[Hard Boots for Alpine/Racing Snowboard]

Thanks Bad for the tip. Good advice.

 

I have quite a bit of annual leave left for this year and was just mulling over the Whistler idea but you are right, flying 16 hours just to find no snow is too much for anyone.

 

Siren

[Hard Boots for Alpine/Racing Snowboard]

Thanks, NoFakie! Pleased to hear the early snow fall in Shirouma!

 

Middle of last November we went to Karuizawa and only one run was open with a bit of help from the snow-making machine. It was hilarious going down the run and watching people play tennis 20 yards away. Still it was a fun day.

 

For those who are interested, Gassan (http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~aaa0004/next/ski-5.html ) in Yamagata-ken is open from April to June. I read in a magazine (in an article about spring ski) that there is so much snow that they only open the place in April! I have not been there but will probably give it a try the coming May.

 

Bestest,

 

Siren

[Hard Boots for Alpine/Racing Snowboard]

What? No poem today, Master G?

 

Miltie, many thanks for the extra tips! Good to know the difference between the SB and AF boots.

 

Re bindings, the TD step-ins looks great. Unhappily they are not available now. I will check with Bomher store to see when they are availble again. Do you think it is worthwhile getting the X-bone.

 

I can't wait to get to the mountain now. By the way, has anyone been to Whistler in November. It seems that it has 200 cm snow even in November and H.I.S is offering 54k to Vancouver.

 

Siren

[What gets your vote as "most overused Japanese"!]

kimuchi ii

[Hard Boots for Alpine/Racing Snowboard]

Hi Miltie,

 

Big thanks for the information – it answered so many questions that I have had since thinking about moving to alpine board two years ago. It was a quantum leap up the learning curve.

 

Bad,

 

Thanks for the Carver’s Almanac – I haven’t had a close look yet but there is so much information. We fear your research power, Bad!

 

Miltie, the one I bought is the Accel 5694 T-1 i.e. 156 cm. Yes, I quite like the design of the Moss brand even though reviews in Japanese magazines did not rate its board (in terms of performance) as highly as e.g. Ogasaka or Yonex.

 

I agree with what you say about Yahoo! Japan Auction and was telling Ocean and Bad exactly the same thing. I’ll try it out and see if I can get a decent pair of bindings from there and try to set it up myself – it should be fun. For the boots, I think I feel more comfortable if I can try them out before I buy them. Do you think it is worth investing in a pair of slightly pricey boots – i.e. does it really make that much difference or it is just marketing?

 

Thanks for the tip on Nomugitoge – I have not heard of it before but it sounds like a great place (I look up http://www.vill-nagawa.jp/ski/nomugi.htm) with a 4,000 m run. Is it too steep for a beginner? I will check it out next time I am in Nagano. Hope they would lift the restrictions on the expert runs soon.

Will keep you posted. Thanks again

 

Siren

[Alpine/Racing Board]

By the by, how do I get a 5-star rating like you and Bad (who do I have to kill)?

[Alpine/Racing Board]

Is it how you do it?!!

 

Thanks!

[Alpine/Racing Board]

Thanks Ocean. Not knowing how to edit the title etc as you suggested, I have started the new thread called “Hard Boots for Alpine/Racing Snowboard” and refer to this thread for background discussion.

 

Bestest,

 

Siren

[Hard Boots for Alpine/Racing Snowboard]

Ocean, Bad and myself were discussing a problem relating to hard boots (for an alpine/racing snowboard) and we hope that you would be able to help us. For background discussion please see the thread entitled “Alpine/Racing Board”.

 

These are some of the questions on my mind:

 What are the considerations in selecting hard boots and bindings?

 Possible mismatch between boots, bindings and board of different makers?

 Price range?

 Is it possible (or practical) to purchase the boots and bindings online?

 How does the fitting process work and what are the possible adjustments to the boots?

 What are the shops in Japan that can provide fitting?

 

Ocean and Bad, who have given this more thought, may have other questions. If you have the answer to any of the above, we would be grateful if you could share with us.

 

Bestest,

 

Siren

[Alpine/Racing Board]

Hi Bad/Ocean,

 

Thanks for the further information. The only place I have actually seen the boot-fitting being done is the Ishii (ski) Sport Shop in Shin-Okubo and in relation to ski boots. When I was visiting the shop the shop assistant was explaining to a customer in front of something which looks like a glass box. The customer was bare-footed and they were obviously taking measurements and the assistant was apparently explaining to the customer about the box. Unfortunately I didn’t pay much attention at that time (two years ago). Around the same time (I was looking around to purchase a new snowboard), a shop assistant in a smaller shop in Jinbocho (can’t recall exactly which one now) told me that if I buy the hard boots, I could pick it up two days later after the ‘adjustments’are made. I didn't pursue that either

 

To summarise, I think the possibilities are:

 

Buy everything off the shelf and take our chance with pain-and-pressure-points – personally I think this is a bit irresponsible

 

At least some adjustment is necessary to fit the bindings, boots and feet properly (as suggested by the shop assistance mentioned above

 

Full fitting and moldable liners etc.

 

I will do a bit more research over the next two weeks and if we can’t find anything tangible, I will approach Viento as a first stop to enquire about the fitting.

 

I am all for starting a new thread on this stubborn little problem. Would the senior (and doubtless more distinguished) members of the Forum mind doing that?

 

Bestest

 

Siren

[Alpine/Racing Board]

Hi Bad,

Many thanks for this (and for bringing forth the other related discussions on the forum) – I will definitely check out BomberOnline.

I have been putting off the decision to try out the alpine snowboard for a while and the reason was always the switch-over costs – the board, the boots and binding, the whole lot. Buying the board would commit me to action. I will definitely report back on the progress.

By the by, have you and Ocean worked out the hardboots – it seems that it is quite a tricky process as they have to be ‘bespoken’ to fit your feet as well as the bindings. If I can’t find anymore info on the net – I would probably ask for a fit by Viento. It cost a bit more but probably the safest way to do it.

FYI, if you can read Japanese (which I am sure you can) and don’t mind used equipment (and the hazards of online auction), Yahoo! Japan Auction site has quite a lot of alpine items from what I can see.

Bestest,

 

Siren

[Shaker in Hokkaido]

Bloomberg said no eruption is expected but a TV programme last week predicted the 'big one' is definitely coming, the question is only when and how big.

 

Nikkei 225 will finally go to its true level (i.e. 6000)?

[Carving Magazine Online]

Very funny. No wonder you are always having a sore one.

[Alpine/Racing Board]

I am thinking of trying out alpine snowboarding the coming season and have recently bought a Moss Accel alpine board (2003 model - not the cutting-edge board I know but I like the design).

 

Can anyone give me any advice (before I go to Jinbocho and make some expensive mistake) as to how to select the boots and binding that fit? The main question I have in mind is whether any binding is fine as long as the boots fit?

 

Grateful for your advice