Every season, our pro shop staff test ride dozens of new skis from each manufacturer, examining their performance.
The more they ride, the clearer the trends in gear become, and they gain a grasp of the positioning and fine features of each ski, accumulating knowledge.
We asked our shop staff, who have such a background and enjoy skiing frequently, to talk about skiing for the 2023-2024 season.
The first episode will be about fat skiing with Minoru Kojiguchi of Shugakuso and Koji Kato of Paddle Club. We will deliver it in two parts
Summary: What will be discussed in this conversation
- Regardless of thickness, most fat skis are easy to slide on packed snow slopes
- Fat skis are averaging out. A sign of maturity
- Among these is the new trend: "short fat skis."
- Within the all-mountain category, there is a growing diversity of touring, freeride, freestyle, big mountain and fat skis
- In particular, the fusion of touring and freeride is on the rise
- The rise of fat skis with 80mm and 90mm waists that offer excellent turning performance
- For the 2023-2024 season, we will be focusing on models with waists in the low 110mm range. Will they become general-purpose models for advanced riders?
Advances in bindings and boots have diversified fat skiing
Editorial Department : Thank you very much. First, could you each please introduce yourselves?
Minoru Kojiguchi (hereinafter Kojiguchi) : I grew up in Sapporo Teine, and after joining Snow Dolphin, I became addicted to backcountry and powder skiing. I usually work at the mountain shop "Shugakuso" and ski in the BC areas around Sapporo, as well as Niseko and Tokachi.
Kato Koji (hereinafter Kato) : I did alpine skiing from elementary school through high school, and discovered fat skis in my third year of high school. From then on, I became hooked on the new way of playing skiing, or rather its charm. I'm currently working at the Sapporo branch of Paddle Club.
My home slope is Ons, which I go to after work. It's open until 11pm, so I go there four or five days a week and ski for two solid hours, satisfying my skating cravings. I like to ski a lot, so I often aim for powder on the slopes.
Editorial Department : Thank you. I believe you two have been riding fat skis for a long time, but what was the first time you rode fat skis, and what are your impressions of fat skis from then until now?
Kojiguchi : The first ones were the same thickness as they are now, with a rocker, and they were a Chubb brand called Volant.
My senior at the Dolphins, Takeshi Kodama, was riding them at the time, so I borrowed them and wore them. The surface was silver stainless steel, and the waist width was maybe 90mm. The radius was Zara, 30m or 40m, and there was almost no side curve. Shane McConkey also wore them, and I was really influenced by them.
After that, the gliding performance gradually improved, and it must have been more than 10 years since the rocker was built into the skis and they became what they are today.
Kato : The first ski I tried was the K2 Hellbent, which looked impressive. It was a very thick ski with almost no bends, so I wondered if I could ski on it, but I was surprised to find that I could.
Kojiguchi : Around 2008, there were more models that were easy to skate on.
Kato : That's right. Even though they are full rocker skis, you can actually carve them, and they don't seem as difficult as they look.
And yet, they are incredibly easy to ski in powder, so it felt like I had found a great tool to have fun with.
Kojiguchi : I don't think there have been many major changes to fat skis in recent years.
The biggest change has been in bindings. Tech bindings have been around for a long time, but what made them so popular was the arrival of marker kingpins, which minimize the loss of glide. This has broadened the range of preferences for mountain skiers. I also think that the evolution of boots has had a major impact.
Kato : That's right. I think there are more and more models of skis that are getting lighter and lighter. They're light and have great gliding performance. This is because they're evolving as tools for enjoying the mountains, and not only skis but also bindings and boots are becoming lighter overall.
I think that makes it easier to move around on the mountain, but depending on the situation, it can also reduce the sense of security when skiing. Perhaps due to the global popularity of freeriding since last season, there has been an increase in heavier skis, and it feels like there's been a polarization.
Kojiguchi : What I've noticed over the past few years is that no matter which ski you ride, you can't go wrong, and fat skis as a whole seem to have matured. Skis with inferior performance have been weeded out and are no longer available.
When fat skis first came out, there were quite a few with strange shapes and extreme specs. They were super light, but when you rode them, the skis would go wild. With that in mind, there was a sense of anticipation, wondering what would come next, but now, for better or worse, it seems like things have averaged out. But I think that's also proof that the scene is settling down.
Kato : So there was a time like that. I guess wood is still important for the core material of skis.
Kojiguchi : I think wood is good in terms of glide performance, but there are also mountain styles where lightness is a priority, so it's not necessarily a no-go. There are also a lot of light and strong wood materials available now.
