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Happy New Year to all. Im looking for some advice.

 

I am arriving in Tokyo in a couple of weeks with my wife for our first trip to Japan, We have a day of shopping for ski stuff before we head to Hakuba.

I have done all my skiing in Australia but never bought my own skis as we live in QLD, no snow.

 

For the cost of rental for a week I have been told that I can purchase skis in Kanda, Tokyo for approx ,the same price, mainly older models on sale. My budget of approx, 18000yen

 

Mostly sticking to the groomed runs , I consider myself a intermediate+ skier (aust snow) but at 54 I wont be getting too adventurous. Never really had any experience with powder our snow in aust is mostly hard and icy. love to give a little off run pow a go and see how the legs cope.

 

I have just bought new Head adapt edge 90 ski boots, and will have them heat molded in aust before I leave.

Iam not fussy on the brand of ski. The research on the web have suggested all mountain skis.

Iam thinking of a waist of 80mm? length 175cm, based on my height and weight, solid guy..lol

Thats all the information I have.

 

Will I be able to rely on the shop staff to suggest the right skis or does any one have a suggestion what I should be looking for

To be honest my choice will be based on price, hoping to get a good deal.

 

I plan on returning to Japan after this trip with my 2 sons, I dont think I will ski in Australia after this trip so besides the drama of airports Id like to own my own skis.

 

I would appreciate your thoughts on this.

16 days and counting.

Cheers

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You'll have a massive selection especially if your budget is a little more flexible. Honestly that range of ski is a pretty much entry level which is quite good these days. I'd go for a little wider waist as well even if you're sticking to the groomers but prices might be an issue.

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You'll have a massive selection especially if your budget is a little more flexible. Honestly that range of ski is a pretty much entry level which is quite good these days. I'd go for a little wider waist as well even if you're sticking to the groomers but prices might be an issue.

Thanks for the input, price can be flexible, what would be your suggestion be on suitable waist, as I only ski once a year entry level, if their pretty good will be fine, any particular brand?

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go a bit wider, see some reviews on the Volkl Kendo for example.

Just had a look, reviews sounds great, will put on my list See if i can find at the right price.Any thought on the width?

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In between an 85~100. But man.....that's going to be tough to find sub 40,000 yen. I use a Rossi S3 which is 98 under foot and is a fantastic, fun and forgiving all round ski. Again though, that'll blow your budget all to $hit. I think I paid around 52,000 and shopped HARD for that deal in Kanda. Also, your size is right in the sweet spot of popularity so finding old stock will be tricky but there are deals around....you just have to dig a little around the smaller shops. Best bet is to go and see what you can find. The selection really is impressive.

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In between an 85~100. But man.....that's going to be tough to find sub 40,000 yen. I use a Rossi S3 which is 98 under foot and is a fantastic, fun and forgiving all round ski. Again though, that'll blow your budget all to $hit. I think I paid around 52,000 and shopped HARD for that deal in Kanda. Also, your size is right in the sweet spot of popularity so finding old stock will be tricky but there are deals around....you just have to dig a little around the smaller shops. Best bet is to go and see what you can find. The selection really is impressive.

, might just have to spend more money on the skis and less at the bar. Thanks for the help, the balance is the price against the amount of use..
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I have had sound advice that I should hire before I buy to pick the right ski to suit me.Except I want my own skis now,,lol. So I guess Im trying to get help on a ski to cut out the middle process, Doesnt have to be the perfect one, does that make sense?

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fwiw I use volkl mantra 177s 132-98-118 as my everyday work ski. Volkl have only made very minor changes to this ski in the past seven years. If you only have one set of skis this would be my choice. Does everything, any conditions.

 

The Kendo is similar, just a little narrower. No i am not sponsored by volkl. I still have to pay for my gear.

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I got a pair of K2 entry level skis for 20,000 yen two years ago. Prices haven't risen much. For around 20 to 25,000 you should be spoiled for choice

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fwiw I use volkl mantra 177s 132-98-118 as my everyday work ski. Volkl have only made very minor changes to this ski in the past seven years. If you only have one set of skis this would be my choice. Does everything, any conditions.

 

The Kendo is similar, just a little narrower. No i am not sponsored by volkl. I still have to pay for my gear.

sounds like the answer I was after. I liked the reviews on the volkl kendo,will have a look at the mantra, the reviews on the kendo said they are good for bigger guys, im 100kg so that was a good tip for the volkl.

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If your self-description is at all accurate, you do not want a Mantra; that's a ski for very strong experts.

Kendo, I'd agree on but it'll bust you budget (there's a last-season 177 Kendo at Ishii Sports -- or was last week -- for about Y45,000, and that's as cheap as you're going to find).

Probably some last-season demos on sale in shops in Niseko, which might be your best bet at a bargain. Bindings are going to add 15,000-20,000 to the overall cost, remember.

By all means look around at shops in Tokyo before you head up, but 18,000 isn't realistic for a solid intermediate+ all-mountain ski.

Or, you could PM me...

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I consider myself a cheapskate but that is an impressively low budget!

 

If you're looking at racks and racks of skis and looking for cheap ones, note that the cheapest fat ones are usually park skis.

