Brahma 82 or Kendo 88 for East Coast

[MikeM.]

It depends on what you want to do at high speeds. They feel fine; they just won't allow precise smooth long turns, the kind of turn you might want to make at high speeds. Other than that, they are great.

Well, I’ll put it this way. I was afraid to try the Brahmas because of reviews that said how demanding they are so on and so forth, but for me, I could turn them easily at slow speeds, and at faster speeds they still felt stable enough to make smooth turns without feeling like I was o empowering them, which results in the feeling of instability to me. Kinda like when u drive a BMW at 80mph, and it feels like your only doing 55 in a Honda. That’s the sensation I got w the Brahmas, I could trust them to make turns a much higher speeds than say my old Soulriders.
But perhaps I’m asking too much because what I really need is a wider ski that handles soft snow and moderate powder better than my Brahma 82s, but which are still confidence inspiring at higher speeds. So was wondering if the Bonafides would do that. But it sounds like double metal laminate skis generally aren’t that playful in softer snow and moderate pow, period. The Brahmas were fun and really playful on the firmer stuff today, but more like bulldozers through the softer stuff, whereas my Unleashed are very playful in softer snow and a little pow, but not nearly as confidence inspiring as the Brahmas carving higher speed turns on firmer snow.

 

[MikeM.]

It depends on what you want to do at high speeds. They feel fine; they just won't allow precise smooth long turns, the kind of turn you might want to make at high speeds. Other than that, they are great.

But I really like the feeling of precise turns. I’m sure I’d love a pair of HRCs for groomers, but wouldn’t want to give up the versatility of the Brahmas.

 

[MikeM.]

Just because a ski like these costs less does not mean it is a downgrade.

For example, to me both the Kendo 88 and the older versions of the Brahma 88 are much more comparable skis to the Monteros and Lasers I've tried or owned, not cheaper downgrades. There are pluses and minuses to each of these skis, on an equal or near equal footing.
And the preferences are partly subjective, including those surrounding such huge cost differences.

Nonetheless, they tell me that the new Montero AR is improved from the previous Laser AR models - more versatile maybe?
Less confined or glued to its own particular carve perhaps?

Also, the newer Kendo 88 is much improved, really a standout, but still with pluses and minuses.

(And to me, the newer Brahma, in particular the 88, is less dialed in than the previous version of a few years ago - don't know about the 82s.)

A buddy of mine in the business, whose ski choices I learn from, loved the Kendo 88s and owns last year's, downsized (170) version
for bumps and trees, and steeps.
He has just gotten this year a pair of current Montero ARs in 180.
That has put that ski, at that length, back on my radar.

(I could easily have owned the Kendo 88 ski, which is really good; but I own instead a downsized pair of the earlier version of the Brahma 88/173s.)

(For what it's worth, a carving front side biased ski this narrow (like the AR) in 175 or so is often likely to be too quick from edge to edge, in an "in between" sort of way that is to me a bit awkward, unlike the same ski in 168 or less - or in 180 or more.)

You guys will have to forgive my ignorance. When I started skiing you basically had two choices, slalom racing or gs racing, so I spent years on 203 Rossi 4s skis. Lol. Been getting back into it the past few years.

 

[GregK]

Wow - didn’t they change them a bit in either 2022 or 2023?

Removed some rubber and made them a HAIR lighter and SLIGHTLY softer tip/tail but very, very similar. This year has more weight so it’s got the best suspension.

The 189cm version Bonafide 97 hauls pretty damn good if you really wanted to charge but the 183cm is no slouch. Either would give that feeling of “you’re going slower than you actually are”.

The Bonafide used to have a slightly higher(1m) turn radius in the old 180cm Vs the 183cm B97 but the old 187cm Vs the 189cm B97 are identical. The B97 are about 200gr heavier though vs the old ones and almost identical flex patterns.

 

[MikeM.]

Removed some rubber and made them a HAIR lighter and SLIGHTLY softer tip/tail but very, very similar. This year has more weight so it’s got the best suspension.

