Bro Models = RAD

[Ubersheist]

Finally got some momentum going and some skis have been shipped and some stiffs pressed. We'll ship again Monday and Tuesday.

edit: You peeps whose skis will arrive next week (for Gonzo,tomorrow) the skis need tuned. We've been tuning them at 1 base,2 side. If you're doing a lot of grooms, you might want to try 2-2. They will also require a couple good waxings. Enjoy.

Sounds like a bunch of us should be getting a package later this week!!!

Anyone know of where to get a good deal on Freerides??

[FNG]

Skiied the soft Bros at Kirkwood today and they were FUN, Felt really stable and fast. Please say you're still planning to make a shorter (but not softer) version next season. Thanks Vets.

I'll second that. 177/183 would be perfect.

[Telenater]

First, I'd like to thank the folks that made this all possible. LPH, for the loan of boots, Vets for schlepping the skis around, and Splat for putting all of this together.

Me:
220lbs, Advanced-expert telemarker who tested these skis on his second day with fixed heels in 7 years. I do make a lot of parallel turns on my tele gear.
I like a medium-stiff ski with a bias towards a stiffer tail.

Skis that I have liked (with a fair amount of time on them)...
TeleDaddy 183, but want a slightly longer ski that's happier running flat.
4x4 BIG 194, Love it when conditions are good, but I spend a lot of time wanting a more nimble ski.
2002-03 Blizzard Titan 8.2 (Orange topsheet), Wonderful ski too, bad I had two pairs delam, but the flex was awesome. The newer ones with grey topsheets are somewhat softer and an inferior ski IMO.
Tua CR110. Nice flex, but I ended up wanting a fatter and shorter ski.


Skis that I have not liked.
190 Karhu Jak (first year) Tail was too soft, grew to gradually hate the ski.


On to why you're really reading all this drivel...

The Bros: Soft. A fun ski, weasy to ski requires low energy input to perform well. Forgiving of poor form and sloppy weighting. Nimble and fairly quick edge to edge. However, when I laid it over in higher speed GS turns the tail felt like it was barely hanging in there. This maybe because I tend to weight the rear of skis somewhat heavily (chalk it up to skiing parallel on tele). This ski felt like I could put a lot into it and get good performance but didn't have that "snap" that grabs you and sets you in the right mood to charge.


Stiff. Now heres a ski to sink your teeth into. I liked the soft well enough, but it didn't get the fire going in my gut. The stiffs are a different ski. They're not nearly as forgiving of poor technique, but they are a very well mannered stiffish ski. They are very predictable in behavior, hold an edge well at all speeds that I tried, and performed well in all conditions from icy blown hardpack to the windpacked powder to the one small stash of blower I found. All in all, I believe this to be a superior ski for all conditions. It is definitely stiffer than the soft, but the stiffness doesn't manifest as a rougher ride, it merely has more performance to give back for the effort you put in.

I can't speak for others, but my opinion is that the stiff ski is what most agressive 200+ lb skiers should be looking at. I feel that I would quickly outgrow the soft largely because of my weight and (hopefully) strength. As Vets has commented before, the stiff has space for me to grow into without being "too much ski" right now.

Should anyone have further questions, I'll elaborate as I can.

[AltaPowderDaze]

Sounds like a bunch of us should be getting a package later this week!!!

Anyone know of where to get a good deal on Freerides??

here

[splat]

Wow, Nate. That's a pretty glowing review. Thanks.
Kinda like those stiffs myself. Stoked you liked them, too.

[SponsoredByDuctTape]

We are making 100 pair for another company concurrently...

Hmmmm. You'll have to elaborate. Inquiring minds want to know.

[verbier61]

SBDT, I like a lot that Pettibon's cover for the Black Flag that you used for the new avatar. And, yeah, of course everyone here would like to have more insight into this "other company" story

[Teletori]

Hmmmm. You'll have to elaborate. Inquiring minds want to know.

Dave is the creator of the Phantoms, which PM Gear will build this year

I'll think its these... (taken from one of the BRO-threads about Hood-testing)

[Twoplanker]

I'll think its these... (taken from one of the BRO-threads about Hood-testing)

Yes, that is correct.

[splat]

If not for Dave at Phantom and everyone here, the Bros would have never been built. This week, Phantom gets the benefit of our experience after having all the construction problems occur on the Bros. From blem topsheets to sidewalls blowing out during pressing, we've run the gamut of problems and cured them one by one. It gets better each week and the losses of learning are getting less. We have to run 30 pair of Phantoms, then it's back to the Bros again next week. At the same time we press Phantoms, we're still finishing and shipping Bros. We've had some significant losses in the learning curve, but figured things out and expect next week to be a banner week for making Bros, getting most of them pressed next week and finished by the week after.

[Vinman]

Ran into one of the guys from Backcountry mag today on the hill. I mentioned the Bros to him. He said he had read the press release and knew a little about them. It was pretty cool talking to him about them.

[splat]

Talked to 3 pin the other day and it looks like the Bros will make Editors Picks in either Couloir or Telemark Skier soon.

[Oarhead]

Talked to 3 pin the other day and it looks like the Bros will make Editors Picks in either Couloir or Telemark Skier soon.

