Photo/Ayako Niki
Let's hear impressions from riders about their favorite gear that they used extensively this winter.
This time, we'll hear from Ayano Suzuki, who is active mainly in Asahikawa, about the gear she uses.
Ayano Suzuki
was born in Sapporo, Hokkaido in 1980. She showed great promise in alpine skiing from her junior high school days, sweeping junior titles including victories at the Junior Olympics and World Junior Championships. In 1996, she won both the downhill and super-G events at the All Japan Ski Championships. She joined the All Japan National Team and competed in FIS races and European Cups around the world. Afterwards, she worked as an office worker for a general company, but rediscovered her passion for skiing and began her career as a professional skier again, focusing on adventure and recreational skiing.
Instagram:@ayanosuzuki.hokkaido
Ayano Suzuki's setup
Skis: Vector glide GENIUS Narrow 185cm (140-115-130) '21-22 model;
Boots: OMNIS PRO 120 '22-23 model;
Bindings: Marker F12 TOUR EPF, release value set to 10 '21-22 model
Ratings and reviews of each gear
Ski Review
Vector glide GENIUS Narrow
●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 conditions and
seasons: From November to around April. Suitable
for groomed slopes, sidecountry, and backcountry. Can be used in almost all snow conditions except ice. Gentle to steep slopes, any groomed slope, off-piste courses, ski resorts, and backcountry mountain areas.
●Review:
Although the waist width is 115mm, contrary to its imposing appearance, it provides a sense of security that comes from its stability, allowing you to ski with confidence. The turning feel is supple as if guiding you, and the top rocker shape allows for a smooth turn initiation, leading you to a blissful turn while enjoying a moderate sense of stability until the latter half of the turn. It is characterized by a more straightforward and smooth movement than its appearance suggests.
You can feel a floating sensation under your feet, and it is characterized by how the entire gliding surface connects to the next turn.
Have you ever suddenly felt anxious about whether you can ski when you are in front of the best snow of the season? With the Genius Narrow, once you start skiing, there is no anxiety about whether you can ski or whether you will fall. It is not too light, and the weight is just right for skiing. It has good maneuverability when skiing, and the weight is not noticeable when climbing slopes.
Boots Review
OMNIS PRO
●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: ★★★★☆
● Common situations where it is used (time of year, location, conditions, etc.)
Time of year: All snow seasons. All times of the year when skiing.
Conditions: All situations.
●Review:
Because there is no walk mode, the range of motion fore and aft is not fixed, allowing you to freely find your own turn position. As a result, the quality of the turn arc changes according to the situation and snow conditions, you can clearly feel the grip, and you can instantly grasp the reaction to the board, so you can feel the snow surface directly. Therefore, the movement is smooth and fluid. I feel that I cannot produce my best performance in powder without these boots. They
are certainly heavier than touring boots, but they lead to the best performance when skiing.
They move a little more flexibly backward than normal boots, so they are easy to walk in even without a walk mode. However, boots with a walk mode have a wider range of motion, so if you are thinking about climbing, I think all-purpose boots are more comfortable, but considering the ease of freely controlling the quality of turns in powder, the unique responsiveness, and the uninterrupted smoothness, I cannot let go of these boots.
Binding Review
MARKER F12 TOUR EPF
● 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: ★★★★☆
of the walk mode function
operation
Ease of walking (range of motion): ★★★★☆
Easy to put on even if you don't have dual-purpose shoes, and the switch between walk mode and ski mode is simple and easy to use.
● Common usage situations (time of year, location, conditions, etc.)
Time of year: From the start of the season in November until around May.
Location: All situations.
Conditions: All situations.
●Review:
The process from removing the skin to preparing to ski is very smooth. Switching between climbing and skiing, or vice versa, is simple and easy to understand. It's heavier than tech bindings, but the sense of security while skiing is immeasurable. Power is transferred to the skis well, leading to confident turns that suit my style. In addition, the firm hold is reassuring. It's like a regular
binding with a hike mode, so the binding itself is solid and I don't feel like it will come off. For me, it's a reliable binding.