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New England Demo Days

TheArchitect

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Anyone know when and where some of the demo days are happening? I'm looking to test this years Kastles and Stocklis. I emailed Kastle asking if they had any info but apparently they don't answer emails.

I know of some shops that have demos available but I'd really like the opportunity to try a couple different models and lengths on the mountain.
 

Wilhelmson

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Anyone know when and where some of the demo days are happening? I'm looking to test this years Kastles and Stocklis. I emailed Kastle asking if they had any info but apparently they don't answer emails.

I know of some shops that have demos available but I'd really like the opportunity to try a couple different models and lengths on the mountain.

Ask Sport Thoma, they've had some Kastles on demo days in NH in the past. There was a Kastle tent at Wachusset once but I don't know if that's a yearly thing.
 

Wilhelmson

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Bingo - Wachusset
upload_2019-11-7_15-45-35.png
 

neonorchid

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Saturday, December 14, 2019
DEMO STARTS @ 9:00 AM, outside the Umbrella Bar
APRÈS PARTY @ 3:30 PM, K1 Lodge

Look for the FREESKIER crew outside of the Umbrella Bar at the base area of Killington. We’ll have an assortment of our favorite skis from the 2020 FREESKIER Buyer’s Guide on-site for you to try out for your own, as well as reps from each of the brands to answer any questions you may have. Libations at the K1 Lodge to follow!

https://freeskier.com/bgl
 

Tony S

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Just don't count too heavily on any specifics advertised beforehand. My experience with these things is, "you get what you get and you don't get upset." People show who weren't on the ticket, and vice versa. As for who and what is in each tent ... ditto.
 
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TheArchitect

TheArchitect

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Just don't count too heavily on any specifics advertised beforehand. My experience with these things is, "you get what you get and you don't get upset." People show who weren't on the ticket, and vice versa. As for who and what is in each tent ... ditto.

I'm going to talk to the people from WaWa when I'm at the ski show next weekend and will likely call a day before the demo day. I've demo'd Kastle skis from the WaWa rental shop over the years so I would think there's a decent chance Kastle will show up for a demo day. Now we just need some snow to fall...
 

Wilhelmson

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View attachment 84012
Just don't count too heavily on any specifics advertised beforehand. My experience with these things is, "you get what you get and you don't get upset." People show who weren't on the ticket, and vice versa. As for who and what is in each tent ... ditto.

It's always a crapshoot but still fun. End up skiing some 187 blizzards for a few runs then switch to 176 Kastles. Not to mention the previously mentioned tuning issue.
 

Marker

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Killington, Vermont
Saturday, December 14, 2019
DEMO STARTS @ 9:00 AM, outside the Umbrella Bar
APRÈS PARTY @ 3:30 PM, K1 Lodge

Look for the FREESKIER crew outside of the Umbrella Bar at the base area of Killington. We’ll have an assortment of our favorite skis from the 2020 FREESKIER Buyer’s Guide on-site for you to try out for your own, as well as reps from each of the brands to answer any questions you may have. Libations at the K1 Lodge to follow!

https://freeskier.com/bgl
I've been monitoring the Killington website, but no posting of the general demo days for multiple brands, which have been around the first weekend in December the last few years. But I've seen the "pop up" demos from some brands at the bottom of Superstar through out the year, which weren't advertised. Perhaps this is one of those?
 
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TheArchitect

TheArchitect

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My son and I went to the Wachusett Demofest today and tried out a number of skis. I'm really glad I did because I found a new ski and it ain't a Kastle. I really, really liked the K2 Mindbender 90Ti. I skied the 177 first and it was FUN. It handled small-radius turns nicely and there was a stable feeling with medium to larger turns. The most surprising is how smooth and easy it was to ski. I've been on Kastles so long that I'm really used to how they feel and the Mindbender was an eye-opener for me.

The rep and i talked and he suggested I take out the 170 to see if I liked that length, which I did. It's even more fun with short radius turns and easy to play on. It did lose a bit of stability on the bigger turns but I want it for bumps and trees and the MX88 would still handle the groomer days.

I skied the following:
K2 Mindbender 90Ti, 170 and 177
Kastle FX96 HP, 180cm
Kastle FX86, 170 and 177
Head Kore 93, 171

I couldn't believe it but I really liked the 96 HP at 180cm. I've been bitching for some time that the FX96 didn't come in anything less than 172. I've been pretty happy with 16x with my other Kastles so I assumed that was the right length range for me. It is for a cambered MX ski but not for the newer FX. I tried and found that I didn't like the FX86 in 170 (tip was all over the place) but the 177 was pretty good. I think I like a longer contact length and that when I'm on skis with tip rocker or early rise I want a longer ski.

