Cheapo mans version of Kastle FX94, MX98

[east bear fr]

I own MX98 in 184 and 194.
For your need of cheaper one you have 2 options:
- Monster 98 in 184 (I also own them in 184 and 191). Can be found really cheap. IMO better than MX98 almost everywhere. Better in moguls, in crud, generally offpiste and especially in shitty snow. Require more physical input, but technically a bit easier than MX98. The only terrain where MX98 are more pleasant is well prepared groomers, easier to bend and to initiate turn.
- old stockli Stormrider DP Pro. Closest to MX98. With more performance, but more fragile. Can be found, sometimes. Can be found cheap, with a good amount of luck.

[detrusor]

Do pro is a really fun ski. Much easier to ski than you would think. I’ve got the 201 as an early season ski for snowbird


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[Charlie Don't Surf]

I own MX98 in 184 and 194.
For your need of cheaper one you have 2 options:
- Monster 98 in 184 (I also own them in 184 and 191). Can be found really cheap. IMO better than MX98 almost everywhere. Better in moguls, in crud, generally offpiste and especially in shitty snow. Require more physical input, but technically a bit easier than MX98. The only terrain where MX98 are more pleasant is well prepared groomers, easier to bend and to initiate turn.

I really like my mx98. However they really suck when you find yourself bushwacking in crusty or manky snow on runouts and lower mountain traverses. Keeping turns fluid when you run out of space takes a lot of focus.

Would you say your preference for the monsters is purely because of the more progressive shape?

[east bear fr]

Not exactly.

Monsters are stiffer, especially at both ends. But in the same time transitions from carve to slide are smoother on the monsters (in fact the smoothest I've experienced with that kind of skis). And the tail is more forgiving, less hooky/grabby. That allows them to be better composed in difficult conditions while being even more stable. Better "anything" busters. With the possibility to be thrown sideways more easily. In 3 words, more confidence inspiring. At the price of a little bit more strength to initiate turn.

In pow, both are submarines and need a lot of speed to be fun. In tight space both are heavy and demanding.

[gregorys]

Thought I'd follow-up - though perhaps I should edit the first post with a final TLDR; summary of;

Some good alternatives to the Kastle FX94/MX98 (2nd gen) that are both very damp, and precise:
Head Monster 98 (perhaps 88 too), Kastle FX95HP, old Stormrider DP Pro.
Next tier; Rossignol E98/E100, Older Mantra or the new Mantra 102, Blizzard Bonafide or the newer Bonifide 97. (Or wider, the Carbon Cochise 108.)

My problem fixed itself, kind of.
Found a cheap pair of FX95HP's in 189. (~$325 mounted, including shipping)

I'm not totally in love with them. They give some and take some. Less bite in steep firm - because of the tip and tail rise. But better in tricky snow, crust etc - for the same reasons. I'd prefer more bite, but it's not a deal killer. If I really need max bite, I'm probably stuck on groomers all day and then the GS ski works. (Or, more wisely, I should go home, because I'm just going to be nuking them at 70mph in an effort to stave off boredom and I'm likely to kill myself.)

[kokomas]

Hah I'm in the same boat. Been skiing the fx95 hp this season and like them but feel they need more tip, effective edge. In technical spots they seem to drift a bit, less confidence inspiring. Demo'd the new MX98s today and while less energy, they were just what I was looking for originally. Maybe a spring sale. Funny, Djongo and I were looking at the Rossi E98 vs the mX98 and they look like almost the same ski

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[gregorys]

I'm actually liking the 189 more, as I ski it more.
I'm pretty happy to give up a little bit of edge-hold for a little more versatility.
At 189 the effective edge is still pretty long for me. (I'm 5'7" ~145# - YMMV.)

A monster or a 2nd gen MX98 would be awesome, but this wasn't a bad deal for me, and frankly I'm pretty happy.
I'll probably stay here unless a really great Monster 98 comes along, another time, when I've not purchased so many skis.