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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    123

    PMGear Review - 183 Bro Fat

    First off, just got the skis home and mounted, thought I'd prep a review thread and share some stoke on these sexy beasts. Also, I'm revisiting an old (accidental) account as my current one seems to be having some technical problems. Go ahead and jong me!

    Thank you Splat for getting these here! It was a long voyage, a LOT of delays with shipping and some unlucky weather.

    These are my first bro's, and they look gorgeous!These skis are blems, but the actual problems splat described aren't visible, the bases are almost 100% flat, there are two edge gaps (>1mm, and a few cm long) one at the tip and one underfoot; a few cm long edge ripples on the base side edge and I there is a chunk out of the tail base pop-in (?) . All blemishes are on one ski, the other is just absolutely perfect. damn sexy. I'll never notice any of the blems while on snow, but I will keep in mind which ski goes on which foot while on hard snow to keep the edge ripples on the outside edge.

    Now onto the stoke.... FKNA! You have to see these skis in person... Just stunning, glossy finish over carbon weave. I can't get over the blue/carbon effect... wow. I tried to get decent pictures, but it's damn impossible. Hand flex feels medium throughout the ski, softening into the tip. These do not feel like death machines, nor do they feel anything close to floppy. Right in the middle, a really great do everything flex for a more aggressive skier. Die cut metal inserts in the tip and tail really add to the quality, super durable vibes coming out of these. I'm also very excited about the tail shape, I tried to get a picture, but it turned out blurry, it really looks like they will just lay trenches in the soft pack/groomed and will finish the turn better than other wider skis! Sadly, I gave in and impulse bought some heavy ass bindings, then mounted them on some crazy light skis...oh well. In conclusion, the pre-snow review is an A++. Just absolutely beautiful skis. I could go on forever.

    Height/Weight: 5'9", 155lbs
    Age: 17
    Ski Days/Season: 100-120
    Years Skiing: 3 years out west, 11 in the east
    Aggressiveness: Racer
    Similar one ski quivers tested: 179 Obsethed (2010), 182 Salomon Czar, 184 Moment Bibby, 180 Moment Ruby
    Preferred Terrain: Open trees, bowls, tight terrain (hiding from fog), open groomer, etc
    Dimensions/Turn Radius: 136/112/126 @ 33m radius, 70/295 tip rocker rise/run, with minimal tail rocker, not a twin tip
    Camber: Traditional w/ tip/tail rocker as described above, hybrid carbon fiber/fiberglass layup over full Aspen core.
    Binding: Rossi Axial2 200 XXL, mounted on the line
    Boots: Fischer 150flex plug boots + Booster strap
    Link: http://www.pmgear.com/index.php/skis/183-bro-fat-detail

    review on its way....




    And just adding a mount point comparison... It's pretty far back there compared to 185Blogs, and 190GS skis...comparison... It's pretty far back there compared to 185Blogs, and 190GS skis...


    Last edited by Tupp-; 03-17-2012 at 07:02 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Wenatchee
    Posts
    983
    Right on, these bad boys look SICK. Been drooling over them for quite a while. Let us know how they rip.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    6,749
    The mounting line is that far back so you're in the correct position for the running length, given the long-rise tip and lack of tail rocker.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    123
    I did a big tune on them today... typical dry bases... scratch that - REALLY DRY BASES. But it feels amazing when they just suck up everything you throw at them.
    Edges took lots of work to get straight...

    Overall that took too long for a brand new pair of skis... Hopefully a "blem" thing.. But those edges were pretty bad.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    33,440
    You have a good feel for the skis, Tupp.
    I tell everyone to get their skis hand beveled if they want to really feel what the skis will do. Which I assume you'll be noticing in your next update now that you've done a hand tune.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    123
    I actually sent these straight to the shop when i got them.. They went through one of those Montana Grinding machines for the bases and to bevel the edges. This was the only reason I could notice the bases not being 100% - you could see a few spots at the tip where the grinder couldn't hit.

    The hand tune really dialed the edges afterwards though. Pretty damn excited about them!!! First day tomorrow!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    123

    Finally got some skiing in on the bros yesterday! Some rough conditions, snowed 5cm's overnight onto some raunchy dust on refrozen crud. Definitely put the skis through some tough spots!

    Overall I am really happy with this purchase, but I probably should have gone longer (187)... But the skis performed in everything I threw at them! Icy moguls, crusty shoots, and windblown bowls.

    You can toss these around in the tightest of tight spots, and when it cleared enough to open them up they seemed fine in the chop.