That is Awesome. Even better since it will give even more exposure to the marketplace for such a small company as yourselves. Well deserved.

[Lou]

Skied the stiff Bros last weekend, thanks Vets.

I was looking for a thick waisted pair of skis for the Sierras when I started reading the board. I like the vibe of the whole Bro project. I haven't met splat, but thanks for all the hardwork.

What do I think of the Bros:

Me: 5'7" 160lbs advanced skier

My skis: 177cm R:ex, 184cm 10:ex (switched to the 177, it is more forgiving easier to swing when it gets tight and didn't give up any performance, carving or soft snow), 180cm Atomic BetaRace 9.20 GS, 178cm Volkl G4 (haven't skied this one too many days yet, replaces 177 R:ex which is getting freerides for BC)

Conditions: Kirkwood, firm groomer, soft bumps, skier packed cold snow

What do I think: I was curious to try a pair, but also apprehensive due to the length. I have been very happy with skis about 10cm shorter at my height/weight. Bear in mind this is also the fattest ski I have ever been on.

First run - a firm groomer with a few icy patches. I skidded a number of turns trying to figure out what to do with the added girth under foot. Edge to edge the ski was fast, I just couln't get it to hook up and carve (I had just stepped of a R:ex). Steve insited that even though the ski hadn't seen a tune and had been beat around quite a bit the past few weeks that is would hold a solid carve.

Second run - soft cold-snow bumps. I thought this would be a problem with the length and stiffness. I was wrong. I was able to carve varying radius turns along the tops of the bumps. The Bros changed direction quickly and very quietly did their job without complaint. I started to figure out the waist on the groomed runout and was able to get the ski to carve some large radius turns.

Third run - skier packed cold snow. These skis rock! Various turn speeds and shapes, wiggled through some tight trees, made short work of some left over boot deep AND carved some sweet turns on the runout.

The stiff Bros are definitely stiff enough for me. In the end I was pleased with their performance. I was assuming and looking for a deep soft snow ski, but these performed all mountain. I can't imagine them not working well in powder, but I didn't test that condition. Would I buy a pair? Yes.

It has been a ton of hardwork to get to where the Bro is now, but I would love to ski a 178cm Bro Model. If like my other experiences with short skis for short, light folks like myself runs true, there would be no performance decrease and would be easier to swing when things get narrow. This is not to say that I found the 188cm Bro lacking in this area.

That's my take after 3 runs on the Bros FWIW. I am gonna try to hook up with Vets again this weekend, I wanted to try the softs but had to hurry off. I also want to put some more time in on the stiffs.

[SponsoredByDuctTape]

Me: 5'7" 160lbs advanced skier

Me = same height/weight, maybe closer to 170 right now (i.e. getting fat). I've been skiing the 185 XXX for the past few years. Good to know what I'm in store for. I changed my order from the soft to the stiff Bro's, and I'm looking forward to going mach 6 while totally in control. I am bummed about the half-twin tail though. What's the point of hitting 50 footers if you can't land it switch?

[Teletori]

. What's the point of hitting 50 footers if you can't land it switch?

Mount them with tips pointing back...

Have my stiff brototypes standing in my bedroom waiting to be mounted... (with bindings)
They are going to rip up some mountains here in Norway, but looks like its going to be a while until they see some snow. Damn work!!!

But sooo stoked!!!!

[schuss]

*sigh* I still check everyday for the box to arrive.

[Vets]

Mount them with tips pointing back...

Have my stiff brototypes standing in my bedroom waiting to be mounted... (with bindings)
They are going to rip up some mountains here in Norway, but looks like its going to be a while until they see some snow. Damn work!!!

But sooo stoked!!!!

Enjoy the super stiff brototypes. They are fun fast stable ride. Put them on edge and hang on!

[splat]

We just got done pressing 20 pair of Phantoms for Dave and it's back to pressing Bros tomorrow. Gonna press 15 pair and ship, then 15 and ship again.
As I stated in my story that's up on powdermag right now, I guess it was inevitable when we guinea-pigged the first skis out of this snowboard factory.
Cause the Phantoms went smooth as silk.

I'm on it, really, I'm all this project and it just can't happen fast enough for me, either. Just saw the shot of the Bros that will be in the December issue of Couloir. Schweeeet.

[AltaPowderDaze]

Just saw the shot of the Bros that will be in the December issue of Couloir. Schweeeet.

please share if the shot is available.

[splat]

please share if the shot is available.

Soory, don't have it. I was up in the offices of Couloir today and 3 pin showed me. He's the model. The powmag article, though, is here:
http://powdermag.com/Columns/keane_120804/

[verbier61]

BROs safely touched ground in old europe today....
world domination is beginning....

[gincognito]

The powmag article, though, is here:
http://powdermag.com/Columns/keane_120804/

Nice. Can't wait to see where this all leads.

Huge props once again.

SaAaH (and by the power of greyskull),
d.

[Big E]

Great writeup, splat. Lots of little details in there I had somehow missed since all of this got going.

Kudos to you and everyone involved in this project. Now make a 180 so I can get some!!!

[gincognito]

Great writeup, splat. Lots of little details in there I had somehow missed since all of this got going.

I believe a lot of stuff in that article is being made public for the first time...

SaAaH (i.e. you didn't miss anything),
d.