2023 Kastle ZX115

On the wide side of fun and freeridey, the Kastle ZX115 is a toy and a joy in the fresh and soft snow. These skis feature the same basic construction and shaping as the narrower 108 and 100, allowing skiers who spend more time in search of the deep stuff to have a similar feel and character in a wider-bodied format. This ski will serve well as a powder-specific ski for those who are lucky enough to ski in snow that necessitates such a fat shape, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some all-mountain attributes to it either. While nobody’s going to mistake this for a groomer ski, there’s no denying that the ZX skis have a surprising amount of pop and edge grip, and those qualities should not be overlooked.

From a construction perspective, we see a semi-cap sidewall method, and this gives the ski a nice blend between capped quickness and agility as well as sidewall grip and energy. In that sidewall portion, we see a blend of poplar and beech wood stringers. One of the big differences between the stringers used in ZX versus FX or MX is that they are wider. This gives the ski more flex and playfulness, allowing it to move with the snow underfoot rather than push it away. Additionally, this method uses less epoxy to adhere the stringers together, so we see a lower relative weight as well. With two sheets of fiberglass and rubber damping material, the ZX115 is a smooth and energetic operator that loves to be pushed into the turns. We see Hollowtech 2.0 in this ski, so a slightly smaller space in the tip of the ski. This differs from the FX’s 3.0 in that the ZX doesn’t really need vibration damping as much in softer snow.

The 186 cm length ski generates a 20.2-meter turn radius and tips the scales at 2310 grams per ski. This is pretty big and heavy for a “lighter” powder ski, but since there’s just so much material and mass involved, it can’t help but be a bit on the heavier side. That said, the profile and shaping of the ski allow it to have a lower swing weight and be as playful as lighter and more dramatically rockered skis. Kastle doesn’t quite make that fat twin tip quite yet, but due to the success of this ski, we’ll likely see that trend of wider and more rockered skis continue. The rocker in the shovel is long and low, and this follows with the narrower 108 and 100, making it a fantastic directional floater. With the longer taper shape as well, the entry point to the turn is quite fun-loving and drifty, while the tail remains on the strong and stable side.

Skiers looking for that fat ski to round out their quiver, and who like the precision and quality of a Kastle ski, will gravitate to the ZX115 for sure. Wide enough for the deepest snows on the planet, but agile and grippy enough to offer some versatility and all-mountain performance as well, this ski has a whole lot to offer skiers who spend a lot of time in fresh and deep snow.