Let's hear impressions from riders about their favorite gear that they used extensively this winter.
This time, we'll hear from Shunsuke Uemura, who is active in various genres, mainly in Hakuba, about the gear he uses.
Shunsuke Uemura, 36 years old,
is a skier based in Hakuba who doesn't confine himself to any particular genre, enjoying powder, terrain skiing, park riding, and occasionally participating in alpine races. He considers the entire slope a playground and skis freely while always imagining stylish runs. He also sometimes works as a judge and coach at events.
Instagram:@syunpimk
Shunsuke Uemura's setup
Skis ①: Riot Skis IMK 178cm (130-100-130) '22-23 model
Skis ②: Riot Skis Cypher 172cm (128-97-121) '22-23 model
Boots: LANGE RX110 '21-22 model
Bindings: Marker Jester16 Release value set to 9 '19-20 model
Ratings and reviews of each gear
Ski Review ①
Riot Skis IMK
●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: None
● Common usage situations:
I use it in all locations (on the slopes) from the start to the end of the season, regardless of the conditions.
●Review:
This board lets you enjoy everything on the slopes with just one board. I think it's quite light considering the shape of the board (3600g for 178cm).
Even at high speeds, chatter isn't much of a concern, and it doesn't slip easily even when leaning into turns on hard-packed snow, and it's easy to use in the park as well.
On the slopes, the situation changes depending on the course, right? If you ski down from the top, you'll encounter powder, flat slopes, terrain, the park, etc., and this board lets you enjoy all of that with just one board. It doesn't
specialize in any particular situation, so if you're looking for something special, you might find it lacking, but it's recommended for those who simply want to enjoy free riding on the slopes.
Ski Review 2
Riot Skies cypher
●Please 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: ★☆☆☆☆
● Common usage situations:
From the spring season through the end of the season. Used for park and terrain play.
●Overall Review
: This board is very soft and lightweight, making it ideal for butter tricks, ground tricks, and jibbing.
Because it's so soft, you might feel the board sliding if you press down hard and lean it into turns (laughs). It's more suited to drifting and pressing down while having fun, rather than making solid turns and gliding smoothly. It
's a board that excels at sliding, so it doesn't catch easily, making it easy to do nose and tail presses, and it's also easy to transition into jibbing while doing butter tricks.
I think there are more jibbers among skiers these days, so I recommend it to jib enthusiasts as well. Of course, I think it's also perfect for those who like soft boards or those who want to do presses with their body leaned into turns.
Boots Review
LANGE RX110
●Impression of stiffness 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: None
● Common usage situations (time of year, location, conditions, etc.):
From the start to the end of the season.
I think it performs well in all situations where I ski.
●
The most shocking thing about this review was that I could feel the sensation of stepping on a coin while wearing the boots.
The inner liner is wide, so even with wide feet, they are very comfortable.
They don't collapse even when leaning hard into turns, and the stiffness is just right for my riding style, so I love them.
Binding Review
Marker Jester16
● Impression on a 5-point scale
: Power transmission: ★★★★★
Reliability: ★★★★★
Ease of use: ★★★★★
Lightweight feel: ★★★★☆
Operation of ascent mode change: None
Operation of heel lifter: None
●Suitable scenes on a 5-point scale
: Powder: ★★★★★
Grooming: ★★★★★
Hard pack: ★★★★★
Park: ★★★★★
Moguls: ★★★★★
Touring: None
● Common usage situations (time of year, location, conditions, etc.):
From the start to the end of the season.
I use it in all the conditions and locations where I ski.
●Review:
I have such confidence in these skis—they give me such a sense of security and visual appeal—that I've never changed them since I started freeskiing. The swing weight is excellent, and there are almost no accidental releases, so I feel incredibly confident using them.