Regular skiers test-ride the new 2024-2025 season skis! | STEEP Reader Report

The 2024-2025 season new model test ride event was held at Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort from Friday, April 12th to Sunday, April 14th, 2024. STEEP asked general skiers to try out various new models that they were looking forward to. This was a challenging project in response to a request from many people in the 2023 STEEP user survey, who said, "I'm interested in test ride impressions from general users as well as riders."

'24-25 Season New Model Ski & Snowboard Test Ride Event @ Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort Yamabiko Slope

Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort hosts the annual April test drive event for next season's new models. This year was once again a large-scale event with over 40 brands setting up tents. There were concerns this season that the event would not go ahead due to light snowfall, but thanks to the snowfall in March, there was plenty of snow on the Yamabiko slope, where the event was held. Blessed with weather, the conditions for spring skiing were excellent

On weekends, skiers and snowboarders would queue up in long queues waiting for the Nagasaka Gondola to start operating at 8:10am! The test ride venue was packed with tents, and not only hard gear like skis and snowboards were on display, but also goggles, helmets, gloves, and clothing, making it an incredibly lively test ride event

STEEP user reporters are on the move!

The user reporters who participated in the test ride event this time were Tokyo residents Saito Masayuki and Uruma Koji. Saito is a season pass holder for Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort, and Uruma is a season pass holder for HAKUBA VALLEY. Looking at these photos of their skiing, there's no doubt that they are both serious, dedicated freeskiers. They are also quite knowledgeable about gear, and each year they compare the new models for the upcoming season at various test ride events

[Reporter]

Masayuki Saito:

Height: 167cm,
Weight: 63kg,
Favorite skis: VECTOR GLIDE MAKE BC JS180

A 41-year-old Tokyo resident, he calls Nozawa Onsen his home and is a free-skier who enjoys all terrain, from backcountry to powder, smooth terrain, rough terrain, streams, moguls, and parks. He specializes in freeride and competes in the JFO. He skis about 70 days a season. He is also a family skier who enjoys skiing with his family

[Reporter]

Koji Uruma

Height: 166cm,
Weight: 74kg,
Favorite skis: BLIZZARD RUSTLER10 188cm (2021)

A 31-year-old Tokyo resident, he makes full use of his Hakuba Valley season pass and travels back and forth every weekend in the winter in search of powder snow. He has experience in alpine skiing and is particular about carving on smooth terrain. He has recently had many opportunities to ski with snowboarders, and places importance on wall action and lateral pulling movements

This time, STEEP has created a "test ride list" focusing on notable new models for the 2024-2025 season, as well as continuing models that are still interesting. Although it was spring snow, the characteristics of the skis were scaled up using the following six items, and further comments on the skiing impressions were also received.
●Stability
●Handling
●Carving performance
●Versatility
●Playfulness
●Buoyancy

These are the 16 models I test drove

Vector Glide | MAKE BC

Saito-san

The most notable feature of this board is that it is extremely well balanced
First of all, as is characteristic of Vector Glide boards, the speed and sharpness of the turns feel amazing, and on firm piste runs early in the morning, you can enjoy full-edge carving and leaning the board hard to make sharp turns

Furthermore, its light swing weight and easy handling make it ideal for freeriding and park riding in the stream terrain of Nozawa Onsen, allowing you to incorporate air tricks while hitting the stream. With a 96mm center width, it offers stable performance both on and off-piste.
I personally use this one ski for everything from the Tateyama backcountry in November to JFO, the park, and streams, and it's my most beloved ski. It's a reliable ski that fulfills all my skiing desires at a high level.

