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Kästle FX 95HP vs. Stöckli's SR88/95 for race background

Hotwaxsharpedge

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Hi all,

I was wondering what people might recommend here.

I am a 30 YO 5 '11 Male east coast skiier with a race background. Last season I switched from some old old racing stock atomic SL & GS skiis for full groomer days to Stockli WRT 172 and couldn't be happier. It is the perfect ski for good condition days on groomers straddling both GS and SL turnstyles. Now I need a ski that is going to take on the west coast on and off piste in all conditions in the west as well as the really really cruddy snow days on the east coast where the WRT is a bit of a dangerous tool too fully drive. It put me on my ass a couple of times and I realized I needed an alternative. Every time I have tried a 'recreational' ski, or the fat rentals that I get when I've gone west, however, I have always been disappointed with the lack of response and general 'softness'.

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated!

I am trying to decide between Stockli SR88, SR 95 (184) or the Kastle FX95HP(181).

I think the SR88 might be more enjoyable in less snow, but the SR95 will be much more versatile on days where we're just doing powder and hard pack. The FX sounds like a good ski as well but I don't know enough about it, and haven't really heard any reviews from someone with a race background and its "hard-drivingness" on groomers. Any help would be appreciated.
 

ski otter 2

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If you said you wanted a looser ski in crud or off piste, and in bumps, then FX95. The SR 95 is very locked in on edge, including in powder/crud. Carving towards the bottom all the while, getting heavier as the snow gets deeper, no deflection; but still good. I would not use it past about 8" deep, since other skis are just more fun then. The MX 99 is a carving charger.
 

Noodler

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No one loses their job for recommending Stockli... ;)

So you already love your Stockli WRT... no reason to second guess going with the SR95. I find it to be a fantastically versatile tool for the job when the snow is up to a foot deep. More than that and I'll reach for something bigger.
 
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Hotwaxsharpedge

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Kästle MX99 if you can find it. It will reward your race background.

Mike
Thanks Mike this wasn't even on my Radar.

It seems like a very confusing ski. I've never heard of a primarily groomed carving ski at 100 underfoot - seems theoretically counterintuitive - but people seem to really love it!
 

Mike King

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Thanks Mike this wasn't even on my Radar.

It seems like a very confusing ski. I've never heard of a primarily groomed carving ski at 100 underfoot - seems theoretically counterintuitive - but people seem to really love it!
I certainly do not think of it as a primarily groomed carving ski -- I ski it as my deeper than 6" ski. It will perform on the groomed, but it skis much like a GS ski. Two sheets of metal, radius about 28m, it is a big mountain ski for someone who knows how to put a ski on edge and drive it.

Mike
 
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Hotwaxsharpedge

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If you said you wanted a looser ski in crud or off piste, and in bumps, then FX95. The SR 95 is very locked in on edge, including in powder/crud. Carving towards the bottom all the while, getting heavier as the snow gets deeper, no deflection; but still good. I would not use it past about 8" deep, since other skis are just more fun then. The MX 99 is a carving charger.
Would you go 175 or 183 for the SR @ 5'11 185?
 

SBrown

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183/184 in either SR 88 or 95, knowing I'd be losing a bit of quickness in bumps, but gaining stability and joy in the carve, everywhere.

Agreed. I ski the 175, and I'm 5'9" 135 lb, and it is just right. Wouldn't want it shorter in deeper snow. (-- oh, the SR95, which is what I would recommend for your purposes.)
 

Andy Mink

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Don't look past something along the lines of a Liberty Evolv 100. Plenty of backbone to carve but wide enough for playing in the powder. If you want something more forgiving and playful there is the Armada Tracer. It's a nice balance across the board, but may not give you the groomer results you want.
 

martyg

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I'm all about Stockli for on-piste. I found the Stormrider 95 too "serious" as a powder ski - it never laughed at my jokes. Really happy with Head Kore. 99 for in bounds. 105 for touring with a tech binding. Feels a bit like a Stockli, but more playful.

Aslo have a set of Augments new, wider ski (108???) on the way as my dedicated cat / heli ski.
 

Noodler

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I'm all about Stöckli for on-piste. I found the Stormrider 95 too "serious" as a powder ski - it never laughed at my jokes. Really happy with Head Kore. 99 for in bounds. 105 for touring with a tech binding. Feels a bit like a Stöckli, but more playful.

Aslo have a set of Augments new, wider ski (108???) on the way as my dedicated cat / heli ski.

Depends on which year/version of the SR95 you're on. It's been well documented by @LindseyB that the SR95 changed in design and character over the years. I have two pairs, with one being much more biased to soft snow while the other prefers the harder stuff.
 

Philpug

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I'm all about Stöckli for on-piste. I found the Stormrider 95 too "serious" as a powder ski - it never laughed at my jokes.
Hmmm. Whenever I am on SR95's we laugh, we cry...it's a regular "Courtship of Eddie's Father" relationship. Maybe your jokes aren't funny? ;)
 

martyg

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Hmmm. Whenever I am on SR95's we laugh, we cry...it's a regular "Courtship of Eddie's Father" relationship. Maybe your jokes aren't funny? ;)

My penis jokes never fail with a group of students. Maybe the SR95's are too politically correct?
 

James

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If you want a cheap alternative, the Bonafide seems to satisfy racers I know. Don’t know this years version, but at least the one two years ago. It does lack the refined dampness of the Stockli.

I have an older SR95, ‘14/‘15. It’s actually better on softish groomed. Current versions are much different. Even at 192, with it’s soft tip it’s pretty fun for short turns. It does have the so called Stockli “baby seal skin” layer feel.

For length, with your stats and background definitely 183, not 175. For east you could play around with the 175, but 183 really isn’t that long and offers more speed stability and float.
 

Wilhelmson

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The fx95 take a little bit to get used to. Not the best in powder or soft crud but if you are one some steep crusty crap or packed out woods its on - could be the .5 base edge factory tune.
I am not a racer. Speed wise they are 95 but yeah if you can bend them they go and and with sharp edges ice is no problem. If you are a racer you should be able to whip the 181s around on exterminator woods :)

I demoed the 187 bonafides a few years ago and they just rip on open snow.
 
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Hotwaxsharpedge

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If you want a cheap alternative, the Bonafide seems to satisfy racers I know. Don’t know this years version, but at least the one two years ago. It does lack the refined dampness of the Stöckli.

I have an older SR95, ‘14/‘15. It’s actually better on softish groomed. Current versions are much different. Even at 192, with it’s soft tip it’s pretty fun for short turns. It does have the so called Stöckli “baby seal skin” layer feel.

For length, with your stats and background definitely 183, not 175. For east you could play around with the 175, but 183 really isn’t that long and offers more speed stability and float.

Thanks for this; I will check out the Bonafide's. May save my wallet and work well. Consensus here seems to be the SR 95's in 183 or Kastle MX99 in 181. The MX99's seem to be difficult to source used, however.

To your point, I have heard the 2015-2017 SR 95's w/ carbon inserts are soft and actually a completely different ski/ worse ski.
 

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