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Thanks for that guys, I really have no idea on the deals I was just going by what I have read, also the type of ski I was thinking about has progressed from just your average ski 75mm waist to a fatter ski,me not knowing the type of ski thats best suited for the conditions in Hakuba in the first place,

This thread has given me a better idea of what I will need, Which is what I was after Thanks.

 

From what I have now read I am after ski aprox, 90mm + width? I may be better off hiring but Im not sure if you can hire the fatter skis.

If you can I will be happy to hire the skis.

Would love to have my own but if the best suited ski is over the $500au mark then thats what i might do, That way I can change skis during the trip.

As its my first trip its all a education, in all the years I have skied in austtralia I dont ever think I have skied in anything like powder, mostly hard or slushy crap. So I am hoping my skiing ability might even improve.

Thanks for your help as usual, your all great.

Manny

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I consider myself a cheapskate but that is an impressively low budget!

 

If you're looking at racks and racks of skis and looking for cheap ones, note that the cheapest fat ones are usually park skis.

Thanks mr wiggles, I guess thats the info I was after, thanks

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If your self-description is at all accurate, you do not want a Mantra; that's a ski for very strong experts.

Kendo, I'd agree on but it'll bust you budget (there's a last-season 177 Kendo at Ishii Sports -- or was last week -- for about Y45,000, and that's as cheap as you're going to find).

Probably some last-season demos on sale in shops in Niseko, which might be your best bet at a bargain. Bindings are going to add 15,000-20,000 to the overall cost, remember.

By all means look around at shops in Tokyo before you head up, but 18,000 isn't realistic for a solid intermediate+ all-mountain ski.

Or, you could PM me...

We are going to Hakuba, but the info is great, thanks. What I have learned is I need a int, all mountain ski with a fatter width than i was thinking, so hiring will prob, be best way to go.

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If your self-description is at all accurate, you do not want a Mantra; that's a ski for very strong experts.

Kendo, I'd agree on but it'll bust you budget (there's a last-season 177 Kendo at Ishii Sports -- or was last week -- for about Y45,000, and that's as cheap as you're going to find).

Probably some last-season demos on sale in shops in Niseko, which might be your best bet at a bargain. Bindings are going to add 15,000-20,000 to the overall cost, remember.

By all means look around at shops in Tokyo before you head up, but 18,000 isn't realistic for a solid intermediate+ all-mountain ski.

Or, you could PM me...

I wouldnt rate myself as a expert, intermediate and improving sounds more like it.great info, thanks

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18000 for some skis you migjt be able to buy a cheap pair of bindings only or half a ski unless you go to a second hand ski shop where you can probably pick up a cheap pair within your budget.

 

We have a shop in Yamanashi that sells second hand skis you may be able to find a shop like that where your heading but not sure buying second hand is a good idea?

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How long exactly is "a couple of weeks"? With the markups in Japan, the clearance sales end up around US retail prices. If you want a decent pair of skis on that budget, you'd probably do better finding online clearance sales, and factoring in the shipping time and Aus import duties. Sites like Evo usually have great deals that end up cheaper for me, even with import duties.

 

With that said, I second the notion that you won't find a decent pair for 18000.

 

As for second hand skis, I'm ultra-conservative as I come from a climbing background, but I usually steer clear of any safety equipment that I don't know the history of ie I'll buy skis from a close friend, but never from a stranger. It's not as much of an issue with skis as climbing equipment, but I like to know that my bindings haven't fallen off the top of a car, because I like my knees as they are.

Edited by theiceman
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I consider myself a cheapskate but that is an impressively low budget!

 

If you're looking at racks and racks of skis and looking for cheap ones, note that the cheapest fat ones are usually park skis.

Thanks mr wiggles, I guess thats the info I was after, thanks

18000 for some skis you migjt be able to buy a cheap pair of bindings only or half a ski unless you go to a second hand ski shop where you can probably pick up a cheap pair within your budget.

 

We have a shop in Yamanashi that sells second hand skis you may be able to find a shop like that where your heading but not sure buying second hand is a good idea?

Looks like I will be hiring, thats Ok, now I have the right information, which is what I was after, thanks

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Get something that's 100+ in the waist. You'll wish you had it as you hit the powder on the nongroomed runs and there are plenty. Yesterday we had about 60+ cm here and groomed runs were still powder runs. I usually ski powder and groomers with a ski that has a 116 waist and have no issues. At 100-105 you'll get used to it in no time.

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Get something that's 100+ in the waist. You'll wish you had it as you hit the powder on the nongroomed runs and there are plenty. Yesterday we had about 60+ cm here and groomed runs were still powder runs. I usually ski powder and groomers with a ski that has a 116 waist and have no issues. At 100-105 you'll get used to it in no time.

Thanks mate, thats what Im wondering, if theres a dump of snow, will I need a wider waist, even on the groomed runs,thanks for the input. Looks like what I will need is out of my budget this year, so i might hire and try and find the right ski, then buy next year, when I return again,, cheers

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Renting and trying a few different skis with varying waist widths is a great idea. If you're doing that, I'd try from 99-116 just to see the difference in powder and on the groomers. I hope you'll have the snow conditions to really see the difference between the skis!

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