Brahma vs. ? - Eastern One Ski Quiver Choice

[MattD]

You should. I'm yet to take a Mantra, Stormrider 95, Brahma, etc out on typical Midwest or eastern conditions and tell myself I'm glad I'm driving a rolly, slow responding lifted 4x4 down the expressway when I could be in a BMW let alone a vette. Good ski design can only mask physics, not alter it. We are caught in a time when the industry swung too far and is likely to come back to reality.

Yea, I agree ... was just trying to be open-minded! I'm even unsure of going as wide as the Brahma, if I'm honest!

I'm waiting for ski makers to get smart and make all mountain skis a little narrower and a little longer with added tip rocker to help float the tip in the occasional powder stash and tree foray. A Kendo or Brahma narrowed down to 80-82 sounds about perfect to me.

Amen! A Brahma (or similar-skiing ski) at that width does, indeed, sound perfect for my needs! Had even tried the Monster 83 and 88 ... liked them a lot, but not quite what I wanted in the bumps and glades.

There's a part of me that just wants to start over, bag the OSQ idea, and get a Stockli quiver!! Laser AX and SR107 sounds delightful!! Ok, now that I have that out of my system ... back to reality!

 

[Michael V]

Renoun Z-90?

I got mine last year, and love the fact they do just about everything well. The rip some pretty awesome turns on hardback, and don't mind going off trail.
I think they are worth consideration as a eastern one ski quiver.

 

[GregK]

I just demoed the new Blizzard Rustler 9. It's a bit wider than your suggested range at 94mm, but it's still in the ballpark. You will give up a bit of groomer performance with the Rustler instead of the Brahma, but it might be more fun in the trees and bumps, particularly for a lighter skier with a finesse/fun style.

Worth a look.

Interested in what length you tried out and what’s your size as I’m interested in this ski. I’m 6’2”/175 and pondering the 188.

Thanks

 

[Mike Rogers]

I tried the 180. It was the only length available at the time, but I think it was good length for me.

I'm 5'10" and 165lbs. My daily driver is the Bonafide at 180.

 

[karlo]

Last year, I demo'd both 2017 Brahma 180 and 2017 Bonafide 180. Conditions were icy, not hardpack. Top of Blackcomb, in Spring. So, warmer temperatures had softened the snowpack. Cold temperatures froze it over. Except for groomers, including basically a cat track down the Alpine, it was frozen solid.

Bonafide first day. The guide (Extremely Canadian, great outfit) kept us on groomers. Finally, I broke off, as we were traversing the top of a bowl to get to another groomer. Down I went on pure ice. Wow! The Bonafide could really rail it, no problems. But, not quick edge to edge on account to width, so I was limited to long turns.

Brahma second day. No guide. So, I started exploring stuff I saw from the lifts that the guide didn't venture to, like other non-groomer Alpine, then frozen moguls in the sub-alpine. In the moguls, I really appreciated the narrower ski, quicker edge to edge. Like the Bonafide, the Brahma could really hold an edge. Railroad tracks on ice, like no-spray ice. Beautiful carves in the equally icy moguls. The afternoon, it got softer and wetter. No problems at all. Loved them.

I bought the Bonafide demo's, for 350 CAN, when exchange rate was 0.75! I did that for the only reason that I already have a Blizzard Magnum 8.5 Ti, 174, with a radius of 19.5. Why get an 88 width ski a radius of 19?. The Magnums are great in powder up to about 7 inches, though I've not had the opportunity to take them out in more than that.

Back East, I took the Bonafide out on a fine, wet, heavy Spring day at Jay, with wet piles on melting ice. They were amazing. They just plowed through anything. And, they carved anything still hard.

Despite my happiness with my choice, I still recalled my pleasurable experience with the Brahma's. And, I have never been happy with how the Magnums do when the tips hit a mogul. When I read, at the beginning of the season, that Blizzard reduced the radius of the Brahma from 19 to 17, and moved the rocker up a bit, I started wondering if any 2017's could still be had. I found it easily enough at a local shop where i ski. That was before Christmas. I'd been away, and went in this weekend to buy it. It was gone, sold just a few days earlier; so recent, that the guy at the shop thought it was still there. Lucky for me, after a very lengthy search, I found one, new, 180, free shipping, and bought it just yesterday.

