surfinsmiley

3rd vote for the Rad-Air line up. LSD for an allrounder(bit stiff for powder though) or a big tanker for the Powder with good carvability on the groomers. I think they originate from Switzerland too, built in the Volk factory! Good karma to support the local industry I reckon.

Bump,:lol: for a lost classic!

Vote number 4 for just listening to the sound of snow being sliced by steel.

Your board won`t complain if you DON`T ride it hard and fast for 6 months.:(

Thanks guys, I have been wearing my boots at home lots, much to the detest of my Japanese wife. Shoes in the house are a big no no in Japan. TB, thanks for the offer but my bank balance is still recovering after buying my boots and bindings. I`ll see if I can ride some other peoples boards on the hill to get an idea of what a "skinny board" feels like and come to some decision from there. ....I`ll see how I go on the LSD this week-end with hardboots for the first time.

I was learning in Japan last season and saw a little Japanese girl doing the most unnatural snowboarding thing I`ve ever seen. I crashed and was in the process and getting myself up out of the snow when I hear this giant screaming noise coming from uphill of me. I turn out just in time to get cleaned up by this 40kg girl riding her board down the hill.........on her stomach........I think she thought she was riding a boogieboard. Anyway, she didn`t get stopped by crashing into me but, she got spun around so that she was now riding down the hill backwards lying on her stomach. Screaming laughter all the way! Weirdo Japanese, if I`d not seen it, I`d have said it couldn`t be done!

Wow! Such a wealth of great responses. Thanks. I`ve just been looking at the Prior and Donek sites and have had my eyes opened a little more regards what`s available. Well spotted D-sub, Downtown Tokyo offers lots of really narrow race boards. I`ve been looking for something secondhand on the local market but all the boards seem built for little Japanese sized feet. RJ-PS, I`m pretty sure your one of the reasons I picked up the Reto. (and PSR?). I`ve done many hours of reading to find a board that I could ride with both so I could better understand the differences in the boots but on the same board. I will ride it on plates, I`m just getting concerned about effective edge. Do I need more than the Reto offers? OFF TOPIC- Has anyone got those spring systems yet, from the french dude, Arnaud?(spelling).

...........

Hi team, I have just bought myself my first Hardboots and bindings(both Head). I`m looking at getting an Alpine board but have no idea how to choose one. I`m a complete begginer at snowsports but I`ve surfed and downhill skateboarded for many years. I bought a soft set-up last year and then saw the error of my ways after about a week on the snow........I saw some guys Hardbooting and instantly new my future lay in that glistening trench in the snow. I am currently on a Rad Air Reto LSD(beautifull), I bought it because I had originally planned to go with the Catek Freeride`s, but after lots of lurking.....I ended up getting a Hard on, ...no no...... I meant...... Hardboots and Bindings.:) So now I`m shopping for an alpine board. I`m 80kgs (180? pound) and 188cm tall (6`2"). My boots are a size 29 mondo, yes they are the smallest size I could get into, they hurt like hell just siting around in them but I`m already working with the boot fitter on that one. Any suggestions on how to start looking for a board to learn some fluid style? My main concern is my boot size vs board width. It seems that most boards are in the 18-20cm wide range and I really don`t like my chances of getting my hoofs on a board that narrow. I think I`d feel like a skier. My idea is something around 172+, 20-21cm wide with a 12-13m sidecut. I just kind find anyone who actually makes a board of those dimensions, so I might be completly wrong in my train of reasoning with that idea. All good! Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

38 - Second year snowboarding just starting this week. Moved from Australia to Japan and had never even seen snow before last year! Bought a soft set-up last season and realized the error of my ways as soon as I saw a few guys hardbooting in Nigata. Instant convert!

The way to search the Yahoo auctions is to open it with googles "translate this page." Search "Yahoo auctions" then select translate this page. You`ll see something like this. http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dyahoo%2Bauctions%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG Viola.......Drool till your hearts content!