Snow has started to fall in many places, and the snowboarding season has finally begun!
With everyone eager to get on the slopes, many are probably hastily starting to prepare for their snowboarding.
You want to make great progress this season. Gear selection plays a big role in how quickly you improve. By choosing the best gear for you, you can ski comfortably and your skills will improve steadily.
This time, we will test ride snowboards from Alpen's top recommended brands from among the new models for this season, and report on the features of each. The gear picked out this time is snowboards and boots for beginners to intermediate riders.
We will be reporting on easy-to-use gear for people who are thinking of starting snowboarding this year, or for people who are thinking of graduating from renting and buying their first snowboard, so please take a look.
Photo: ZIZO Test ride location: Sayama Ski Resort, Saitama
<Snowboard brands we test rode this time>
・kissmark
・SALOMON
・head
・K2
These two people took the test drive.
Mr. Itaru Fujinuma Instagram (@fujinumaitaru) / YouTube (Fujinuma Itaru Professional Snowboarder / RIDE FOR A SMILE）
A professional snowboarder. Armed with the classic style he developed through skateboarding, he has been active as one of Japan's top competitors for many years, winning titles at the PSA Pro Tour and the country's top competition, the Air Mix Super Session. A super multi-freestyler who is expanding his field of activities to include writing and tournament MC, making use of his experience as a lecturer at the JWSC.
Akira Hirokawa Instagram (@akihirokawa）
Snowboarding Experience: 4th grade Skiing genre: Free run, park, powder
While working, she frequents the mountains on her days off, and since last year has been active as an ambassador for the girls' snowboarding magazine and website "SNOWANGEL." When it comes to snowboarding, she practices repeatedly with the goals of "increasing the number of jib tricks," "mastering reverse turns," and "gaining comprehensive snowboarding skills to challenge the backcountry."
The first test ride was from [kissmark]. We test rode one set-up each for men and women.
Ease of riding is the top priority!! Free ride too!
The best value setup for beginners
▶︎ Snowboarding:STYLE 39,900 yen. Category: Freeride, Gra-Trick for beginners to intermediate riders.
The slot structure (central notch) in the board center provides ease of handling and stability.
"I think the STYLE is a board that is easy to use for practicing pressing. From what I've known up until now, when you put pressure on the tail, it has quite a bit of bounce. So if you don't have enough strength, the board hardly lifts, or to lift it, you put your weight on the tail and pull up your foot, but with the STYLE, there's no need to do that at all. I'd like people who haven't been good at pressing until now to try it out. It's easy to use as an introduction to free-riding, and I think it's also easy to do freeriding. Soft boards usually flap around on rough runs like today, but they felt stable even when carving. It depends on the slope, but as long as you don't go at extremely high speeds, I think it's a board that can cover a wide range of people, from those just starting out on the slopes to those just starting to try tricks." (Fujinuma)
▶︎ Boots:JAFFE 14,900 yen. Soft flex. For entry level to beginners.
A lightweight, soft and easy-to-wear model for beginners. Featuring dial-type shoelaces and inner shoelaces at an amazingly low price.
"They are lightweight and soft enough to wear, so I think they are perfect for beginners to buy as their first pair. The price is surprising. I was surprised when I heard the price later, but it's amazing that they are under 1 yen. In the past, cheap boots were ones that you couldn't tighten the inner lining and the fit wasn't great. But the Jaffi has a tight lining and comes with a dial-type shoelace. Many beginners have trouble lacing boots, so I think these boots have more than enough functionality and comfort to be your first pair." (Fujinuma)
▶︎ Snowboarding:Fairy 39,900 yen. Category: Freeride, Gra-Trick for beginners to intermediate riders.
It's very soft and easy to handle, so it's easy to operate and perfect for practicing pressing.
"The cut in the center seems to be the secret to its softness, and out of the three boards I test rode today, these felt the softest. I'm currently practicing pressing techniques, but the boards I usually ride are a little stiff, so it's quite difficult to keep the nose and tail up nicely. With these boards, I can maintain the shape of the press without having to put my feet down hard and pull up, and they're very maneuverable. The run today was a little bumpy, so I had to avoid the bumps and make sudden turns, but they moved just the way I wanted them to. I think these boards are extremely easy to handle, even for beginner and intermediate riders who aren't yet good at handling the board." (Hirokawa)
▶︎ Boots:JAFFE 14,900 yen. Soft flex. For entry level to beginners.
They're light and easy to wear, and I love the sense of unity you get from feeling the snow surface with the soles of your feet.
"These boots are very light and easy to feel under your feet. There's no feeling of being separated from the ground, it's almost like walking on the soles of your feet. They pick up the condition of the snow surface and the vibrations of the board easily, which may make them easier to control. All three pairs I wore today were impressive in that they were easy to put on and take off. If the ankle part of the tongue is stiff, it can be hard to put on and take off, but the Jaffi's tongue flexes and opens when you pull it. I think it's very appealing that you can slip your foot in without it getting in the way." (Hirokawa)
The second bike is SALOMON. This one also has one set for men and one for women.
