powpow

Bought my first Burton step-ins in Canada 1998 and updated the bindings last season. Best bindings I`ve ever bought. Never go strap ins again. Never had any problems,obviuosly if there is a build up of snow in the base then you will have to clean it out just like any other binding. Just `cause there step-in doesn`t mean the snow is going to compress and go away, cleaning of any binding will work better when cleaned out, so if you read that complaint earlier then he`s too lazy. Never have to sit on your bum to do up bingings, just clean-out and click-in then ride away. No cold wet bum, now t

The Jap`s just can`t see the english speaking dollar, and cartering for us is next to nill. There in their own circle and we are trying to break into it and they don`t want to hear it. Very limmitted english speaking clubs, pubs and restuarnts.In Niseko its like talking to a brick wall.

Harifu is the biggest and has the most lifts. But there is no Mt named Mt Harifu I think. The Harifu resort is actually on Mt Annupuri. And Niseko is a town actually about 20 minute drive from the ski fields. The closest town is Kutchan. And Fran is full of crap, so don`t believe her/him.

I`ve been applying the wax with a hot iron, dripping in on then using the iron smear it over the entire board until a thick coating appears. Lightly file the metal edges and then go for a ride. No need to scrape the excess wax off and then go for a ride. Come back later in the afternoon and find 99% of the wax gone. Gone where, dunno. Gone. So then I start the process over again. In the whole season I only wax the board maybe five times. Applying the wax is the easy part. I just don`t know the scrapping technics and tools.

Overseas wise, I`ve been to Whistler/Blackcomb and Big White. The quality of snow is what I`m looking for and it never comes to Australia like it does in nrth Japan. At -15degrees during the day the quality rarely changes from perfect. In Australia or NZ the snow almost never is good compared to Japan. In Aust` the snow turns to slush before it hits the ground. And thats why I like Japan or Niseko. My holidays there have never disappointed me , the amount of snow, the quality and the sic` powpow in the tree runs at Hanazono will always bring me back. One friend of mine from USA has been going

From all experiences wax on the board stays there for about one session and then is completely stripped. I remember last season in Niseko applying a good waxing to my board and a couple of days later there not being any wax at all. Not that is a bad thing. See in powder snow I think No wax is a good thing. It obviuosly doesn`t like staying there, so it leaves very quickly. I tried all temperature of waxes but all seem to disappear at the same rate. Is wax neccessary in snow with outside temperatures of -15degrees.?

Are we ready,

Feb` in Niseko seems to be peak season. Not crowd wise but pow wise. The last two seasons have been bottomless. Over in Hanazono 1 & 3 lift, the trees are perfectly planted. A couple of meters apart providing the best powder tree runs you will ever get. We`ve had pow upto armpits in Strawberry Fields . The walk to the summit at Harifu is arwsome then snowslide towards Hanazono 3 tree run, it doesn`t get any better. [This message has been edited by powpow (edited 11 November 2001).]

I`d hadn`t tried the duck foot stance but have thought about it. I was thinking more like 10deg + and -. , so that initially I`m learning snowboarding all over again. I`ll be trying switch on the beginer slopes at the bottom of Niseko until I get the hang of it.

When I ride on my bigger board,(the burton SM 181) my riding angles are about 9degrees rear and 21 degrees front. This season I`ll be riding it aswell as the burton BMC 168 and want do relearn switch. So I want to know what angles I should set them at ? I`m really looking forward to be able to per-fect riding natural and switch.

Yeah mate, looks like I`ll be there with you and Snowave crew. This year we`re staying in a good Lodge. In the apartments above the PowPow resurant which has been the best location to meet locals and tourists alike. Mmmmm met some pretty nice Dutch hosties there last year. The night life can be good if you know where to go. This year being my third season in Niseko should be a ripper and looking forward to making our second snowboarding video with the Niseko crew. In niseko there is no need to say backcountry, once you`ve skiied the front country you wont be looking anywhere else. If you st

We could only wish!

HaHaHa yourself,don`t you think anyone makes a board bigger than your 155 skateboard. So far the 181 has been the easiest board to handle in deep snow, and the easiest board to ride. And no we don`t ride with ski boots. Burton supermodel, 181, burton stepin freestyle binding and boots. Although I could see you on a 155 skate board and ski boots, that sounds more like you, Mr Frstyle. 181 !?!? i never seen a board that big.... Sounds like you need to crawl out of hibination or ride something bigger than your,...... arm.

"It was an absolutely awesome season with some ridiculously good stats. Now that I have collated everything I can't believe how good this place looks on paper…actually I can believe it. In 116 days we have had 45 feet of snow, a 440cm base, 82 days where it snowed more than 10cm, a minimum temperature of -25ºC, an average temperature of -13ºC." These guys ran the snowboard tour I went with last Feb` 2001. It was absolutely the best time.

Has anyone ridden a Burton BMC snowboard last season. I`ve just picked up a 168. Hopefully it will cope with the Niseko pow. I normally ride a Burton 181, and for the last two seasons it has handled the steep and deep quite well. Just wondering if anyone has played with one, I heard they were fast and ultra light but will it hold up in deep pow, I weigh about 85kgs. Here`s to another bumper season.