The freeride world loves a ski like the Kastle BMX 105. It’s a wide, big turning ski that loves to go fast wherever it travels. The rockered tips and tails carry it up and over some of the deepest snow you can find, and the camber underfoot constantly reminds you that you are on a properly constructed Kastle ski. With a 21 meter turn radius at 181 cm, the skis prefer to make larger turns, but they can certainly be pushed beyond, and short of that radius. The large sweet spot on the skis ensure predictability and versatility. Our testers loved the intuitive character of the BMX 105, and also spoke highly of its lack of speed limit. All testers skied the 181 cm length.
Jamie Bisbee scored all 4’s out of 5 except for forgiveness which got a 3. This tells us that Jamie had a nice time on what he thought was a very well-rounded ski. His previous experience with Kastle has been primarily in the race-like products, but the BMX 105 was a new type of creation for him. “The BMX 105 was an easy short-turner given the dimensions. I could still drop the hammer and feel quite nice whenever and wherever. Not the best choice for hard pack, but then you could just get the MX 84.” Jamie makes a nice comparison, and a nice point, that the BMX 105 is not a hard snow ski, but if you happen to find yourself there, it’ll do that too.
David Raybould felt the skis performed shorter than expected, but that didn’t stop him from doling out high praise. He felt the tip was soft, hence the short feel. He thought that the ski “skids and pivots nicely. Best for fresh snow at or above the 3-4 inch level.” We love it when those conditions exist, and here at Stowe, you get that quite a lot if you’re here every day. For a consistently snowy ski area, the BMX 105 would be an awesome ski to have.
Steve Sulin gave top scores for stability, versatility, and overall impression. He especially seemed to enjoy the quality that seems to ooze right out of the Kastle products. “Hand-made and it shows. They are supremely powerful and love to go fast. Given the wider nature of the skis, they are surprisingly not bad in the bumps.” Those comments certainly back up his assertion that the BMX 105 is tremendously versatile.
Mike Thomas is a consistent Kastle lover, and the BMX 105 is no different. “This puppy rips. It’s smooth and damp, plowed through chunder with ease. Easy to steer in short radius turns, but will drive big GS turns through chop. The BMX 105 comes alive with input. They’re best for a refined skier who wants a ‘not too wide’ powder ski that handles spring mank with aplomb.” Mike makes some really great points about the BMX 105. A lot of skiers do not want a dedicated huge powder ski, and the BMX 105 fits that bill perfectly. Also, the ability of the skis to handle crud and chop was certainly a high point for Mike.
The BMX 105 holds a special place in a lot of our tester’s hearts. There’s a lot to like about the 105, including, but not limited to, its ability to pivot and smear turns regardless of snow conditions. When the terrain gets tough and bumpy, the 105 will practically smooth it out for you. They’re an incredibly stable product that is equally at home going fast through the snow as it is carving turns on the fresh corduroy.
