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This was yet another violation of my eyes – similar colours and graphics to the Mach GS but like the GS you need to ignore what these look like although you cannot fail to notice the three dimensional relief top sheets (similar to Nordica Beast).
Model: Mach SMX
Size(cm) / Radius(m): 167/14 174/? 181/?
Sidecut : 111-68-99
Length Tested: 181cm
Manufacturer's Description:
"The latest product out of the compound is the all new high performance skier cross ski, The Mach SMX. With Mod Monic technology, and metal laminate construction, scientists had to coat it with special bright blue and green graphics, in order not to lose sight of it on the slopes."
Ski-Review's Verdict:
Similar to the GS in more ways that one, this performance ski cross tool is capable of insanely high speed with insane stability to go with it. At slow skis it is not worth mentioning, but point them down the fall line and give them some stick with your legs and they come to life running rings around other such specialist tools.
Most of the competitive skis I tested this week were taken down the Obere National FIS run to try and do them justice. I thought I would mention this for the SMX as I do not think I will ever forget the experience. The K2 rep said they were “good” skis so I decided to go hell for leather. It was lunch time so the pistes were eerily quiet with everyone else feeding and watering themselves in the bars or the Fall Line BBQ.
Non-stop down not once, but twice as I had to go again. The piston style binding system (IBX or something) really gave some noticeable bite in the turn; as I stepped on the ski to allow it to flex on short turns I could it pushing back at me whipping the fronts around. Body position both vertically and laterally becomes critical on finishing and entering the new turn as the acceleration this provides means a slight error will send you the opposite way to the skis.
Conclusion?
I got accosted at the bottom of the run by a Swiss ski instructor and I half expected to get “told off” for dangerous skiing. I was pleasantly surprised when in a deep Swiss accent he told me “Wow you really work those skis, you should try the Stockli Ski Cross ski” – enough said!
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Ski Reviews 
