SCC Brockway
2011-2012
134-94-122mm, r=17.5m @175cm
Manufacturer Info:
http://www.SCCSkis.com
East of the Rockies:
Jeff Thompson
Houghton, MI
Call: (248)921-1620
John Thompson
South Lyon, MI
Call: (248)640-6866
Rockies and West:
Jonathon Thompson
Denver, CO
Call: (303)910-5397
Suggested Retail Price (MSRP):
$647 usd
Usage Class:
Cambered all-mountain
Ski Designer:
Jeff Thompson
Rating (with comments): (1="get me off these things"->10="I have to own a pair")
8+ for strong or heavy skiers, less for weaker skiers.
Summary:
The SCC (Shaggy's Copper Country" ) Brockway is a strong, sturdy all-mountain ski that rewards a strong skier who likes to drive a ski. Stable, damp and controlled with prodigious power and grip if driven well. Somewhat stiff, with strong torsional strength and the ability to hold lines at high speeds very well. Good geometry and stability for variable surfaces - cuts crud without deflection. Relatively easy handling at slow speeds for such a strong ski. Firm forebody feel in the bumps. Appears very durable. Not a ski for those seeking a curvy, pliant finesse-like ski, but an athletic ski. We preferred a mount point +1cm.
Technical Ski Data:
Ash wood core, triax fiberglass, 24 pieces of dampening rubber. 2.2 mm, semi-full wrap edges. tip and tail inserts. UHMW-PE/PET-G topsheet "Race Grade" Durasurf UHMW-PE Base.
Pre-Skiing Impression:
Somewhat stiff, but even hand flex with good vibration dampening feel. Strong tail, firm forebody. Long-length curve when flexed with substantial underfoot platform. Good fit and finish. Does not have 360-degree wrap edges. Torsionally strong. Beefy (2.2mm) edges.
Test Conditions:
Eastern spring conditions with some hard, race-like surfaces, some packed powder, softening corn and corn snow, with refrozen corn in the shadows at the end of the day. Some bumps and crud on the sides of trails. No powder or deep snow.
Boots Used:
Lange Comp Pro 120
Test Results:
We received these demos from Jeff Thompson in April after they appeared to have been well-used and in need of a tune. We had the guys at Northern Ski Works in Vermont re-true and resurface the bases to 0.5 degree bevel, and set the side bevel to 2 degrees per suggestion from SCC. We mounted Tyrolia SP120 demo bindings on-the-dimple and took them out in a perfect state of tune. The first few runs were fun and stable, but lacked the "bite and hook-up" I expected at the beginning of my turns. I went to +2cm and bingo...race-like bite and direction changes in the forebody and underfoot. I then backed-off and went to +1cm and found the sweet spot for Eastern conditions with a good balance of bite, arc and finish security (gotta love demo bindings for fine-tuning mounting positions). Once we had the ski responding like it should, I found the Brockway to be seriously strong and able to produce an authoritative grip under high pressure conditions, which is unusual for an "all mountain" ski. The Brockway feels like a ski built by athletic skiers to go fast and cut through pretty much any surface it finds without deflecting or shuddering. The Brockway has an unusually high upper speed limit since it is damp, torsionally strong and never vibrates or looses contact with the snow. It is capable of digging serious trenches when you lay into it, and does not falter under extreme pressure. The Brockway is stiffer than the web site may lead you to believe, and I would recoomend this ski to heavier skiers or technically strong skiers before recommending it to a meek retiree or intermediate skier. While very secure underfoot and confidence-inspiring throughout any turns on a variety of surfaces, the Brockway has a fairly stiff forebody and rewards some pressure at the beginning of the turn and throughout its finish to really do its best. If you simply roll the ski up and expect it to hook-up and feed its sidecut into the snow and flex into the turn, it will tend to resist a bit until you bend the forebody and get it to flex with some pressure or weight. Then it will follow your lead and take you on the trajectory you want. It's not a problem, but a trait of a ski built by someone who likes speed and authority in a ski. The SCC Brockway is a driver's ski. Take the Brockway into the bumps, and you feel a strong, powerful rebound underfoot, and excellent security, but it does not soak up the bumps with a flexy forebody. It transmits the bumps to you, so you should be ready to handle the feedback. Again, it's not a flexible-flyer, but a strong ski. The Brockway craves athletic turns and powerful carves, but can cruise comfortably if you pay attention and don't get lazy. The nice thing about the Brockway is it can cut across boilerplate on a dime, transition into the crud and manky snow on the edges of trails, change direction in the crud with authority (going exactly where you told it to go...no questions asked), lay GS tracks and then duck into the trees. The rounded tails of the Brockway make it more compliant and easy-turning in bumps or trees than a squared-tail ski with this much strength and power, so it really does handle nearly all terrain. We did not get a chance to see how it performs in powder or deep snow.
Analogies: (this ski is like...)
American muscle-car with a cushy interior that begs to be driven. Can be driven to the grocery store, but prefers chasing lesser vehicles. Power-assist rather than power-steering.
Things You Would Change About This Ski:
Soften the forebody flex slightly to allow the ski to enter turns with slightly less effort, otherwise keep the geometry and construction.
Short Answer When Someone Asks "What Do You Think About This Ski?":
Strong ski for strong skiers. Fast and grippy. The more you drive it, the better. Appears to be very durable and will probably hold its performance for several seasons really well.
Advice To People Considering This Ski:
Try it first to see if you like its handling and make sure it does not tire you out if you're not an athletic-type skier.
Self-Description of Skiing Style, Ability, Experience, Preferences:
5' 11", 180 lbs. Expert groomed-surface carver, "old-style" race inspired, "foot steerer" with fairly sensitive edging feel. Loves to hold long arcs with lots of pressure on the downhill ski (you know the type), but also loves the feel of both skis on-edge leaving tiny railroad track edge tracks. Loves powder when it's not tracked out. 10 year coach for youth race team in New England (bulletproof is the norm).
