K2 Mindbender 90ti vs new Blizzard Brahma 88

[Rdputnam515]

This suits my interest as well.

I have a pair of Kore 99 that are great all over the mountain and I’m looking for a bomber, like the bmx hp or Cochise for big open bowls and crud, but I am also looking for early season, after lunch hard pack steep bump stomper.

I think the Brahma 88 fits this nicely. I usually just stomp through with my 99s but it gets a little dicey high speed when it gets really hard or boiler plate. I need something that will hook up better on high speed gs turns.

I ski Rocky Mountains from Nov to March. k2 or blizzard?

 

[AlexisLD]

This suits my interest as well.

I have a pair of Kore 99 that are great all over the mountain and I’m looking for a bomber, like the bmx hp or Cochise for big open bowls and crud, but I am also looking for early season, after lunch hard pack steep bump stomper.

I think the Brahma 88 fits this nicely. I usually just stomp through with my 99s but it gets a little dicey high speed when it gets really hard or boiler plate. I need something that will hook up better on high speed gs turns.

I ski Rocky Mountains from Nov to March. k2 or blizzard?

@Rdputnam515 There are many good reviews online of these skis that you might find useful (here, Blister, Ski Essential, etc). If you want to compare the detailed specs of the Brahma 88, Kore 99, Mindbender 90 TI (and the Enforcer 88), you can look here:

Sooth Ski

Compare

compareskis.shinyapps.io

The main differences are in rocker shape (E88 has more tip rocker), tail shape (the tail of the B88 stays in contact with the snow further away), bending and torsional stiffness, and ski mass. The E88 and B88 are heavier (around 2100g instead of 1850g).

The E88 is pretty much the stiffest, both in bending and torsion, but it has the most playful shape that might not make you feel its full stiffness. The MB88 is stiff in torsion, but soft in bending. This means that it be tracking well (i.e., small tip twist) and perform nicely on hard snow (given its shape), but the tip might start flapping around sooner at speed. Given that it is softer in bending, it might kick you out of moguls a bit less than the other skis compared here (could be a good or bad thing depending on what you like). Its sidecut shape is very similar to the B88. It has the same amount of tip rocker, but its tip doesn't rise quite as fast/much. It also has more rocker in its slightly longer longer tail.

The B88 tail shape is more directional. It has a good amount of torsional stiffness (almost the same as MB88) and an average amount of bending stiffness between all these skis. It should tolerate high speeds a bit better than the MB88, but be harder to flex in moguls (or push you out more).

All this data is relatively in-line with the online reviews. You can also look at different ski length in the comparator if you like. The skis might scale up or down differently. You can also compare skis that you know to see how their measurements relate to on-snow feels and what level of spec you like.

Hope this help!

 

[BMC]

Ok finally I get a chance to ski the Mindbender 90ti and Brahma 88 back to back. Skied the Mindbender today and I’ll roll out the Brahma tomorrow. It’s obviously too early to be making any calls other than to say I enjoyed the Mindbender, but I was still finding my feet on how best to ski it.

Anyway I’ll ski the Brahma tomorrow and update with some more meaningful comparisons.

 

[PinnacleJim]

I didn't warm up to my MB90tis right away either. Finally got a few days back to back on them last winter and really warmed up to them. I think it was that they had a longer turn radius then the other skis I have been on recently. They do work surprising well on the firm groomers we have in the east. Would be a great ski for an easterner to take on a Rockies vacation.

 

[ss20]

I demo'd the Brahmas and own a pair of Mindbender 90Ti. I preferred the Mindbender. Brahma was too stiff off-piste for my liking. I like a more playful and forgiving ski. That said, the Mindbenders still arc beautifully on groomers and have plenty of edge grip.

 

[BMC]

So I took the Brahma out today. I only did a handful of runs owing to lift hold but even just putting on the skis I had a strong inkling I’d prefer the Brahma. They just felt more “right”. Then on the chairlift I had the same feeling. But the proof was in the performance and that was to imminently come.

So from the first 5 turns the Brahma felt, for me, superior. Now bear in mind I’m coming off an earlier model Brahma so I’m probably attuned to the feel. But for my feels and how I ski it felt vastly better. I skied better with these under my feet.
Yep
The biggest differences appeared to be a feeling of greater precision, and entering the turn earlier…as I say, with more precision. It felt more solid and reliable through the turn. I skied firm groomers, a few inches of fresh wet snow, and slush bumps. All felt better on the Brahma.

I don’t know why this happened, but on the K2 I found myself not uncommonly in the back seat. My best guess is the K2 tail is softer and just didn’t nudge me back forward. It may have been a technique failure, and to some degree if was, but I didn’t find myself repeating that on the Brahma.

