Thursday, April 17, 2008

Touring with the PM gear Brokers

Thanks to Jeff and PM Gear I got hooked up!

Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
I have now been touring the new Broker prototypes for about a month. As far as I know I am the only one consistently touring on these skis. The tours that I have done have varied from 30 minute quick accents, to full day, full on touring.

Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
My set up
Broker carbon prototypes
Marker Duke Bindings
Skin Col Tex (they suck)
Boots Techica Diablo


Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
This is not the lightest set-up. I prefer performance to climb ability when conditions are good enough to still get into the bigger lines.


Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
The skis
The Broker Carbons are very light for an 110plus waist ski. So light in fact, that I only really feel the weight of the really heavy marker bindings. I quite enjoy the lightness of these skis. They are light, yet have lots of power and energy. The soft tip allows the ski to plow through soft snow with ease. The rest of the shape then takes over and drives the ski down the hill. Breakable crust is also very enjoyable, as this ski does not dive. Of course the lightness of the ski is not good in debris or super hard cruddy conditions, but that is survival skiing anyways. One thing that I have always found with rockered skis, is that you start to get into the back seat. This type of ski generally pushes you up and back. The Brocker skis ski more like a traditional ski and allows you to keep that traditional balance point. I feel this is very important, as we switch from rockered skis back to our traditional skis during the touring season, you don’t have to fight to regain your balance point.

Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan
Climbing with this fat rockered ski is much easier than climbing with other rockered skis that I have tired. Other rockers tend to have a bow shape vs. the Brocker only has the tip rockered, then light camber. This allows the skin to make maximum contact with the snow. This stops slipping and allows the skin to glide more naturally across the snow. I feel that this rocker ski is the best rockered ski for touring on the market today. I would love to have a second pair mounted with freerides!
Hakuba Powder Lodge Skiing Mountain biking Japan

If you have any questions about the skis please ask. Like I said I think I am the only one that has toured full time on these skis.

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