ICELANTIC ｜NOMADO 106

Urushima-san

It's a very well-balanced board, and in my opinion, an excellent one. It has good edge grip and turns well. You can experience great carving. When riding it, it feels a lot shorter than the length listed in the specs. This means it's a little less stable, but in terms of maneuverability, it feels like an advantage. Overall, I felt that it suited a riding style that let the board run freely. It gives you precise control over the direction you want to go, so I recommend it to people who want solid support from the board. Because there's little flex, I felt that if that was more pronounced, it would be even more fun, in line with my preferences

Vector glide ｜INTIMACY

Saito-san

This board is like the big brother of the MAKE BC 180, and is an excellent board for freeride-oriented riders. If the MAKE BC is a board with "high-level balance," I feel that the INTIMACY is a board that is more geared towards "powder and freeride." Its features are: 1) balanced rocker, 2) strong flex, and 3) easy handling
1. The balance between rocker and center is excellent, making it extremely maneuverable. The 106mm center provides ample lift even in deep powder, allowing for high-speed powder runs. 2. The strong flex allows for stable freeriding even on rough runs, allowing for high-speed skiing even on the rough slopes below the lift first thing in the morning. 3. Even among the VG lineup, the binding position is set further forward, resulting in a lighter swing weight and easier handling, allowing for more freestyle riding. This board is capable of free-running in the Nozawa valley terrain in spring, as in this case, and freeriding with air tricks. It's truly a big brother to the MAKE BC, and I think it will perform well in larger fields, such as BCs

BLASTRACK | MASSIVE 106

Urushima-san

The board has a good balance and a well-organized feel. The board doesn't slide freely and rarely gets caught in rough terrain. It's very easy to handle. On the other hand, perhaps due to the spring snow in April, the edge grip felt a little loose, but it didn't give in to the heavy spring snow and I think it puts little strain on the board in any situation. I think it's good for people who want to enjoy a calm ride regardless of the snow conditions

Vector glide ｜ POLARVE LIGHT

Urushima-san

The maximum stability rating is 4, but it always feels like it's hitting the ground regardless of the snow conditions. You always feel a sense of trust, and by matching the direction of the board, you can turn at high speeds. On the other hand, because it stands out as being very hardy, the handling and playfulness may be a little rough

Vector Glide ｜POLARVE STANDARD

Saito-san

The Pollave Standard is characterized by its exceptional turn speed and sharpness, and I feel it's a ski that stands out for its stability and carving performance. With a Top-Center-Tail of 135-107-128mm and a Radius of 23 (180), it's a ski that allows for fast, stable, and powerful turns on groomed slopes, powder, and uneven terrain. Above all, the stickiness in the latter half of the turn is the best feeling. On the D course at Nozawa Onsen, gradually increasing the edge angle and shifting up speed sets the rhythm for deep turns, and the feeling of high-speed turns on steep slopes is out of this world, and the stickiness in the latter half of the turn makes it feel like you're skiing a class above.
Because the ski has a certain weight and strength, it's recommended for hard-style skiers who want to carve at high speeds and conquer uneven terrain at high speeds, compared to the MAKE BC or INTIMACY. I think this is a highly stable and carving board that performs well in all conditions, from on-piste and powder to off-piste and backcountry.

FISCHER ｜RANGER 108

Urushima-san

The tip of the board is quite steep, so when you start a turn, you get the automatic feel that's characteristic of rocker. There's a sense of rigidity from the feet to the tail, so I felt like it would suddenly change in powder or deeper granular snow. I got the impression that it just wasn't a good match for today's snow conditions

ARMADA｜Declivity-X 108

Urushima-san

There was almost no sharp feeling that is typical of Declivity-X, and it was mild, very easy to slide, and had a smooth ride. Compared to the overall rigidity, you might feel a gap in the mildness of the edge grip. However, it could also be said that it is focused on soft snow. My impression is that it is suitable for people who want to ski on gentle lines on heavy snow without getting tired

VANDEER｜FREE RIDE 108

Urushima-san

The board's response is very straightforward, so it feels like it can go anywhere depending on the rider. However, it grips quite far to the tip of the tail, so at low speeds it may feel more than just long. In that sense, it gives the impression of being a hard-core ski with little loose playfulness. The edge grip can be summed up in one word: "Just as you'd expect from Marcel Hirscher!" The color is very dark, derived from alpine skiing. It seems like a great choice for those who want to try thicker skis after basic or alpine skiing

