"kossymix snowsurf wax" - "Slip" created by commitment to quality

Rider: Junichi Koshimizu Photo: Kage

There are limits to predicting the ever-changing weather and snow quality and selecting a wax that will "glide". Applying wax every time you go up a mountain is a pain. First of all, how many people know the correct way to apply wax? Here is a dedicated craftsman who has carved out his own path to overcome these many hurdles.

Even if I want to tell you that it's not like that

Mr. Junichi Koshimizu. He started snowboarding in 1987, and since 1997 he has been managing the pro shop ``Relax Backpacking & Snowboading'' and developing his original wax brand ``Kossymix.''

``If you purchase a board online, it will arrive untuned unless you specify otherwise or make an additional order.Customers often don't know anything about it and just ride it without thinking, which is disappointing. .

However, GENTEMSTICK, which I have been using for many years, advertises in advance that it sells unfinished products, and says, ``This board is not in riding condition as is. The car needs to be tuned by a professional tuner for final maintenance.'' The ideal flow of making something that suits the person and handing it over has been in place for a long time.

However, even this is not really communicated to the users. Even though safety is an important issue, I don't think there are many people who are just chasing what's trendy or cheap and don't understand and use their gear properly. Furthermore, the information that individuals send out on the internet is shared and spread without any judgment as to whether it is accurate or not. Even if I want to convey that it's not like that, it's frustrating that I can't convey it well...''

Even the same wax can be completely different depending on the recipe.　

``Tune-up and wax cannot be separated originally.It is important to prepare everything before riding, but there are many people who ride without knowing it.Just like cooking, even the same ingredients can be finished by the chef who prepares them. Even if you buy the same wax, it will be very different depending on the recipe and how you make it.Before the coronavirus, we were holding wax seminars in various places to teach people about this, but now with the coronavirus. I can't do it anymore...

In May, in addition to the Relax store, I renovated the ruins of my parents' clothing factory and created a tune-up studio called ``kossymix works tune.'' Now that the coronavirus pandemic has calmed down and I finally have a work space, I've started a Waxing Clinic for small groups of people, where people work together and learn how to tune up, similar to a cooking class. In the past, even if I was working with a large number of people, such as dozens of people, I felt that I couldn't convey the message because each person's level of understanding was different. After conducting this small workshop, I realized once again that I needed this kind of time and opportunity, and that it was extremely valuable."

Kossymix was created

Mr. Koshimizu used to skateboard when he was a teenager in junior high and high school. In the summer of his third year of high school, a skate shop opened in his hometown, and he was invited to try snowboarding for the first time, saying, ``If you want to try snowboarding, I'll take you there.'' He was immediately fascinated, his friends increased, and his world expanded.
That was in 1987. Afterwards, he studied design and was involved in various product development as a designer at Descente, famous for its sportswear. He says that his experience is still useful today.

One of the major turning points was my encounter with Taro Tamai. Speaking of Mr. Tamai, he is a pioneer who has led the Japanese snowboarding world by bringing the concept of surf riding to snowy mountains and creating GENTEMSTICK. It was through his encounter with Taro Tamai that Koshimizu began making wax.

"Around 2000, I met Mr. Taro and said, 'If you go on a month-long trip to Alaska in the spring, there's no heat source even if you want to wax.It's mid-winter when you go there, but when you come back, it's spring heat. I wonder if there's a wax that can handle the rapidly changing seasons and snow quality, Koshimizu-kun.''That's what I started with.

However, Taro had already said back then that the wax had to be environmentally friendly. I was asked if anyone in Japan was making such a wax and told me about it. At the time, I was around 30 years old and had just started my own shop, and I had no intention of making wax.

But around 2000, I met Takahiro Kashiwazaki. He toured the world with the French national team as a serviceman. I was told, ``I tried making my own because I couldn't find anything good,'' and when I tried it, it turned out to be a very easy-to-use wax.

It is 100% paraffin, suitable for snow conditions, and is environmentally friendly, so it matched what Mr. Taro said, so around 2005, when the GENTEM showroom in Niseko was opened, I introduced Mr. Kashiwazaki to Mr. Taro. Kashiwax made by Mr. Kashiwazaki at GENTEM , and it spread all over the country through the GENTEMSTICK route.

However, Taro was unable to achieve what he was looking for in terms of durability for a month, glide performance, and ability to respond to changing snow conditions. So, around 2007, we talked about whether it would be possible to combine the three waxes (1+2+3) into one wax, which would be completed in one hot wax session, and would be even more durable. When I asked Mr. Kashiwazaki, he said, ``There's no way that's possible! ” was the immediate answer.

But after about two years, in 2009, I thought, ``I made it! ” I received a call. After testing samples under various field conditions and improving accuracy, in 2010 we finally created an all-around long-lasting wax called Origin, which has become the face of Kossymix. From there, we named it Kossymix. So, the origin really started with a consultation with Taro Tamai."

For Koshimizu, Origin was a work he was proud of, but even so, at the time there were times when locals in Niseko would say, ``I didn't slip at all today, this wax is no good.''

``I've been using Kossymix for a long time with just one Origin, but on a particularly cold day in Niseko, a local pointed out to me, ``Why aren't you so smooth?'' That's frustrating. After much trial and error, we finally came up with "Origin version 2" the year before last, which is an updated version of Origin that has even better all-round performance and can be used even in cold weather. It's been 20 years since that consultation, and I was finally able to do it.''

