Inness 0 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Hi All & Anyone, My wife and I are going to Niseko for the first time in Feb 2013 and needless to say it can't come quick enough. After testing this ski as a demo in the last 2 years I purchased a new pair of 2011 Rossignol Zenith Z76 (127/76/108) in a 170 cm length for this season in Aus and I have not been disappointed, it is an awesome ski. We have now booked to go to Niseko in Feb 2013 and I would really want to take these with me but need some feedback from anyone who has been there as to how this ski will stand up - in particular the width and 76 mm. In the forums I have read there seems to be varying opinion and I think if I go off piste this ski will struggle but if I do the bulk of my skiing on "groomed to boot deep powder" which is what I have experienced in Oz, then I think the ski should stand up. Any and all feedback would be appreciated. Do I take them or leave 'em at home? Cam Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Cam, Short answer. Take them. Long answer. It depends on your ski level and experience and what you want to be doing when you get there. A very good skier buddy of mine has only now bought a set of powder planks after 4 years of heading to powdery spots. He is an outstanding skier, ex-Euro instructor, but powder skiing ala Niseko was new to him. He preferred to stay on piste or at piste edges the majority of the time, as his nirvana was hard packed fast empty pistes where he could rocket down. Skiing in powder is quite different! I board, so skiing is not my area of experience though. I recommend you take your skis. Use them on piste, pop off the sides of runs to begin with, to get the hang of powder - I used to lose speed fast initially...and getting stuck sucks! Get a powder lesson or two. A few tips from the guys who know will make it a whole lot more fun for you, and fast!! And hire some powder skis while there, even if it is just for a day to try them out. There is no harm in taking the ones you have, even if they just look pretty in the drying room while you ride some hired fatties. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Mama bear has a point. But, for me it depends on how many days you are going to ski. The more you ski, the more rental charges affect your budget. Also, leaving them at home allows you to really expand your ability to try ..unfettered ..a various quiver of different skis. There are a ton of skis to rent in the specs of the Zenith. Again, my choice would change if I were going for a week ...or for 2 or 3 weeks. Link to post Share on other sites
Inness 0 Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Thanks Guys, the rental cost is a big consideration too. We are going for 10 days and I had intended to stick to the piste to get my ski legs in for the first few days before tackling the good stuff, especially not having skied powder like this before. My main concern was I had been given feedback from other sources that taking mine would be a waste of time as the snow on piste was too soft for my size ski. I would be gutted having gone that far (Oz - Japan) and left behind a ski that I was totally tuned into and could comfortably use on piste. Chriselle you said your choice would change if you were going for 2-3 weeks ie: the 'quiver' as you called it would be opportunity to rent/try a variety if going for an extended period ie: the 2 - 3 weeks - is that what you meant. Also you said that the range on Zentih would be huge, so I assume that if I am happy with the Z76's (which I am) then staying with that range would be a good start point for trialling fat skis? Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 It certainly wouldn't be a waste of time! Your skis will cope with the boot deep stuff fine. Get your ski legs on piste, play in and out of the piste edge powder and trees, then go hire some powder skis and book a lesson to hit the deeper stashes. If you hate it return them, if you love it, keep for longer. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 10 days falls into the 2 weeks category and I'd be taking my own skis. What I meant was if you were only going for a weeks worth of skiing by not taking your own skis frees you up to try other sizes and styles of skis. Taking my own skis I would be less inclined to leave them at the lodge and pay for renting something different especially as rentals aren't exactly cheap. Again,....10 days.....take the Zeniths. Link to post Share on other sites
Inness 0 Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Done, sold, locked in. Thanks for the info. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Wait a sec Cam.....someone will be along shortly to change your mind. Simple straight forward stuff isn't usually locked in and decided until well into page three or four... Link to post Share on other sites
Inness 0 Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 True that............but first impressions are usually the right ones and you and Mamabear have been quick to give feedback. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Opinionated old buggers me and big Chris da! Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 +1 for taking the Zeniths. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 +1 for taking the Zeniths.Now there's a Niseko Skier you should listen to! Link to post Share on other sites