So funny…my wife and friend were convinced to a point it was beyond doubt that I’d prefer the Brahma. I felt no prior preference. But they were 100% right. Brahma wins!

 

[peterm]

Very interesting, thanks @BMC and others! Of course now we need a comparison with the new Mindbender 89Ti

Where were you skiing @BMC and how was it?

 

[BMC]

Very interesting, thanks @BMC and others! Of course now we need a comparison with the new Mindbender 89Ti

Where were you skiing @BMC and how was it?

I was skiing in Thredbo Australia. It’s actually an astonishingly good start to our season, but even with unusually uniform dry snow we still get some variability. So over the last two days I skied fresh snow (but denser than powder), beautiful consolidated dry groomed runs, wind blown, scratchy wind scoured ice, say 3 or so inches of denser wet fresh snow, slush and slush bumps.

These are two very good skis and I honestly think any good skier could enjoy either of them.

One takeaway is that I don’t gel with the Blister review on this ski. A big part of my post purchase dissonance was the less than stellar review Blister gave. i owned a prior iteration of the Brahma (the ash grey version immediately before the carbon tip was introduced) and to be honest I felt the similarities between the versions were much greater than the differences. I frankly think Blister have given the Brahma a bum rap. The ski essentials review is much closer to my experience.

 

[GregK]

Can easily see someone thinking the 200gr heavier Brahma 88 feels more solid and with it’s tighter turning radius and lower taper, will pull you into a turn better as well as grip better.
Blister likes that ski as does Ski Essentials with both highlighting the previous Brahma 88 has deeper rocker lines making it easier to pivot when flat and more forgiving off piste. The current version is a bit more piste biased than before that’s all.

The flex between the 90Ti and Brahma 88 are very similar with the Brahma being a touch stiffer in the shovels. Wondering if the bindings used on the 2 skis are the same as that may contribute to the “backseat feeling” on the 90Ti.
Also extra binding weight and being properly adjusted could also contribute to a ski feeling “more solid feeling”.

I’d prefer the Brahma 88 myself too but wished it had a bit longer turn radius.

 

[BMC]

Can easily see someone thinking the 200gr heavier Brahma 88 feels more solid and with it’s tighter turning radius and lower taper, will pull you into a turn better as well as grip better.
Blister likes that ski as does Ski Essentials with both highlighting the previous Brahma 88 has deeper rocker lines making it easier to pivot when flat and more forgiving off piste. The current version is a bit more piste biased than before that’s all.

The flex between the 90Ti and Brahma 88 are very similar with the Brahma being a touch stiffer in the shovels. Wondering if the bindings used on the 2 skis are the same as that may contribute to the “backseat feeling” on the 90Ti.
Also extra binding weight and being properly adjusted could also contribute to a ski feeling “more solid feeling”.

I’d prefer the Brahma 88 myself too but wished it had a bit longer turn radius.

Same binding on both. A Salomon Warden 13. Same colour even (not intended, just a stock availability issue).

On reflection I do agree the new Brahma is a touch tighter in the radius than the old one. I wasn’t really conscious of that until thinking back on some of the smaller radius turns I had made, and couldn’t recall making a similar sized turn in the same way on the old one.

What does “off piste” mean in Oz? Typically off piste is somewhat consolidated snow in Oz, albeit not flattened by a groomer. We do have our miracle few hours or days of fresh snow, but it’s not common. Our “powder” is wind blown. In all those the Brahma is great. It’s bumps where the Mindbender may be superior but for the type of bumps I typically encounter the new Brahma seems fine. The resort I ski doesn’t get much in the way if zipperline freestyle skier style bumps though.

The back seat thing may also have had a first day back on skis issue, but I do also think the softer tail on the Mindbender was a factor. I suspect I went to work the tail on completion and subconsciously expected more push back, and just found myself floating back. It would easily have been resolved by some conscious application had I intended to stick with those skis. Indeed you’d just ski them appropriately- I don’t at all mean to suggest the Mindbender will force people into the backseat - it’s entirely with me.

 

[GregK]

The Mindbender 90Ti has more tail splay and tail rocker so when the ski is flat or slightly on edge, it should be easier to skid or pivot. Might be the reason most would find them a bit easier in bumps.

The new Brahma 88 is still very good on ungroomed runs or bumps but the previous version was just a bit easier there.

 

[Cheizz]

Blister likes that ski as does Ski Essentials with both highlighting the previous Brahma 88 has deeper rocker lines making it easier to pivot when flat and more forgiving off piste. The current version is a bit more piste biased than before that’s all.

Do either of those companies ever DISlike a ski? They're all in the business of just highlighting the strengths of the ski and who is it for (i.e. you have to figure out for yourself what skis might not be particularly stellar at doing).

