Flywalker

LOL!!!

A comment was made in an earlier thread that the rear and front binding angles should be within 5 degrees of each other on a carving board. I am curious to know the reasoning behind this statement. I rode 48B/57F for 16 years and it was very comfortable. Now l am riding 47B/57F and it is also very comfortable. Just wondering what the advantages would be if l narrowed the margin between them. Thanks (^_^)

Why would you recommend this?

Weeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrd.

This is correct. I tried to mount the bindings and was not able to hit the 3.5 turn mark. l then removed the binding and tried again with just the screw. l tested EVERY insert. The best one engaged for 4.2 turns... but this was only one. 3 or so engaged around 3 turns. The rest, minus one, were at 2.5 and the last one was at 2. After spending $1,000 on a custom board l wasn't prepared to accept the air bubbles and was initially sending it back for that reason. They told me to take it for a ride anyway to see how it felt. When l couldn't install the bindings properly l just put the board straight back in the box it came from.

Rys... lf you make it out here next year drop me a line. Two other BOL'ers came out earlier this year and had an EPIC holiday based in Niseko. l joined them for a day at Rusutsu and took them to a great sushi restaurant here in Sapporo the night before they flew home. You could contact tpalka and Mats through here for some info on their experience. l'm sure they'd be more than happy to tell you about their trip (^_^)

Agreed.... sorry for potentially ruining your stoke, Waveboy. lt was certainly not intentional. However, considering near the top of this thread it had already been confirmed as a maple leaf graphic, l had strong suspicions. You can PM me if you would like more details. l should have written a thread about my experience with a particular builder earlier this season. lt may have averted this situation.

Hate to be the p(a)in but l believe l was advised to return it BECAUSE of the insert depth. lt would be far worse if Waveboy came back on here in a few weeks as a member of the A.I.L. list due to a binding that ripped out of his board.

As Masahiko stated earlier some resorts close in Hokkaido at the end of this month. Niseko will close at the end of the first weekend of May. l believe Rusutsu will be similar to Niseko. l can't comment on resorts in other regions. As far as crowds are concerned.... basically things are winding down. Hotels will be EASY to find and end of season discounts will be available. Several bars in Niseko are having their year end parties March 15th even though the mountain is open for another 6 weeks. Conditions? All depends on the year. There is still LOTS of snow here... last Thursday-Friday was the single biggest dump of the season in Kokusai and Teine. We may have really good riding right up to closing day this year.

Hi Masahiko (^_^) l have a Kamori Winter Pass. That's why l always go to Rusutsu or Teine. Mt. Racey is also on that pass so l should try it as well. English teacher.... that's right. Kindergarden teacher during the day and private adult teacher at night. Ore wa ichiban ookii kodomo dakara tanoshii haha! l'd love to hit the hills with you, dude. Let's make a plan and get out there. You can send me a private message through here or email me at flywalker68 at gmail dot com.

As BlueB said ignore that arrow on the RC10's. l went through that whole episode as well and just centered the boots and the bindings. lf you bought that board off the Prior rack and it's a custom 10/12 side cut it sounds suspiciously like the board l sent back. Most of the inserts won't go deeper than 2.5 turns... and there are air bubbles under the back leaf.

Have you taken it for a test drive yet?

Hi Masahiko, Ok l see... l don't know Asari, then. l have never been to Kokusai, either. The price is cheap, though! Do you know when they will close? l have 3 weeks vacation starting March 18th so if they are still open l would like to go at least one time. Yes, l ride an alpine board. l bought a used Kessler while l was home in Canada for the Christmas holidays. l also have a Dynastar 3800 for my free ride board with Burton race plate bindings. As far as l know l am the only foreigner in Hokkaido who rides an alpine snowboard. All my friends are powder maniacs on soft boots. l can ride with them no problem with my free ride board but l don't do jumps or go into the park. They are always in the trees! My wife who is Japanese started riding a carving board this year and she is doing very, very well. l am hoping to get up early enough this weekend to experience corduroy at Rusutsu. lt might be difficult to do, though.... l have to attend a shaonkai party in Otaru Saturday night and my glass will be filled non-stop for two hours! This year l will try to disappear like a ninja before the nijikai (^_-) My home mountain is Rusutsu. l go there every Sunday. I'd be happy to try somewhere new during my Spring vacation (^_^) From Ebetsu it is much easier to access your recommended ski areas than from Sapporo kita-ku... but l can probably do it on my time off.

Hi Masahiko! Asari... is that Tengu Yama? l work in Otaru every Wednesday so it could be a good chance to check it out. My lunch break is 3 hours long so l could easily get there for 2 hours. Do you know if they sell tickets by the hour or is it full day and half day tickets?

