Kastle mx84 problem--SOLVED

[Wendy]

Yes, makes total sense. "Titan"-strong + "al" - aluminum. "Titanal". Practically wrote itself.

"The use of aluminium in alpine ski design dates back almost 50 years. On the basis of initial tests carried out in the 1960s, skis utilising an aluminium sandwich construction were the object of ongoing development, the first recognisable successes were achieved at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. From this point onwards, AMAG focused on the creation of a high- strength aluminium alloy for use in the winter sports field.

This chemistry teacher is a little disappointed that she missed the al = Al = aluminum. Titanal = “strong aluminum” (alloy).

My SR 83’s and SR 100’s have no top sheet; the metal layer is the top sheet. Only a few small nicks so far which I’ll file when I put summer wax on this weekend.

Still waiting to see what the shop says about the extra holes, and what Kastle says about the damage to OP’s skis.

 

[Eleeski]

I'm surprised how much traction this thread has. Maybe the investment made in the skis was substantial enough to make this relevant.

Skis break - at least lots of mine do. Most are discounted (previously mounted?) so I don't feel disappointed too much when problems arise. And I willfully beat them up. 40 days is short but satisfactory.

Of course I'd be bummed if it was a favorite. But I'd probably fill a delamination with some JB Weld and get as much more life out of it as I can.

It is certainly worth seeking a warranty. There are lots of reasons that a ski can break prematurely. If yours is the first with this failure, the factory certainly wants to know what happened. If it's common, they have factored in replacements (sometimes fixing the problem changes the ski - do you want performance or reliability?). The extra holes on a brand new ski might shift things from the factory to the shop, that is weird.

Sometimes you just get screwed. You certainly have an interesting situation that is entertaining us. Hope it works out for you. More so, I hope you can accept whatever happens so it doesn't affect your enjoyment of skiing.

Eric

 

[cantunamunch]

I'm surprised how much traction this thread has. Maybe the investment made in the skis was substantial enough to make this relevant.

I think you're right.

Of course I'd be bummed if it was a favorite. But I'd probably fill a delamination with some JB Weld and get as much more life out of it as I can.

I'd do it a bit differently - level the delam with a silicone or similar that dries to ~40A - then put 1/16" thick Viton foam strips along the edges.

Pretty much every SL skier has dealt with something of this sort, just a little bit further out at the shovel.

 

[Tony S]

As the Blessed Brands Turn, starring a bunch of nerds. I suspect one reason - not the only one - that this thread is getting a lot of traffic has to do with the fact that for long-time Epic/Pug gear heads it may turn out to represent a tipping point in a long-incubating changing of the guard in the "darling premium brands" department. For a long time everyone here wanted a Kastle MX. Lot of reasons for this, not least of which is that it's a line of superb skis. Another reason is that dawgcatching was a big influencer, and he was a convinced Kastle evangelist. His presence has tailed off radically. In the last couple of years the tide has been turning toward Stockli, and this thread may be putting the nail in Kastle's popularity coffin.

 

[cantunamunch]

almost* everyone and Renoun.



*MX - the M is for 'Meh'.

 

[Tony S]

almost* everyone and Renoun.

Yeah, I was generalizing intentionally.

MX - the M is for 'Meh'.

 

[Dakine]

Blossom........
Think I have kicked my Kastle habit.

 

[Tony S]

Lot of really good skis out there. More sampling required!

 

[cantunamunch]

Blossom........
Think I have kicked my Kastle habit.

That makes two (and a half?*) of us.

*Not quite sure about @Tony S yet.

*has 5+ years of practice in standing proud on his views, no matter the waves of unenlightened scoffing*

 

[mdf]

In the last couple of years the tide has been turning toward Stockli,

Yeah, I hear all the cool kids have them.

 

[KingGrump]

In the last couple of years the tide has been turning toward Stockli,

Sorry, didn't get that memo.

almost* everyone and Renoun.

Sorry, missed that one too. Been out skiing.

*MX - the M is for 'Meh'.

They are good feeling skis on the groomers if nowhere else.

 

[Brad J]

*MX - the M is for 'Meh'.

You only get back what you put in to them

 

[Brad J]

So much discussion about how frail Kastle MX series is and some of that is true ,the top sheet and top layer if aluminum is relatively fragile , but in all reality they are a performance groomer ski and they do that quite well, they addressed the top sheet problems with the FX series a few years ago and I think with success,. The FX series is meant for ungroomed , bumps and such . So IMO I am not taking my Mustang off road and my work van to the race coarse, Just saying

 

[tball]

@Brad J , again, the MX84 is marketed as an all-mountain ski and that includes ungroomed, bumps and such.
https://www.pugski.com/threads/kastle-mx84-problem.9542/page-4#post-232926

 

[cantunamunch]

You only get back what you put in to them

Exactly! Well put! MX demo = dinner conversation with the ELIZA program.

 

[James]

almost* everyone and Renoun.

*MX - the M is for 'Meh'.

As a public service I'd be willing to take all your Kastles off your hands. Any series.

Some of the MX skis are among the top skis ever in their respective categories. Even with their top sheet issues.
Far bigger issue was their sizing in the past. They've largely solved that.

Blossom- great skis that they just don't want to sell here.

 

[tball]

Has anybody been to a ski shop and checked out how many skis on the wall I have a sharp edge on the top sheet versus being rounded or beveled? Of the 10 different skis I have laying around, only my ill-fated Nordica’s have a sharp edge on the top sheet.

I'd go myself, but purely coincidentally I'm a little laid up after surgery from an injury that happened while I was “just skiing along.”

 

[Dakine]

So much discussion about how frail Kastle MX series is and some of that is true ,the top sheet and top layer if aluminum is relatively fragile , but in all reality they are a performance groomer ski and they do that quite well, they addressed the top sheet problems with the FX series a few years ago and I think with success,. The FX series is meant for ungroomed , bumps and such . So IMO I am not taking my Mustang off road and my work van to the race coarse, Just saying

Right.
My old RX's are badly chippped, my FX-94's not at all.
Problems do get solved.
Believing ski marketing is pretty much like believing Trump......think about it.

 

[Brad J]

MX84 is marketed as an all-mountain ski and that includes ungroomed, bumps and such.

I really don't care how they are marketed , I am dealing with experience, I brought my MX88's out to Alta, Snowbird on a good snow week , and they were a ton of work in deep snow and tree'e , Could they do it , Yes but certainly not as well as my FX94's. I agree they have a flawed system of marketing there ski's ., but thats not the ski's fault. They are a wider GS ski that are more versatile , but icy moguls deep powder is not their designed purpose. Isn't this why we have a Quiver ???

 

[KingGrump]

but thats not the ski's fault. They are a wider GS ski that are more versatile , but icy moguls deep powder is not their designed purpose. Isn't this why we have a Quiver ???

The MX-88 is not really and all mountain ski. Unless your mountain has nothing but groomers.
It's more of a wide front side carver (groomer ski) than a all mountain ski.