ICELANTIC ｜ SHAMAN 110

Urushima-san

The overall setup is macho. It doesn't live up to its name with its small radius and length, but I get the impression that it's designed for people who like to charge in at high speeds. Personally, I felt it would be great for big mountain turns. I think it's suited to people who don't want to sacrifice maneuverability for length, but still want to enjoy dynamic, straight-line riding. Because it excels in straight-line performance, I felt that it lacked agility and versatility

RMU ｜ Professor 111

Urushima-san

With maneuverability that doesn't make you feel its wide range, this is a ski that seems capable of handling a variety of situations. The entire board feels in contact with the snow, and there are almost no unexpected movements. It has an excellent balance of stability that doesn't break down even when going fast in hard, rough conditions. In other words, you need to work on the board, and if you don't decide on the line you want to ski, you may not be able to fully utilize the board's performance and end up not having enough fun. I think it's aimed at skiers who spend a lot of time skiing, but it seems like it would be a good fit for those looking for a ski for when they're unsure about the conditions

DPS ｜ KOALA 111

Urushima-san

The numbers might not look particularly impressive, to be honest. However, despite its 112mm waist width, the edge grip is exceptionally good. While the width makes transitions feel a bit sluggish, the stability more than makes up for it.
　I think it has the potential to handle even high speeds with ease. It's recommended for those who can handle hard charges, but it's not a good choice if you're just looking for lightness or ease of riding. It gives the impression of being a much more muscular board than it looks.

ARMADA | ARV 112

Urushima-san

This is the board that seems most suited to a wide variety of situations during this test ride. Despite its strong-looking rocker shape, it has little flutter and doesn't feel weak when turning. And yet, the ease of handling that comes from its thickness and shape was on full display even in the spring granular waters

Even at high speeds, the snow contact is still good. The rocker shape is lower than the previous model and starts up earlier, which gives it a nice feel. This is a model that I can recommend without any bias

RMU｜ Apostole 114

Urushima-san

It has very high-speed stability. It's stiff and can hold its own even in hard, bumpy conditions. The flex is also stiff, so it should be able to show its potential in situations where you can go fast. It also has very strong edge grip, but on the other hand, there may be times when it feels inflexible. It takes some getting used to when skiing loosely, but the bottom design with a gentle rocker makes it easy to handle. It's likely to be even more fun in powder

ARMADA ｜ Declivity-X 115

Saito-san

The DECLIVITY 115 is a ski suited for hard-style skiers who want to ski powerfully, harder, and faster. It has strong torsion and a firm stiffness underfoot, allowing for stable skiing even at high speeds on rough slopes. I was personally surprised by this, and my impression of it being softer and more versatile completely changed. Once you start skiing, you'll want to lean forward and push hard. It has a strong flex and its stability at high speeds is very appealing.
　If possible, I'd like to ski down the first run of the day at full speed on slopes like Kurokura, Ushikubi, Schneider, and the 39 Wall in powder exceeding 50cm. I'm sure that day would be incredibly satisfying. I think it's a fantastic ski for skiers who want to ski hard and strong on bigger slopes.

SALOMON ｜ QST-X

Urushima-san

With a waist width of 116mm, you can feel the width and the excellent edge grip. When you look at the board, you can really see the strength of the top rocker. The buoyancy is overwhelming. Although it is advertised as being for deep powder, it seems like it would be fun to ski even on slopes where the powder has been eaten up. The board has rigidity throughout, so if you can charge hard, I think it has the potential to handle any situation. However, you do need to be careful not to get too excited and go too far!

lastly

We plan to continue holding test ride impressions at new model test ride events for general users. If you're a skier who thinks you're the one, someone who always tries out different skis, or someone who's good at putting the characteristics and feel of skis into words, why not join us next season?