The Kästle MX74 is deceptive with its unassuming white and blue motif; some might just mistakenly dismiss it as a women’s ski, which would be a grave mistake. Remember my Shrink It and Pink It article a few years back? I mentioned then that Kästle does not make men's skis or women's skis; it makes skiers' skis. The second narrowest of the MX collection is just that, a full-camber, full-sandwich, hard-snow-biased tool.
The Stöckli Laser AX has been a darling of the Pugski community since it was introduced. What's not to like about it? It has a sweet spot that Willy Wonka would be proud of and performance so obtainable that almost any competent intermediate will appreciate it. I have said it before, this is one of the best values for an intermediate skier: even with a price tag north of $1,000, intermediates will never outgrow the Laser AX, so it will last them longer than the typical next three ski purchases and just get better right along with them.
- Why choose the MX74? You want to drive your ski, but you do not want to give up refinement.
- Why choose the Laser AX? You want to ride your ski, but still want the power when needed.