Every season, pro shop staff test ride dozens of new skis from various manufacturers, carefully evaluating their performance.
The more they ride, the clearer the gear's tendencies become, and they grasp the positioning and subtle characteristics of each ski, accumulating knowledge along the way.
We asked these shop staff, who have such a background and frequently enjoy skiing, to talk about the ski season for 2023-2024.
The first episode was about fat skiing by Minoru Kojiguchi of Shugakuso and Koji Kato of Paddle Club
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?
Part 1 ishere.
The rise of fat skis with waists in the 90mm range and excellent gliding performance
Minoru Kojiguchi (hereinafter referred to as Kojiguchi): What's it like to have short fat?
Koji Kato (hereinafter Kato): RMU's "Butter Knife" is easy to handle despite its 126mm waist width, adapts well to different terrains, and has good buoyancy. It's fun to play around with it, like hitting walls like you're surfing or pulling the turn arc sideways.
Also, it has high controllability, so even if you're not so keen on powder, it might be a good board to have for powder riding, even though it has an extreme shape.
*The video below shows an example of riding with the Armada "Short Pants".
Kojiguchi: We have elderly customers who have been buying from us for many years, and quite a few of them already own fat skis.
I thought they probably didn't need skis anymore, but they bought a Butterknife. At first they said it was too short, but once they got used to it they found it very easy to ride.
A while ago, the idea was that the wider and longer the ski, the faster and better it was, but it seems that wide and short skis are now also a viable option.
Kato: I think Butterknife is probably the only brand that promotes that kind of concept. Depending on how you look at it, Blizzard's "Spur" is also a viable option. It comes in lengths from 156 and 169 cm, and the waist width is 127 mm, which is more voluminous than RMU's "Butterknife".
Kojiguchi: Ski length is important. At exhibitions and test rides in Hokkaido, skis in the late 180cm and 190cm range are preferred, but that's not the case in Honshu.
There was a time when it was like, "You have to be in the 190cm range, you've lost if you ride skis in the 180cm range," but that's pretty much gone now.
Kato: At the paddle club, unless you have a particular preference for longer boards, if you don't have such a preference, a board that's about 10cm longer than your height is easy to handle, allows you to enjoy the buoyancy, and won't get in the way when you're doing kick turns if you're going backcountry skiing. Conversely, if you're not confident in your skiing skills, we recommend a board that's about the same length as your height.
As for width, if you plan on mainly powder skiing, choosing a width of 110mm or more will provide ample buoyancy. Honestly, I think it's best to have two skis: one over 110mm for the high season, and one in the 90mm range for spring and other times. However, for your first pair, I'd suggest either a 90mm ski for all-around on-piste skiing, or a 100mm ski for an all-around average
Kojiguchi: Most hardcore skiers own two or more pairs of skis. Lately, people have been riding fat skis with a waist width of 100mm or more, but there's also a growing number of people looking for narrower skis that are still enjoyable on groomed slopes.
But they're not looking for skis in the basic or alpine categories...that kind of thing. With the snowy season getting shorter these days, people are looking for fat skis that aren't just for powder skiing.
Kato: That's definitely true. At the test rides this winter, I got the impression that many people were interested in skis with waist widths in the low 90mm to high 80mm range. For example, Armada's "Decribity" 92. It's well-made and makes incredible turns. Even people who are into basic skiing said that the feel of the tip's twist is great, making it very easy to initiate turns and feel like it's sticking to the skis.
It also applies to people who want to improve their skills a little or just want to cruise down the slopes easily, and I think that trend is quite noticeable.
Kojiguchi: Each brand is putting a lot of effort into their lineup of skis with a waist width of 100mm or less. Fat skis, which tend to be more freeride-oriented, have metal in them, making them quite fun on groomed slopes as well.
Kato: Each company has come up with various ideas, right? There are all sorts of ingenious ideas regarding where to put the metal, the amount, the shape, and so on.
Kojiguchi: Until recently, the performance was quite extreme. The metal in the skis made them great for groomed slopes, but you couldn't see what was happening in the snow, and the strong torsion would bounce you back on rough surfaces. It was a ski where the handling varied greatly depending on leg strength and the skier's skill. However, larger skiers from overseas prefer to use the metal because it allows them to control the skis, and metal-infused skis with high performance are popular. There is certainly a sense of security in being able to rely on them while skiing.
If I had fat skis with a 100mm waist and were to buy another pair, I would probably choose a 90mm waist with metal. A 90mm waist allows for freewheeling and shifting. While basic carving skis are fun for skiing on flat terrain, I also think that freeride-oriented skis with metal, which allow you to adjust the arc of your turns, are more interesting
Kato: There are more skis like that now. Not just those with metal in them, but also those using stronger core materials, I think that's the manufacturers' way of responding to different ways of enjoying skiing. I definitely feel like the ways of enjoying skiing are expanding.
Kojiguchi: Fat skis have evolved to suit different categories, such as freestyle, freeride, and big mountain, so it feels like the range of options is expanding.
Kato: In the 23-24 season, skis with a waist width of around 110mm were particularly noticeable. Skis in the upper 110mm range are more suited to powder, but even though it's only a difference of a few millimeters, when skiing on hard-packed slopes, for example, with a waist of 118mm, I sometimes feel like the edge grip might be lost.
However, if you go up to 112mm or 114mm, you'll feel more secure, and when you actually ride, you'll notice a big difference in the edge grip. You can enjoy carving and powder at a high level. Over the past few years, fat skis in the early 110mm range, which are more geared towards freeriding, have been attracting attention
*Völkl, Salomon, and Blizzard all have flagship models with waist widths in the early 110mm range. They are easy to use in powder and also have excellent usability in other locations
Kojiguchi: It's true that with those skis, you can definitely feel the distance to the edge, but on groomed slopes, no matter which one you ride, the feeling of the edge gripping firmly and carving uphill is amazing. I was particularly surprised by the Volkl "Rivolt" 121 that I rode at the Niseko test event. It's wide, but it makes solid turns and it felt like it could do anything.
