The MX 74 is the narrowest offering from Kästle in their piste-orientated 'Mountain Expert' range, although the Austrian company does also offer the RX and LX marques aimed at a similar audience.
As soon as you clip into the bindings and push off, the feedback from the ski is all about stability and smoothness as you hiss through your turns.
That should encourage you to crank up the physical input. The MX 74 does not really do relaxed that well, but with more effort comes greater rewards as the ski comes alive under you and you start to explore its potential.
Constructed around a silver fir and beechwood core, with layers of fibreglass and titanal, the MX 74 is very 'Kästle' - it is stiff, stable and rock-solid.
It is not really a slalom ski (despite a turn radius of 14.7m for the 172 cm length) but excels in longer turns with that great edge hold.
That is not to say that the MX 74 is a cumbersome ski, far from it as that distinctive Kästle HollowTech nose keeps the swing weight low as you throw the ski from side to side with glee.
As always with Kästle, the high price of the ski is the only drawback but when you ride it you know it's money well spent.
