jondreads 3 Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Hey gang, a bit of advice please! I'm going to spend the whole winter in Niseko. I own a Burton Custom X, which I'm really happy with, but I'm thinking that maybe I'll need a board that's better in powder if I'm going to be in Niseko. I'd like to try some back country tours while I'm there. Or maybe a powder board will be a waste of money. (using the maxim "it's 90% rider, 10% board". And I ain't that good ) So ideally I'd like to find a shop where I can try / rent powder boards to see whether it's worthwhile for me. Are recommendations for such a shop around Niseko? I'm tall and fat (by Japanese standards) so I need a big board. Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 theres actually a thread with all kinds of powder board recommendations. On a site called easy loungin (in the snowboard section), youll also find a great thread on powder boards (i think its called something like "powzer board quiver thread". Heres the one on site: http://www.snowjapan...pow-pow-boards/ Once you can ride a wee bit, powder boards are good for all if you ask me. Theyre an extravagance. If you can afford them and dont mind carrying them about, why the hell not? When the conditions are great, and you happen to have your pow deck with you, youll thank the gods you dropped the cash on them. If on the other hand you dont have one, you wont really know youre missing it for the most part... Youll just enjoy the pow Best place to try out a pow stick is probably the gentem shop in niseko (its near the annupuri gondola if i remember right). If you want to try out a pow board, then i cant think of a better place to get you hooked up Link to post Share on other sites
jondreads 3 Posted November 2, 2011 Author Share Posted November 2, 2011 Cheers Ippy I'll try out the shop and read the threads. Link to post Share on other sites
greg 4 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 There are a few hire stores in Hirafu now that you can hire a powder board from. From memory you could hire a Burton fish, malalo, 4807. As ippy said you could also try a gentenstick for something local, there a quite a few models depending on your size and weight. I really like them but everyone is different. Sometimes there has been a small hire shop up on the mountain under one of the cafe's that rents gentems. Or your could just straight to the Gentemstick showroom/workshop/shop right next to the Gentem Cafe, about 15 minutes walk? from the village towards St Moritz. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I'd love to try out a Gentemstick.....they are one takai board!! Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 oh, and if youre doing touring, you might seriously want to consider just investing in a splitboard instead of a fully designated pow board. Its going to be expensive of course, but now that people like K2 and neversummer are producing splits, prices do seem to be getting more manageable. I think the split plus skins plus voile hardware set is something like $900 which is pretty decent. Consider 500 for a pow stick (and 200 to 300 for snowshoes) and then factor in that skinning up on a split means the next time you go up, the trails already cut and its much easier (whereas with snowshoes its a bit more lumbering), and you can see the very awesome benefits of your splitboard. If i didnt have my charlie, id probably have bought a split over the summer. Its only the fact that they kind of overlap a bit and the outlay of a pair of snowshoes ($200-$300) is SIGNIFICANTLY less than the cost to split the board (300)+hardware (ca.200)+skins(ca. 200)+other bits and bobs (about $50) plus turning my awesome little pow board ($400) into a split board for everyday riding just seems daft. But buying a board that does pretty much what my charlie does for another $800 just so i can scoot up a hill also seems daft - particularly given that i dont really have people to hike with. :| But if i was starting from scratch, yeah, id have picked up a voile mojo second hand in the off season Link to post Share on other sites
jondreads 3 Posted November 2, 2011 Author Share Posted November 2, 2011 I'd love to try out a Gentemstick.....they are one takai board!! I see what you mean. $2,300 for the Impossible on Rakuten. Link to post Share on other sites
dyna8800 3 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 For powder, gentemstick is the way to go. It is the Holy Grail of powder boards. However, if you have giant gaijin feet, prepare to be disappointed, most of the boards are not wide enough. With the current exchange rates, you probably would be better off (financially) buying a split board AND a dedicated (non-gentemstick) board. BTW, I saw a split board prototype at the gentemstick last season...but most of my mates who ride the backcountry use snowshoes to hike up. Link to post Share on other sites
jondreads 3 Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 Split boards seem a bit too hardcore for my current needs. I've not done a tour yet. I'll take some guided tours this winter and see if I like it, so maybe next year And while the gentemstick does look good I can't justify spending that kind of cash. Something like the Salomon Powder Snake mentioned on the other thread seems like the way to go. The price isn't too bad and it looks easy to get hold of in Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I'd like to try the Jones Hovercraft....heard great things about it and its a decent price. When I bought my board this year I was thinking of the Jones BUT i felt that I wouldn't have it in enough nipple deep days to see where it really takes off, so went for a non pow specific board that should nevertheless let me float through Japow effortlessly as well as rip up the groomers and everything in between Link to post Share on other sites
