2023 Blizzard Brahma 88

The 2023 Blizzard Brahma 88 is one of those skis that skiers either love or not. There aren’t many skis out there with a speed minimum, but this is one of them. You should either have some wide-open space in front of you, or be able to muscle a quick turn out of a ski in order to have ultimate success on Brahma 88. This ski returns unchanged for 2023 except for a graphic update, and that’s great news for advanced and expert skiers who love the carving performance and high-end all-mountain versatility of one of the strongest 88’s on the planet. There’s nothing paltry or easy about this ski. Built with All-Mountain Trueblend wood core, the Brahma 88 uses 7 stringers of beech wood to go along with 3 stringers of poplar. This allows the engineers at Blizzard to fine-tune the flex and suppleness of the ski through the alternating of those wood stringers. They then add two sheets of metal to the mix for power and dampness. It adds up to a 2100-gram per ski weight in the 177, which is certainly on the heavier side of the spectrum. One of the fun parts of the Brahma, is that in the 183, we see a turn radius of 17.5-meters, which is on the short side, making this a clean carver for any ski, much less an 88-mm underfoot all-mountain charger. There aren’t many skiers out there who need the 189 in this model—it’s one of the burliest skis on the planet.

In that light, Bob St.Pierre skied both 189 and 183, but prefers the 183. He scored it top marks of 5 out of 5 for overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, and stability. Versatility, forgiveness, playfulness, and flotation all got 3’s while quickness and maneuverability were in the 4-range. Bob notes that while the Brahma 88 is “One of the least-versatile 88's out there, the Brahma is unmatched in its stability and power for this range. You simply don't find another ski like this out there. The shorter length for me is preferable in this shape and style, while even the wider Bonafide 97 I prefer in the 189. The turner 183 in the 88 makes more sense as you're likely to be on groomed terrain more of the time. Not for beginners, intermediates, or even lighter advanced skiers.” The range is lacking, it seems, and that’s okay, because not every ski can be everything to everyone. Rick Randall was also on the 183, and he found it just right. He’s a powerful skier as well, so it’s interesting seeing these skiers gravitate to the “smaller” sizes. He gave top scores of 5’s out of 5 for stability, torsional stiffness, and edge hold, with 4’s for quickness and maneuverability. Lower scores of 2 out of 5 for forgiveness and playfulness makes sense as well, as the ski is very business-like. Rick states that “The Brahma is still a stiff ski. It's super stable at speed and once you're up to speed it carves with the best of them, but it takes half the mountain to get it open up a carve. No doubting it's edge hold. I'm a fan of skis with metal and have been of the Brahma in the past. I feel this ski is too stiff for the average consumer with all the competition in this category the past few years. Other brands are making skis with metal that hold an edge and are stable, but are also good for that intermediate to advanced skier. This is an advanced level skier only ski, because you really need to be on this ski when you lay it on edge.” Understandable, and accurate.

On the 177, Connor Gorham called it a “wicked size,” scoring it 5’s for playfulness and flotation. Connor notes that “I Wish the Blizzard snow was around to move and groove through the goods. Cornice was on the menu for the Brahma Momma. So fast, with premier air traffic control! Little lips pop quick and make you say, “I think I can fly….”. When my inner angel said slow down, these things ripped ruts 10,000 leagues under the sea. Lots of fun and I swear I wasn’t showing off for the cameras on Gondolier! 😉” Dave Raybould states that “The Brahma 88 has been the benchmark in this category for years, and you can see why it’s hard to beat. A true all mountain ripper than will go well in most snow conditions. This ski demands to be driven accurately or it’ll be taking you for a ride. I don’t find this ski incredibly versatile, but I am a light skier. Ideal for burly advanced skiers and any expert skiers.”

It’s pretty consistent through all testers that the Brahma 88 doesn’t play. It’s strong, stiff, heavy, and rugged—capable of holding an edge through the iciest of conditions and the steepest of terrain. Ideally suited for advanced and expert skiers who are looking for a high-octane ski to push the limits of their ski track’s app and its speedometer, the Brahma 88 has a true speed minimum and demands respect as a result.