I highly recommend the Brahma's. The 2018's no doubt grip ice equally well. They will handle soft and powder. Equal edge to edge quickness to the 2017's. Somewhat shorter railroad tracks. But, as rec skiers, do we care? I like the longer radius only on account of the extra fun factor of using skills to make shorter turns, and I was satisfying an emotional connection I had developed for the 2017's.

 

[MattD]

@karlo - Thanks for all the insight from your personal experiences.

I am narrowing the focus of this thread a bit further, based on my own demo experience and all the great input. Sooo ... if one were willing to accept the compromises associated with picking one pair of skis, no wider than 80's in width, the Brahma is definitely a contender. I might put the Vantage X 83 CTI and the RTM 84 UVO on the list to demo, if possible. What others would you put on the "must try" list?

 

[trailtrimmer]

You won't likely find a demo for it, but a blizzard latigo in 177 makes a great ski for clapped out trees, bumps and low tide groomers. It's just slightly softer than the first gen Brahma, has titanial with the shape of the Cheyenne and 78mm under foot.

 

[karlo]

@MattD , I like my older RTM 84 that is fully rockered and I like Volkl's in general for carving. However, I am not up to date with their latest skis.

Enforcer 93 would be on my list. I assume you mean no wider than 90's. But, 93 is insignificantly wider. They compete directly with the Brahma. That said I recently tried to Enforcer's (100 width) in 177, 16.5 radius, in 12-inches of powder, and in tracked up powder in moguls. They compete with the Bonafide. I found them to be squirelly, as if they prefer rotational input for turns, rather than edging. Maybe I simply had trouble getting them on edge; I was in my AT boots rather than my alpine boots, so less responsive. But, based on the experiences I've had, I would pick the Bonafide over the Enforcer. I wonder what I would think about Brahma vs Enforcer 93. I think it's worth your wondering too.

 

[Josh Matta]

I have owned 2 brahmas, 180cm OG, 180cm carbon, and own a pair of 187cm Bonafides....I also own a 185cm Enforcer 93 and 100.....and have skied the new Brahma in a 173 and 180.


first let me state that IMO there is no such thing as one ski quiver especially in the east and especially when your talking about the bigger mountain up north which range from true ice, good groomers, slush, wind blown powder to deep powder.

but out of all the ski mention the closest to a OSQ is 185cm Enforcer 93 for me. Its the best all arounder, and IMO better on groomers than either the Brahma or Bonafide of the OG carbon, and nearly as good as the new Brahma V2 on groomers. Its better in powder than either the 187cm Bonafide, or 180cm Brahma. Better in bumps than the Bonafide, and just is fun to rip around on lots of days with just alittle softness to the snow.

The old brahma is the best at shitty off troughed trail skiing, but other than that I prefer the new Brahma on groomers, in powder, in trees, and in bumps. The new Brahmas just has better purchase on the snow early in the turn and doesnt really give up much to old one anywhere except for that really troughed out off trail skiing.

The Bonafide 187cm Accels at charging though and sort of broken snow, and is enjoyable on groomers and in powder, bumps are a chore unless they are really soft.

The Enforcer 100 is basically a skinny powder ski, that is really fun on powdery groomers and powder filled trees, but leave quite a bit to be desired on most eastern groomers and bumps. when you put it back to back to with the E93 it really is quite similar, the difference is almost nothing but the feel underfoot is noticable slower edge to edge, and the soft tail while more fun in tree, and on soft groomers, leave it lacking at speed on less than ideal snow or choppy broken snow.

I would personally go Enforcer 93, and look for a sub 80mm stout carver, and be set for 99 percent of anything on the east. For all of this talk about blizzard and nordica and their great all mountain/freeride skis, their current carvers IMO suck, and should be avoided. Look at Head, Stockli or kastle. all make great sub 80mm skis and the Kastle MX84 could fit the bill as well.

