johndknm
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Posts posted by johndknm
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Bah to the chart above. Height - 10cm on parabolics. increase lenght for speed.
less is easier to ski/turn than more. Ive heard this debate at length and personally find it easier to ski shorter than longer skis. You dont lose too much in speed and after all its about turns isnt it.
I think the actual ski is quite important. shape, stiffness and waist underfoot.
Ive been trending shorter for years now.
If you are beginning then definitely downsize as it will make things easier (ie turning will be much easier). Then I would more likely increase the stiffness in the ski before increasing the length (ie upgrade to a performance ski before getting a longer beginner ski if you get my drift)
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A little off topic but can I buy one of these? Akihabara I guess??
I anticipate skiing japan every year for the next 3-5 years, in increasing lengths of time (up to 6-8 weeks if i get my way!)
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Hi all, I hung out around here 2 seasons ago, and have dropped in quitely on and off since.
Got great advice and had a fantastic trip to nagano/nozawa onsen. I picked up some pocket rockets (from FT)and learned to ski mad off piste powder. We love trees and deep powder. We will have a crack at small cornices and double black steeps (but not as mad as FT and friends tho - you know who u are - and we arent big on the park). The seths and the PRs need taking for a run!
I missed last season (baby + new business - baby is cute, new business is heading me to heart attack). I have 2 weeks (last week jan/1st in feb) for powder fix.
I *need* to be able to connect by fast internet back to my business in case the wheels fall off(either net cafe, with my laptop/hotspot, or even fixed price 3Gdata card if I can buy a prepaid one -i plan on returning over and over to Japan). Internet cafe in Hakuba?
We (4 adults and 2 babies and maybe a babysitter/friend) are flying Tokyo and will do the shinkansen to Nagano station. We are trying for overnight flight from Aus.
Where should we stay thats practical (we will bring all baby needs) given we will have 2 x 7 month old babies in tow? I mean getting to the accomodation cannot be too much of a chore. Car seats I presume/hiring a car are out, taxi is ok (in hakuba??) with babies?? How long a walk would we be thinking?? These sorts of things? (we can walk the kids if necessary).
Im thinking we want easy access to shuttle bus to the other resorts in the valley, easy access to restaurants and village stores and
For the skiing, we like offpiste ++ and steeps...in fact the piste is only there to get you to the good stuff. We never had any trouble in Noz, Nisek, Rusutsu with the patrol. I think Hakuba can be an issue?? Are we looking at the wrong resort? (We would be bored with a return to Noz and internet was a problem).
We had a full board minshuki stay in Japanese style rooms in Noz and want to do that again (we had just enough japanese and they had enough english to give us a great time and we love local food not western cuisine).
I have some idea of the layout of Hakuba but you really dont know a place till you go there once.
Opinions greatly welcomed..
TIA
JD
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Congrats on the place. U R living my dream! Wheres the place ?? pm me if u need. Ive not skied for a year and a half (baby and new business and need 2 weeks at end of jan/feb
JD
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I think I came and stayed. Oh, and Nozawa turned out to be a fabulous place too..bit dead at night though...Quote:Originally posted by Toque:
Sava can you help me find a thread???
I'm looking for a thread about Niseko, Niigata, Nagano or Gifu where a newbie doesn't come on here asking general questions and then goes away after 3 posts
JH try maruken-sansou for a place to stay, close to the gondola base. Uphill from the main street. -
CRazyHead undoubtedly...Quote:Originally posted by Fattwins:
Im on the hunt for a pair of 190 super big fats.
specs must be 190cms 110 in the waist. Got the lion on the hunt too.
What backcountry stories you got cookin up this next season then..more Creek Bashing?
as for the skis just ghetto mod a couple of carve snowboards and be done with it
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Eiee? problem with switzerland for me is t h e d i s t a n c e.Quote:Originally posted by BagOfCrisps:
The go is Nagano and Switzerland. For us anyways.
I worked out I could leave friday at 530pm from Bris and CLIP ON geared up at Noz by 1230 Saturday... Canada is no longer a serious option.
Fattwins....u sold me the pocketo rocketos my wife is skiing on
and yes...its seth pistols...
We did Noz last year. Nice enough but too much ridge lines (flat) and not enough terrain (actual downhill skiing) for our tastes....yes i know you all know the good stuff...but we arent brave enough to go right off into who knows where..unseen and Im sure noz offers more of that...
.. rusutsu was good in that everything drained to a lift and was pretty much spot-able from the lift... and there was such a wide choice of lines.. Not the steepest but way fun with fresh...
Noz is out this year. Hakuba is on the short list. Do we stay in the village or hire a car and be a little out of the action? (is hiring a car in Nagano a problem? Im thinking people mover which I presume is a common option)..
In tokyo there were plenty of skiis to be had...but I never really looked at boot sizes. My prblem is not only are my feet "large" they are like ducks as in wide..(EE)...
