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Blizzard Brahma 173 or 180?

deadheadskier

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I'd like to try the Bushwacker. I think I'd also enjoy it more than the Brahma for the type of skiing I like to do.

The only type of ski I'd want metal in is a hard snow specific carved as you say.
 

Hawkshot99

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I'd like to try the Bushwacker. I think I'd also enjoy it more than the Brahma for the type of skiing I like to do.

The only type of ski I'd want metal in is a hard snow specific carved as you say.

Bushwacker still has metal. Only under the binding, rather than double metal under binding , and single layer tip and tail.

The Bushwacker was my first rockred ski, and I was a big fan of them. My only complaint was they were a bit soft for my liking. I replaced them with the Volkl Kendo. If the Brahma had come out sooner, I may have gone that route instead. I personally like a full metal ski with alot of rocker as my everyday such as the Brahma/Kendo.
 

Edd

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The Bushwacker was my first rockred ski, and I was a big fan of them. My only complaint was they were a bit soft for my liking. I replaced them with the Volkl Kendo. If the Brahma had come out sooner, I may have gone that route instead. I personally like a full metal ski with alot of rocker as my everyday such as the Brahma/Kendo.

Since I really enjoyed my 170 Kendos, I strongly suspect the 173 Brahma would have been ok for me. But, I was digging the extra length and rocker of the 180. I wanted to hold onto that and lighten the work load.
 

mishka

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I pulled kind of a crazy move today. I bought a pair of 180 Blizzard Bushwackers in North Conway. I'm going to switch the bindings over from the Brahmas.

I skied Cranmore today and it was beautiful but the Brahmas just require me to be too on point or else they buck me around. When I'm on top of them they're so great but I don't want to work that hard that often.

The Bushwackers are the exact same ski minus the metal. I also bought some Soul 7s in a 180. I'm having everything mounted up this week and hopefully hitting some fresh snow Sun - Tue next week with two brand new sets of skis.

wow somebody win lottery? lol
brahma so bad?
you could've ask.... I could've make for you one pair skis ..... you would've have better skis....would've been cheaper and better for you in the long run
 

Edd

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wow somebody win lottery? lol
brahma so bad?
you could've ask.... I could've make for you one pair skis ..... you would've have better skis....would've been cheaper and better for you in the long run

Actually, the Brahma is a great ski. But, I didn't realize how hard I was working until I was dog tired one day. After that, it was hard not to focus on the stiffness. For an all mountain ski, I need something that'll be easier for ungroomed.

A bigger or more skilled guy is more suited for that ski as a daily driver. I've never changed my mind about a ski so quickly but it was sort of an epiphany.
 

Hawkshot99

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I look forward to your review/comparison on the Bushwacker and the Brahma. Did you own the rockered, or pre-rocker Kendo?

Ifeel you will love the Soul 7 as well, as they are my powder/BC ski.
 

Edd

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I look forward to your review/comparison on the Bushwacker and the Brahma. Did you own the rockered, or pre-rocker Kendo?

Ifeel you will love the Soul 7 as well, as they are my powder/BC ski.

Pre-rockered, for 3 seasons. I'd like to try a rockered 177 sometime.

Yes, I've demoed the Soul 7 twice, once on pow, and feel great about those.
 

baballahyoonesi

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I use the 180 as a daily driver. I'm 5' 11", 175 lbs. the ski handles like dream but I never tried the 173. My last ski was a fully cambered 170 Kendo and these are no harder to drive.
[emoji6] [emoji605] [emoji614] [emoji250]
 

graham418

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Let me say, I was in the same situation. 173 or 180. I'm 200lbs , 5'-8". Pretty good skier, level 2 instructor. spend most of my time in Ontario and Quebec with some skinny carving skis. I got some brahmas in the 180 because that's what everybody in the forums were recommending. I got them for trips out west. Usually when I go west, there might be a couple of powder days , but mostly its the skied out stuff. I spend a lot of time in the bumps and trees. I thought these skis would be the cats behind. I wish I got the 173. I found the 180s hard to turn and really had to work. On the groomers they were great, really railed. On the flats with chuffed up snow, rock solid. But on the steeps, lots of bumps or in the trees, I struggled to turn these things.
 

Hawkshot99

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Actually, the Brahma is a great ski. But, I didn't realize how hard I was working until I was dog tired one day. After that, it was hard not to focus on the stiffness. For an all mountain ski, I need something that'll be easier for ungroomed.

A bigger or more skilled guy is more suited for that ski as a daily driver. I've never changed my mind about a ski so quickly but it was sort of an epiphany.

