Lets see bare hand you get a bit faster attack and you get to use yer thundering strike skill *randomly stuns opponent for you non monks out there*

OR

Dual weild/2-handed weapon
Do more damage possibly and lets face it the monk fist weapons are crapy as hell to look at i.e. cetsus should be a big blade coming from your hand but in game it looks like half a sphere is crapy spikes on it obviously EQ did nothing to make it remotly look the right way

so is a little less damage and crapy modeling worth keeping to randomly stun your opponent?

You can calculate which weapons are better by figuring out their damge per second and choosing the higher one. Also, I believe that regardless of stats, barehands are gonna end up doing better dps because of the skills you can use when barehanded. Much like the skills a thief can use while in stealth or while attacking from behind. I just have a hard time believing that the only class in the game who can use barehands wouldn't have some reason to use them. I see more brawlers in general using weapons than barehands, but I believe barehands is the way to go. Also don't forget that you can get fistwraps to add to your barehand damage.

The real question is why would you be a monk/bruiser and not use barehands? You can only wear light armor. Your stat mod is only +1AGI higher than Warriors. All the originality lies in the barehands because they are the only ones who can do that. And like I've said before, there has to be some reason for it. My mule is a brawler, so I will level him up and let you know. What I do already know is that brawlers are supposed to be the best damage class for fighters. And since damage is calculated my the amount that a weapon does, the only differences between brawlers and other fighters is their ability to use barehands and their skills. Most zerkers will argue that they have better damage skills, and they are probably right. So that leaves the barehands. One last time, they wouldn't make brawlers the only ones who can use barehands unless their was a significant advantage for doing so.

I'm a bruiser but we have the same capability. I tried using my hands on just some plane ol white con mobs and was getting beat to death. It just didn't seem to be as good. Of course, I only tried this for about 5 fights and then re-equiped my dual wield sticks. Actually, I can't wait till I hit 22 because I have 2 new sticks just waiting for me. Only 25%xp to go!

Pre level 10 go bare handed, the DPS outshines any weps you can get at that level. Post 10, get weapons. Use 2handers when your not tanking and use DW weapons when you are. 2handers usually do better DPS depending on their attack rating, but DW weapons give you higher chance to riposte/parry. However, these words aren't set in stone. At level 42 I have a pair of DW weapons that, with their proc, do more DPS than any 2hander I could buy at this level.