Doesnt sound like I should be risking the Tokyo purchase (at least not without a "known good" bootfitter to see.. Boots are like getting married...choose the wrong one and u regret it the rest of your life...
tia
JD -
Well theres nowhere good to buy boots in Brisbane that I know of
And the technicas are so packed out its crazy...they rnt that big...
maybe discount for odd size
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Im back! Hello to the regulars. My mates and I had *such* a good time last Feb we are coming again.
Everyone go to Niseko...the rest of Japan is awful...
Seriously...all you aussies reading this...its the *only* place to ski for you, restaurants, bars, night life...party party party...english instruction, Hanazono looks great! Go the Hokkaido Bear Bar!....Oh and the girls are awesome!
Alas, us poor older/married out of the square skiers are seeking more of a variety of terrain. Something more akin to dense trees in waist deep powder with no-one to be seen, we are quite happy with no vis and a metre of fresh snow ..and as long as we can eat something japanese we are happy... terrain wise something perhaps with a dash of small cornices and perhaps a small side of air with a little helping of terrain park and Japanese rooms with onsen and sake for all...
preferrably nearly no one speaks english and we have to struggle to be understood...
What do the hardcores recommend (perhaps not so hard core as the usual suspects...)
We were thinking a 3 resort saga over late Jan to mid/late Feb and we were thinking maybe Hakuba, then Rusutsu and something else on Hokkaido (asahaidake?? prob not furano as too militant patrol wise). Niseko La Ponte was a hoot but not not not niseko proper...
Smaller is ok. We might get a hire car out of Nagano after the shinkansen..
two words i learnt last trip:
Seth Rocks!
Oh and I need new boots in Tokyo on the way through..recommend me a boot fitter on the strip in Jimbocho for someone with fat size 9 Aus feet please..will I have trouble do you think (thats 325mm boots)
TIA
JD
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Someone from a big city like tokyo, london or Paris would feel right at home in Pierre et Vacance or other cheapish french ski resort accomodations as the french seem to like shoebox sized apartments ...Quote:you can get cheap accomodation if you stay in places called 'pierre et vacances' which is a massive hotel chain all over the french alps.....
going to italy, you can get decent terrain for a fair bit cheaper than france.
damn i miss the alps... [/QB]
And iirc boarders *hated* the dolomites as the Italians seem to like traverseing and flat terrain between lifts, oh and pomas...like 2klm long pomas...get on to those boarder dudes
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We just did Noz, Niseko and rusutsu. In my mind rusustu was the best by far. So much easy to access off piste trees. fresh tracks all day...we didnt have enough local knowledge to get the best out of niseko and didnt have that much powder experience either to try stuff alone....
niseko la ponte was great though. as long as the quad runs (not when windy)
Sakebomb which of those you listed do off piste trees, bowls and steep (ish)...for next years trip?
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one of the fellas at la ponte said avalanch risk high today (back was closed and the quad was shut)and we should "be careful" dropping the small cornice into the valley just near the quad
we dropped softly
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keba's gps does the whole bit...speed, vert descent etc. in fact he's got a waypoint record of everywhere we have been on his laptop with lifts etc...and today scored a topographical map of niseko!
he is regularly clocking 80 clicks which I find fast enough. fastest on the seths this trip has been 92 i think. this is of course groomed green runs...previously he and my wife clocked just over 100 on a ski lesson..
slower when the vis is off
i reckon most adv skiers would easy cruise 60+ on piste
>100 would be way scary for me...
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2 words
SETHS ROCK!
soooo happy
they just bump u a level
not cheap but worth it
noz also rocks...2 sunny days in 12. heaps of powder!
niseko next
thx for help
once uve tried fats there is no going back!
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Meaning you think noone has a clue thereQuote:Originally posted by Toque:
Epicski
physicsman I believe...he advocates fat ski related to your weight. eg small woman on 75mm has equivalent experience of float as chunky FB like me on 90+mm
Ooooo offf to the airport now.... Can someone please organise for a bunch of snow about wednesday next week...give us some time to get settled n'all
Noz here we come... -
Oh I recall that insane areaQuote:Originally posted by Toque:
I have to say it as well. You are a big guy and you are only going to get better. Why lock yourself in on a short ski. The fat ski is going to bring you up to a new level pretty damm quick.Quote:Originally posted by phool:
FT is always talking 180+ and Im always thinking 180-
My 2 cents. 180-190 in a mid-fat to fat ski
Good luck on finding cheap skis.
Getting into Sudan's is scary. I remember skiing that when I was 12 and being freaked out of my mind
Now the traverse along Chainsaw ridge (skiers left of Sudans) gets the adrenaline flowing.
Skiing when 12 hey ...bah, Im gonna be skiing like you were at 18 when im 40...
As for float and length, in fact from some of physicsmans assessments and posts on epicski there isnt much surface area difference on say 179 vs 169 seths (like 5%) so the whole you sink with the shortie is probably urban legend to a degree.
< 24 hrs now!
Oh and psychologically I screwed my ACL skiing a long ski that I would grow into.... -
Quote:Originally posted by keba:
I like to turn... won't a fatter ski make that difficult in the trees?
