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View Full Version : Kessler BX 168 narrow



BlueB
January 26th, 2010, 12:01 AM
This is a rare 22.2 wide one, designed for hard boots.
I have never ridden a more versatile board! Not only that it rides well in all conditions, but is an exceptional carver too.

I never thought that so much float is possible on a 22.2cm wide alpine board! That rockered nose and teper really work miracles. I went through deep, chopped, heavy snow, trees (which I normally hate), crud groomers, steep bumps and board just asked for more! She is very agile in bumps and for "slarving", feels more like a 160. Damp and stable, cuts trough crud with ease, yet it would still pop of the snow when wanted. Very fast too and rides biger radius then one would expect. I wasn't pressing the nose much, though.

No preblems holding the edge on nasty frozen stuff. Variable shape turn, great acceleration out of the turns (boy, is she fast!). Easy initiation, sometimes almost too much in heavier snow. Nice handling of chopped up snow and tracking over irregularities on hard pack. Also, it can EC really well on the steeps! One has to concentrate a bit on turn finishing if full C shape is required. Big taper can be a bit funny for switch riding, but not major issue.

On hero snow, well, she'll make you fell more then a hero - superhero!

Flex is mellower and easy to ride. It is not a board that would bet you up in few hours of riding. Yet, she is very playfull and agile. Kessler magic.

WinterGold
January 26th, 2010, 12:53 PM
Thanks, BlueB! Nice write up :biggthump ...

This sounds really promising. "feels more like a 160" ... thatīs exactly what I experience when stepping onto a Kessler (my 185 feels like a 165 when drifting and steering ...) ... so agile!

A bx board is at the top of my wishlist at the moment, but I want to use it with softboots ... so Iīm not sure about the waist width at the moment ... the 25,6cm of the production 168 BX sounds a bit narrow for me (boot size us 9) and getting a custom is a bit overkill, because I wonīt be using it as much as my alpine equipment ...

tdifan_2003
January 29th, 2010, 03:46 PM
Hi Blue,

Could you please post the bindings set up you use on this board?

Thanks :biggthump

BlueB
January 29th, 2010, 04:24 PM
I use Snowpro Race bindings for most of my AM boards.

On this one I mostly used 50/40 for carving and 50/30 for freeriding. Very small toe lift forward, big heel lift and 3deg invard cant on the rear. I can live without cant too. Stance is somwhere in 19-3/4" range. Inseam 32". Boots 26.5.

Bindings are mounted to Burton Elevator plate.

Under the plate I have very thin cutting board sold by Ikea. It prevents binding marks and adds a bit of damping. The rectangular shape is not ideal - the material is very thin and the snow can accumulate under enough to flex the corners up. On the last photo is the improved version, cut to shape, under TD2/3s on the big Kessler.

tdifan_2003
January 30th, 2010, 11:26 AM
Awesome, thanks :biggthump