I understand what you're saying.... However, unless you are riding your board like a monoski, front side and toe side should be exactly the same.... unless you wear your boots backwards. This is a CARVING site, after all.

Those of you who find it difficult to understand front side and back side must be wearing your jackets with the zipper behind you. Must be difficult to get dressed in the morning....

Beautiful (^_^) l'd be happy to be a pilot, too!

l'm free on that day and maybe the next... then l have to go to Tokyo on business the 23-25th. lf all goes well l'll be back the evening of the 25th and ready to ride again on the 26th... followed by about 10 days off. Once you firm up your plans let me know and we can go hit the hills! l've been to that onsen! lt was in September 2008 on a motorcycle tour... the leaves were changing and the view from the onsen was just amazing. Winter should be even more superb by the looks of the photos. There are lots of great onsens around Niseko as well... but not with those kinds of views. Tough call really.... depends on what sort of overall experience you want, l guess. ln any case, let me know if you're going to head around my neck of the woods. Send me a PM and we can go from there.

The bus between Niseko and Rusutsu is local and dirt cheap. Depending on when you come up l may be able to join you for a few days. That'll remove the bus altogether (^_^)

You are correct. Rusutsu isn't even a town, it's a resort. The nearest town is Kimobetsu and it's a blip on the map. In the summer there is a mini fun park with roller coasters etc. on the same grounds as the hotel but in the winter it's all about the mountain... and that's it. Nothing else. My Japanese wife raised her eyebrows at the thought of Furano as being "culturally interesting". ln the summer they have spectacular lavender fields along with other flowers which blanket the surrounding hills in brilliant colour. However, although this is a "must see" for motorcycle tourists in the summer, in winter the best l can do is recommend a great ramen noodle restaurant. As far as Furano groomed is concerned neither of us can comment... sorry. But... at the moment Furano has a 130cm base, Rusutsu 270cm and Niseko 390cm. As an option l would consider basing yourself in Niseko. You can ride groomed or powder there... and the crazy season is over so the tourist numbers are way down now. There's a daily bus that goes to Rusutsu as well so you can visit both mountains. l'd say there's enough between these two to keep you occupied for a week. The other option, possibly, would be to base yourself in Asahikawa and check out the mountains on that side. Furano and Tomamu are within reach but you'll need to rent a car probably. There's also some gnarly backcountry in Asahidake and Kurodake if you're inclined. Miltie!!! Dude l wish l had known about that event at Rusutsu! l was there yesterday but l had no idea that there was an event taking place. How does one find info on these events? l'd like to bookmark that info for next time.

I am in Hokkaido. There are many resorts that will have groomed runs... but you need to be on the first chair in the morning or ride midweek to find it. Niseko, Rusutsu, Kiroro, Kokusai.... all within a maximum 2 hr drive from Sapporo... will have daily grooming programs. Even Teine, Sapporo's local mountain and the site of the '72 winter Olympics will have groomers, but only in the morning. By lunch time the runs have deteriorated to the point where you need to have some mogul bashing skills. Today l was at Rusutsu. l saw several carvers there and when l stopped for lunch there were 4 SG race boards and 2 Kesslers lined up next to each other. l didn't see them ride because l was in the trees all day. I have no idea whether Moss, Gray, BC Stream etc. are good boards or not, although l would assume that they are decent products. However, the locals have a combination of inferiority complex AND the notion that foreign is better. ln any case, it's far more exotic for a local rider to be on a Kessler or SG than on anything made here. l haven't seen a single Prior, Donek or Prior, though.

l voted cord. BUT... here in Hokkaido Japan the appearance of cord is rare. Where l normally ride the groomed runs are all chewed up before lunch time... however the pow in the trees stays fresh and deep 3-4 days after a dump. The dumps are plentiful and often so if you know where to look you can ride pow all day.... for days. The only way to get cord is to be the first guy on the chair.

LOL! l often ditch my boards and ski instead of ride powder. l also have just recently bought a 3800 and mounted Burton race plates. Boots are RC10's with red tongues and ridden unlocked. Maiden voyage was last Sunday and it was AWESOME! Superb powder board that can still carve a decent turn on the groomed. 30B(7*cant)/45F and a little back of center. Loved it! Still packing my skis, though... for when the legs need a rest (^_-)

They are easy to put on and take off if you unlock the spring mechanism at the back BEFORE trying to to either.

l have a Kessler. 10/14/12M VSR. We are still getting to know each other but l am really liking the side cut blend so far.