In September 2022, I used VOLTAGEdesign's service to create my own original skis, choosing everything from the design to the layout. This allows you to design your own skis, decide on the reinforcements and top sheet design, and create your own unique skis. Not only can you create your ideal skis, but you can also experience the production process, deepening your knowledge of skis. This service provided an invaluable experience that not only gave me value as an object, but also allowed me to understand and love skis better
Check out the article about the production here
Since making them, I've been more eager than usual for the first snowfall, and I've spent three restless months, but finally, the long-awaited winter has arrived.
I'll review what it's really like to ride on skis that you've made yourself, something that I know many of you are curious about.
The outline of the skis I made this time
The situation in which this board is intended for skiing is powder on the slopes. In keeping with that image, I designed it with a wide waist, a pointed nose (a personal aesthetic preference for visual appeal), and the effective edge of the tail is longer on the inside of the board and shorter on the outside. The aim was to allow for a firmer push on the inside edge when turning with the downhill foot, and for the uphill foot to release the edge easily and improve maneuverability. I hoped that this would make carving turns on the slopes more enjoyable
The testing location is Hakkaisanroku Ski Resort
. The ski testing site is Hakkaisanroku Ski Resort, a local resort popular with locals. Although it only has two lifts, it offers a wide variety of courses and various slope conditions. It's a compact resort where you can ski on many different slopes, making it an ideal place for ski testing. Located at the foot of Mt. Hakkai (1778m), it receives good quality snow, but there aren't many skiers looking for powder, so you can fully enjoy the powder off the side of the courses.
On the day of the run, the temperature was 6°C at the base, there had been no snowfall since the previous day, and it was a comfortable day for cruising the slopes. Trying them out on the flat slopes at the foot of the mountain felt no different from regular skis. I had waxed them the day before with great enthusiasm, so I thought they would perform well
Let's Ride On! Try it out and you'll experience an unexpected ride..
Our first goal was the summit slope, which has a maximum on-piste gradient of 26 degrees and an off-piste gradient of 30 degrees. It's a slope that's just right for intermediate and advanced skiers to enjoy
I retightened the buckles on my boots and took my first run on the piste. I started off slowly to get a feel for it, gradually picking up speed. I made two or three big turns, and by the time I reached the end of the slope, I was going pretty fast. The skis were reinforced with only two layers of fiberglass, making them soft and showcasing the inherent strength of the core as much as possible, so I was a little worried about them at high speeds. However, even at top speed, the skis responded well and didn't seem to flap around. They were comfortable enough for a fat ski. One thing that bothered me was that the edges were still a little sharp, making them catch easily, but this wasn't due to the performance of the skis themselves; I'd tune them up later and it would be fine
Next, we headed off-piste. Because there was no snow, we were able to freeride on the uneven slopes, but to test the performance of our skis, harder conditions would be better
I slowly entered the slope. First, I tried making small turns to match the undulations. The sharpened nose unexpectedly lightened the swing weight, allowing for quick turns. The shape was originally designed to allow the skis to dive through powder, but they also seemed to be more maneuverable than other fat skis I'd ridden. The minimal reinforcement materials likely contributed to the light weight. This seems likely to be quite effective on tree runs and the like
From the middle of the slope onwards, I decided to go for a faster speed. Still, I didn't feel any anxiety about the board flapping around, and I was able to ski down as usual. I also tried skiing in the remaining powder that was left here and there, and it felt just as I'd imagined. I was able to slide the tail down, and then slide the nose down and then up
Perhaps due to the nose shape, the swing weight was relatively light despite the fat skis, which was an unexpected feeling. As mentioned above, I think these skis are most fun in situations where you need to turn tightly, such as tree runs
The original idea was to make it suitable for powder skiing, so overall it's exactly what I was aiming for. If I had to point out an area for improvement, I'd say the nose rocker could have been a little steeper. The rocker is long, but it's not very steep, so it can feel a little unsettling when there are chunks of snow. However, this feeling of unsettling is only temporary, and once you get used to riding it, it may not be a problem
Also, we experimented with a unique tail shape with the idea of lengthening the effective inside edge to make carving on the slopes more enjoyable, but it didn't seem to have much effect. If you want to enjoy carving on the slopes in the first place, it seems like it would be better to add carbon or fiberglass to make the board stiffer and increase the rebound. However, I wanted to experience the inherent softness of the core material as much as possible, so this is fine. I was able to experience for myself what kind of ride it would have. I'm very satisfied
So, my first experience making skis was fun, as they were perfect for the scenes I had imagined, but there were also areas for improvement and an unexpected riding feel. It was a great experience to witness the actual ski making process for the first time and to be able to ski on skis that I designed and selected the reinforcement materials for myself. My knowledge of skiing is very different now than it was a few months ago. It's knowledge and experience that would be hard to come by anywhere other than this service
Check out other users' original skis
A review of just one person isn't enough, so let's also take a look at the skis of another person, Shita, who created his own original skis with VOLTAGEdesign
▷Takaaki Shida
lives in Niigata Prefecture. Two years ago, he created original skis with VOLTAGEdesign, and this year he has produced two skis with different features.