Enjoy a wide range of powder, carving and jumping
For those who want all-around operability and stability
▶︎ Snowboarding:SIGHT X (Alpen original design) 59,900 yen. Category: All-mountain beginner. For entry-level to intermediate riders.
Although it is a soft board, it has a good ride and is also good for carving, which is its appeal.
"I thought the boards wouldn't be that soft because they were developed for people who want to try powder and carving, but when I put them on and moved back and forth I felt how soft they were. The 'POPSTER' structure, which is thin underfoot, makes it easier to produce torsion and flex, so the board is easy to twist and you can make the turns you want. The tapered shape of the tail makes them good for practicing carving," says Fujinuma.
▶︎ Boots: LAUNCH BOA SJ BOA 55,000 yen. Suitable for all levels
The ankle harness works in conjunction with the BOA Fit System to prevent heel lift, providing an excellent fit and hold.
"The impression I got from LAUNCH was that they were sturdy boots. They have an inner belt that holds your ankle firmly in place and prevents your heels from slipping off the ground. When you tighten the BOA, the belt tightens automatically, so you can easily fit them to your feet. Some people may find that the ankle support is too strong, so be sure to try them on in the store." (Fujinuma)
▶︎ Snowboarding:BLISS X (Alpen original design) 59,900 yen. Category: All-mountain beginner. For entry-level to intermediate riders.
This board is easy to ride and perfect for practicing carving turns.
"The BLISS is also an entry-level model that is easy to ride, so it was easy to ride. Especially turning on the edges. I'm still learning carving, so I'm not very good at riding on the edges, but the BLISS responded to the posture and movements I imagined, and I felt like I was riding on the edges. Today's slopes were soft and a little rough in places, but I didn't notice any vibrations, and it was easy to bite into the edges, so I think I was able to make the sharpest turns out of the three boards." (Hirokawa)
▶︎ Boots: IVY BOA SJ BOA 55,000 yen. Suitable for all levels.
It holds you firmly all over and supports your riding posture.
"The inner belt holds my ankles firmly in place, so I felt the strongest hold. I also felt a sense of security that the boots were covering my technique. They naturally guided my posture and ankles into the correct position, so I felt like it was a reliable piece of gear that supported me to ski better than I could." (Hirokawa)
The third board is [Head]. Each test board has the same spec model but with different designs.
With board and boots that offer excellent control
Level up your turning precision
▶︎ Snowboarding: GLOBAL SIGHT (left)/ NATURE (right) 39,000 yen. Category: All-round. For beginners and intermediates.
Since it is easy to create torsion, it is effective for improving the accuracy of turns and for freestyle tricks such as pressing and sliding.
"The GLOBAL board has a shape that makes it easy to twist the board, so it's easy to make the initial movement for a turn, and it helps improve the accuracy of your turns and makes it easy to practice. When a beginner tries to use their edges, they first move the heels and toes of both feet at the same time. As you pursue turning more, you start to move each foot separately, but boards that are easy to twist make it easier to move each foot independently. You can also make pressing movements and sliding movements with one foot loaded. I think it's a board that will help you master tricks and experience the pure joy of turning. Another point is that the design is original to Alpen, so you won't find anyone else wearing the same board." (Fujinuma)
▶︎ Boots:SCOUT LYT BOA Coiler 49,500 yen. Soft flex. For beginners and intermediate riders.
A soft flex model with an ultra-lightweight design that allows for easy movement.
"SCOUT has a soft flex and is designed for Japanese people with a wide instep, so I was able to move lightly while skating without feeling any pain. If the boots are stiff, you tend to rely on the boots when skating, especially when you pick up speed, but these boots make it easy to move on your own. That's why they're also suitable for gra-tricking. Some people who want to try gra-tricking are put off by the stiffness of their boots. With these boots, you can move around easily without worrying about that, so I think they're the perfect purchase for people who want to start gra-tricking." (Fujinuma)
▶︎ Snowboard: FLAIR LEAP (left)/ SWEET (right) 39,000 yen. Category: All-round. For beginners and intermediates.
It's easy to ride even for women who aren't confident in their leg strength, and the colorful design will get you excited.
"The medium-soft flex makes it easy to ride even for women who aren't confident in their leg strength. I'm not particularly strong, and with hard boards I sometimes feel like they get caught when turning, or that they're not right for me. Especially when I'm riding a board for the first time, I often feel like 'something's not right' when turning, but that doesn't happen with the FLAIR. I could turn so smoothly and didn't feel any catching that I couldn't believe it was my first time riding. I think it's perfect for beginner-intermediate women to start riding. The design is cute, too. The sole is colorful, which gets me excited!" (Hirokawa)
▶︎ Boots:ZORA LYT BOA 49,500 yen. Soft flex. For beginners and intermediate riders.