However, I think there's a balance to be struck with the bindings you install. Sometimes on the mountain, I see people using minimal tech bindings on really thick skis. When customers come to our store, we listen carefully to what they're looking for and what they want to do, and then we suggest the right combination of skis, bindings, and boots.
Editorial Department: What are the recent trends among users looking for fat skis?
Kato : Many of the members of the Paddle Club are already skilled skiers and just want to enjoy skiing, so skiing is a big priority when choosing gear.
Among them, there are people who have a base in freestyle, people who have done alpine skiing, people who have come from mountaineering, and so on, so there is a wide range of options when it comes to skiing.
Kojiguchi : Shugakuso focuses on gear that is geared more towards touring, so most of our users are into that sort of thing. Skiing is important, but they also want to be active in the mountains, so they tend to choose something that's lightweight.
However, in the past, when it came to fat skis, each manufacturer only had about one category in their lineup.
But now, they're divided into several categories with different shapes and core materials depending on your preferences and uses, and there are also several different waist widths available. Even though we call it fat skiing, I think the options are much wider now.
Kato : That's right. For example, even if you want to use the lifts to freeride on the slopes, if you're used to freestyle, twin-tip powder freestyle skis like the Armada JJ, Atomic Benchetler 110 or 120, or Volkl Revolt 121 would suit you.
On the other hand, for those who prioritize turns, heavy-duty directional skis such as the Rossignol Sender 106, Salomon QST Blank, and Blizzard Rusler are popular
Those with a strong interest in backcountry skiing seem to be eyeing the Volkl Blaze 114.
I also feel like short fat skis are gaining attention. I get the impression that more and more people are becoming interested in new products like the RMU Butter Knife and Armada Shorts.
Kojiguchi : When I saw the videos posted by Kato-kun and Ken-kun (Ken Sasaki, staff at Paddle Club Teine) on Instagram, I thought there might be a trend towards short fat. It's a new movement and it's interesting.
From that perspective, the Blizzard Zero G was a big shock when it came out. Up until then, touring skis were light, but lacked a certain level of performance. The Zero G offers exceptional performance, whether in mid-winter powder or on icy slopes. It
was originally categorized as a touring ski, but because it allows you to enjoy the mountains stress-free regardless of the season and comes in a size range that allows you to enjoy deep powder, it was given a new category, more like backcountry touring. It was the start of skis that pursued performance in the backcountry. Long-established ski manufacturers followed suit, and now freeski brands like Faction and Armada are creating touring skis with their own unique interpretations.
Kato : I agree. Especially in the 2023-2024 season, the lineup of skis weighing around 1500g that are enjoyable for those who want to climb and ride has increased. They have evolved to be light and extremely easy to glide. Backcountry touring skis from ski manufacturers such as Nordica's Enforcer Unlimited, Armada's Locator, and Elan's Ripstick Tour were great both at the test ride event and when I actually rode them.
Kojiguchi : Having seen the origins of the brands, I was surprised to see Armada and Faction making skis for backcountry touring. They were completely freestyle ski brands. Speaking with people from the manufacturers, there has been an overwhelming increase in the number of people climbing backcountry skis and mountains worldwide. I've also heard that overseas people are climbing for fitness, so I think there's potential for more and more people to get into this category and grow. Also, the age demographic of people interested in skiing is getting older, so the simple lightness is appealing. However, some of those people might even ask, "What is Armada?" Blizzard, for example, used to be seen as a serious racing manufacturer. It would be a shame to be so impressed that you don't test ride them.
To be continued in the second part
Shugakuso Hokkaido University store staff member Minoru Kojiguchi
He has over 20 years of BC experience and spends about 60 days on the snow during the season. With a wealth of experience as his backbone, he also gives accurate advice on backcountry gear. He has extensive knowledge not only of skiing equipment but also of items that help with mountain activities. The best day of the 23rd season was on Mt. Tokachi in January. It was cold, approaching minus 30 degrees Celsius, but the mountain was clear and windless. It was so cold that skiing was difficult, but the snow and scenery were impeccable.
Instagram @ shugakuso__official
Paddle Club Staff Member Koji Kato
searches for snow in ski resorts, backcountry, and other fields, and skis for a total of about 100 days a season. Utilizing his competitive skiing experience, he is well-known for his gear selection that allows for high-quality turns. His unforgettable mountain trip of the 23rd season was to Kamoidake International Ski Resort in late December. He says that the powder and mash heaven was the perfect environment for a freeskier. Born in 1992. Instagram @ kj_kato
Paddle Club Sapporo Oyachi Branch
Address: 1-2-10 Oyachi Nishi, Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo
TEL: 011-890-8777
Business Hours: 10:30-19:00
Closed: Every Wednesday
www.paddleclub.net
Part 2 is here