Anyway, the biggest thing I noticed was how much easier the Mindbender was to ski versus any of the Kastle I tried or the ones I own. I think I'm going to pick up a pair of the 90Ti at the end of this season.

My son skied a bunch of Kastle, Salomon, and K2. He also has the Mindbender 90Ti at the top of his list, followed closely by the Ikonic 84. I think we're both going to end up on the same ski
 

Ogg

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My son and I went to the Wachusett Demofest today and tried out a number of skis. I'm really glad I did because I found a new ski and it ain't a Kastle. I really, really liked the K2 Mindbender 90Ti. I skied the 177 first and it was FUN. It handled small-radius turns nicely and there was a stable feeling with medium to larger turns. The most surprising is how smooth and easy it was to ski. I've been on Kastles so long that I'm really used to how they feel and the Mindbender was an eye-opener for me.

The rep and i talked and he suggested I take out the 170 to see if I liked that length, which I did. It's even more fun with short radius turns and easy to play on. It did lose a bit of stability on the bigger turns but I want it for bumps and trees and the MX88 would still handle the groomer days.

I skied the following:
K2 Mindbender 90Ti, 170 and 177
Kastle FX96 HP, 180cm
Kastle FX86, 170 and 177
Head Kore 93, 171

I couldn't believe it but I really liked the 96 HP at 180cm. I've been bitching for some time that the FX96 didn't come in anything less than 172. I've been pretty happy with 16x with my other Kastles so I assumed that was the right length range for me. It is for a cambered MX ski but not for the newer FX. I tried and found that I didn't like the FX86 in 170 (tip was all over the place) but the 177 was pretty good. I think I like a longer contact length and that when I'm on skis with tip rocker or early rise I want a longer ski.

Anyway, the biggest thing I noticed was how much easier the Mindbender was to ski versus any of the Kastle I tried or the ones I own. I think I'm going to pick up a pair of the 90Ti at the end of this season.

My son skied a bunch of Kastle, Salomon, and K2. He also has the Mindbender 90Ti at the top of his list, followed closely by the Ikonic 84. I think we're both going to end up on the same ski
How would you compare the Kore 93s vs the Mindbenders? I'm currently on the exact Kore you demoed but I really want to try the K2.
 
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TheArchitect

TheArchitect

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How would you compare the Kore 93s vs the Mindbenders? I'm currently on the exact Kore you demoed but I really want to try the K2.

They were blowing snow on some trails so I got to try all the skis in soft snow and hardpack. In the soft snow I felt the Mindbenders were easier to ski and I felt more confident they were going to go where I wanted them to. It was noticable to me but I wouldn't say it was significantly different. On hardpack I did not like the Kore. It may have been a bad tune but they really didn't want to edge. I skied the same part of that trail on the Mindbenders and was much happier. I would recommend trying the K2 because it was a lot of fun to ski. I've heard great things about the Kore so my experience may not be typical.
 
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Ogg

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They were blowing snow on some trails so I got to try all the skis in soft snow and hardpack. In the soft snow I felt the Mindbenders were easier to ski and I felt more confident they were going to go where I wanted them to. It was noticable to me but I wouldn't say it was significantly different. On hardpack I did not like the Kore. It may have been a bad tune but they really didn't want to edge. I skied the same part of that trail on the Mindbenders and was much happier. I would recommend trying the K2 because it was a lot of fun to ski. I've heard great things about the Kore so my experience may not be typical.
I was actually surprised at how well the Kores edged on hard snow when I first got them but I did experience some unexpected chatter on a firm day at Alta last season. I'm looking forward to trying the Mindbenders even though my bank account may not be.
 

Tony S

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I couldn't believe it but I really liked the 96 HP at 180cm. I've been bitching for some time that the FX96 didn't come in anything less than 172.

Did they not have a 172 to try?
 
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TheArchitect

TheArchitect

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Did they not have a 172 to try?

No, they didn't. I was actually surprised at how few skis they had there. Some of the other tents had a lot more.
 
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TheArchitect

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I was actually surprised at how well the Kores edged on hard snow when I first got them but I did experience some unexpected chatter on a firm day at Alta last season. I'm looking forward to trying the Mindbenders even though my bank account may not be.

Well, I like I said, it might have been a bad tune.

My bank account is definitely not going to like me.
 

Chef23

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Word was that the rest of the fleet was at Sugarloaf yesterday.

I was there yesterday as well and can confirm that the demo fleet was split at Sugarloaf. I didn’t see anything in the Nordica tent except for Enforcers/Santa Ana type skis.

I skied mostly front side skis K2 Supercharger, Parlor Warbird, Salomon Blast, Volkl Deacon 76 and did a few runs on the Mindbender 90 Ti. I put my thoughts in a a thread in the gear review forum.

It was great fun. I think I was around the Kastle and K2 tent at one point at the same time as TheArchitect and his son.
 

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