Kastle Aspen Ski Rentals

Hamilton Sports has been in Aspen since the 90’s and has won local’s favorite ski shop more times than any other store in our little mountain town. Everyone here is a die-hard skier and each of us owns a quiver of skis for every kind of condition. And in that quiver each of us has at least one pair of Kastle skis.

Kastle has been the mainstay of our ski rental department since they came back onto the scene in this millennial and for good reason. Quality construction, dependable skiing and cutting-edge technology that allows them to create skis that work for the terrain and conditions they are made for.

Once you experience Kastle you will want to buy a pair to take home with you, or maybe 2 so you have a quiver of your own! This year’s selection of Kastle demo skis has something for everyone and for all types of terrain and snow. Going to Aspen Highlands take out the all new Kastle FX 106, looking to improve your bump turns on Midnight the DX  85 is the right ski for you, wanting to ski all Aspen Mountain has to offer in one day well then the FX 96 is going to be your choice of ski rental.

 

Kastle Skis FX 106 HP

Kastle has done it again and taken one of the best skis in the industry and further improved it. By replacing the metal in the skis with a carbon fiberglass wrapped wood core that maintains all the power and absorption you expect from a Kastle ski but without the weight it used to take to achieve that, Boom! This is a complete revamp of the FX line from this Austrian ski maker, and in doing do the ski excels so well at big mountain skiing they have done away with the BMX line.

In addition to the major overhaul of the core Kastle skis has improve on their legendary HOLLOWTECH, or now known as HOLLOWTECH 3.0. The 3.0 version has an outer ring that has expanded the size of this proprietary feature and now besides removing more weight it has improved dampening, keeping the ski in touch with the surface of the snow and giving it more edge grip and better steering.

The Kastle 106 HP is going to be a perfect rental ski for Highlands Bowl or powder days over 8 inches. You will definitely appreciate the weight savings on the Bowl hike leaving you more energy for that epic ride down the best in-bounds ski terrain in Colorado.

Kastle Skis FX 96 W HP

This ski is tailored to female skiers with binding mount points set specifically for them and engineering that is more responsive to lighter athletes. Being in the HP category of the world famous Kastle FX series these skis also benefit from the new carbon wrapped wood core  that has replaced the metal in last year’s model and the updated HOLLOWTECH 3.0.

So if you are a Kastle devotee who was more than happy to sacrifice a little weight for the drive and chatter absorption the FX has you may be wondering, did Kastle mess this ski up? Rest assured they have not, now you get the best of both worlds, a ski that has one of the most solid edge grips in the industry without the weight of a metal core.

With the Powerzone Sandwich sidewall construction this ski was born from the world of ski racing and then raised to freeride. The FX 96 HP gives you unprecedented turn initiation which makes skiing bumps fun, and the more fun you are having the more confidence you get and the better you ski. Yes the FX 96 actually makes you a better skier!

This is going to be your Aspen ski rental for mid fat powder days when the bumps are soft and you want to go fast.

Kastle Skis FX 96 HP

HP stands for High Performance and this starts with the finest wood core available, manufactured to within one-tenth of a millimeter this is precision. This wood core allows Kastle to make a ski that absorbs chatter at speeds thus improving your ride and comfort. A wood core is also considered more responsive, and in the past where Kastle had given the ski metal reinforcements they are now wrapping the core in carbon fiber making it lighter without sacrificing performance.

The FX line with its Hook Free Shovel that is combined with an Early Rise is designed for softer snow while the MX line is made for more packed conditions. This combined with an aggressive flex is why everyone thinks this ski is so fun to ride.

If you are looking for a rental ski that can make quick committed turns in the trees of the Mine Dumps and still have enough gusto to drop Walshes in 4 turns this would be a great choice.

Kastle Skis MX 99

The MX 99 is an all mountain ski, hence the moniker MX = Mountain Cross, but with an emphasis on carving and an ability to handle speed. Powder Magazine loved the ski so much it choose it for one of this year’s “Best All Mountain Skis Under 100mm”.  That puts this ski in very good company.

Unlike the FX series the MX skis have kept their metal layup, a sheet of fiberglass, one of Titanal and one of carbon, this combination creates a ski with confidence to handle speed and lay an edge. While the wood core softens it just enough to keep it playful in soft snow and bumps.

While engineered with sandwich construction that is built for racing, Kastle adds in an early rise to allow the ski to navigate medium size powder days. It is this combination that will let you ski powder on Bell Mountain in the morning and then go straight to bashing bumps on Buckhorn in the afternoon all on the same ski!

Kastle Skis MX 89

With a narrower waist than the MX 99 this ski is geared more towards laying down an edge and making powerful turns on harder terrain. The 89 with its innovative side cut also allows you to get from edge to edge faster than wider skis making this a really fun ski for going fast.

Built with Kastle’s Sandwich Sidewall Construction, a technique taken from the world of alpine ski racking, the MX 89 has great flex length wise but with excellent torsional rigidity, meaning it can hold an edge like none other. Allowing you to drive all your power to the ski without concern of losing control at the highest of speeds.

Rent the MX 89 if you want to hit hot laps on Ruthies or test your medal on the World Cup course down Aztec, your friends won’t stand a chance!

Kastle Skis DX 85

Kastle is legendary in the industry for making powerful skis that you need to be an expert skier to handle and drive through deep snow or committing lines. This reputation comes from the athletes that ski for the legendary Austrain ski maker including world renowned big mountain skier Chris Davenport and Austrian Lorraine Huber who has been dominating the Freeride World Tour. While this reputation does hold true for skis like the FX 106 Kastle has made a ski that offers beginner and intermediate skiers the experience of a ski that has the power that they are known for but with a bit of forgiveness that a newer skier who is a touch unsure needs to progress.

So what makes this ski ideal for someone looking to improve their skiing, the early rise makes initiating a turn easy, skiers who have a harder time getting their body down the hill will really appreciate this. The hook free tail allows for an easy exit and transition helping you achieve a quicker edge to edge time. The DX 85 has a standard camber for a classis downhill ski feel built on the titanal laminate construction that gives it the stability that is Kastle’s benchmark.

The 176 length is going to let you go into the bumps with a ski that is not going to have to be tossed around but is short enough to slide off the back of one bump and be able to make a turn on the top of the next without getting hung up.

This is going to be the Aspen ski demo of choice for someone who is newer to skiing, you will definitely appreciate the forgiveness especially on a mountain that is legendary for only have intermediate to expert skiing.