Say nothing Phool!
ill scope out fats dont u worry
maybe i get discount for 2 pair
whats yer cc num again
What length Seths, Scratch BCs, LBFs, launchers and what bindings?
..... more aggressive... well you close your eyes more ill give you that .... but Im still hanging on to the heavy 40 cm day on ramshead...
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80% off piste, we'll see with the parkQuote:Originally posted by Captain Stag:
I love my sp's. They are great for any soft snow occasion - even soft cords.
Although, you said that you want to ride park adn pipe in the first post. Unless you are going to be going absoloutely huge or just doing straight airs I would have to recomend a smaller ski for the park.
I wont be hanging there with the crew if you get my drift.
Im thinking skiing Seths a little short may make them a little more suited to me (ease the turns). FT is always talking 180+ and Im always thinking 180-
failing finding a pair at a reasonable price i will hunt for one of the other skis. Jimbocho here I come!
Thnks C.
Just in time cause we fly to noz TOMORROW
Y A Y ! -
We shall definitely see...Quote:Originally posted by keba:
It would be fair to say you are a deliberate skier, when it comes to technique... I will continue to focus on getting my first beer in while waiting for you at the bottom... -
Thanks for the heads up. Ive spoken to them but unfotunately they only have 169 03/04s and the 04/5 come in at 100000 with 912 ti sally bindings and fat brakes.Quote:Originally posted by Shimba:
go to this site, the 03/04 seth pistols are only 34,800 - i bought my big stix from this shop in kutchan near niseko... but they are 169 (good length for me )
http://www.spotaki.co.jp/ski2003freeski.html
keep your eyes on this shop, they have really good sales!
03/04 in 179 would be an instant buy -
Its so hard knowing what fast and big are isnt it! I run into this problem on other forums. Its just hard to put into words what everyone considers "hard" and "fast". Thats why Ive been going to some lengths to try and paint a picture of what I do now. Now this picture is constantly evolving. For me I am definitely getting better each year. I think I can grow into the Seth Pistols and my skiing will evolve to be faster and "bigger".Quote:Originally posted by powda tele:
Thus, they come into their own on big lines. Sure, you can throw them around in the trees, but it's much more work. They love deep powder, but they're not very flash on piste. If I'm skiing lots of tight things (moguls/trees) or if I don't have much depth under foot, I much prefer my mid-fat skis.
If you want to go real fast, and open them up into long turns, and you've got opens slopes to do that, then the SP's great. If you want something more versatile that can do trees better and cope with piste better, and if that really is the kind of skiing you're doing, then I'd go a mid-fat.
Good luck.
The impression I get is that PRs are soft and SPs are like "big PRs", stiffer, but still soft compared to many of the other "bigline" less sidecut fats out there.
Real Fast isnt me yet. I am if nothing else committed to improving. Some at home would even say unhealthily obsessed with improvement. I always get private lessons, I get lots and lots. In the last 5 seasons Ive gone from high intermediate into expert (in 99 I would not have been doing dbl blk diamonds). I am just beginning to feel the mountains are opening up for real. Dont get me wrong about not being able to ski fast. My wife who is not as good as me and Keba were clocking 100kph on a green run at red mountain (those GPS things are nifty arnt they ... following the instructor sometimes is hazardous). Im sure I could have kept up or exceeded that. I do carve okay. I had a crack at a local Nastar thing with Keba. He beat me one week (bronze). Next week he had gone, I had practiced (silver). @ Whistler last feb he passed me on the other course just hammering it. Like I was stationary! Pity he _totally_ spread himself over 2 gates (the price of going over the edge hehehee).
Ripping it in powder on a treed run and bowls with air is ultimately what I want to be but Im not there yet.
Overall Im thinking SPs, LBFs if I can find them at a discount, then the other less well know twins.. -
Urban legend 1) that some french guy wanted to sue for royalties on the name? 2) the "troubles" and political correctness.Quote:Originally posted by Fattwins:
Why did WB rename sudans anyways
I was still spooked by the time I got to the top of the saddam. I dont want to seem like too much of a pu$$y but I sat there for 20 minutes trying to overcome my fear of falling 400 yards. The entry I know I could do and that was the hardest bit....the first 10 yrds!!!... Really just a 3 foot wide steep (1 ski wide) slide and to the top of a bump and then it was open and actually not as steep as red...the minds a funny thing isnt it...I just couldnt do it.....( i was very very lucky i didnt get choppered out of red it was a long rag doll scenario without an injury! except of the brain).... -
Just the easier lines
dont want more injuries...i ski ok thesedays...for an aussie neway... -
Sure sure...I hear ya.... But as careful as you guys are, your honour, I submit you big mountain hardcore boys might just have stretched your definition of whats risky beyond that of the average skier. I have no doubt in my mind that you are taking risksQuote:Originally posted by Toque:
He doesn't risk his life. He does push himself though. There is a big difference.
The sluff was an accident that would probably have happened to any of us that are pushing it. We like to go fast. He didn't go fast enough and made a silly mistake. Live and learn.
And good.on.ya!
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