I went to a 15-16' demo this past Monday. Blizzard was on of the companies there, and I was planning on skiing the Brahma, and Bushwacker back to back for comparison.

I know the differences have been discussed, but lets start off with the differences between the 2 models. They have the same shape and construction. The only difference between these 2 models is the metal layering in the skis. The Bushwacker has a single layer of metal, however it is only located under the binding. The Brahma, also has this under foot sheet of metal. It ALSO has a full layer of metal running tip to tip. So double metal under foot, and single metal out to the tips.

I am a big guy....6', and between 280-290# depending on the time of year, so I have the weight to bend a ski. I started out with the Brahma 180cm. I was very happy to be on these. To me, they were quite playfull with all of the tip rocker that they have. When I decided to open them up and ski them hard and fast they held rock solid under my feet. There was no chattering or floppy tips. To me they are the perfect type of ski for a everyday ski. Around 90mm under foot(88mm to be exact), metal, 1/3 rockered, and flat.
Next I went down to try the Bushwacker in a 180cm. I was having trouble finding them in the rack, and was unfortunately informed by the rep that they have been discontinued for next season..... (This section of the review is from memory from when I owned the Bushwacker during its first season in existence). The ski is quicker/easier to maneuver than the Brahma because of the softer tip/tail. When cranking high speed GS style on a groomer the start chattering much faster than the Brahma does. Also the tips have alot of floppiness to them.
My choice between them would come down to how I skied. If I spent more time off trail at slower speeds, I would want the Bushwacker, more time on groomers give me the Brahma.
I did demo the Bushwacker's replacement as well. I do not remember the exact name but something like "Letigo". It is a full single layer metal ski, 78mm under foot, and equal rocker to the Bushwacker/Brahma. The length was slightly shorter at 177cm. I HATED these skis. They were way to narrow under foot for my liking. It felt like I had a rounded pipe under my foot, and as soon as I let off one side of the edge, it just flopped over to the other side edge. (I regularly ski stuff narrower than these, my GS ski is 70mm and I ski on SL's as well). They did not feel comfortable to me at all, so I never really pushed it to see how hard I could go before chattering.

As a extra bit of info I also demoed the 15-16' Kendo. The dimensions and construction are the same as the current ski, however they have now rockered the tail of the ski. In a 177cm length the tail rocker came in from the tail about 7-8" I would guess. Personally they felt almost the same as my current Kendo, but with a slightly less stiff tail, as it is now rockered up.
 

Edd

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I've had two days on the 180 Bushwackers and first impressions are very good. The snow was soft on both days so it wasn't a test for edge hold. I'm enjoying the flex and lightness, though. A word that keeps popping in my head while skiing is "bouncy".

Hawk, could you see replacing your Kendos with the Brahmas?
 

Hawkshot99

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Hawk, could you see replacing your Kendos with the Brahmas?

If the Brahma had come out 1 year earlier than they did I would have bought them instead of my first Kendo.
As to now, I could see myself doing it as well. I am not crazy about the 15-16' Kendo having a rockered tail.

Glad to hear you are enjoying the new skis.
 

prsboogie

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Hawk, I picked up a set in 187 and I absolutely love them, I'm 6'3" and in the same lb range as you and find them very easy to rail but still rockered enough to be very playful. I like them so much I sold my prophet 98s which I always found planky. Think I actually found a ski I'm gonna keep around for a while!!
 

ss20

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Thread bump! Yeah!

Very interesting... wish I had seen this thread a few months ago! I was in a similar situation to the OP... 5' 8", 200lbs. Went with 181cm Icelantic Keeper SKNY's rather than 171cm. Never skied on something so long. Very intimidating to look at them. Felt some buyer's remorse for a few weeks thinking I had gone too long. Now that it's getting close to ski season I feel empowered with the longer skis. Looking forward to skiing on them within the month!

This didn't add to the discussion at all... probably won't be any posts in this thread till I get out there and try them out. I'll report back then :thumbup:
 

JDMRoma

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Thread bump! Yeah!

Very interesting... wish I had seen this thread a few months ago! I was in a similar situation to the OP... 5' 8", 200lbs. Went with 181cm Icelantic Keeper SKNY's rather than 171cm. out. :

I have the keepers not the SKNYs and love them. Looked over the summer for some deals on the SKNYs but couldn't find anything reasonably priced.
I'm sure you will love them, great skis !
Light and bullet proof and the edges are awesome on hardback and ice.



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