greg 4 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 For powder boards the old saying rings true, you can't beat length! (lets stick to snowboards people). I have a few boards, but love to crack out the 172cm. When it is really deep but late in the day and the areas are tracked out it is like the USS Enterprise. You can go where no man has gone before. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 If you can, take a Fish for a ride. Love the way mine goes. With 3 weeks this year snow shoes and avi course should see it doing some great country. It was great at Niseko last year. Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 For powder, gentemstick is the way to go. It is the Holy Grail of powder boards. However, if you have giant gaijin feet, prepare to be disappointed, most of the boards are not wide enough. With the current exchange rates, you probably would be better off (financially) buying a split board AND a dedicated (non-gentemstick) board. BTW, I saw a split board prototype at the gentemstick last season...but most of my mates who ride the backcountry use snowshoes to hike up. Is that because of choice? Hiking in snowshoes is a pain, its really trudge trudge trudge, whilst the people skinning up the mountain are all happy smiles and slidey feet But its that fact that once the trail is in, teh previous 3 hour hike takes 30 minutes the second time in a split, whereas your poor mate is going to take just as long with his snowshoes the second time up... OR SO IVE HEARD. Any truth in the rumour, hikers? Its a massive selling point for owning a split - in fact its the biggest one for me since im extraordinarily lazy and the idea of lapping a spot instead of "hike up, ride down, go home" is obviously going to make the hike that little bit more worth it. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Burton Fish Likes swimming in the POW Seemore Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Dedicated powder boards are the way forward! I ride a Burton Fish as well. It's like surfing on snow which I really appreciate since I love surfing as much as I love snowboarding! Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Fish rock. Thanks again BM! Link to post Share on other sites
jondreads 3 Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 I guess I'd better add the Fish to the list of boards to try. Bit worried though that I'll look a bit like a Burton fan boy if a buy a second Burton board. When does snow get good enough to take a powder board out? Link to post Share on other sites
Tex 3 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 This man is on the Money! Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 If you are worried how you will look then perhaps you are better asking the same question on Facebook Tex what is that beauty? Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Tex, you beaut ! Looks like the Jones Flagship to me ... Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 It does indeed! Someone's been saving their pennies/cents/Yen (delete as appropriate!) Link to post Share on other sites
jaseskiwi 0 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I have the dynastar formally original sin 4807, I rode it in Nesiko. I am 99% skier and in fact had my 1st run for the season on it at the end of my trip after 20 days skiing. I hike to the summit . There were about 5 people that passed me on the way up, by the time I clipped in they were already about 50-100m down the fresh stash. I pointed the board and within seconds I was in the front with all the stash to for me. If I was on a standard board I would not have the confidence at all to do that. It floats amazingly you stand in the centre and never go over the front or get tip dive. I even road all the way out jacksons traverse easy as which I was the only snowboarder the 4 weeks I was there to do it. Point being it makes life easy and you can get the fastest take off. Also good onpiste due to super tight radius. the only negative is you cant skid the tail so in trees you have to be committed to the carve. I have a brand new one in my garage awaiting the day. Be warned they are super fast acceleration off the mark... good luck Link to post Share on other sites
Tex 3 Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 If you are worried how you will look then perhaps you are better asking the same question on Facebook Tex what is that beauty? As Jinx et al observe this years Jones Flagship... photo is from Santacruz here hosted on SJ, I think he just wanted to be just like me maybe (I have last years offering). Value for money there are NONE better! Arguable they are top of the range regardless of cost as well I would say 1 Link to post Share on other sites
SantaCruz 0 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Indeed Tex, you were the one that convinced me to go Flagship! And a good point about the price as well, it's very reasonable for what you're getting. I've got the Hovercraft on order, supposedly shipping out sometime in the middle of this month. So I'll now have 4 boards. The plan is * sell my oldest one (Nitro Magnum 168) * use my Rider's Chooice 165W as the early/late season board when conditions are sketchy * Flagship 168W will be the go to board once the season has started and the coverage is good * Hovercraft for the deep days. Honestly the Hovercraft was a big indulgence. Especially since I live in Seattle and the snow here is typically wet and heavy and there aren't a ton of days when it's really deep. Although for $400 shipped it's a great deal for a pow board. And it's supposed to be another La Nina year Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 * sell my oldest one (Nitro Magnum 168) how much? Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts