ATOMIC Gen Sasaki x Takaya Kataoka | SKIER'S TALK ROOM -Let's talk about 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, using your favorite gear also helps you improve. So how do you choose your gear? This was the theme that brought together some of the most skilled riders at the forefront of skiing, belonging to 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 a conversation between Gen Sasaki, who is based in Niseko and is active in a wide range of scenes from parks to freeride, and Takaya Kataoka, a promising young skier who is making a name for himself in technical competitions. What are their thoughts on brands and gear?

It's light and follows the movement of your body - Gen Sasaki

Gen Sasaki (hereinafter Sasaki):　Atomic has an image of supporting world-class skiers in alpine skiing. They also have many strong riders in freestyle, and their riders give off a tough, no-nonsense impression rather than a street gang-like vibe.

Takaya Kataoka (hereinafter Kataoka):　Even in the basics category, top athletes use these skis, and they give the impression of being skis that move straight ahead without unnecessary turns, with sharpness and speed. The "REDSTER" series has red skis for alpine use. There is a black i-series based on this, and we basics athletes use these. They are made for the Japanese market, and they are good skis for technically-oriented people aiming for certification, as they are easy to flex.

Sasaki's　freestyle approach is quite different; the "BENT" series, which I mainly ride, is light and easy to handle. Even when jumping in the backcountry, it follows my body movements without any stress in the air. It's a perfect fit for my style, which is to do slopestyle riding in the backcountry.

Absorbs vibrations and flexes for free movement - Takaya Kataoka

Kataoka:　The i-series "S9i PRO" and "G9 RS" that I use are high-end models for technical competitions. They have a vibration-absorbing material called RevoShock that suppresses chatter. They are equipped with ICON bindings, which are used in the World Cup, and allow for more freedom of movement while maintaining flex in the center. I'm good at moguls, and I think the movement has improved and the skis are a good match.

Sasaki　also has a binding called "Strive" for freestyle riding, which has a lower center of gravity and is lighter. The "BENT" and Strive setup is light and very useful when you want to spin in the air. The binding is mounted in the center so that you can ride both regular and switch, but a shorter nose makes it harder to float in powder. However, the nose and tail have a boat-shaped design called Horizon Tech, which provides buoyancy. It comes in widths from 85mm to 120mm, and although it is light, it has good gliding and maneuverability, so I can recommend it to anyone. Even people with less power can flex it and have fun. It is well suited to Japan's soft snow and performs well.

The Kataoka　i-series also offers a wide range of options, with various types ranging from hard expert models to more flexible ones. This extensive lineup is one of Atomic's strengths.

profile

Text = Chiho Kuriyama

Information

ATOMIC

Official website:https://atomicsnow.jp/
Official social media:Instagram|Facebook|YouTube