Currently, Kossymix's wax products are as follows. This is a lineup created by Mr. Koshimizu's commitment.

Wax products - hot wax

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Thorough commitment to quality

The production of wax is currently being developed with Mr. Kashiwazaki. The reason why Kossymix is ​​so expensive compared to others is because it is made in small batches and the quality is carefully controlled.

Currently, there are several domestically produced waxes that contain nano-sized artificial diamonds called nanodiamonds to improve slipping properties. However, over 10 years ago, it was Kossymix that created the world's first wax using nanodiamonds.

“Nanodiamond is a nanoparticle with a diamond crystal structure, and refers to nano-sized carbon molecules (graphite), so there are various materials available. At Kossymix, we use nanodiamond as a base wax rather than a gliding wax.By applying a "nanodiamond coating" to the gliding surface and preparing the foundation, we apply it afterwards. This approach is based on the idea that the basics are important, maximizing the effectiveness of wax, reducing friction, and improving durability.

Furthermore, even though paraffin is called paraffin, there are differences in structure and density, and when multiple materials are mixed, whether it is easy to mix, separate, or stick will change. We quantify all of these and assess them, and manage them to ensure that there are no variations in quality."

Kossymix's commitment to raw materials and quality control is extraordinary. Mr. Koshimizu says that he has received direct feedback from users saying that the product is ``very easy to use'' and ``very smooth.''

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I'll never have to worry again

Kossymix is ​​celebrating 15 years since the brand was launched. At first, I just wrote the name on the bag with a marker, but I made the package and added the design, and it wasn't until the 2010 season that I started doing it in earnest. This tasteful logo was created by Mr. Koshimizu, who created a rough draft of the design, and then finished it together with a local friend (Shingo Goto), who has been asking him for design work since before Relax opened.

"I thought of snowboarding with a fishtail. The fish inside the circle is like the earth or a spring, and we live in beautiful water. I imagine it's a nice and lively ride with a fishtail."

What does Mr. Koshimizu want his users to achieve by providing good wax?

``First of all, I felt that I had to develop a wax that could meet the needs of Taro Tamai and other riders.That's why I created many recipes, and even on trips lasting several months, I had to develop a wax that could meet the needs of riders such as Taro Tamai. A wax that can be used with proper care has been created, and the results can now be passed on to all snowboarders.

If you are a regular user and ski frequently, you won't need to go to the trouble of hot waxing as long as you do proper maintenance such as scraping and brushing at the beginning of the season. Make the most of your time the day before, get some rest, and enjoy the mountains to the fullest the next day! This is my wish.

These words are symbolic: ``Don't think twice, it's All right.'' We want you to always be able to enjoy skiing with peace of mind, without the stress of having to guess tomorrow's snow quality. Don't let the wax you apply make you slip or not slip today. Kossymix is ​​always about getting the most out of skating.

That's why the riders who went on the trip were able to ski easily and properly! I'm very happy to hear your story. And above all, it doesn't slip like before. What is this! I'm simply happy that there are fewer complaints like this.

However... there is actually a problem. ...The replacement cycle is long! (Laughs) Kossymix is ​​very long-lasting, so if you buy one pack, you can use it for several years."

destination of thoughts

Koshimizu says, ``Snowboarding is a magical tool that can take you anywhere you want.'' It is not only meant as a sliding tool.

``Snowboarding has given me many new friends, and it has enriched my life.'' Kossymix's ``mix'' means mixing and collaborating with various people. Many people have started using Kossymix. I want you to meet people, make connections with them, and spend a rich time and life with them.

In fact, our customers who meet each other at the store or on the snowy mountains connect side by side and form new communities, or go on mountain climbing or surf trips together. Because it is small, the connection becomes deeper. Everyone looks like they're having fun. I would be happy if we could become a place where all kinds of people can meet, mingle, and take everyone into a fun world using snowboards and our house.

What I'm thinking about right now is that in addition to small group workshops, I might want to hold a ``Clinic from the gear perspective'' at this new tuning studio. When you look at the board, you can see how the person rides and their habits, so you can give advice on how to skate from there. I think that's a bit unique and interesting.

Another thing we would like to do is dig up a board lying dormant in a customer's home, tune it to suit the next user, and pass it on to the next person.　

I've been doing this job for a long time, but I've always felt frustrated that we should be able to enjoy skating more. Even though there are people working hard to make great tools, I feel like their performance is not being fully conveyed. I believe that I have a role to play as a messenger to help users understand this through high-quality wax and tune-ups.''

Koshimizu says, ``I try to trust my intuition and act accordingly.'' What will that intuition produce in the future? The Kossymix logo with a swimming fish must be a fountain of inspiration.
Now that she has created a ``wax that has no enemies and is self-satisfying,'' Koshimizu is determined to pass on the important things.

Relax Snowsurf Shop
543-4 Hitomi, Fukaya City, Saitama 366-0811
TEL/FAX: 048-551-0037
Irregular holidays, please check SNS for business hours

kossymix

URL:
Kossymix | https://kossymix.com/
Relax | https://relax1997.com/