Kessler Cross Light snowboard test at Thredbo: we want one!

Kessler Cross snowboards are the latest to be given Snow Action Snowboard Editor Peter Wunder’s on snow test seal of approval. Pete’s a full quiver kind of guy as regular followers will know (check his Gentemstick, Moss Snowstick & Jones Solution Split Board test reviews on the links).

Doing back to back seasons between Rusutsu and Thredbo he’s been itching to ride a Kessler dowunder. Now that he has, he’s got one on order! Why? Find out ..

I’ve been lucky enough to demo ride a Kessler Cross Light for the last few days supplied by the Australian Kessler importer First Tracks at Jindabyne. I’ve read up a lot about this board – basically any top rider in boarder cross has one.

My expectations were already very high and Mike at First tracks talked it up even more, saying this board will impress you! Coming from Mike, who’s been racing on hard boot carve boards for 25 plus years, it means a lot. I was very  ready and keen to give it a go.
Unfortunately the snow was very icy after a day of rain, so not the best conditions, but in saying that, it was a perfect test of the ability of it’s edges.

I was expecting a lot but I was still absolutely blown away by the Kessler Cross board’s performance. Of course it carves like a weapon with superior edge grip. I was not expecting how much control it has. My friends were really struggling on the ice, but  there I was loving it and feeling secure with good grip.

The speed the Kessler Cross Light board runs at is insane. I would say it’s 30% faster than all my own boards. It is a rocket ship. I was pulling in on my mates on skis like they were standing still. They were hating it when I flew past them on a board in the conditions.

Initially I was sceptical of how this board would handle just cruising around the hill, thinking it would be a board to bring out on groomer-only days to hook hard turns but I would have to take it in at lunch and change to a normal board to handle the afternoon conditions.

Surprisingly, it’s actually a very playful board that I can happily keep out all day on ice, slop, sugar moguls, the lot. I had a blast on it. It’s also great for fast airs and the pop is unreal. I’m blown away and so are all my mates.

It’s a rare day that skiers take notice of a snowboard but my mates were asking questions about this board because I was kicking their asses all over an icy hill in conditions when skiers usually leave the boarders far behind. That’s what it’s like riding this Kessler.

The only thing thats not amazing with this board is the price, at around $1,700 AUD. But you don’t get a Lamborghini for the price of a Toyota. If you want the best of the best, to improve your riding speed by 30%, or you want people to look at you and say ‘Wow! he has a Kessler’, or you just want to have a better board than all your mates, then a Kessler is for you. It’s worth every dollar and I’m so impressed that I am putting in an order with First tracks to own one for myself for next season.

I will be ordering the Kessler Cross http://www.kessler-swiss.com/en-US/products/snowboard/theCross This is the black version, which is stiffer again from the Cross Light. I can’t wait to own it, I want it now! But I’ll have to be patient and wait until next season. Next year I’ll do a full write up with photos and video of the Kessler Cross.
Do yourself a favour and talk to Mike at First Fracks Jindabyne. Order your own Kessler Cross Light or Kessler cross and you’ll thank me when you ride it.