tripler

I know they exist but do they attract a different crowd?

Has anyone been to a skiers-only resort in Japan? Is the profile noticeably different from resorts for both disciplines? I'm thinking boarders tend to be younger and are more likely to be gaijins (though I don't know that for a fact, particularly the second bit).

how about a wall calendar with members' photos for each month? And we could vote on which pics make it.

Originally Posted By: TJ OZ And for some fresh stuff does anyone ski that?

thanks, stemik

anyone know the name of the green jackets lift company in Hakuba? They run the gondola and some other lifts.

Just turn up with enough money for a few weeks and hopefully find something. With a work visa you've got a good chance. (Not that I've ever been to Niseko but people did it at Hakuba.)

Would a stiff snowboard boot be better for carving but not make any difference for powder?

and what's the down side of stiff boots?

I was looking on evogear's website and noticed you can group the boots by "ability level" - Beginner-Intermediate, Intermediate-Advanced or Advanced-Expert. How would the boots in the last two categories differ?

Last season at Hakuba was shit, no denying it. Way too warm. Season before last was good. Best season in recent times was 5 years ago. No idea about Niseko.

Originally Posted By: RobBright Have you tried rakuten or murasaki sports? Ratuken have some nice ones but although the sizes go up to XXL, they only stock up to XL. I bought an XL one from Xebio last year and it was slightly on the small side for me. I'll have a look at murasaki, thanks. Overseas online vendors would be good too.

I'm looking for a new XXL one-piece (ideally white). Anyone seen one online or in shops in Japan? Thanks

Originally Posted By: 2pints,mate Are you sure you didn't just buy a dog instead? What did you get in the end? board, boots, foot grip, pads, coat, salopettes, gloves, bag. So it sounds like the board doesn't come off both feet when you crash? If it's only to stop it running away when stepping into the bindings, that doesn't sound too risky. Maybe I can do without.

I just bought a snowboard. I've never boarded before and asked the guy in the shop to show me everything I need. He stuck a grip thing on. But I've just realized he didn't suggest a lead. I think I remember from when I've been skiing that boarders have a velcrove thing around one ankle and the other end attached to the board so it doesn't shoot off down the slope when they fall over. Is that a standard thing for boards?

Just in case anyone else is having trouble finding big sizes... I found some XL boots in Watahan (a food and DIY superstore) which fit me very well. They must be at least 30cm, proabably 30.5. Above ankle length, look good for snowy conditions, about 1,800 yen.

forget that, I found http://www.sorel.jp/

Originally Posted By: Go Native I got some boots recently from the Japanese Sorel site but just checked and they only seem to go to 29cm....30 won't be easy. http://www.sorel.com/ has some huge sizes on theres. Is Japanese Sorel another website or the Tokyo supplier or you just select Japan for shipping? Thanks for the info

perhaps I should specify, when I say snow boots I mean boots for walking around town/bottom of the slopes with. I found some size 30 snowboarding boots in Alpen.

I'm in Japan and can't find any size 30cm snow boots in the shops. They only go up to size 27.5cm. Is there a Japanese online shop I can buy them from? My searches on the web haven't found much. Thanks

is 7/11 in Tsugaike?

Is there a Mizuho bank cash machine in Hakuba? I'm actually going to be in Tsugaike but I'm assuming it's so small there won't be any banks there. Thanks

thanks for that, tsondaboy

Originally Posted By: Mr Wiggles If its your near birthday and you book in advance, you might get a flight for 13,000 or so one way. sadly not near my birthday. But is that true? Someone mentioned this deal on JAL Fare code: (otomo de mairu waribiki) おともdeマイル割引 12,500 Yen One Way. Anyone know what that's all about? As for cheaper domestic airlines, I don't think any do Matsumoto-Sapporo. That route was going to be axed recently but the government stepped in or something.

going by train or bus