About this Review: This review is my honest opinoon of the skis which I purchased with my own money in December of 2021.

My take

The Blizzard Brahma 88 is structurally stiffer and heavier as it blends high-quality wood strings at the low and high density levels to create variable flex through the entire ski. In addition, the True Blend wood core is sandwiched between two sheets of Titinal tip to tail, which provides the strength, stability, and enhanced power transfer to eliminate chatter and undesirable vibrations at high speeds. The 88mm waist width underfoot is ideal in capturing just the right balance between creating a high performance carving ski as well as an exceptional ski to track powder.

About the gear

• Model: 2022 Blizzard Brahma 88
• Size: 165, 171, 177, 183, 189

About me

• Height: 6’3”
• Weight: 205 lbs
• Experience: 50 years of skiing

Test conditions

• When I bought these: December 2021
• Days tested: 50 days
• Mount position: Standard Mount
• Boots: 2022 HEAD WRC 140s
• Boot Size: 31.5
• Bindings: 2022 Marker Jester
• Where I’ve used it: Alta Snowbird, Jackson Hole, Sundance, SnowBasin
• Terrain: On piste, off piste, moguls, steep chutes, powder, trees, traverses

How they perform

What I was looking for

I was in search of the proverbial one ski for the quiver, a frontside all-mountain ski that performed well in all terrain and conditions. And I found it.

Why I chose these skis

I chose the Blizzard Brahma 88 skis because they met all my needs on and off piste. They’re a high performance ski with a design focus on power and stability, and I’ve found them to be extremely durable. I decided to buy the Brahma 88s after just a few laps on the mountain, but was enjoying them so much I didn’t return them until the end of the day.

I had heavily considered buying either the Nordica Enforcer or Dynastar Legend after test driving both brands, but the Brahma won the prize. It all came down to terrain versatility and ski performance.

What I love about them

• Speed: The engineering and construction of the ski facilitated overall weight and strength, which not only eliminated chatter but created enhanced stability and control at high speeds through the entire arc of the turn.
• Edge hold: The edge hold on the Brahma 88s is hands down superior. The manufactured base 3 degree angle angle has the grip of a giant. The thick and durable metal edges are maybe the best I’ve ever owned.
• Groomers: The Brahma 88 can hold a 16 meter turn radius, and on the groomers I feel every bit of the arc. The ski’s variable stiff/flex design creates a grip on the groomers in all conditions.
• Powder: At 88mm underfoot, the skis float, rise, and descend well in powder conditions. The shape differential from tip to waist to tail offers a highly effective float factor to my power ski experience.
• Trees: For the advanced to expert skiers, the Brahma 88s are a great choice for tree skiing. These skis are a bit heavier than most others in the all-mountain category, but a skier with improved ankle and knee joint steering skills will find it to be a killer in the trees.
• Durability: The Brahma 88 is a highly durable ski. The sintered running base and strengthened steel edges are built to last and can endure hostile traverses and unpredictable subsurfaces like tree roots and rocks.
• Weight: The weight of the Brahma 88’s is both a blessing and a curse of this ski, but for those looking for a stable and powerfully performing ski, the blessings are abundant.
• Stability: This is my top choice for a ski that performs for power, stability, and speed. The Brahma 88 dominate off-piste variable conditions and mostly eliminate chatter, but do not provide the pop and dampening effect available in other ski designs.
• Edges: The rounded top sheet edges have softened edge impact across the ski and reduced chipping, peeling, and cuts to the top sheet.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Turns: High speed turns are easy to initiate and complete and for the most part feel effortless. However, due to the sheer weight of the ski, I found a skier turning at slower speeds will have to work a bit harder to initiate effective steering at the ankle and knee joints, which is typically a more advanced skill.
• Moguls: The 88mm underfoot design allows for a nimble and agile approach to any mogul field, but the extended tail length on a standard binding mount may initially catch you by surprise if you’re caught in deep or trench-like zipper lines between the bumps depending on the length of the ski.
• Park: Due to the weight, design, and edge angle of the Brahmas I’d not recommend them for park terrain.
• Backcountry: Due to the weight and construction of the Brahma I’d not recommend this ski for backcountry skiing.
• Switch riding: Although I do ride switch on this ski while observing my ski clients, I’d be hesitant to recommend this ski to freestyle switch skiers.

Favorite moment with this gear

I’d say that my favorite moment on my Brahma 88’s had to be skiing with my Ski School Director and a few other highly skilled professional skiers on the best powder day of 2022. We spent the first part of the day tracking out every inch of powder stashes we could find and then bounced back and forth from the trees to the chutes to finish the near-perfect day. The Brahma 88s made these transitions seamless and offered a nearly idyllic tool for all terrain and conditions.

Value for the money vs. other options

The Brahma 88s will definitely prove to be worth every dollar spent and more. I have many pairs of skis, but when the perfect storm visits I want these skis to hit it all.

Final verdict

Ultimately, the Brahma 88s in the hands of an all-terrain junkie will ensure they have the right gear for just about any conditions and terrain a mountain resort can offer.

To explore how the 2023 model performs, check out Rob’s review of the 2023 Blizzard Brahma 88.