2012-2013 KLIИT (Klint)  Krypto Lite

137-114-130 @187cm
r=(variable radius sidecut of 24m, 43m and 48m according to spec sheet)

Manufacturer Info:

KLIИT
205 16th Street,
San Diego - CA 92101 USA
Ph: 619-876-5060
Fx: 619-798-3547
http://www.klintsnow.com

Suggested Retail Price (MSRP):

$850 usd

Usage Class:

Big Mountain Freeride

Rating (with comments):
(1="get me off these things"->10="I have to own a pair")

8+

Summary:

[Not tested in bumps, soft or variable snow, so this test is incomplete.] The KLIИT Krypto Lite is a versatile, big-mountain/backcountry ski with a wide range of excellent performance, and very light handling.  It has a perceptible upper speed limit, being relatively soft, but handles its speed limit smoothly without any nervousness.  Significantly impressive hard-surface grip for a soft ski this size.  Extremely fun feel and quite responsive.  Hard-chargers should look at the new Krypto Lite Ti (two layers of Titanal to beef it up). Excellent build quality.

Technical Ski Data:

Rockered tip and tail, traditionally cambered underfoot, vertical laminate birch hardwood core , fiberglass, UHMW sintered base, slanted ABS sidewalls.  This model incorporates their "Reflection Applied Concept" which means they proportionally scale the geometry of the ski for each length, so the tip, waist and tail dimensions vary between sizes to produce the same relative personality traits among the different length skis. Manufactured by one of the most experienced ski facilities in the World.

Pre-Skiing Impression:

Top-shelf fit, finish and materials, soft response to hand flexing. moderate torsional rigidity. Clean looking graphics with a touch of "Nascar". Lightweight, thin profile. The hardwood core should provide a very long lifespan for this ski.

Test Conditions:

This initial report is the result of two runs on hardpack, ice, frozen granular and hardpack chalky groomer surfaces at a multi-day demo event in Vermont. Terrain was intermediate-level only, so this initial review should be taken with a couple grains of salt. I hope to get back out on this ski on steeper and softer terrain.

Test Results:

I did not ski the Krypto Lite in "big-mountain" conditions, so I can't talk about its handling in crud, fluff or bumps. Hopefully we can get out on the Krypto Lite in softer snow this season and see how it behaves in more diverse kinds of snow. The initial feel of the Krypto Lite was indeed "light", and was impressively easy to handle for a ski its size.  The thin vertical profile of the hardwood core allows this ski to handle shorter and easier than it measures.  Swingweight is minimal. The Krypto Lite gripped along the boilerplate and hardpack without any complaints or insecurity, and was completely predictable, always give a bite when needed without any washouts or drift common to so many rockered big mountain skis in the 114mm waist category.  While I did not expect any GS-like turns from this model, it actually cruised along on edge really well at speed with excellent dampening and no vibration.  Since it is intended as a lightweight backcountry model, it had a bit of tip flap at speed, but it was mostly cosmetic and did not affect the integrity of grip along the engaged effective edge.  What struck me most about the Krypo Lite was the ease of directional changes, either when pressured and bent, or decambered and drifted across surfaces.  This is a ski I want to get into tight trees with powder.  While some skis this easy and light feeling are floppy, relatively insecure on hard surfaces or faster speeds, the Krypto Lite had a very precise feel to it, and was completely at home cutting back and forth on the groomers with very little effort.  It wasn't "poppy", but had a "zoom" to it if you loaded it up and let it rebound. It may be a bit soft for tough crud cutting, but skiers would probably pick the beefed-up "Ti" version for high-pressure crud busting anyway. The Krypto Lite is intended to be a lightweight backcountry ski, and I think they found a formula that really works well for those who may also need to access lifts over groomers.  They made it light, responsive, well balanced and still grippy on hard surfaces. This ski could be a great introduction for skiers looking for their first rockered pow ski and aren't ready for the regular Krypto's larger dimensions. I think the "Ti" version with two sheets of Titanal might be very interesting.....

Analogies: (this ski is like...)

An agile, fun and easy-handling bird dog with great discipline and manners you can run all day, no matter what the weather.

Things I Would Change About This Ski:
 
Perhaps just a bit stronger flex in the mid and tail to sustain higher speeds, but it would sacrifice it's silky-easy handling.  Maybe it's perfect as-is for its intended market.

Short Answer When Someone Asks "What Do You Think About This Ski?":

This is a great example of the new generation rockered big-mountain or backcountry ski having really nice grip on hard surfaces and a remarkably light feel.

Advice To People Considering This Ski:

Look to the double-layer Titanal "Krypto Lite Ti" model if you want a hard-charger or high-speed machine.  Buy it longer than you think you normally would.  This is more of a finesse ski than a plank ski.

Self-Description of Skiing Style, Ability, Experience, Preferences:

5' 11", 180 lbs. 52 year-old expert, "old-style" race inspired, "foot steerer" with fairly sensitive edging feel. Loves to hold long arcs with lots of pressure on the downhill ski (you know the type),  but also loves the feel of both skis on-edge leaving tiny railroad track edge tracks.  Loves powder when it's not tracked out. Trees and odd terrain angles are fun.

Pics:
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