Let's talk about the impressions of the favorite gear that riders used this winter.
This time, it is the favorite skis, boots, and bindings of Kazuya Furuse, who runs a backcountry tour guide business in Hakuba.
Kazuya Furuse, 46 years old
Born in Mount Ontake, Nagano Prefecture.
After graduating from high school, he spent his time as a ski bum in Japan and abroad, and has been a backcountry ski guide in Hakuba since 2004. He started Locus Guide Service in 2019. photo / Miho Furuse
Set up by Kazuya Furuse
Skis: VOLKL BLAZE106 186cm (146-106-128) '22-23 model
Boots: DALBELLO LUPO PRO HD 130 '22-23 model
Bindings: MARKER KING PIN 13 '22-23 model
Ratings and reviews for each gear
ski reviews
VOLKL BLAZE106
●Five levels of impression of hardness (★1=soft←→★5=hard)
Nose: ★★★★☆
Center:★★★★☆
Tail:★★★☆☆
5 levels of suitable scenes
Powder: ★★★★☆
Grooming: ★★★★☆
Hard pack: ★★★★☆
park: ★★☆☆☆
Moguls: ★★☆☆☆
Touring: ★★★★ ★
●Frequently used situations
Backcountry regardless of season or condition
●Review
It has a light weight that is advantageous when you need to hike up, and it is characterized by a good balance that can handle any condition with this one from powder to rough. What I like most is the turn performance including the feeling of carving at high speed. Combined with the thinness and lightness of the board itself, it is a ski that makes you feel the evolution of gear over the past few years.
boot reviews
DALBELLO LUPO PRO HD 130
●Five levels of impression of hardness (★1=soft←→★5=hard)
Lower shell:★★★★★
Upper:★★★★☆
5 levels of suitable scenes
Powder: ★★★★★
Grooming: ★★★★☆
Hard pack: ★★★★★
Park: ★★☆☆☆
Moguls: ★★★☆☆
Touring: ★★★★ ★
●Comfort of walk mode function The comfort
of the lever is honestly bad.
It's not a one-touch like other companies, but it takes time and effort to remove the buckle, belt, and tongue. I like it more than boots that are easy to change modes and have a single rear closure.
Frequently used conditions (time, place, conditions, etc.)
Backcountry with a certain amount of hiking regardless of season or
●Review
The biggest advantage of the 3-piece boot, which consists of the lower shell, tongue, and rear cuff, is the strength of the rigidity of the lower shell, which directly transmits power to the ski.
The shell of recent lightweight dual-purpose boots is often made thin and the lower shell distorts when weight is applied, so the difference is clear.
binding review
MARKER KING PIN 13
● 5 levels of impression
Power transmission feeling: ★★★☆☆
Reliability: ★★★★★
use: ★★★★★
Lightweight feeling: ★★★☆☆
Operating feeling of climbing mode change: ★★★★ ★
Heel lifter operation feeling:★★★★★
●Five levels of suitable scenes
Powder: ★★★★★
Grooming: ★★★★☆
Hard pack: ★★★★☆
park: ★★☆☆☆
Moguls: ★★☆☆☆
Touring: ★★★★ ★
●Comfortable use of the walk mode function
Mode switching is very smooth because it is a one-action action that only moves the lever. Because the heel piece is heavier than the toe piece, the tail tends to drop and kick turns are easier.
●Commonly used conditions (time, location, conditions, etc.)
Backcountry with a certain amount of hiking regardless of season or condition.
●Review
The structure of the toe piece, which will be newly improved in the 2022-23 season, makes it much easier to wear than previous models.
Among Pintech bindings, the overwhelming feeling of sliding, holding power, and safety and reliability brought about by release performance are the biggest reasons for continuing to use them for many years.