Let's hear impressions from riders about their favorite gear that they used extensively this winter.
This time, we'll hear from Kazuya Furuse, who runs a backcountry tour guide business in Hakuba, about his favorite skis, boots, and bindings.
Kazuya Furuse, 46 years old,
is from Mount Ontake, Nagano Prefecture. After graduating from high school, he lived as a ski bum both domestically and internationally, and has been working as a backcountry ski guide in Hakuba since 2004. He started Locus Guide Service in 2019.
Photo / Miho Furuse
Kazuya Furuse's setup
Skis: VOLKL BLAZE106 186cm (146-106-128) '22-23 model
Boots: DALBELLO LUPO PRO HD 130 '22-23 model
Bindings: MARKER KING PIN 13 '22-23 model
Ratings and reviews of each gear
Ski Review
VOLKL BLAZE106
●Rate the perceived stiffness on a 5-point scale (★1=soft ←→★5=hard)
Nose: ★★★★☆
Center: ★★★★☆
Tail: ★★★☆☆
●Suitable scenes on a 5-point
scale Powder: ★★★★☆
Grooming: ★★★★☆
Hard Pack: ★★★★☆
Park: ★★☆☆☆
Moguls: ★★☆☆☆
Touring: ★★★★★
● Commonly used situations
: Backcountry, regardless of season or conditions
●Review:
This ski is characterized by its lightness, which is advantageous when you need to hike uphill, and its excellent balance, which allows it to handle any condition, from powder to granular snow. What I like most is its turning performance, including the feeling of carving at high speeds. Considering the thinness and lightness of the ski itself, this ski makes me feel the evolution of gear in recent years.
Boots Review
DALBELLO LUPO PRO HD 130
●Impression of hardness on a 5-point scale (★1=soft ←→★5=hard)
Lower shell: ★★★★★
Upper: ★★★★☆
●Suitable scenes on a 5-point scale
Powder: ★★★★★
Grooming: ★★★★☆
Hard Pack: ★★★★★
Park: ★★☆☆☆
Moguls: ★★★☆☆
Touring: ★★★★★
●Ease of use of the walk mode function
: To be honest, the lever is not very user-friendly. Unlike other companies' boots, it's not a one-touch operation; you have to unbuckle and unbuckle the straps and remove the tongue, which is a bit of a hassle. However, on the other hand, the rigidity in ski mode is strong, resulting in a skiing feel that is comparable to alpine boots, so I prefer it to boots with a single rear fastening because it's easier to switch modes.
● Common usage scenarios (time of year, location, conditions, etc.):
Backcountry with some hiking, regardless of season or conditions.
●Review
The biggest advantage of a three-piece boot, which consists of three parts: the lower shell, tongue, and rear cuff, is the rigidity of the lower shell, which allows power to be directly transmitted to the skis. Many of the recent lightweight all-purpose boots have thin shells, and the lower shell often deforms when weight is applied, so the difference is obvious.
Binding Review
MARKER KING PIN 13
● Impression on a 5-point scale
: Power transmission: ★★★☆☆
Reliability: ★★★★★
Ease of use: ★★★★★
Lightweight feel: ★★★☆☆
Ease of operation of climbing mode change: ★★★★★
Ease of operation of heel lifter: ★★★★★
●Suitable scenes on a 5-point
scale Powder: ★★★★★
Grooming: ★★★★☆
Hard Pack: ★★★★☆
Park: ★★☆☆☆
Moguls: ★★☆☆☆
Touring: ★★★★★
●Comments on the usability of the walk mode function:
Switching modes is very smooth as it's just a one-action operation by moving the lever. Because the heel piece is heavier than the toe piece, the tail tends to drop easily, making kick turns easier.
● Common situations where it is used (time of year, location, conditions, etc.):
Backcountry with some hiking involved, regardless of the season or conditions.
●Review:
The toe piece structure, newly improved for the '22-23 season, makes it significantly easier to put on compared to previous models. Among Pintech bindings, the overwhelming gliding feel, retention, and release performance provide a level of safety and reliability that is the main reason why I continue to use it for many years.