Kästle's New Transcend Line Enters Uncharted Territory

All images: Courtesy of Kästle

Over the past century, Kästle has established a well-deserved reputation as a ski manufacturer that creates hard-charging, directional skis out of its headquarters in Hohenems, Austria. While the brand’s heritage, R&D and production remain in Europe, the brand has found great success in the North American market and decided to flip the script and toss the keys over to its athletes on this side of the pond. The result is Transcend: An all-new line of progressive, playful freeride skis.

“We wanted to create skis with a broader market appeal and a more progressive shape that could still cater to that upper tier of professionals,” says Kästle’s Athlete and Marketing Director Griffin Post. “I think we definitely accomplished that. What’s more significant, though, was the way that we worked with the headquarters in Austria. In the past, we’ve had good collaboration but the emphasis on products designed for the North American market has been limited. The Transcend line was born here and I think it’s the start of a new chapter in regard to products that really meet the needs of North American skiers.

The team wound up adding the Transcend lineup in early 2025. Through his 15 years at Kästle, Post said that two prototypes and one round of feedback have been the norm for ski projects but this was different. The Transcend line went through five rounds of prototyping, with on-snow testing in Jackson Hole ,Keystone, Mt. Hood and Chile.

“The first prototype that came out, we were like, ‘Alright, this is a pretty good foundation,’” Product and Brand Strategist Jed Duke said. “Then, with rounds two and three, we were like, ‘guys, this ain’t it.’ There was definitely some work to be done. But very quickly, they took the feedback and gave us something special.”

Yea, telling an Austrian that the ski they made is not ‘it ’made for a pretty quiet 7 A.M. Zoom call,” Post added.

The results of those constructive conversations are three new skis with waist widths of 98, 104 and 114 millimeters, each with a laminated poplar and beech wood core. A layer of targeted Titanal reinforcements is centered on top of the core, extending just beyond the mounting plate to provide dampness and stability without making it too aggressive from an edge grip standpoint. Additionally, dampening rubber helps to keep the rockered tip and tails calm under pressure.

“It feels like a Kästle. It maintains that heritage performance that people have come to know and love,” Duke said. “But it’s a little more playful, it’s a little more progressive—it’s just fun and easy to use. It is a ski that pivots in a more forgiving way than some of its predecessors but it still gives you the stability, dampness and horsepower that you need to go full-charge through various terrain and snow conditions.”

The new Transcend 104 has replaced the Paragon 107 as Post’s daily driver in Jackson Hole. In fact, there was some concern amongst the team that the Transcend line was going to land too close to the popular Paragon line. Those fears were quelled when Post skied one of the final Transcend 104 prototypes side-by-side with a pair of Paragon 107s in Chile last year.

“I went back and forth between the Transcend 104 and Paragon 107 just to make sure there was a significant distinction and it became pretty clear that the Transcend cuts free a little bit easier and is far more maneuverable,” Post said. “The Paragon 107 is great, but when you’re locked in, you’re locked in and you really feel those two sheets of metal. The Transcend still has that high level of performance, which has been nice to have, but offers more forgiveness. The versatility is quite nice.”

The new line doesn’t just perform differently than past Kästle skis, it’s also an aesthetic departure. The North American team enlisted Canadian designer and illustrator, Travis Coburn, to create the ski’s graphics. Coburn brought a modern take on the iconic Kästle logo, with loud color pops for all three topsheets.

Whether it was the way it was conceived, the more approachable nature on snow or the new creative direction, it’s clear that the Transcend line marks a new day for the storied Kästle brand. If tester and retailer feedback is any indication, the future is bright for not only this lineup but for Kästle as a whole.

“Kästle has always been a skier’s ski—very high-end and performance-driven,” Post said. “I think at its core, the Transcend skis still have those elements, but the shape, the rocker profile and the new construction make them far more approachable—all the way down to the graphics. The Transcend line is not that traditional Kästle ski. It has some of those familiar elements, but it’s really meant to have a younger, more broad market appeal.