Let's hear impressions from riders about their favorite gear that they used extensively this winter.
This time, we'll hear from Tokunori Sasaki, Executive Advisor of ICELANTICSKI JAPAN, about his favorite gear.
Yoshimichi Sasaki, 48 years old,
is a professional skier from Hokkaido. His unique style and technique have earned him the respect of even current competitors, making him a legendary skier. He currently judges international competitions such as FWQ and also produces ski parks. His favorite ski areas include Niseko Grand Hirafu, Kiroro Resort, and Sapporo Teine Highland.
Instagram:@yoshimichi_sasaki
Yoshimichi Sasaki's setup
Skis ①: ICELANTICSKI SABAPRO 117 187cm (147-117-137) '22-23 model
Skis ②: ICELANTICSKI NOMAD105 176cm (140-105-130) '22-23 model
Skis ③: ICELANTICSKI PIONEER86 176cm (121-86-108) '22-23 model
Boots: GEN FACTORY ZEROWORKS 100 (not for sale) '22-23 model
Bindings: Manufacturer and model name unknown, set to release value 10
Ratings and reviews of each gear
Skiing ① Review
ICELANTICSKI SABAPRO 117
●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 scenarios:
Deep powder on mellow slopes during extremely cold weather.
●Review:
Full rocker skis are often avoided. However,
SABAPRO skis have less of the tip and tail chatter and edge grip loss that are typical of full rocker skis. The reason is that the "reflective rocker" allows you to set the rails on the snow surface at an early stage. It's great for powder, of course, but we want you to carve through groomed slopes. Just by setting the rails, it's a ski that makes you feel like you're riding a "roller coaster" as smoothly as possible.
Ski 2 Review
ICELANTICSKI NOMAD105
●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 conditions
: groomed slopes, sidecountry, park, moguls. This ski is for everything except deep powder.
It's ICELANTICSKI's flagship model and offers excellent balance in any situation.
●Review:
The NOMAD105 is the flagship model, and riding this ski will show you what kind of skis ICELANTICSKI makes.
The flex feels stiff to the touch, but once you start skiing, it becomes smooth and transmits information from the snow surface very well. The width of the tip and tail, which might be a concern at first glance, actually allows the rails to grip quickly and enables smooth turns.
Also, the center camber provides firm support, so you can confidently go into turns in any condition.
Ski ③ Review
ICELANTICSKI PIONEER86
●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: ★★★☆☆
● Commonly used situations:
Carving and moguls on the slopes on days when you're not going into the park.
●Review:
Among ICELANTICSKI's skis, this one has the narrowest center.
On groomed slopes, it's a ski that "carves" in a completely different way than other models, allowing for smooth turns from wide to short.
It's also suitable for moguls, performing well both in straight lines and when turning.
The wider 96 and 109 models are excellent not only on groomed slopes but also for powder runs in the backcountry.
Boots Review
GEN FACTORY ZEROWORKS 100
●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 usage situations (season, location, conditions, etc.):
Used in all of the above conditions. I'm a skier and don't have a hobby of mountain climbing, so I mostly use it on ski resorts and in the sidecountry.
●Review:
This freestyle ski boot features a one-piece construction, with the upper and lower sections riveted together—a rare feature in
freestyle ski boots. It's a highly responsive ski boot that reacts to even small movements and weight shifts, and the downward-sloping footbed allows for quick control of the ski tips.
I've been wearing these boots for 27 years, so I can't ski in any other boots.
Binding Review
● Impression on a 5-point scale
: Power transmission: ★★★☆☆
Reliability: ★★★☆☆
Ease of use: ★★★☆☆
Lightweight: ★★☆☆☆
●Suitable scenes on a 5-point scale
: Powder: ★★★☆☆
Grooming: ★★★☆☆
Hard Pack: ★★★☆☆
Park: ★★★☆☆
Moguls: ★★★☆☆
Touring: None
● Common usage situations (time of year, place, conditions, etc.)
: All conditions.
●Review:
I use the cheapest bindings I can get, so I don't care about the manufacturer.
If there's a skier who can tell the difference between bindings, they must be a skiing god. I can't tell the difference.