K2 Kazushi Nakamura x Masaori Fujii | SKIER'S TALK ROOM -Let's talk gear-

"Let's talk about gear. It might help you improve quickly."

Everyone has their own way of improving at skiing. While practicing hard is of course important, how do you choose gear to improve using your favorite gear? This topic brought together some of the most skilled riders active at the forefront of skiing, from various manufacturers. So, we decided to change things up a bit and hold a cross-talk across genres, from freestyle to basics and alpine

This time, we have Kazushi Nakamura, who switched from alpine skiing to basics, and Masaori Fujii, who switched from moguls to freeride and is now competing in the FWQ. Both came from different genres and are expanding the scope of their skiing. They are also riders who are fans of the popular BOA boots. What are their thoughts on the brand and gear?

Lightweight and easy to operate, it can be used at a wide range of levels - Kazushi Nakamura

Kazushi Nakamura (hereinafter Nakamura):　I've always been in the racing world, and I had the image that K2 was for backcountry skiing, so I was surprised to learn that they would be competing in the All Japan Ski Technical Championships. The "Disruption" "Ti2" and "STi" skis I'm currently using are skis with a different concept than speed. They are very solid, and I realized that I had been relying too much on the skis' performance and neglecting finer control.

Shoori Fujii (hereinafter Fujii):　　I've ridden the "DISRUPTION." It gripped well even on hard-packed snow, and it made turns just by angling, so it was fun to ride.

Nakamura:　The "STi" is lightweight and highly maneuverable, allowing for carving and sliding on moguls, making it suitable for a wide range of riders, from beginners to advanced.
The "Ti2" is for wide turns. I ride the 182cm model, and it has both weight and length.

I can attack with all my might without panicking - Masaori Fujii

Fujii:　I'm good at skiing down bumpy slopes at high speeds, and I usually wear the "MINDBENDER" "116C". It's lightweight but doesn't chatter and makes good contact with the snow, so I can go all out. The tail and tip have little rocker, but it's still fun to play with, and I like that I can put weight on my turns. "MINDBENDER" is a ski that even racers will enjoy. For groomed slopes, I recommend the "108Ti". I also ride this on the slopes and use it in mogul lessons.

my　K2 boots for the first time this winter. They were the newly released "RECON" 130 with Boa lacing. I was the first skier to use Boa boots in the technical competition, so I attracted a lot of attention at the venue.

Fujii　uses the same boots. In the mountains, the temperature changes, and with four buckles, the fit is different even if you tighten them the same way. But with Boa, you can adjust them to the perfect fit, so I really like them.

Nakamura　boots keep my feet warm, and I like that I can adjust the tightness or looseness. During practice, I wear them quite loosely to check the movement of the soles of my feet.

Fujii:　I always like to fasten them tightly. Boa boots have a good heel fit and I feel like they're easier to use from tip to tail. They didn't break even with rough use. They're more fun to ski on groomed slopes than the soft boots I used to wear, and I can ski moguls without any problems.

Nakamura　uses the same boots even though they compete in different events, but in that sense, they are boots that can be used for a wide range of purposes.

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Text = Chiho Kuriyama

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