On March 9th, the pro shop "Clev Sports" in Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture, announced that they would be officially selling "VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports" skis in Japan. This news was also featured on STEEP, generating a huge response. So, we immediately attended the premier test ride event held in March to find out what kind of skis "VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports" are, and spoke to users and Clev Sports staff
Actual state of the premium test drive event
To celebrate the first arrival of VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports in Japan, the PREMIUM TESTRIDE was held for four days in March at the third lift area of Naeba Ski Resort
There are three sessions per day: ① from 9:00, ② from 11:00, and ③ from 13:00, and advance reservations are required. Each session is limited to just eight people, making it truly premium. We want small groups to take their time and try out many different models, experiencing their features and appeal. This is a move made by Creb Sports, who want people to communicate well with the staff and understand the greatness of "DEERS" (each pair of skis is affectionately called a "Dears")
At the start of the event, participants gathered in a large special tent like this one. At check-in, each person's ski profile (skiing experience, binding release value, etc.) was carefully interviewed, followed by a 10-minute orientation session. This was the time to hear detailed information from the staff of VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports about the history of VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports' first appearance in Japan and the products they offer. After that, participants were given the opportunity to test ride the models they wanted to ride
The lineup this time includes these models. They can be categorized into four types: the "SL W-CUP" for pure racing SL, the "PRO" for GS, the "H POWER" for all-mountain bikes, and the "FREERIDE" for freeride bikes
Why did Hilscher develop freeride skis?
This time, STEEP visited the third part on March 16th, and surprisingly, the freeride skis were the most popular, with many users saying, "I want to try riding it first!" The "FREERIDE" has a fat waist of 98mm and 108mm, but wait a minute, why did Hirscher, the alpine champion, develop a freeride ski?
The answer is this: Marcel Hirscher is known as "the greatest alpine skier of our time," and it's easy to imagine that conquering the world of 0.00 seconds requires not only incredible skiing technique, but also excellent physical ability and a fighting spirit. However, for Hirscher, skiing is not just about winning; above all, it's about having fun
Hirscher is an incredibly accomplished skier, effortlessly at home in deep powder, rough, rugged runs, and off-piste. He recently completed a "lap of honor" on the Freeride World Tour (FWT) and has been featured on numerous big-mountain skis. So it's no surprise that Hirscher has developed his own freeride skis
What are the product details?
So, what are the details of this ski? Let's take a look at the product description from the " VAN DEER WORKBOOK 2024 " catalog, which was released early
FREERIDE 98
The FREERIDE 98 is an all-around freeride ski. From corduroy to deep backcountry, this ski is one of Marcel Hirscher's favorites. It floats in powder, grips on hardpack, is maneuverable in the trees, and is stable at speed. It delivers a stormy surfing feel. Featuring just the right amount of tip and tail rocker, the FREERIDE 98's construction includes a poplar wood core, titanium and carbon double laminate, full ABS sidewalls, race edges, and a P-Tex race base. Add in Marcel's high-end Race Room finish and a few other magic touches—a ski that's perfect for in-bounds hike-to-terrain as well as deep out-of-bounds days
FREERIDE 108
The FREERIDE 108 is a fat freeride ski for big-mountain skiers who want to carve big lines on any terrain. It's one of the widest and most exciting skis Marcel Hirscher has ever made. It's easy to control, light in the air, stable at speed, and incredibly floaty in powder. It offers impressive float for surfing and smearing turns in deep snow, and it lets you charge through chop. It features surf-like tip and tail rocker and is built to the same "Winning Line" recipe as the rest of the lineup, including a poplar wood core reinforced with a double layer of titanium and carbon, full ABS sidewalls, race edges, a P-Tex race base, and some undisclosed features. Because Marcel doesn't accept anything less than perfection, this Fat ski features a true Race Room finish
H-POWER 78
The H-POWER is Hilscher's official performance on-piste ski, designed to elevate your game in fast, groomed conditions. Packed with World Cup technical flair and a playful spirit, the H-POWER grips and rips like a true race ski, without sacrificing ease of use. The H-POWER delivers crisp, short slalom-style turns and solid edge hold. This model features a 78mm waist for agility and maneuverability, and compared to the original SL WC model, it has a slightly narrower sidecut and added length for a more stable ride. A dual-ply Titanal and ash/poplar wood core ensure Hilscher-quality power transfer
The H-POWER product line incorporates a generous amount of World Cup technology, allowing you to ski confidently and enjoyably on groomers and side country
So, what were the impressions of the test drive users?
The participants this time came from a wide variety of backgrounds, including alpine racers, freeride enthusiasts, and even basic skiers. They all seemed very interested in the much talked about VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports skis, which are making their first appearance in Japan
So what do users actually say?
SL W-Cup
competitors, one comment was: "As expected from a ski that has been used to reach the podium in the W-Cup, it feels incredibly fast. But it's not difficult at all; it's easy to initiate turns, has quick response, and is very maneuverable. Above all, it's fast. It's definitely a great ski."
The PRO
PRO is a GS model for athletes and masters, but unfortunately, the conditions on the day of this test ride were not ideal for the PRO to perform to its full potential, due to the high temperature and soft, wet snow. Nevertheless, "I was able to really feel the stability during long turns and the excellent handling thanks to the ski's flex," he said.
H POWER
is generally an all-around ski primarily for groomed slopes, but its 175cm length and 78mm waist width make it particularly versatile.
