New Stiff Bro Models w/ Aspen Core

[Vets]

Sunday was my first day on my new stiff Bro Models. FKNA! I'm stoked!
I took them up to Kirkwood. They handled the wide variety of snow conditions just great. Held an edge on early morning shady firm. Easy stable carving on corn. Nice float on the winterish snow I found in the sheltered north facing trees. Hovered through the thick sunbaked slush. Then at the end of the day I was seeking out funky refrozen slush bumps and enjoying it.
The Aspen core seems to have made the ski slightly stiffer, more stable, and with better edge hold than the fir core Bros (Though not as much as the more demanding super-stiff Pro-Bro/Bro-Pro.)
The Bros respond well to being put on edge and driven forward. They love being pushed hard. When skiing fast, the Bros seem to say "yeah - faster, faster, keep going!"
Early in the day I did get back on the tails once in some bumps and the stiff tails reminded be right away to get forward again quickly.
I look forward to growing with this ski as I feel that it will make me a better skier. I definitely felt better skiing on Sunday. In fact it felt so good that I didn't want to stop all day (I ate my lunch on the chairlift so I wouldn't have to stop.)

- I took Splat's advice and had a 1 degree base, 2 degree side bevel put on the edges when I got the skis mounted (w/ Tyrolia demos) at House of Ski on Kingsbury. They also did a great job doing just the right (slight) amount of detune on the tips and tails and a beautiful hand structure of the bases along with a hot wax.
- Wax early, wax often. These skis have very thirsty bases.

BTW
I'm 5'10", 178#, 44 years old.

I hope to get some good pictures of the Bros in action in the near future at Mammoth, Kirkwood, Heavenly, and elsewhere.

I am very happy with these skis!

[verbier61]

weight comparison between fir and aspen?

[Vets]

weight comparison between fir and aspen?

The aspen core Bro feels slightly heavier than the fir core Bro. It has made a very, very light ski only very light by comparison. Splat should have the exact weight specs for both.

[splat]

The aspen core Bro feels slightly heavier than the fir core Bro. It has made a very, very light ski only very light by comparison. Splat should have the exact weight specs for both.

The aspen cores soak up more resin, which makes the ski stronger. Each ski is approximately 6 ounces heavier as a result. However, they're still the lightest skis out there for their size.

[ScottG]

Hey Splat,
Can you give me some comparison with the stiffness of these various bros?

So there are 4 possibilites now?
I am seriously working on a pair next year, but want to know how stiff to go.
Soft sounds too soft for my 215 pounds, plus I want a more versatile ski, not just a pow ski.
Stiff is now Aspen stiff or Fir stiff.
Aspen sounds stiffer and better for me.
What is this Pro-Bro/Bro-Pro all about? How stiff is that??

[edit: after searching and finding some info about Pro-Bro, that may be what I need. How is that ski different?? how do you make it stiffer than the Aspen Bro (you said in another thread that you aren't using metal)? Again, any relative numbers of stiffness or comparisons would help]

Can you give some relative stiffness numbers or some skis to compare them to??
Thanks,

[focus]

Can you give some relative stiffness numbers or some skis to compare them to??
Thanks,

Wasn't that sorta done?

I'm confused too... I was planning on trying to acquire some bros for next season just as soon as I get out of CC debt. I'd thought stiffs were the way to go...then somebody said they were almost unmanageable....

so I'm like, ok, maybe soft is more up my alley. I'm about 180#'s, but i'm not as badass as all that, and sometimes I prefer something that's easier to ski and doesn't tire my soft ass out.

But now we have aspen cores and fir cores to worry about -- and from all vets said, aspen cores are the cream of the crop....the shiznit of the shiznit.

Maybe I should hold out for the Oak core model? or what if blue spruce comes out?

I, personally, would be all over the cherry wood versions.... seems cherry might have some nice pop to it.

[splat]

Aspen causes the ski to be stiffer than it was with fir cores, but slightly heavier. The soft is noticeably stiffer as well, no longer what I felt was a noodler on the grooms.

Compare them? Put it this way - all flexes are 20%-30% stiffer with the aspen. Find someone with a pair and ski them. I tired and that's the best I can do. All have aspen now. Pro Bro is a fukkin I beam of rigidity, easy 300 on the Ig flex.

