LOCATOR: An essential tool for backcountry and ski trips
For many people, skiing is synonymous with traveling. Traveling by car or public transportation, traveling to rural areas, enjoying the local mountains, snow, food, and people. Backcountry skiing adds an element of adventure to the experience
ARMADA's LOCATOR is the perfect ski companion for your travels and adventures
Among the ARMADA brand's skis, this one is positioned as a lightweight ski suitable for backcountry skiing, with performance that will satisfy even the most enthusiastic skier. Boasting the lightest weight of the brand, it is ideal for skiers who do long walks or full hikes from the base of the mountain. Normally, when lightness is emphasized, gliding performance tends to be compromised, but this is not the case, which is what makes the LOCATOR so great.
Its gimmick is that it uses a lightweight and strong material called Carbacore for the core. In the case of the LOCATOR, this Carbacore is used thinner than in regular skis, making it even lighter. Instead, a thick linear carbon sheet runs from the nose tip to the tail as reinforcement. This allows the core to be thin, achieving both lightness and strength.
L＝152,162,172,182cm
D=116-88-109(172cm)
R＝20.5m(172cm)
99,000 yen
L=157,164,171,178,185cm
D=127-96-117(178cm)
R=21m(178cm)
104,500 yen
L＝162,170,178,186cm
D=131-104-122mm(178cm)
R＝22m(178cm)
110,000 yen
L = 166, 173, 180, 187 cm
D = 136-112-128 mm (180 cm)
R = 24 m (180 cm)
115,500 yen
One skier uses LOCATOR to travel all over Japan and the world. That skier is Kawaguchi TKY Takaya. After taking a leave of absence from university, Kawaguchi flew solo to Whistler, Canada to ski. Not satisfied with Whistler, he also traveled to the Yukon and Alaska, where he discovered the profound depth of travel. To date, he has traveled to 20 countries on ski trips, and 50 countries when including his surfing trips, which he has also pursued as his life's work.
Kawaguchi skied Mount Kurodake in Hokkaido and Lofoten in Norway in March of the 2022-23 season, Rishiri in Hokkaido in April, and Shiretoko in Hokkaido and Mount Fuji in May. He was probably the one who used LOCATOR the most last season.
Let's talk to Kawaguchi about his travels with LOCATOR.
Being light allows you to conserve energy and gather information
I usually spend half of the season working as a guide in Nozawa Onsen, and the other half traveling.
The great thing about the LOCATOR is that it's so light. There are many situations when travelling where lightness is paramount. For example, on airplanes, weight limits are 20kg on low-cost carriers and domestic flights, and 30kg on international flights. If you bring more luggage than that, you have to pay an additional fee. The LOCATOR makes a big difference in how tired you are when carrying it. If you're not tired from travelling, you can enjoy your trip even more.
Touring Mount Kurodake and unnamed peaks
In March, I visited Mt. Kurodake, mainly using the ropeway to access the skiing spot and enjoyed some relatively light backcountry skiing. Unlike Niseko or Sapporo, it doesn't snow heavily, so I was able to enjoy the moderately creamy snow. I have a few other skis, but since March I've almost exclusively used the LOCATOR 96. They might seem a little narrow, but that's not an issue at all. The LOCATOR is easy to hike, and the top rocker gives it plenty of float. In addition to Mt. Kurodake, I followed other places where it had snowed, looking at maps to find good spots to ski on unnamed peaks. One of the joys of traveling is exploring different places rather than planning too much in advance
Traveling around Lofoten with just one car and a locator
Lofoten in Norway is a breathtaking place, like a huge Alpine mountain range submerged in the sea. Nordic skiing is a thriving part of everyday life, and people often wear skis while walking their dogs or running. In recent years, ski gear has become more advanced, allowing people to climb deeper into the mountains, and I think the number of people taking up backcountry skiing has increased.
In Norway, I rented a car and traveled around, searching for skiable slopes. When I found a good spot, I would park it on the side of the road and walk for about three hours to get there. Lofoten receives about 200cm of snow, so it's not as heavy as Japan, but because it's in the Arctic Circle and the temperature is always below freezing, the snow stays frozen for a long time. I think the only places that can compare to the quality of snow in Japan are Alaska and the west coast of Norway. The snow is that good. My
only choice in Norway is the LOCATOR96. The benefits of lightweight skis are immeasurable. You can enjoy the scenery while walking, and if you think "the other side of that ridge looks good," you can quickly go and check it out and gather information. Best of all, your feet won't get tired even when you reach the drop point, so you can concentrate on skiing. That's why ARMADA's LOCATOR was designed to be lightweight, as it places great importance on skiing.
