepiece, a Bentley or two, and already have a couple Kästles in the quiver at one of their homes -- one of which could very well be at Jackson.
On the snow, the Supra has the feel of an MX89. The DNA is there for sure, but there is an extra level of smoothness. Where the MX needs 30 mph to get its jam on, the Supra is fine at 20; where the MX wants to control your experience, the Supra is more, dare I say, submissive. Think about a car that needs to be driven versus one that likes to be driven -- but still has the power. This goes back to the Bentley I mentioned earlier. The Supra is not a gussied-up MX; it is a different experience.
The Bomber Pro Terrain comes in at 125-84-111 in a 171 with a published 18m turn radius. Mounted with a Vist 412 system binding, the Pro Terrain was a surprise bordering on shock. I haven’t been on a Bomber since some of the early production models a few years ago (see reviews HERE). The 171 was a bit short for me; the 181 would be a great sizei for, say Sun Valley, but on the tighter Jackson Hole trails, I decided to err on the shorter side. I would love, love, love to get on this in a 175-177. I mean, we are talking about a ski whose price tag has a curved number to the left of the comma, therefore a buyer who isn't accustomed to compromising; with 10cm size increments, some will fall in between sizes.
On-snow performance of the Pro Terrain is stellar. What I was most impressed with was not so much how the ski enters the turn, which is uber smooth, but how it exits. The Pro Terrain has one of the best turn finishes I have ever experienced from a consumer-level ski. I have been on all too many skis where the design focus was on the forebody and the tail never got the same attention; with the All Terrain, I could tell that the back half received just as much attention as, if not more than, the rest of the ski.
- Who are they for? The 1 percenters. No, these will not turn you into Stein, Pirmin, Dav, or even Bode, but you will feel like them on the snow. These skis say you canbuy a turn -- and a very smooth one, at that.
- Who are they not for? The 99 percenters. But if you do play the poor man’s retirement plan (aka the lottery) and happen to win, your first call should be to Gov at the Mudroom.
- Insider tip I: Don’t demo these skis if you are not willing to spend the money. They are indeed a step up from even your "typical" $1,500 skis.
- Insider tip II: Ignore Insider tip I. Do demo these; treat yourself. You might not be able to afford a $250K car, but you can test drive one in Vegas or Beverly Hills. It's the same with a $2K ski. If you are in Jackson Hole, demo one or both of them.