A user who usually wears Salomon's GS model gave this feedback:
"I could tell the balance between the front and rear was good from the moment I put them on. Even on soft snow like today, I was able to make solid, clean turns. The skis had great grip, and I was surprised at how stable they felt as I increased my speed. These are really good skis!"
According to the staff at Kleb Sports,
"Currently, in Japan, the trend is towards short turns, partly because there are many people who practice basic skiing. For men, the mainstream model is around 165cm, and most people haven't had the chance to ride longer skis like 175cm. However, this time, even with 175cm skis, everyone was able to ride them naturally without feeling the length and enjoyed skiing. We are happy that they were able to experience the joy of skiing down long slopes and that they gave us positive feedback."
FREERIDE
models are originally more suited to powder and sidecountry conditions than to wet snow slopes like today's, but...
A user who skied down the third lift faster than anyone else commented,
"It doesn't feel as wide as I expected, and it's really easy to ride. I'm impressed by its stability, which makes me feel safe even on this kind of spring snow. I don't feel like I'm going to fall even when I'm going fast. It's fun skiing."
According to the Kleb Sports staff,
"The fact that you can feel the quality of the skis, including their turning performance, even on these slope conditions is the essence of their high performance, and I think that's the characteristic of these skis. With skis this wide, many people usually have trouble on regular slopes, but that wasn't the case today. It was impressive to hear comments like, 'I could have fun with just these skis all season.'"
Creve Sports staff's thoughts
"During today's test ride, there were not a single negative comment about any of the models. With such a wide lineup, it's normal for there to be a wide range of opinions, including likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and some negative comments among them, but even people who were riding these racing skis for the first time were full of smiling comments like, 'What?! They're easy to ride!' and 'They ride smoothly.'
"VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports may seem a little out of reach given the brand's image and price, but that's not the case when you actually try them out. We heard a lot of positive feedback that they're incredibly easy to ride and great skis suitable for all riders, and the results of the test ride were even better than we expected! Some people have even placed orders here!" said the staff in a good mood
This premier test drive event was full of hospitality. Visitors were greeted with hot coffee in a special tent, and with attentive staff, they enjoyed a leisurely two-hour test drive of each model, with a free souvenir at the end. The big smiles on the faces of the users were impressive from start to finish
There are still two more premium test ride events taking place in Naeba. There are a few premium seats still available on Wednesday, March 20th and Saturday, March 23rd. If you want to meet "DEERS," first check the details on this special website !
Japan's first ever / Premium test ride event @ Naeba Ski Resort
PREMIUM TEST RIDE
Dates:March 9th (Sat), 16th (Sat), 20th (Wed), 23rd (Sat)
Time:① 9:00-11:00 ② 11:00-13:00 ③ 13:00-15:00
Registration starts:8:30
Venue:Near the 3rd high-speed lift at Naeba Ski Resort
Participation fee:Free
Capacity:8 people per session (①②③
*On-the-day registration is only available if there are available reservation slots.
*Driver's license and mobile phone required.
*Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
Let's start with a review
What is "VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports"?
The VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports skis were developed by Marcel Hirscher, the world's greatest racer, who has a legendary record of eight overall World Cup titles, seven World Championship titles, and two Olympic gold medals
Hirscher has reigned supreme at the top of the world for 15 years. His outstanding intelligence, superior technical ability, physical strength, unique training methods and racing strategies have revolutionized the world of ski racing. But what has elevated him to a level that no one else can match is not only his exceptional talent, but also his uncompromising professional passion for gear
"You can be the best skier in the world, but if you don't have the best materials, you'll never win," Marcel Hirscher once said. "I want you to win. I want you to ski as fast as you can. I want you to push yourself to the limits and break new ground."
With this in mind, Hirscher himself has passionately developed and tested the ultimate skis on snow, backed by his incredible wealth of experience and proven track record, resulting in the ultimate ski, the VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports. Each ski is hand-tuned and finished in the same race room finish that Hirscher used to reach the top of the podium
There's no way such a miraculous product wouldn't attract attention around the world. Anyone who's stepped into the world of alpine skiing has earned the VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports a coveted presence and high reputation, and many skiers in Japan have been hoping to get their hands on one. Their hopes finally come true in March 2024
How did the pro shop Clev Sports make its first appearance in Japan?
Usually, overseas ski brands are overwhelmingly imported and sold by ski manufacturers or trading companies. So why did Clev Sports, a pro shop in Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture, decide to officially sell the globally acclaimed VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports skis in Japan? There was a reason
VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports skis have the catchphrase "Magic happens when we pursue perfection to the max," and VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports skis are said to contain a number of magical features
"How did they make such amazing skis? It's like magic!" One of the secrets to the incredible finish, which elicits such amazed exclamations of wonder, lies in the high-precision tuning performed by the world's most advanced tuning machine, "Jupiter-X".
Jupiter-X is a fully automatic tuning machine developed by Wintersteiger of Austria. It is a versatile machine that automatically handles all processes, from edges to bases to waxing. All VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports skis are equipped with Jupiter-X's "V-Edge" technology, which allows the angle of the side and base edges to be adjusted individually for the top, center, and tail
previously covered the details of the innovative Jupiter-Xin detail on STEEP, but the only company in Japan that owns the Jupiter-X is Zebra Co., Ltd. (Zebra TUNEUP Factory), a group company of Kreb Sports, and this led to the partnership between VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports and Kreb Sports. I see! The two companies were destined to meet, leading to this groundbreaking launch in Japan. Let's keep an eye on future developments.
Information
Kleb
Kleb Sports
Official website:https://www.xraeb.co.jp/xraebsport
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