"When creating my original skis this season, the key points I focused on were the shape of the tail and the strength of the camber. It's a fishtail, like the ones I use on LINE's SAKANA and PESCAD, with a large U-shaped tail. Even in deep powder, snow escapes from the tail, making it easy to lift the top, and it has the characteristic of being easy to adjust the turning arc. If you try riding them, you'll see that the ride feels completely different from regular skis. They also have the advantage of being good at handling wet snow on low mountains, and the skins are less likely to come off when hiking up
As for the strength of the camber, now that I'm over 50, I've started to shift from parks and jibs to powder and slopes, and I wanted to ski in a way that was satisfying to me, rather than just getting praised by others, so I wanted to reduce the strain on my legs and movements, and so I made the boards with a stronger camber
"In terms of riding feel, the Dreadnought has a core and fiberglass that allows it to bend smoothly from the tip to the center. From the feet to the tail, it's made a little stiffer with carbon sheets, and the kick is increased so you can switch even with a fishtail.
The Swordfish has more fiberglass. The overall flex is stiffer, and it was made to feel like you're gliding on the snow surface like a snowboard. Wide boards often make cruising on groomed slopes difficult, so we've added a pretty aggressive camber. Both boards are designed to allow you to ride the entire mountain all day long with just one board. Each has its own unique characteristics and interesting riding feel."
"The Dreadnought was made in July 2022, and the Swordfish in October 2022. Depending on the schedule of the designer at VOLTAGEdesign, it can be made in as little as five days, but in my case, I worked diligently after work and spent about three weeks making them. It's really moving when each component, such as the core, edge, and top sheet, is completed and then pressed to finish. The Dreadnought is my third ski, and I've paid particular attention to torsion and flex. It's almost the perfect ski."
"I think the idea behind commercially available skis is how well the rider can handle the skis and how well they can bring out their performance.
However, as I've gotten older, I've found it increasingly difficult to handle off-the-shelf skis. That's when I heard from Mr. Nagai of VOLTAGEdesign that he could now make skis and snowboards, and I thought, 'I want to have a custom-made ski tailored to my height, leg strength, and physical condition!'" That thought was the starting point for the project. With skis I make myself, I can adjust the size down to the millimeter, and I can adjust the flex to suit my own physique and strength by changing how the carbon and fiberglass are incorporated and the thickness of the core material. I think
one of the good things about original skis made by a garage brand is that I can work on various slopes and conditions, and have detailed discussions about how I want to ski and create a design that no other manufacturer has. I also resonated with the concept of this project, which is to "use materials from my hometown of Minamiuonuma, process them locally,
and ski locally." The wood that will be used for the core material is cut by a local joiner, and all the materials used are from within the prefecture, so I hope that through making skis, I can contribute even a little to the promotion and revitalization of my hometown, Minamiuonuma and Niigata.
The key is to use your imagination and be careful with each material and design
In the end, even though the skis were made by someone with no experience in ski making, they were perfect for use. Of course, they were made in consultation with the VOLTAGEdesign creators, so you can rest assured that the skis would be perfect
What I learned from making and skiing is that "imagination is necessary to get closer to the ideal ski." There are many things to consider, such as the thickness of the core material, the shape, and the flex, and for a beginner in ski making, these are all beyond imagination. When you actually make them, you start to think things like, "Ah, the camber should be stronger," or "It would be even better if I put this reinforcement here." The precision should gradually improve with each attempt, from the second to the first, and from the third to the second. That's the difficult part, but that trial and error is what makes it fun. Making multiple pairs of skis deepens your knowledge of skis. With that knowledge accumulated, you can imagine things like, "This ski is designed to be comfortable to ski on this kind of slope in these kinds of conditions, so I'll put this in just the foot area, or this reinforcement throughout," and that should lead to the creation of your ideal ski.
The first skis I made are great for powder runs, especially tree runs, so I want to continue using them whenever the opportunity arises. Making your own skis deepens your knowledge of skis, and at the same time, you can create skis that suit your physique and preferences. Since I made it myself, I have a special fondness for it. I would recommend it to everyone who loves skiing and snowboarding.
Information will be updated regularly on Instagram, so please check there:
https://www.instagram.com/voltagedesign_snow/
Written and photographed by Daigo Onozuka