Kingofmyrrh

Originally Posted By: samurai KOM- I ride a 183 Gotama/fritche. I'm just a bit bigger than you. 77kgs. You are also considerably better than me.... but seriously, it does appear that people are tending to recommend length. Hopefully I can find something in Ochanomizu next weekend. I will try and find the debat that soubs mentions before I make any decisions on the bindings.

I will do that. Thanks.

Originally Posted By: Creek Boy 183 with freeride bindings and skins, the only way to go... Ahh... a little mroe research showed me that freeride is actually a brand, so you already answered my question. They seem to be pretty popular. Wangel seem to have a combo Gotama and Duke (freeride) bindings set so maybe I'll look into that...

I wrote "alpine" bindings but of course what I meant to write was "touring". Anyway, I realised that all of the bindings offered as a set on the Wangel page are actually regular alpine bindings, so let's ignore that. Instead, what touring bindings do you guys use? In case I haven't got the terminology correct, I mean the kind of bindings which click in as normal but have a detachable heel for when you are walking. As I've mentioned, I want to develop some kind of BC skills, but I also have to be realistic and consider that none of my friends will likely want to join me in this endeavour. This

Originally Posted By: tsondaboy The plan to open the BC lift (ie ex #3, now #5 romance) from the first of March this season... That's too bad... I wonder if they'll open it on good weather days throughout the season as they did previously.

http://forums.epicski.com/showthread.php?p=663749 http://forums.epicski.com/archive/index.php?t-23467.html Threads like these make me tend to think I'd be better with a 183, but I can't find any posts by people quite as skinny as I am...

bringing it back level (skier).

Last season was my first in Japan and first back on skis for quite a while. I picked up boots but rented skis all season. This season needs to be different. I was planning on picking up some all-rounders (maybe from volkl AC-something range) and then something leaning towards powder later, but thinking more about what I want to do this season (and a couple of viewings of Waiting Game and Respect) have convinced me that I should prioritize the skis that will let me take my skiing where I want to go. I'm thinking Gotama, because I hear they are reasonable on piste as well. I am 175cm and we

About to tip into 26

Please let it be my year...

I will have a look.

Suddenly realised that it's October... and the season is just around the corner! I didn't get any new skis at the end of last season as I didn't have any cash and was told that last year's stuff would be available cheaply around now. I'm considering something like Volkl Supersport 5* or the like, do you think I've left it too late to get last year's gear? Thanks! Edit: I see Wangel still has last year's AC3 Titanium for a price I would be happy to pay, anyone got anything good or bad to say about this ski? I enjoy bumbling around all over the mountain, like to carve well but am not partic

No need any more!

Was at Taito on Sat and Sun. Waves were OK on Sat but pretty nice on Sun - however this meant that the sea was absolutely chock-full of people, like ice cubes clinking against each other in a glass. Later on it started drizzling and loads of people ran away, which was even better. I really enjoyed myself, so much easier to catch a wave when they have a little size and shape. Still, would be even better in the sunshine and warm water! Anywhere in Asia that has nice (but not too big, I am still very rubbish!) waves around Oct/Now? I will be gagging for a beach holiday by then methinks.

I must admit I'm totally confused TBH. I thought that things were as your figures said. But then my payslip doesn't appear to bear this out (I guess next week's will be the real test). And I wouldn't expect the source I got the info I just posted to be wrong either. But I really hope he is...

I had heard the same kind of thing as bushpig (as I wrote earlier) but today I had the chance to look over some documents about this prepared by a tax consultancy (which i obviously can't post here). Strangely, despite having worked in a tax-related field myself previously, I find the information almost impossible to decipher, but as far as I can tell, unless you live practically below the bread line, you are going to get screwed over. Great.

http://www.jreast.co.jp/estation/stations/1654.html This is a map of Yoyogi JR station (you don't mention whether we're talking JR or underground). North exit is at the top of the map. While there are escalators from the platform, it appears that the only elevator is at the North exit, but going down to Oedo line and not to JR lines.

Sweet, looks like I'm good to go. Gonna hit some websites and will hopefully be rental-free by next weekend! Thanks guys.

exercise, fresh air, suntan, even the odd thrill as I manage to get it right occasionally... I think I'm getting a pretty fine deal! ps what would you recommend wetsuit wise? I've not heard so much good stuff about local custom suits, was thinking of just getting something by quicksilver as I've heard a fe people mention them. Any thoughts? Sorry for all the questions...

I rent for about 3000/day and wetsuit 2000/day. It's meant to be a touch more but I get on pretty well with the shop people. I don't know if this is expensive or not, but I don't mind paying to have this much fun!

Total income tax (on a constant income) will not change. It's just that they've decided to redistribute the burden such that local tax increases and national tax decreases by the same amount. Still, even though I knew this, my eyes nearly fell out of my head when I got my bill the other day...

Thanks Indo, I think you are right. I can stand on the board but not much more. I have a feeling, now that I checked some websites, that the NSP boards are the same as what I have been renting, which I get on with well enough. If I get good enough to deserve a better board then I'll probably be so happy that I won't mind spending the money when the time is right.

Thanks for all the help everyone. I'm teetering between getting an epoxy funboard and something a little more pricey, but I suspect the only reason I'm considering the latter is that I want to look like I know what I'm doing. Unfortunately this illusion will evaporate the instant I approach the water, so I may as well just get what's best for my surfing enjoyment/progress.

Thanks for the replies. Obviously I'm not the only one having a less than thrilling workday... Indosnm, I guess I should just jump in at japansurf and stop pussyfooting about... I will PM you about those links, sounds good to me (I am 175cm/5'10"?? by the way). Thanks again for taking the time to help out.

Just spent a couple of hours browsing this thread. I had my first attempts at surfing very recently and have browsed http://www.japansurf.com but sometimes people there can seem pretty negative and aggressive, nothing like here, so I never posted. Good to see that SJ has surfing covered as well! Despite having nothing in the way of knowledge to contribute here I'm going to ask you guys a couple of questions. Hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread, please just ignore if you want to. 1) I've been surfing at Onjuku (Chiba, south of Ichinomiya, near Katsuura), but it is a mighty long