Blizzard Brahma, or, will my quiver overlap too much?

[nomad_games]

Hey skipeople,

I unloaded all of my last season skis at a ski swap this weekend, so I'm on to my changes for this year. I'm thinking a quiver like this:

• Frontside/bumps/carving ski. I'm not a great carver and just an ok bumps skier, my main goal for this season is to be the best skier I can by the end of the season, and bumps and excellent carving skills are up there for me.
  
• Daily Driver, all mountain, around 100-105 underfoot. Charger that can still be playful, or a playful ski with backbone.
  
• Soft snow, backside, 50/50, sidecountry, chutes and backbowls and trees ski, around 110-114
• Fat pow ski. Need of this one is debatable, I suppose. Would probably be covered by the above ski.

Does that seem sensible? I'm in CO, Ikon Pass, skied around 60 days last season, aiming for more this season. 5'10, 200, ski fairly aggressively but not the best on the mountain. Spend most of my time on blacks, some double blacks, almost entirely off piste except bumps.

I'm thinking:

• Blizzard Brahma or Bushwacker for frontside/bumps
• Blizzard Rustler 10 or Black Crows Atris for daily driver
• Rustler 11 for fatter/backside ski
• Blizzard Spur pr Atomic Bent Chetler 120 for deep pow ski

Is there too much overlap here (mostly with the Rustler 11/spur/bent Chetler)? Also, my thinking with the Brahma/Bushwacker is to use it to focus on bumps and carving, both of which I intend to take classes on this season. Should I do Brahma or Bushwacker if I go that route? I'm thinking I could maybe also get away with a 2 ski quiver of just the Rustler 10/Atris and Rustler 11/Bent Chetler 120, and then my backcountry skis.

 

[markojp]

Ski your Brahma and ski it most of your ski days. This ski width is much more versatile than marketers would have you believe. When you get your skiing dialed, you will find less need for a broad, incrementally spaced quiver like you've mentioned above.. Do an 88, and a dedicated powder/soft snow ski (110'ish to 118). Two and done.

If you get a third pair and are really committed to improving your skiing as you say, pick up a dedicated frontside carver, grab a Bonafide rather than a Brahma, do a 110-118, get regular coaching, and make sure your boots are dialed. Three and done.

All just my HO of course.

 

[Blue Streak]

I have way more skis than I need, and I probably skied my 2018 Brahmas more than anything.
It’s a super versatile ski.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

As someone who's recently decided to keep a ski despite overlap, don't overthink it, just ski it.

 

[GregK]

Norman, did you post the other day about liking the Nordica Enforcer 110 and Line Mordecai as far as wider skis go and always looking for "things to jump off of" in a ski? If thats the case and want to streamline the quiver I as well maybe recommend a daily driver and a wider, playful charger and be done. I love the Brahma and think it's a great ski but since you are "mostly off trail" and in moguls, I'd maybe think about switching the Brahma for the Rustler 9 as the daily driver. It will be similar to a Brahma underfoot but a touch wider with more forgiving tip/tail and more progressive mounting point. You'd sacrifice a bit of on piste carving ability(but not much) and gain a much more playful ski that will have more of a free ride/off piste feel.

Even in the East Coast type conditions I ski, I only brought out the 84mm if it was icy/hard snow and moved to the 95mm underfoot for the majority of the time. Sold my two 95 underfoot skis and planning to get the Rustler 9 to replace them although I got a deal on the Sir Francis Bacon which might be my new "soft snow" ski and would be a good choice for you if you go to 3 skis- Brahma/Sir Francis Bacon/Powder ski. Lots of deals to be had($370 US) on last year's 2018 184cm Sir Francis Bacons.

The powder ski in all cases would be the Moment Bibby/Wildcat which is the definition of playful charger. Similar to the Enforcer 110 but even more playful and charges through crud like you wouldn't believe. They have a lighter Tour version if you do more 50/50 and Backcountry which is lighter and does sacrifice stability compared to the original but still charges above it's weight class. Was able to snag a pair myself of "used 3 times" 2018 184cm Bibby's for just over $300 and can't wait to ski them!

