This seasonTrip to Northern EuropeYoshida Ikuyo's strongest partner in the backcountry. VOY SPLITBOARD SET (INCL. SKINS)"
The appeal of splitboards is that they offer significantly improved mobility compared to snowshoes. This allows you to move faster and travel longer distances and in deeper snow with ease. They can also be used as sliding boards, which reduces the need to switch equipment when going up and down, and helps reduce physical fatigue. Another big attraction is that you can choose from more routes, broadening the scope of your adventures. Using reliable equipment reduces gear trouble and improves safety in the backcountry.
However, there are few opportunities to test ride splitboards for backcountry riding, making it difficult to check the actual feel of the board. Furthermore, there are many options, so you have to understand the characteristics of each board and choose carefully, but this can be difficult and many riders give up on purchasing one. VOY SPLITBOARD SET (INCL. SKINS)We spoke to enthusiast Ikuyo Yoshida about her experiences and advice, which may help you decide which splitboard is right for you.
Q1: Where do you usually climb from, 194-chan? This season, this was the best! Please brag about it.
194: I mainly enjoy backcountry skiing, based at Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort in Nagano Prefecture. Although they said there was a lack of snow this season, the snow held up until May. There are tons of backcountry routes that can be set up in Nozawa, but this year I was able to open up a completely new route and ski in the best conditions, which was my favorite memory of the season! Even after it had snowed for a while, there was still good snow left! We all gave high fives and had a blast! It was so moving!
Q194: I think XNUMX is using the VOY SPLITBOARD SET (INCL. SKINS).,
Is a splitboard the best choice for backcountry?
194: That's right! When I first started backcountry skiing, I walked around with my board on my back, but there were limitations. Distance, snow depth, and range of movement. Snowshoes have their own merits, of course, but as soon as I switched to splitboarding, I was amazed at how different it was! Thanks to VOY, I've been able to go on all kinds of trips. It may sound dramatic, but the world has really changed!
Q3: There are many different splitboards, but what do you like about VOY?
194: The shape of VOY is
POWERHOUSE LYTIt's easy to understand if you've ridden one, but it's a very stable board that's easy to ride! I see a lot of different split boards on tours, but I don't think there's any other split board that's as durable and reliable as this one. Split boards have a lot of parts, and they're split in half, so I think they're inevitably weaker. In fact, even among the participants of backcountry tours, I've seen many gear troubles during the tour, but I've never had any trouble! Gear trouble in the mountains can be life-threatening, so this is the best partner you can trust!
Q4: That's encouraging!! Splitboards are difficult to choose because you have to test ride them and buy a new one every year, but hearing stories like this makes me feel at ease! 194, how tall are you and what size board do you ride?
194: Test riding is difficult, isn't it? It's best to not just ride, but walk on it, put stickers on it, rearrange it, and consult with someone who actually uses it. VOY comes in sizes 146, 155, and 161. I'm 158cm tall and use a 146cm board.
Q5: That includes sticking stickers on things and rearranging things! What do you think about that?
194: The VOY allows you to put the pick of the seal into the hole, so there is no need to worry about it coming off, and it is very easy to use. The seal is pre-cut, so there is no need to worry about making a mistake when cutting. It is cut precisely to fit the board. The interface uses voile, and the structure is analog and very simple. It is easy to change modes! I have seen some lightweight splits, but the VOY is really sturdy, which is great! There are absolutely no problems! Gear trouble on the mountain is something you really want to avoid. I want to use tools that I can trust.
Q6: What is important about splits is not only the feeling when climbing, but also the feeling of being able to ski comfortably after climbing! How is the gliding performance and buoyancy of the VOY?
194: To be honest, it felt really strange at first! It's only natural since there are two edges in the center. It's completely different from a solid board. I was fighting the torsion as I was skiing, but after I realized that I needed to use the surface more instead, it felt so much better! While split boards have their own unique controllability, as I mentioned at the beginning, the VOY is great for its straightforward, stable simplicity! It has good buoyancy and is stable and easy to ski in deep powder, steep slopes, and spring snow. It's also easy to control even in the tight trees that are unique to Nozawa.
Q:7 Is there any adventure you'd like to take with VOY next season?
194: I've skied in Norway, Sweden, and Iceland in Northern Europe, but I still want to go. They're so beautiful. I also want to go to Patagonia! It's across Argentina and Chile! There's no end to the places I could list, but I want to keep adventuring with VOY!