Editorial team: Which skis did you test out during the 2023-2024 season that caught your attention?
Kojiguchi: I really liked Faction's "Agent" 3. I thought Faction had a freestyle image with lots of jumps and stuff, but no matter which one I rode, the ride was really stable.
I was particularly impressed with the "Agent" 3. The demo ski was 180cm long, but it gave me a great sense of security on any slope, and I didn't feel the short length at all. The camber was firm and the response was quick, so the carving performance on groomed slopes was more than adequate. For people who can get a good grip on the skis, it offers a lot of freedom. And yet, it's light, so it's easy to maneuver.
Also, since it doesn't have the image of a backcountry ski, I liked that the color scheme and graphics felt different from other brands. I had a similar impression of the Armada "Locator" 104, which has a similar direction.
Kato: I still ride them, but personally, the Salomon "QST Blank" is right up my alley. It's a ski that feels like it combines powder and groomed slope skiing into one.
In powder, you can make full use of the length, and thanks to the deep rocker in the tip and tail, it moves smoothly. Underfoot, the stiff double sidewall, a vibration-absorbing material, prevents the ski from becoming completely boat-shaped even when you press down, and that pushes the snow. You get a feeling that the snow won't get the better of you, and the ski moves quickly.
While it's fast, the tail shape and the depth of the rocker allow for smooth turns, making it easy to hit walls and such.
Also, because the wide point is closer to your feet, the edge grips the snow surface incredibly quickly. So when skiing on groomed slopes, even though it's 186cm long, it feels like it's about 170cm, and with a 17m radius, you can carve really well. The double sidewall also provides a strong grip underfoot, giving you the feeling that you'll never let go of the snow.
Each ski performs in a different situation, and for me, they score near-perfect marks. I've tried other skis, but none of them surpassed these.
Also, the graphics for the 23-24 season are cool. The sole has a marble-like gradient. I would recommend these to anyone who prioritizes skiing performance.
Editorial team: Thank you. Lastly, the 23-24 season will have many boot-related topics, such as the introduction of BOA boots. Could you tell us a little about boots?
Kojiguchi: I tried on BOA boots. At first I thought it was just a novelty, but the sides of the toe area tightened really well, and the inside felt very tight. I think the tightening is quite effective. Because you can make fine adjustments so well, the boots fit more tightly, and I got the impression that the feeling of skiing on groomed slopes improved.
Kato: Personally, I have thin feet, so they were a little difficult to fit. Even when I tightened them as much as possible, it felt like half of the top of my foot was loose. When I tightened the wire to the maximum, there was a lot of pressure on the area near my ankle, and it was a little painful.
Kojiguchi: Aside from BOA, I think it's about weight reduction. The shell shape doesn't vary much between manufacturers, so the key is the inner liner. Many manufacturers tried to lighten the inner liners at one point, but they felt too loose, so they've returned to a thicker design. I think that, combined with the compatibility with the shell, is one of the factors that has improved skiing performance.
Kato: Each manufacturer has their own ingenuity when it comes to the shell. Like K2's "Mindbender," they change the material in different parts, making it easier to use the ankle, adapting to various snow conditions, and making it easy to ski. Salomon's Coreframe boots have a good system that reinforces and compensates for the weakness of wide boots, which tend to flex and lose power.
Just like with skis, the clearer you are about the situations and uses in which you'll be using the boots,
the better you'll be able to choose the perfect pair. If your priority is gliding performance, you might not even need a walk mode. In fact, without it, there's no gap between the lower and upper shells, and if you choose the right flex, power will be transferred to the skis efficiently. Alpine boots have also become lighter, so if you mainly ski on resort slopes, you don't need to be particular about having a walk mode.
Kojiguchi: The performance difference between boots is quite significant, isn't it? When I tried on Dalbello racing boots at a test ride event in Niseko, they were much more responsive than the boots I usually wear, and it was incredibly fun to ski.
Some people ski on fat skis down the groomed slopes, while others use skins to ski in the backcountry. There are also boots that don't have a walk mode, but have tech pin holes at the toe, making them unique for prioritizing skiing.
With more and more gear available to suit different preferences, it's becoming difficult for us store staff to choose and make recommendations because there are so many options.
Kato: That's true.
Editorial team: For those who already have their equipment decided or their preferences solidified, that's one thing, but if you're still unsure about your skiing style or what equipment is best for you, it's a good idea to talk to the staff at a shop who know a lot about gear and try to find a setting that suits you as much as possible.
Thank you very much.
Minoru Kojiguchi, a staff member at Shugakuso's Hokkaido University branch
, has over 20 years of experience in backcountry skiing, spending approximately 60 days a season on the snow. With his extensive experience as his foundation, he provides accurate advice on backcountry gear. He possesses deep knowledge not only of skiing equipment but also of items that assist in mountain activities. His best day of the 2023 season was at Mt. Tokachi in January. It was nearly -30℃, but the mountain was clear and windless. While the extreme cold made skiing difficult, he said the snow and scenery were absolutely perfect.
Instagram:@shugakuso__official
Paddle Club Staff Koji Kato:
He skis about 100 days a season in search of snow, regardless of the field, whether it's a ski resort or the backcountry. He has a reputation for selecting gear that allows for high-quality turns, drawing on his competitive skiing experience. His most unforgettable mountain trip of the 2023 season was to Kamoi-dake International Ski Resort in late December. He says the powder and slushy conditions were perfect for freeskiers.
Instagram:@kj_kato
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TEL: 011-890-8777
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