We asked riders to share their impressions of the gear they've been using to the fullest this winter.
This time, we looked at the gear used by Yuhei Yamada, who mainly skis in Hokkaido and Colorado and consistently produces his own video works every year.
Yuhei Yamada, 35,
is based in Sapporo, Hokkaido, a place blessed with powder snow, but spends most of the season skating on the streets, occasionally doing freeride.
Yuhei Yamada's setup
Skis ①: ICELANTIC NOMAD 95 176cm (130-95-120) '21-22 model
Skis ②: ICELANTIC SABA PRO 117 177cm (147-117-137) '21-22 model
Boots: FULL TILT DESCENDANT8 '17-18 model
Bindings: LOOK PIVOT18 2011/2013/2021 model
Ratings and reviews of each gear
Ski Review
ICELANTIC NOMAD 95
●Hardness impression on a 5-point scale (★1=soft ←→ ★5=hard)
Nose: ★★☆☆☆
Center: ★★★★☆
Tail: ★★☆☆☆
●Suitable scenes are rated on a 5-point scale
: Powder: ★★☆☆☆
Grooming: ★★★★☆
Hard pack: ★★☆☆☆
Park: ★★★★★
Moguls: ★★★☆☆
Touring: ★★★☆☆
Common usage situations:
Street, park, slopes, not-too-deep powder
●Review
: These freeride skis are not just for the park, but are also great for enjoying the slopes. The 95mm center of gravity is what would be considered "narrow" today, but a generation ago it would have been considered a semi-fat ski. Thanks to the solid rocker front to back, you can effortlessly ski through bad snow like powder or granular material. The soft flex allows even those who are not yet able to shift their weight back and forth properly or who are lighter in weight to effortlessly learn tricks that utilize the flex of the board. The lightweight, stable, and ambitious specs make them easy to control at any speed, making it easy to get the hang of tricks you couldn't do before.
+++
The ICELANTIC has a good core material, which makes the binding screws less likely to break, a great point for riders. It's a lightweight freeride ski rather than geared towards park skiers. Women can easily handle it. If you only ski in powder occasionally, this is enough
ICELANTIC SABA PRO 117
●Hardness impression on a 5-point scale (★1=soft ←→ ★5=hard)
Nose: ★★★☆☆
Center: ★★★★☆
Tail: ★★★☆☆
●Suitable scenes are rated on a 5-point scale
: Powder: ★★★★★
Grooming: ★★★★☆
Hard pack: ★★☆☆☆
Park: ★★☆☆☆
Moguls: ★★☆☆☆
Touring: ★★★☆☆
Commonly used situations:
Powder, freeride, slopes
●Reviews:
These skis were created based on the collective feedback of ICELANTIC riders worldwide. With a 117mm underfoot, a range of lengths from 167-177-187cm, and a designated mounting position of -7cm from center, we're committed to the number 7. While full rocker skis are rare these days, these skis feature a "reflective rocker" design, where the side curve and rocker radius are identical. While offering incredible edge grip, unlike their wide appearance, they also allow for surf-like spray and playful maneuvers. Of course, there's no shortage of flotation. The stiff tail allows for confident speed and provides stability even on big jump landings. Spins and switches are no problem. Whether you're slicing into powder, slicing through groomed runs, or enjoying jumps, these skis are perfect for enjoying the entire mountain. Personally, I love the unique ride feel of full rocker fat skis.
Boots Review
FULL TILT DESCENDANT 8
●Hardness impression on a 5-point scale (★1=soft ←→ ★5=hard)
Lower shell: ★★★☆☆
Upper: ★★★☆☆
●Suitable scenes are rated on a 5-point scale:
Powder: ★★★★☆
Grooming: ★★★☆☆
Hard pack: ★★★☆☆
Park: ★★★★★
Moguls: ★★★★☆
Touring: ★★★☆☆
Frequently used situations (time, location, conditions, etc.)
All seasons
●Review:
Since switching to the FT, I haven't had any shin pain. The last size is supposed to be 102mm, but even with my 116mm foot width, it barely feels painful. The FT allows you to twist your ankles in a switch stance, opening up your pelvis, making switch turns more expressive. Since your knees are in and you can ride on your shins, you can achieve a wide range of styles, whether you're standing or low. There are many other good boots for regular turns alone, but the looseness of the boots makes it easy to achieve different styles, and they fit me well, even with my foot width. Since I tend to put my weight on my shins and my center of gravity shift forward, I set my bindings a little lower. I recommend these boots to users who have trouble with their boots and those who want to show off their style in parks and moguls.
Binding Review
LOOK PIVOT 18
●Impressions are rated on a 5-point scale.
Power transmission: ★★★★★
Reliability: ★★★★★
Usability: ★★★★☆
Lightweight: ★★★☆☆
Climbing mode change operation: None
Heel lifter operation: None
●Suitable scenes are rated on a 5-point scale
: Powder: ★★★☆☆
Grooming: ★★★★★
Hard pack: ★★★★★
Park: ★★★★★
Moguls: ★★★★★
Touring: ★☆☆☆☆
Frequently used situations (time, place, conditions, etc.)
I didn't have a chance to use the tour bin this season, so I used it throughout the season.
●Review:
It never breaks or releases incorrectly. The Jester Pro 18 was also strong, but the P18 seems even more durable. For example, if you step on it and release it, the release value scale on the heel piece of the Jester will wear down, but that's less likely to happen on the P18. I've replaced the toe base plate and brake (turntable itself) many times, but when I'm not using binding support, using PIVOT reduces the total financial burden. Another advantage is that there is an upgrade option called CAST Freetour for climbing. It's aimed at hardcore users who prioritize durability and reliability. The downside is that the heel piece screw mounting width is narrow, which allows for a cleaner flex, but makes the tail a little softer.
Yamada is an all-rounder who mainly skates on the street and in the park, and even freeride