 

[nomad_games]

Ski your Brahma and ski it most of your ski days. This ski width is much more versatile than marketers would have you believe. When you get your skiing dialed, you will find less need for a broad, incrementally spaced quiver like you've mentioned above.. Do an 88, and a dedicated powder/soft snow ski (110'ish to 118). Two and done.

If you get a third pair and are really committed to improving your skiing as you say, pick up a dedicated frontside carver, grab a Bonafide rather than a Brahma, do a 110-118, get regular coaching, and make sure your boots are dialed. Three and done.

All just my HO of course.

Thanks. Good advice. I’m much more oriented towards finding soft snow and trees than I am a frontside skier (in fact I kind of avoid groomers) but I really want to dial my skill this season. I got into skiing steeps, bumps, and backcountry last season and found that when the terrain really got turned up, my form fell apart. I took a few advanced lessons and discovered that it was because I don’t *really* know how to carve, I’m often farther in the backseat than I thought, and also... my fitness wasn’t quite there. I’ve spent the summer working on my fitness and now I want to dial my technique so I can ski anything. I’m determined to get good at steep bumps. What really did it was trying out for ski patrol. I thought I was decent at bumps, but when I was forced by the testing to do a double black mogul run, straight down the fall line, left right left right without being allowed to skip a bump and turn a little farther down... well, I’m not ski patrol this year. At any rate, my thinking was to get a good bumps and carving ski and take lessons and get that down. The other skis are intended as fun skis. But I can see the wisdom for sure... and your way is cheaper. My boots are dialed after working with a bootfitter last year. I do plan to do lessons again this year. I think you’ve got a plan there. Thanks.

 

[Blue Streak]

The more you focus on the skiing, the less you think about the skis you’re on...

although who doesn’t like thinking about new skis

 

[KingGrump]

Thanks. Good advice. I’m much more oriented towards finding soft snow and trees than I am a frontside skier (in fact I kind of avoid groomers) but I really want to dial my skill this season. I got into skiing steeps, bumps, and backcountry last season and found that when the terrain really got turned up, my form fell apart. I took a few advanced lessons and discovered that it was because I don’t *really* know how to carve, I’m often farther in the backseat than I thought, and also... my fitness wasn’t quite there. I’ve spent the summer working on my fitness and now I want to dial my technique so I can ski anything. I’m determined to get good at steep bumps. What really did it was trying out for ski patrol. I thought I was decent at bumps, but when I was forced by the testing to do a double black mogul run, straight down the fall line, left right left right without being allowed to skip a bump and turn a little farther down... well, I’m not ski patrol this year. At any rate, my thinking was to get a good bumps and carving ski and take lessons and get that down. The other skis are intended as fun skis. But I can see the wisdom for sure... and your way is cheaper. My boots are dialed after working with a bootfitter last year. I do plan to do lessons again this year. I think you’ve got a plan there. Thanks.

That is one of the most honest self assessment I have come across in a ski forum in a while.
Thank you and good luck.

 

[nomad_games]

That is one of the most honest self assessment I have come across in a ski forum in a while.
Thank you and good luck.

no prob. I know it's not kosher among skiers to admit to not being the best skier on the mountain, but I have nothing to prove and really hate that attitude (I'm looking at you, multiple skiers that yelled at me from the chair that they were better than I am). Just want to enjoy myself and get better. I'm proud of what I accomplished last winter and just hope I can turn it up a notch or two this season.

 

[François Pugh]

no prob. I know it's not kosher among skiers to admit to not being the best skier on the mountain, but I have nothing to prove and really hate that attitude (I'm looking at you, multiple skiers that yelled at me from the chair that they were better than I am). Just want to enjoy myself and get better. I'm proud of what I accomplished last winter and just hope I can turn it up a notch or two this season.

I advocate a narrower ski for your front-side on-piste ski.

People yelling that they are better than you from the chair? WTF? Maybe they were playing the Gnar game. I've only had people yell "9.7" or "9.9" rating my crashes. I found it so amusing I started doing it too.