 

[GregK]

Do either of those companies ever DISlike a ski? They're all in the business of just highlighting the strengths of the ski and who is it for (i.e. you have to figure out for yourself what skis might not be particularly stellar at doing).

Both highlight the differences but find Blister will highlights the strengths and weakness of every ski vs Ski Essentials just highlighting the strengths more. Ski Essentials selling everything they review it would be counter productive to “bad review” any ski like Blister can.
Also find the very detailed measurements of the ski put Blister in another league compared to most reviews. Can’t wait till they get their Blister Labs thing going to gain even more ways to compare between skis.

 

[Tricia]

Very interesting, thanks @BMC and others! Of course now we need a comparison with the new Mindbender 89Ti

Where were you skiing @BMC and how was it?

We have some cagematches coming for those skis. Stay tuned!

 

[peterm]

Same binding on both. A Salomon Warden 13. Same colour even (not intended, just a stock availability issue).

On reflection I do agree the new Brahma is a touch tighter in the radius than the old one. I wasn’t really conscious of that until thinking back on some of the smaller radius turns I had made, and couldn’t recall making a similar sized turn in the same way on the old one.

What does “off piste” mean in Oz? Typically off piste is somewhat consolidated snow in Oz, albeit not flattened by a groomer. We do have our miracle few hours or days of fresh snow, but it’s not common. Our “powder” is wind blown. In all those the Brahma is great. It’s bumps where the Mindbender may be superior but for the type of bumps I typically encounter the new Brahma seems fine. The resort I ski doesn’t get much in the way if zipperline freestyle skier style bumps though.

The back seat thing may also have had a first day back on skis issue, but I do also think the softer tail on the Mindbender was a factor. I suspect I went to work the tail on completion and subconsciously expected more push back, and just found myself floating back. It would easily have been resolved by some conscious application had I intended to stick with those skis. Indeed you’d just ski them appropriately- I don’t at all mean to suggest the Mindbender will force people into the backseat - it’s entirely with me.

Interestingly two big changes in the new Mindbender 89Ti, according to the Ski Essentials review I linked above, are more metal in the tail and a tighter turning radius.

 

[TheArchitect]

Do either of those companies ever DISlike a ski? They're all in the business of just highlighting the strengths of the ski and who is it for (i.e. you have to figure out for yourself what skis might not be particularly stellar at doing).

It's best to use either of them as part of your research on a new ski but never the only source. At least I find that approach to be more effective in truly discovering what a ski might be like especially when I don't have the chance to demo the ski before buying. I like the SkiEssentials reviews because they're typically thorough and they test the skis at Stowe so the conditions are like what I ski regularly vs out west.

 

[BMC]

It's best to use either of them as part of your research on a new ski but never the only source. At least I find that approach to be more effective in truly discovering what a ski might be like especially when I don't have the chance to demo the ski before buying. I like the SkiEssentials reviews because they're typically thorough and they test the skis at Stowe so the conditions are like what I ski regularly vs out west.

I think while ski essentials are more gentle where they aren’t enamoured with a performance characteristic of a ski, once you realise the nuances of their approach, they are a valuable resource. They test a broader range of skis, and typically skis that are readily available for purchase. A couple of skis aside Blister don’t seem to have heard of skis below 100mm in waist. While this is dissipating a bit, in years past they seem to have been fixated on only the longest skis in any model. They seem to me to be doing reviews for a pretty narrow niche of skiers. Having said that, within those parameters they do an excellent job, and it obviously pays the bills.

I do think their review on the new Brahma is a bit coloured. Personally, I’m not feeling any notable deterioration in off trail performance. On reflection it does do a tighter turn on piste but my main takeaway is how familiar it felt coming from the old Brahma (and the Nordica 100, which I’d actually skied more recently - a month through Jan).

 

[TheArchitect]

I think while ski essentials are more gentle where they aren’t enamoured with a performance characteristic of a ski, once you realise the nuances of their approach, they are a valuable resource. They test a broader range of skis, and typically skis that are readily available for purchase. A couple of skis aside Blister don’t seem to have heard of skis below 100mm in waist. While this is dissipating a bit, in years past they seem to have been fixated on only the longest skis in any model. They seem to me to be doing reviews for a pretty narrow niche of skiers. Having said that, within those parameters they do an excellent job, and it obviously pays the bills.

I do think their review on the new Brahma is a bit coloured. Personally, I’m not feeling any notable deterioration in off trail performance. On reflection it does do a tighter turn on piste but my main takeaway is how familiar it felt coming from the old Brahma (and the Nordica 100, which I’d actually skied more recently - a month through Jan).

I agree they're a valuable resource and they're always my first stop when looking at skis. I didn't mean to suggest otherwise; just that they should be part of a data set for research. I never rely on one source for research on any topic no matter how good the given source may be.