[Ogre]

Hey Splat,
Can you give me some comparison with the stiffness of these various bros?

So there are 4 possibilites now?
I am seriously working on a pair next year, but want to know how stiff to go.
Soft sounds too soft for my 215 pounds, plus I want a more versatile ski, not just a pow ski.
Stiff is now Aspen stiff or Fir stiff.
Aspen sounds stiffer and better for me.
What is this Pro-Bro/Bro-Pro all about? How stiff is that??

[edit: after searching and finding some info about Pro-Bro, that may be what I need. How is that ski different?? how do you make it stiffer than the Aspen Bro (you said in another thread that you aren't using metal)? Again, any relative numbers of stiffness or comparisons would help]

Can you give some relative stiffness numbers or some skis to compare them to??
Thanks,

NO BROS FOR NNNEERRRRRRRDDDSSS

STICK TO YOURRRRR SNOWLERRRRRBLADES, NNNERRRRRDDD

....AND LAY OFF THE TWINKIES, YOU FAT FUCK!

[ScottG]

Yeah, sorry if its too much, but I thought you might do some measuring or testing of the product (kinda like the DB skis or Iggys have different flex numbers) to check quality control.

Otherwise, any comparison to common production skis?
How do stiff Aspens compare to Legend Pros or Explosives??

Sorry if these Q's seem annoying, but without being able to demo, this is all we got.

[ScottG]

NO BROS FOR NNNEERRRRRRRDDDSSS

STICK TO YOURRRRR SNOWLERRRRRBLADES, NNNERRRRRDDD

....AND LAY OFF THE TWINKIES, YOU FAT FUCK!

Hey, I thought you promised that you would stay out of tech talk?

BTW, what flex are those snowlerblades? Are they stiffer than a BigFoot??

[glademaster]

Mmm, Soft Bros with an Aspen Core. Sounds perfect for me. Fat, straight, moderate flex, yumm.

[splat]

Mmm, Soft Bros with an Aspen Core. Sounds perfect for me. Fat, straight, moderate flex, yumm.

I'd considerate the aspen softs to be the perfect moderate flex. Ask The Suit. He got the first pair. Yossarian will have the next soon.

[splat]

Yeah, sorry if its too much, but I thought you might do some measuring or testing of the product (kinda like the DB skis or Iggys have different flex numbers) to check quality control.

Otherwise, any comparison to common production skis?
How do stiff Aspens compare to Legend Pros or Explosives??

Sorry if these Q's seem annoying, but without being able to demo, this is all we got.

Can you relate to cambered to flat force meter readings?

How does the DB measuring scale relate to Iggies' scale?

[The Suit]

I'd considerate the aspen softs to be the perfect moderate flex. Ask The Suit. He got the first pair. Yossarian will have the next soon.

I did not realize that was what made mine special. However, they are indeed perfect.

I'm about 6' and 160 lbs. I don't ski super fast or super good, but I've skied them in just about every condition - from bulletproof coral reef bumps to mud-like slush to chalky steeps to blower pow. The Bros killed it in everything. I've had them for about a month and half now, and I just keep liking them more and more.

[Atrain505]

I'll help a bit.
Pro-Bros/super stiffies are definetly softer than the Legend Pros.
They rip the shit out of everything I've thrown at them, and that seems to be absolutely everything. I can't think of a condition I haven't skied them on.

[splat]

Really, Atrain? I need to go back and flex those LPs again. It's been a while.

[funkendrenchman]

The Bro-Pros I have feel like a similar flex to the Legend Pros, althought I havent skied the Bros. I flexed A-train's earlier this year and they didn't seem quite as stiff. Do A-train and I have different cores in our skis or am I wrong?

[splat]

The Bro-Pros I have feel like a similar flex to the Legend Pros, althought I havent skied the Bros. I flexed A-train's earlier this year and they didn't seem quite as stiff. Do A-train and I have different cores in our skis or am I wrong?

That's right.....Atrain has fir cores, funken. The Bro Pros you have are aspen and the aspen made the Bro Pros stiffer, too. Maybe.......Atrain's might have been the first aspen BP.....black sidewall?? (I have a good memory, it just doesn't last very long.) Although yours have a brown sidewall, funken, they're aspen. And I haven't forgotten about you, Atrain.

[bad_roo]

I don't ski super fast or super good

... compared to Micah Black and Jason Tattersall.