Meanwhile, what I've noticed since deciding to get better in moguls, that while it's true that a good skier can ski anything anywhere,the best carving ski and the best mogul ski, for either learning or performing, are not the same ski. The carving ski would be a racing ski or one-step down from racing ski (with a length appropriate to your speed SL, GS, SG) ski, tuned 0.5 base 3 side. The SL ski, shorter turn radius and shorter length, is better for learning as you will have a better chance of learning at slower speeds. For Mogul skiing you want something with a longer turn radius, a little softer and easier to bend and tuned less aggressively, say 1 base two side.

Technique for skiing moguls, the traditional short radius turn, is different than that for arc-2-arc carving. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and take it that is not what you meant by "carving", but just in case I thought I would mention it. Arc-2-arc carving in moguls will get you to the lift before your buddy, if you can take the pounding and don't spear a mogul, but it's not the preferred technique, certainly not what you want to do hauling a patient in the Toboggan.

 

[cosmoliu]

• Frontside/bumps/carving ski. I'm not a great carver and just an ok bumps skier, my main goal for this season is to be the best skier I can by the end of the season, and bumps and excellent carving skills are up there for me.

I advocate a narrower ski for your front-side on-piste ski.

Sounds a lot like the Stöckli Laser AX to me. Best carving ski I've owned AND the most fun ski I've ever had in the bumps. It's a step up in expense from the other skis in the OP, but would anchor the narrow side of a two ski quiver. It certainly does for me- my travel quiver is the AXs and Völkl 100Eights.

Edit: And I've owned the (original) Bushwackers. WAAY Fun ski. But the AXs are in an entirely different league.

 

[jmeb]

I thought I was decent at bumps, but when I was forced by the testing to do a double black mogul run, straight down the fall line, left right left right without being allowed to skip a bump and turn a little farther down.

Sounds like Loveland's ski patrol tryouts. The basic metric is can you ski Abowl-Zoom, down the fall line, and look pretty good while doing it.

The best things I did for my bump skiing is ski most of a year on an 85mm K2 Aftershocks and taking some advanced lessons. The K2 is not a particularly bump friendly ski with relatively stiff flex, metal, and no tail rocker. It made me have to bring my a-game.

Lessons were also a great help even though I don't think we entered bumps once. We worked on some basic drills that helped me recognize how to apply rotary movements more independently from tipping movement. Again I mostly ski Loveland, and their upper tier lessons (especially midweek) are basically privates for the cost of a group. Winter Park also has some legendary bump camps.

I'm in CO and ski a similar number of days. My current daily driver is an 98mm that simply won't die so it's still here. That said, I think a 90ish, and a 115ish is a nice two ski quiver for CO. I anticipate spending most of my low-tide days this season on some Volkl Karmas (85mm waist) from a swap, and my leftovers-to-8" of fresh days on 112s.

Unless you're a true ski aficionado, buying brand new 115+ skis I think is for the birds. There are sooo many good deals on barely used pow skis out there if you take your time and are willing to hunt. Spend the money on a good 85-90ish ski like the brahma, and grab a pair of big fatties for $2-300 max with clamps.

 

[jmeb]

People yelling that they are better than you from the chair? WTF?

Sometimes its in reference to the game of G.N.A.R. popularized by the movie released a few years back. It's supposed to be good-natured and directed towards friends/pros.

Other times its just idiot bros.

 

[markojp]

SG skis or a VR 17......

 

[nomad_games]

SG skis or a VR 17......

yes, I'd like to be able to that please. Not on 200cm 70s skis though, thanks.

 

[markojp]

That was intended with humor.

 

[nomad_games]

I know

 

[François Pugh]

SG skis or a VR 17......

Ha ha, I suck at skiing bumps, but at a much higher level when I'm not rocking the antique 208 SGs.

 

[markojp]

Only 208's? What's the old saying about bumps?

 

[François Pugh]

When I tested the 213s on Tremblant's bump runs my legs had a bit too much burn going on at the bottom. Too much work; I'm basically lazy.