The 189cm version Bonafide 97 hauls pretty damn good if you really wanted to charge but the 183cm is no slouch. Either would give that feeling of “you’re going slower than you actually are”.

The Bonafide used to have a slightly higher(1m) turn radius in the old 180cm Vs the 183cm B97 but the old 187cm Vs the 189cm B97 are identical. The B97 are about 200gr heavier though vs the old ones and almost identical flex patterns.

Thanks!

 

[François Pugh]

But I really like the feeling of precise turns. I’m sure I’d love a pair of HRCs for groomers, but wouldn’t want to give up the versatility of the Brahmas.

Me too.
You may find some playful chargers hiding in this thread. Chargers and playful are sort of at odds, but a lot of skis were discussed, and weight does have a way of going unnoticed the faster you ski (until you have to do something obtuse with your skis - like instantly re-position them) except in a stability sense. For Playful, look at more rocker and wider.

If it works well in the deep, it won't work well on groomed for high edge angle skiing; because, too wide.

 

[tromano]

Tbh, a brahma and mantra m6 are not that different of skis. Its am vs wider am. The m6 is better for crud snow and scuffed off trail conditions. Wider skis will be worse for hard snow. Neither is a great soft snow ski. Both can charge pretty hard.

 

[MikeM.]

Tbh, a brahma and mantra m6 are not that different of skis. Its am vs wider am. The m6 is better for crud snow and scuffed off trail conditions. Wider skis will be worse for hard snow. Neither is a great soft snow ski. Both can charge pretty hard.

I’m learning a lot here. I noticed that my Brahmas just like to plow through soft snow - and they do so quite well with a firm base underneath, they just aren’t as playful in that stuff as my Unleashed 98s. I may just keep this tandem for a while until I can actually try some other 95mm-100mm skis first hand.

 

[AngryAnalyst]

I noticed that my Brahmas just like to plow through soft snow - and they do so quite well with a firm base underneath, they just aren’t as playful in that stuff as my Unleashed 98s.

I really like the Mantra 102 and, in fact, I use it about as often even on hard snow as my dedicated carver. It does float a bit and is kind of loose on softer snow vs. some even more traditional skis. However, my suspicion is that primary difference you would notice between the Mantra 102 and a Brahma 82 in 4 inches of soft snow is that the Mantra 102 has a higher speed limit for bulldozing.

 

[Brian Finch]

I’ve seen a couple shops here ( Vermont baby!) doing the Kendo @ $419 for the 2023 that is a carryover to 2024. :0

That’s hard to pass up!!

After skiing the 184 on the Ice Coast & the EU, I may be inclined to go 177 YMMV

 

[fundad77]

These are both great skis. I have demoed them last year and bought the Kendos and love them. In my opinion the Kendos are a little softer in the tips which helps me in the bumps versus the Brahmas. If I prioritized groomer performance then I would have bought the Brahmas.

 

[MikeM.]

Me too.
You may find some playful chargers hiding in this thread. Chargers and playful are sort of at odds, but a lot of skis were discussed, and weight does have a way of going unnoticed the faster you ski (until you have to do something obtuse with your skis - like instantly re-position them) except in a stability sense. For Playful, look at more rocker and wider.

If it works well in the deep, it won't work well on groomed for high edge angle skiing; because, too wide.

The 183cm Bonafide 97 would add a bit longer turn radius and similar feel to the Brahma 82 but with MUCH more mass. The performance in crud or variable snow would be improved greatly.

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Well, since I liked the Brahmas so much, I went and picked these up as well - $300 all in shipped. Thanks!

 

[GregK]

Well, since I liked the Brahmas so much, I went and picked these up as well - $300 all in shipped. Thanks!

Figured for that price they are well worth a try! Very similar construction and feel to the Brahma but more mass and tip splay/rocker for an even easier time going through crud. Use them for a week and you’re breaking even!