[Vinman]

I'll help a bit.
Pro-Bros/super stiffies are definetly softer than the Legend Pros.
They rip the shit out of everything I've thrown at them, and that seems to be absolutely everything. I can't think of a condition I haven't skied them on.

Disagree. I flex my aspen core stiffs right next to a pair of LP's and the Bros are stiffer. My buddy that owns the LP's agreed. Unless I got the super stiffe by mistake......?

And as far as someone saying the stiffs being "unmanageable" this is 100% wrong. I weight 145 on a heavy day and have no problem skiing them in any of the conditions I have been in yet. They may be somewhat unforgiving to those that like to get into the backseat though.
Stiff tail + backseat skier= trouble.

[ScottG]

Thanks.
LP's arent super stiff anyway, just stiff enough for a heavy fucker to go real fast, making it a versatile ski.

If regular Aspen stiff is close to LP, that should be fine.
I just dont want to make the mistake of too soft, which although fun, makes it a limited "quiver" ski for softer snow or slower speeds, and thats not what I'm looking for.
No PR or XXX flexes for me, please.

[Vinman]

Thanks.
No PR or XXX flexes for me, please.

go with the stiff. I flexed some softs(fir core) a while back and they kind of felt like my scratch BC.

[Vets]

In terms of comparing flexes of skis -
Does anyone remember the scene from Rock N Roll High School with the Ramones? Where they had some sort of Rock-O-Meter with varying values/degrees for different bands/musicians (It went something like
1. Barry Manilow
...
8. Led Zeppelin
9. The Who
10. The Ramones)
as they would turn up the volume on music.

Well here is my own Stiff-O-Meter based on skis I either own or have demoed:

1. Salomon Pocket Rocket (own a 185) the blue noodle is not stiff.
2. Fischer Big Stix 106 (own a 180)
3. Rossignol Scratch BC (own a 188)
4. Fir-Core Soft Bro (skied a 188 about a dozen times)
5. Rossignol Bandit B3 (demoed a 185 3 times)
6. Volkl Explosive (previously owned a 180, currently own a 190)
7. Fir-Core Stiff Bro (skied a 188 around two dozen times)
8. Aspen Core Stiff Bro (own a 188, skied one day so far)
9. Dynastar Legend Pro Rider (demoed a 186 for half a day)
10. Fir-Core Pro-Bro/Bro-Pro (skied about half a dozen times)
11. The original super-stiff Brototype (skied part of one day) very,very stiff.

These are relative values based on how they felt to me when skiing. Not flexing them in a shop. Just my opinions, but they might be helpful to some.

[verbier61]

Well here is my own Stiff-O-Meter based on skis I either own or have demoed:

1. Salomon Pocket Rocket (own a 185) the blue noodle is not stiff.
2. Fischer Big Stix 106 (own a 180)
3. Rossignol Scratch BC (own a 188)
4. Fir-Core Soft Bro (skied a 188 about a dozen times)
5. Rossignol Bandit B3 (demoed a 185 3 times)
6. Volkl Explosive (previously owned a 180, currently own a 190)
7. Fir-Core Stiff Bro (skied a 188 around two dozen times)
8. Aspen Core Stiff Bro (own a 188, skied one day so far)
9. Dynastar Legend Pro Rider (demoed a 186 for half a day)
10. Fir-Core Pro-Bro/Bro-Pro (skied about half a dozen times)
11. The original super-stiff Brototype (skied part of one day) very,very stiff.

These are relative values based on how they felt to me when skiing. Not flexing them in a shop. Just my opinions, but they might be helpful to some.

interesting! this is mine using soft fir-core BROs as the stiffer : xtreme of the range..... considering an average all-ski long flex, I would say gotamas and B3s are softer (the tail makes a lot of difference)

zags (tried 180)
Pocket rockets (have had 176 and 185)
Karhu jaks (190)
scratch BC (tried 180 many times)
Gotamas (183)
Rossi B3 (tried 186 (?) many times)
soft fir-core BROs

[Atrain505]

My sidewalls are black...but when we talked earlier you weren't sure if they were fir or aspen cores, although you were betting they were aspen cause that was right around the time you started changing.
All I can say is mine definetly aren't as stiff as an LP, but damn can they ski.
Thanks Splat.