Buying First Skis / Going to Japan

[karlo]

- renting in japan was going to be ~$300+ something whereas i was able to get these skis for ~$200 more.

Have you departed yet? If not, keep a close eye on the weather. A friend of mine that’s guiding in Hokkaido tells me, just yesterday, that there’s not enough base to ride BC. If things don’t turn around, you may want rentals and not tear up your new skis. If Plan B is to be more onpiste, you might want narrower skis.

Me, I’ll be in Hakuba next week. The alpine is out, with so much brush uncovered. Backcountry only at the highest elevations; how many times can one do the same couple mountains? You may have more options. Still, skiing back to the bottom might get ugly at times. Watch the weather. Consider renting.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

Have you departed yet? If not, keep a close eye on the weather. A friend of mine that’s guiding in Hokkaido tells me, just yesterday, that there’s not enough base to ride BC. If things don’t turn around, you may want rentals and not tear up your new skis. If Plan B is to be more onpiste, you might want narrower skis.

Me, I’ll be in Hakuba next week. The alpine is out, with so much brush uncovered. Backcountry only at the highest elevations; how many times can one do the same couple mountains? You may have more options. Still, skiing back to the bottom might get ugly at times. Watch the weather. Consider renting.

Just got to Hokkaido yesterday...situation dire. Resorts claiming 1.5-2 meter bases and based on the one place we've been so far that's a big lie. Maybe 1 meter and none of the bamboo grass is covered. Makes it tough. Nothing big in the forecast either. Gonna make the best of it but Sapporo is at less than 50% of average snowfall so far this year.

 

[karlo]

Just got to Hokkaido yesterday...situation dire. Resorts claiming 1.5-2 meter bases and based on the one place we've been so far that's a big lie. Maybe 1 meter and none of the bamboo grass is covered. Makes it tough. Nothing big in the forecast either. Gonna make the best of it but Sapporo is at less than 50% of average snowfall so far this year.

Check out @Mattadvproject’s trip report. Finding snow this year, the more eyes the better

 

[karlo]

Tricia wrote,

“We have quite the contingent of members who spend or have spent time in Japan.
@Rainbow Jenny, @Jim McDonald, @Mattadvproject”

Guys, are there any shops in Tokyo selling used skis? I’d rent high performance carving or all mountain skis, but calling a few places in Hakuba that has them mounted with MNC bindings.Figuring maybe I buy used skis and get such bindings mounted myself

 

[karlo]

Guys, are there any shops in Tokyo selling used skis?

Never mind. I found an article that says such shops are outside Tokyo. I don’t have time for that.

 

[Jim McDonald]

FWIW if you're going to be in the Furano area there's the Alpine Backcountry Rentals shop just down the main road from the Kitanomine gondola station, right side of the road, next to the New Furano Hotel, green building, yellow sign. Very friendly, informative folks there.

 

[Jim McDonald]

@karlo, if you happen to be in the market for a pair of 183 Stockli SR107s....

 

[karlo]

@karlo, if you happen to be in the market for a pair of 183 Stockli SR107s....

Thanks. But, I have 109’s already. I chose to go another route,

International (Europe/Japan/Southern Hemisphere) - Hakuba 2020

Tomorrow, I’m off to Japan after taking care of business in China. A few more meetings in Tokyo and Osaka (amazing one can travel by train for a day trip between these two cities), then Hakuba. This trip was originally planned with both Hakuba and Myoko. But forecasted weather has caused me to...

www.pugski.com

 

[gfr75]

i ended up going with the rustler 11s. they actually got here yesterday and i'm pretty excited. coincidentally spoke to another friend who owns these and loves them.

Hi, I have almost the same list of ski's in my mind to replace my soul 7 first generation with a preference for the rustler 11. I'm a 5'11" / ~175 lbs, my soul 7 does not have enough float (180cm) and lacks some stability at speed. I don't wont to replace them with the biggest charger without any playfulness, but I know that the rustler 11 (188 length) will be much more ski.

What is your verdict of the rustler 11? Especially its maneuverability between the trees at lower speed, is it still possible or hard to handle?

greetz,
Guy

 

[Penguin]

Hello! I’m happy to give you my thoughts:
- I did end up choosing these skis because I got them ~15-20% off current season model, so price did factor into the equation a bit.
- I ended up breaking my shoulder and therefore couldn’t go to Japan, but I have been able to ski these a few times before/after my injury:
1. Utah Backcountry - untouched ~calf/knee deep powder but not ‘new snow’ + Utah Resort with late January conditions this season.
2. Jackson Hole - stashes of soft stuff everywhere but hadn’t snowed in a while.
3. Telluride - very crusty, hadn’t snowed in a long time, all chutes were closed.

In each one of these situations, I think the ski handled great. Float was great in Utah. I skied some trees in Telluride where the snow wasn’t soft at all, and while I wished I had a shorter ski, was still able to maneuver well. On the steeper groomers, I also felt like I could have used a more narrow ski with a longer effective edge as my tips got a little bit of chatter and it was a bit more work to turn these over at speed. I chalk all that up to the conditions rather than the ski, though. You’ve got ~25 lbs on me and I do like going fast too. I would encourage the longer length for you. Net net I’ve been very pleased with how they’ve performed so far and would definitely recommend them, particularly if you’re going to be skiing mostly softer snow.

 

[gfr75]

Thanks Penguin for your feedback. I will use the ski in the Alps, mainly on powder trips, but we can end up here with a lot of different snow types on one day . For me, the rustler 11 will have a lot more effective edge compared (especially the 188) with my soul 7's which have a lot of taper.
Did you already had a chance to use them in the woods/forest?

I have read already too much reviews, the black crows atris and the K2 mindbender 116C are also starting to pop up .

 

[Penguin]

Haven't used them in the woods too much. I had the opportunity to speak to someone in a ski shop about these two other skis you mentioned. He said the Atris has been his best selling ski and it sounded like was a bit more playful than the Rustler. He said the Mindbender's tails were a bit stiffer than the Rustler but he didn't have the 116, only the narrower waists. I have not skied either ski.

 

[François Pugh]

- I ended up breaking my shoulder and therefore couldn’t go to Japan,

What? The Japanese deny entry to folks with broken shoulders?
Out of curiosity, what exactly did you break (I've had a few shoulder injuries, the ones I bothered to get diagnosed were: crushed glenoid (too many pieces to operate on), fractured scapula and clavicle, next injury third degree separation, next one broken humerus at the ball, next one was a simple dislocation)?

 

[Jim McDonald]

Gawdamighty, how do you manage to type after all that!