It fits well and gently fits your feet, so it's stress-free.
"They're so soft and comfortable! My feet are narrow, so my toes and shins always hit the soles and hurt, but ZORA's fit is great and they fit my feet perfectly from the start, so it was stress-free. Around the shins, they tend to not be tight enough or they can come loose, but the inner velcro fasteners help hold them in place, so they didn't come loose and were comfortable." (Hirokawa)
The fourth one is the K4. This one is only for men.
Freestyle, all-round
It can cover up to one rank higher level of skating.
▶︎ Snowboarding:GEOMETRIC 66,000 yen. Category: Freestyle. Male model for beginners to advanced riders.
It offers just the right amount of stability and ease of movement, and is recommended for those who want to fully enjoy freestyle.
"The GEOMETORIC is a freestyle model for parks, jibs, and the street. After I got up to speed, I tried some freestyle moves, and out of the boards I rode today, it was the easiest to move on. I had no problems with carving, and I was able to slide neatly and cleanly. I did a 1 and a switch press, which is a bit like freestyle tricks, and it was easy to do. I wouldn't go as far as saying it's high speed, but it's a board that feels stable and easy to move on when doing tricks at a certain speed." (Fujinuma)
▶︎ Snowboarding:STANDARD CAMBER 64,900 yen. Category: All Mountain. For beginners to intermediate riders.
An all-mountain model that allows you to enjoy carving comfortably.
"I thought the STANDARD CAMBER was a board that was perfect for carving. It was very stable, and I could make good turns even at high speeds on rough runs. The shape is a hybrid of rocker and camber, which allows for strong edging. Even when I shifted the board, the way the edges gripped was like camber, which gave me a sense of security. I think it also has to do with the compatibility with the boots I paired it with, but out of the models I test rode today, this was the easiest to carve." (Fujinuma)
▶︎ Boots:RAIDER 48,400 yen. Medium flex. Male model for beginners to intermediate riders.
The stiff flex gives you good control when carving turns.
"The flex felt a little stiff, but it was a very reliable boot. When you bring your knee closer to the snow surface to put the toe edge down, your ankle will bend. If the boot is too soft, your body may lean too far, but the RIDER is firm and supports your body, and if your center of gravity starts to go off the board, it stops it. The back of the boot is also reinforced on the heel side, so it was easy to corner the heel side. It was easy to maintain a carving position." (Fujinuma)
And although we weren't able to test ride them, we'll also introduce some boots that go well with the boards introduced this time!
[kissmark] EAGER (right) 24,900 yen. Soft flex. For beginners and intermediate riders.
Equipped with two dials (TGF), we are absolutely confident in the fit. The upper and lower can be tightened separately, allowing for fine adjustments. Furthermore, the unique inner and insole wrap around the foot and reduce heel lift, making this a model that is focused on comfort. Equipped with two dials and priced at less than 2 yen, it is also attractive.
[head] TRIGER LYT BOA (center) 47,000 yen. Soft flex. For beginners and intermediate riders.
A soft flex model with a super lightweight design and double bore. The upper and lower zones can be tightened separately, so it is recommended for those who want a better fit. The inner lining gradually fits the shape of your foot, so you can wear it all day without any stress. The comfort cuff, which is set low on the inside of the foot, makes it easier to maintain balance and naturally guides you to the basic position, so you can expect to improve your speed.
[RIDE]ANTHEM (left) 50,600 yen. Category: All Mountain. Beginner to intermediate male model.
Equipped with RIDE's original BOA lace guide. Tightens evenly from the toes to the ankles. This also solves the problem of BOA tightening only in one specific place! Soft and smooth medium density foam provides a comfortable fit, and J-bars are built into the left and right sides of the liner to improve support. The inner uses a heat-moldable Intuition Plush liner.
[K2]HAVEN (right) 48,4000 yen. Category: All-mountain. Women's model for beginners and intermediate riders.
The soft liner provides a comfortable fit, and the left and right sides of the liner have J-bars built in to improve hold. The inner lining is heat moldable, so it fits perfectly. The cut pattern does not restrict the range of motion of the ankle, making your day on the slopes stress-free.
[RIDE]SAGE (left) 50,600 yen. Category: All-mountain. Women's model for beginners and intermediate riders.
RIDE's original BOA lace guide tightens evenly from the toes to the ankles. This solves the problem of BOA tightening only in one specific place! Soft and smooth medium density foam provides a comfortable fit, and J-bars are built into the left and right sides of the liner to improve support. The inner uses a heat-moldable Intuition Plush liner.
How was it?
It can be really difficult to choose the right gear for you from the many options available.
But choosing easy-to-use gear like the ones introduced here from the start will make a big difference in how much you enjoy snowboarding and how well you improve. Please use this article as a reference and try to find the gear that's perfect for you!