It's great fun to travel like this and enter the backcountry at points I discover myself, but I also make sure to prepare a topographical map and track the weather history of the surrounding area in advance to minimize the risks
A spectacular island where you can enjoy skiing and surfing
In fact, I'm working as a Rishiri Fuji Ambassador, traveling to Rishiri Island every year to promote tourism and immigration, and sharing my experiences.
Rishiri Island itself appears as a mountain floating in the Sea of Japan. While Lofoten is an archipelago, Rishiri, with its solitary triangular peak floating, offers one of Japan's most spectacular views. It
takes me about 7-8 hours to reach the summit of Rishiri Fuji, making it a long hike. The wind is strong at the top, blowing away the snow. The views are stunning, making it a perfect location for photography, but if you simply want to enjoy the snow quality that's so characteristic of Hokkaido, I recommend the stream at the base. It takes 2-3 hours of walking to get there, so the power of LOCATOR is fully utilized here as well. I also enjoy surfing, so being able to glide and ride the waves is another reason I recommend it (laughs).
Rausu-dake, where I walked carrying the LOCATOR
I went to Shiretoko in May, and the snow had already melted, so I brought my surfboard and enjoyed both skiing and surfing. I'd skied on Shiretoko's mountains before, including Kaibetsu-dake, but had never properly skied Rausu-dake, so I'd been hoping to do so for a while. It was the third week of May, just as Shiretoko Pass was opening. There was less snow than usual, so I felt like I was just barely able to ski, and the hike consisted mostly of shouldering my skis and paddling through the bush, then when the snow came out, putting on my skis and hiking up, then paddling through the bush again... That was my mountain trip
The only mountain in my hometown, Shizuoka where you can ski
Despite all this travel, the only place in my hometown of Shizuoka where I can ski is Mount Fuji. Surprisingly, Shizuoka residents don't climb Mount Fuji, but I make it an annual tradition to ski up there. Mount Fuji tends to be shy for mountain climbers, but as it's a solitary peak at 3,778 meters, the views are amazing. And you can see the ocean, too. Like Shiretoko, Rishiri, and Lofoten, many of the mountains I go to are ones where I ski down towards the ocean. Maybe it's because my surfing roots are there too
Incidentally, last year I also went to Sapporo, Niseko, and the Tohoku area in January and February. In the season of heavy snowfall, I also recommend ARMADA's WHITE WALKER and SHORT PANTS. Nozawa Onsen, where I usually ski, has efficient access to various slopes by gondola, so even if you're only there for a day, it feels like you're traveling through the mountains. I also use the LOCATOR when skiing in the backcountry at Nozawa Onsen. The LOCATOR is useful everywhere, whether it's the heavy snowfall of Shinshu or the light powder of Hokkaido
This ski is perfect for both climbing and skiing. Skis that will make your trip more enjoyable
Generally speaking, the Locator skis are light and easy to carry. Yet they don't ski at the expense of glide performance, allowing for serious skiing. In fact, I think they allow you to conserve your energy and focus more on skiing. Traveling can mean a lot of luggage, and the snow quality and environment can vary depending on your destination. With the Locator skis, you can handle any situation, and it makes climbing snowy mountains and traveling around easier. The result is a comfortable and enjoyable ski trip
■Profile
Kawaguchi TKY Takaya Kawaguchi is originally
from Shizuoka Prefecture. His grandfather and uncle in Niigata were the principal and instructor of a ski school, which led to his exposure to skiing from an early age. After entering university, he flew alone to Whistler, where he had no relatives, to ski. He also traveled to the Yukon and Alaska, and discovered the allure of "travel" during his stay. Since then, he has traveled in search of places where he can ski and catch waves, along with surfing, which is also his life's work.
In winter, he often bases himself in Nozawa Onsen, working as a guide until January, and continues to travel both domestically and internationally.
ARMADA
Official website: https://armadaskis.jp/