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2020 Blizzard Brahma 82

SkiTalk Test Team

Testing skis so you don't have to.
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Mar 5, 2017
Posts
1,202
Philpug: Thin is in, and Blizzard is aware of the trend by offering a narrower Brahma (and Black Pearl) in an 82mm width. Sure you say, Phil, didn’t Blizzard offer the 78mm Latigo and Cheyenne (later to be called Black Pearl 78)? Well, yes, but even though the Latigo had a following here, Google search was not its friend; just try to search it and see how many times "Latino" comes up. Blizzard did not do its homework.

Enough history, the new Brahma 82 definitely has a good hard-snow feel and will match up well against this category's reference ski, the Head Monster 83. The Brahma 82 skis surprisingly long: where I would normally ski the 88 in a 189, I preferred the 82 in the shorter 173 for its intended purpose as a hard-snow ski.
  • Insider tip: Do not hesitate to consider a size down.
 
Awards
Who is it for?
This is a strong ski and skis powerfully, so it needs a qualified driver; those who have binding loyalties and do not want a system binding.
Who is it not for?
Those who thought the Latigo was the bull’s balls; this is a different animal.
Skier ability
  1. Advanced
  2. Expert
Ski category
  1. Frontside
  2. All Mountain
Ski attributes
  1. Groomers
  2. Moguls
  3. Trees
Segment
  1. Men

Specifications

right ad
Available sizes
166, 173, 180, 187
Dimensions
121-82-105
Radius
17m@173cm
Rocker profile
  1. Camber with tip and tail rocker
Construction design
  1. All new
Binding options
  1. Flat

Last edited by a moderator:

Jilly

Lead Cougar
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,412
Location
Belleville, Ontario,/ Mont Tremblant, Quebec
I had this ski out last Saturday at Lake Louise. I'm not a wide or even mid wide skier. I like my slalom's. But the conditions were such that a wider ski than my tuned down race skis were warranted. Also I didn't bring skis with me. So.....They were carvers on the packed powder. Loved them in the one tree run we did and were light enough in the bumps. (outer limits off the Poma) I personally didn't like the long radius, but that is a personal preference and is what the ski does.

It held an edge on the packed snow, not sure what it would do on eastern ice, but as a daily driver out west.....put it on the your list.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
Pass Pulled
Joined
Dec 21, 2015
Posts
4,123
I had this ski out last Saturday at Lake Louise. I'm not a wide or even mid wide skier. I like my slalom's. But the conditions were such that a wider ski than my tuned down race skis were warranted. Also I didn't bring skis with me. So.....They were carvers on the packed powder. Loved them in the one tree run we did and were light enough in the bumps. (outer limits off the Poma) I personally didn't like the long radius, but that is a personal preference and is what the ski does.

It held an edge on the packed snow, not sure what it would do on eastern ice, but as a daily driver out west.....put it on the your list.


at tremblant good luck on anything less than arace carver. its like they scrap the snow of the hill.


Considering that the 88 has pretty good grip on ice, the 82 has to be even better. Curious how does this ski long than the Brahma 88? is it stiffer ordoes it just have more running length? I was seriously considering getting the 187cm and just avoiding tight woods and tight bumps on it....kinda of like more sane Superbro
 

Jilly

Lead Cougar
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,412
Location
Belleville, Ontario,/ Mont Tremblant, Quebec
Yes, I wouldn't ski this at Tremblant, but at Lake Louise it was a really good fit. The bumps on Outer Limits were spaced well apart. The trees had me thinking of a lesson with @Lady Salina under the chair in 7th Heaven. And I needed to remember those wise words....
 

Mike Rogers

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Posts
753
Location
Calgary
I had this ski out last Saturday at Lake Louise. I'm not a wide or even mid wide skier. I like my slalom's. But the conditions were such that a wider ski than my tuned down race skis were warranted. Also I didn't bring skis with me. So.....They were carvers on the packed powder. Loved them in the one tree run we did and were light enough in the bumps. (outer limits off the Poma) I personally didn't like the long radius, but that is a personal preference and is what the ski does.

It held an edge on the packed snow, not sure what it would do on eastern ice, but as a daily driver out west.....put it on the your list.


Did you get this one at the rental shop at the base? It's not on their website yet, but I think LL is slow to update.

I really like the Brahma 88 (187) as a daily (no significant fresh) LL ski. This one looks interesting too.
 

Rebound Hound

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Dec 23, 2019
Posts
52
Location
Saalbach, Austria
I really enjoyed this ski both on piste and off. It held an edge stuff on real hardpack, carved a nice small snappy short radius but also had no problem skiing though untouched fields of quite dense heavy powder. I'm looking for a narrow off piste ski as I don't really like wide skis that much. They feel less manoeuvrable and more of a hindrance than anything. I just want something with a nicer tip and tail for off piste that's easy to release a turn and offers some float compared to race skis. I think this might be it but hit me up with other recommendations. I feel I should probably try the 88 too. The Rustler 93, head kore 93, mindbender 90 ti or stockli stormrider 88 are also something i'd consider but i think i'd probably find these too wide. I don't want a ski that is too fast or demanding in the off piste and I didn't feel the 180cm was too demanding on or off the piste. Haven't tried it in fresh stuff yet though.
 

Jilly

Lead Cougar
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,412
Location
Belleville, Ontario,/ Mont Tremblant, Quebec
Did you get this one at the rental shop at the base? It's not on their website yet, but I think LL is slow to update.

I really like the Brahma 88 (187) as a daily (no significant fresh) LL ski. This one looks interesting too.

Sorry just saw this. I got them from the adventure centre in Banff. So they should be on the Big 3 site.
 

Daves not here

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
434
Location
Coeur d Alene, Idaho
Unfortunately I got a chance to ski these on firm to boilerplate surface today. Sunny day - in the 20’s - following 3 days of rain and then a freeze. I love these everywhere I have had them so far - soft groomers, Day after storm tracked out, 4 inches of fresh - super fun, versatile, solid and quick everywhere. Today was no different. Held an edge great!
 

anders_nor

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Jan 18, 2020
Posts
2,597
Location
on snow
Soo, been enjoying this lately. a buddy was supposed to pick them up, never did and they been sitting here with wax for some years.

Finally skiiing them (had some pairs before)

I have to say, I rather like them, 187, with griffons is the setup, 100% stock tune (so not perfect) but with the firm and good snow we have been having with only minor ice patches were tourists tends to wanna not go falline, fun!

GF has been borrowing some 88s 2024, and having a blast, which made me wanna take theese out. and.. that camber profile lets you engage more of the ski vs a deacon 84 when you hit ice patches.

super predictable, and easy to throw around / scrub speed, tips/tails are very very friendly, but they also make you want it more to really get edge angles in and get radius down.

its an easier, more predictable on ice than deacon 84s. and less energetic/fun than deacon 84, but still very fun. I think you need to be a better skier to have fun on the brahma 82 over the deacon 84
2023-12-26 12.13.56.jpg
 

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