    That was only my first day, and I'll post some more info later in the weekend... unfortunately, I busted open my lip this morning in the race course, spent the day at the clinic getting some stitches, I didnt get to ski them today... Hopefully tomorrow will be better!

    Some screenshots from our run in Sapphire bowl...



    Lift off into the upper entrance


    Oh hey bro


    Not as soft and smooth as we expected!


    Finally!
    A nice patch of fresh to finish off the run. Those Lhasa style tips poked out nicely

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    33,440
    This why I love selling skis to racer dudes....
    They know how to put them through the paces.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    123
    Another great day on the 183s!!!

    We had a saturday, US holiday, pow day, this weekend. which means massive crowds, ridiculous lift lines, and a huge range of snow conditions.

    The 183 fats performed in everything I threw at them. In the early morning first tracks they shredded the powder. You could notice the camber and less width compared to the more "powder oriented skis" but the lack of float was not significant to me: they still stomped drops, and played in the trees well. When getting into more cut up areas, you just dont feel like slowing down, they really inspire confidence in this area, and I had a LOT of fun in these conditions finding the sweet spot in the sidecut. Cruddy groomers you can arc the turn and either roll onto the next edge or hop into a feather (stiv/slide) and get the edge to bite right when you want it to. (I had a razor sharp hand tune on these so that could be why I had so much fun in these conditions...) I did not find a speed limit on the soft pack. The shape was awesome, traditional like I'm used to. It was an easy switch from my gs skis.

    Overall from the weekend, these totally met what I was looking for in my "everything but ice" ski. Sure they aren't perfect, I'll eventually find some things I wished were different. But from the two real days i had on them I was very happy.

    They also showed me why a Lhasa's (or lhasa fat's) narrower tail and slightly softer tip would make that deep snow even better... Maybe splat has some super cheap/proto lhasa fats he can send this way..... (probably not :P )

    I threw together some clips from saturday here, nothing special, just some cool lighting from the early morning sun and a few nice turns. I didn't hit anything large as I had some fresh stitches in my lip... I still crashed once after skiing over a nasty shark fin - incredible they didn't rip out. But I got a nasty edge gash First rock is always the worst...



    Edit: To the owner of the Lhasa's at the end there.... Give your skis a drink!! Or let me try them and I'll wax em for you!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    123
    Quick update from red mountain:

    Some post storm skiing at Red today, trees, pillows, hucks...

    The 183's are versatile, but I do not recommend anyone spending a lot of the time in the trees on these... They're light and have some pop, but the sidecut, shape, and flex aren't dialed for tight recoveries, you have to stay in charge all the way down. Although they did stomp some bigger drops very well, they just were not nearly maneuverable enough to really get into those quick tight high speed turns.... maybe the lhasa is better! also a slightly more centered mount point would help here, but take away from charging capabilities.

    It's dumping out there, but we're going to try to pull off our race tomorrow. I'm pretty unsure if I'll be pulling out the pow sticks, but we shall see

    Whistler folk, I saw that weather report... slay that fresh for me

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    123
    Stupid deep week at whistler... I've skied the Bros the past 9 days in a row and I could write forever... But it seems that I have no time anymore, so a quick summary plus some cool screenshots of the 183s killing it!!!

    Hardpack - Once you find the sweet spot on these you can absolutely ARC them! After the SG on friday I took them out onto the race run and hauled down the harder surface left over.... Really fun time. Knuck' drags allll the way home.

    Cruddy late day groomed runs - Pretty average here... they deflected way more than a GS ski, but I feel this is due to the very light weight and soft tip flex. Not at all unpleasant, but not perfect.

    Late day moguls - I found success driving them through GS zigg-zaggs as well as hopping around in the moguls. Totally versatile, again not perfect, but you can ski them like you want.

    Powder!! - Awesome. Once you find the balance point they totally rip! Of course they aren't really a powder ski, I would have loved to have some fattys out there, but I shredded just as hard as my buddy on his Super7's! They absolutely kill awkward drops, as well as bust through sketch landings. Untouched trees are amazing, but when they get tracked they definitely got a bit worse.. And of course they are super fun when you can open them up and go straight.

    Overall! This ski is a perfect one ski quiver, although it doesn't necessarily do anything perfectly, the 183 Fat Bros will perform in anything you can through at them.


    vlcsnap-2012-03-14-16h35m24s1001 by crenzoni, on Flickr


    vlcsnap-2012-03-15-12h38m14s55 by crenzoni, on Flickr


    vlcsnap-2012-03-15-12h38m29s222 by crenzoni, on Flickr

    I'll have a few more shots shortly.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    33,440
    Got two pair left for sale in Gear Swap.

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