Inness 0 Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Thanks Mamabear. I get the impression the world is a lot smaller than I think and you 'old buggers' know each other to well. MikePow thanks for the + 1. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 +10! Surely that's better than +1 Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 +1 here also. You can always demo some fat skis, but even at Niseko it doesn't snow EVERY day. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Thanks Mamabear. I get the impression the world is a lot smaller than I think and you 'old buggers' know each other to well. MikePow thanks for the + 1.Cam, check out our post counts and when we joined... There's a few of us that have been around here for a while now.I have met a few SJers, but sadly not Chriselle....although perhaps when we pool our funds and buy Mt Granview.... DiGriz! You hush now!! Blasphemy. (he's right...Feb is pretty consistent for snow, but I for one have had a few icy days in Niseko) Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Well..Mamabear....anticipation is one of the spices of life.... Mt Granview....now that's a fixer-upper.. Link to post Share on other sites
Inness 0 Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 It seems my post has now become a chatroom............ I have another query now. My wife - Danni, doesn't have her own skis but she has been testing the Rossignol Attraxion 8's for the past couple of seasons and is fairly convinced that this the ski for her. We are debating whether to buy now to take to Niseko or do you know if there good retail over there where we might find these or something similar? Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Yeah thats what happens everyone starts chatting least they aren't arguing . +1 on the skis I have ridden deep on old thin skis and had a blast it would be good to try a pair of planks though. Seemore Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Hi Seemore Cam there are a lot of options in Tokyo. A whole shopping area full of ski and board shops - incredible!! And prices are WAY off what you would pay retail in Aus. Maybe not so cheap as you could get exUS, but cheaper than Aussie retail for sure. We have arrived with ZERO kit and bought all new x family of 6 in the past (oh, and +2 friends, so eight all up). Boards, bindings, skis, boots, ski clothing.... If you are flying straight into Sapporo and straight up to Niseko by bus, then there are less options. Plenty of retail stores for skis in Niseko. Including all the ones you will know from Oz. Prices will be higher in Hirafu Village than they would have been in Tokyo however. One option to consider might be using Rhythm in town. If you hire thier demo skis you can take a days hire off the price when you buy. I did this last March with a snowboard. Be warned however, sometimes the message is not so loud and clear. I demo-ed a board they did not have in stock, actually only ONE of the profile I was after was in stock, and it was one I definitely did not want to buy. So ended up hiring for that entire trip (luckily a short one, and made good use of it swapping the board every day to demo heaps). If you DO decide to do this, just double check before you hire that they have that ski in that length in stock if you want to buy it after demo. (They did give me a massive discount when I bough the board 2 months later from them in Aus so the service was there) Good luck making that decision. It's one a lot of us face. Buy exUSA - shop in Japan - buy here in Aus before you travel... Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 It seems my post has now become a chatroom............ I have another query now. My wife - Danni, doesn't have her own skis but she has been testing the Rossignol Attraxion 8's for the past couple of seasons and is fairly convinced that this the ski for her. We are debating whether to buy now to take to Niseko or do you know if there good retail over there where we might find these or something similar? I'd buy now... Otherwise, you are wasting a day in Sapporo (unless you have that planned) and trying to locate ski shops with out a car is well, another adventure. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 No telling if they have sizes either. ("Oh it will be in within 7 days") Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 The Rossignol Attraxion 8 has a great profile (127-75-108) for groomed and side of the groomed skiing on Hokkaido for a solid intermediate and above. An advanced to expert female skier will have a deep time on these. Another option and one I'm looking at for my lady is the Rossignol Temptation 82 (132-82-120). The Temptation has slight tip rocker unlike the Attraxion which is traditional camber, and this slight rise at the tip greatly helps the transition from the consolidated snow of the groomed runs to the unconsolidated snow off the groomed runs. Link to post Share on other sites
Inness 0 Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 Good info. Thanks MikePow. Link to post Share on other sites
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