If you must have ONE ski, I would go new Blizzard Brahma.

 

[MattD]

@joshmatta - Thanks for all the input.

I would personally go Enforcer 93, and look for a sub 80mm stout carver, and be set for 99 percent of anything on the east.

My current set-up mirrors what you describe, with Atomic Vantage 100 CTI on the "wider" end instead of Enforcer 93. I agree that kind of 2-pair quiver handles 99 percent of what I get the chance to ski on ... only looking at the possibility of dropping to one pair because I am getting so few days on the hill.

Look at Head, Stockli or kastle. all make great sub 80mm skis and the Kastle MX84 could fit the bill as well.

I've demo'd a good number of 72-80 width "all mountain" carvers over the last few years, and I fully agree with your Stockli, Kastle, Head recommendations.

Was on the MX84 for about 6 runs one day this year ... really thought highly of it for "no fear" stability. It would not be my choice for bumps and tight spaces where instant release helps me out quite a bit (as a mere mortal recreational skier.)

If you must have ONE ski, I would go new Blizzard Brahma.

... which brings me back to my originally-identified candidate. Just wanted to check - by "new" Brahma, I am assuming you are referring to current '18 version?

Thanks again.

 

[Josh Matta]

yes the 18 version.

 

[Uncle-A]

You can add my vote for the Head Titan and yes I have skied on the 170CM 2017-2018 it is IMHO a one ski quiver.

 

[Josh Matta]

yeah I am certain the titan is a good ski, but its not a one ski quiver.....

 

[Uncle-A]

yeah I am certain the titan is a good ski, but its not a one ski quiver.....

That is why I said IMHO.

 

[François Pugh]

If you have so few days on snow, all the more reason not to waste them on a compromise ski. Get a narrow carver with a medium radius, AND a deep snow ski like say Volkl 100-eight.

 

[avantskier]

LOL, which one? There have been like four of them..all different.

Which begs the question ... Which one do you recommend??

I was under the impression current year models were the consideration.

That said, the current and previous editions are the extent of my experience and each, imho, would make a great eastern osq. I would lean towards the 15/16 model, but the lightness of the current one has it's own merits.

 

[MattD]

Renoun Z-90?

I got mine last year, and love the fact they do just about everything well. The rip some pretty awesome turns on hardback, and don't mind going off trail.
I think they are worth consideration as a eastern one ski quiver.

An interesting thought, but for THAT kind of money, I could easily afford a 2-3 pair quiver ... kind of defeats the purpose, but fun to think about!
Which would lead right into the thought from @FracoisPugh below!

If you have so few days on snow, all the more reason not to waste them on a compromise ski. Get a narrow carver with a medium radius, AND a deep snow ski like say Volkl 100-eight.

 

[karlo]

Which would lead right into the thought from @FracoisPugh below

I think the choice of single ski or quiver is not a matter of days skied. It's a matter of whether or not one ski covers most terrain/conditions you ski. If so, then one ski, and, on those unusual days, rent demo skis.

 

[Michael V]

An interesting thought, but for THAT kind of money, I could easily afford a 2-3 pair quiver ... kind of defeats the purpose, but fun to think about!
Which would lead right into the thought from @FracoisPugh below!

I hear you, and to each their own. If you get to ski powder regularly, then having a powder ski makes sense, if you are skiing hardback then get a carver, but if you are skiing mainly east coast then I'm personally hard pressed to invest in a multi-ski quiver. I'd rather have one ski that can handle a variety of terrain well. In my experience that's what you get... One day can be powder, ice, crud, hardback, etc... I think the premium on the Renoun is worth it, as you would spend nearly as much on a great carver from Stockli or Kastle, and imho get similar carving performance.

 

[PinnacleJim]

You said you "even tried" the Monster 88 but weren't sold on it for bumps and glades. Frankly, the M88 would be on my short list for an eastern one ski quiver. I've demoed them twice in recent years and was impressed both times. I would also include the Fischer Pro Mtn 86 on that short list.