Backcountry guide gear setup '23-24 season | Professional selection and reviews

Behind the majestic and beautiful nature of snowy mountains, danger lurks. Our professional guides are truly snowy mountain specialists, ensuring guests' safety, acting appropriately, and teaching them the joys of skiing in the backcountry. What kind of gear do they use? What is the ``reliable gear setup for the 2023-24 season'' selected by professionals who are forced to deal with all kinds of slopes and snow conditions in the untouched snow field that stretches out before their eyes?

* For detailed information on the guide club, click the guide club name and go to the guide club introduction page on STEEP!

BLUECLIFF | Michio Takimoto

Setup with emphasis on mobility in the mountains

GEAR Set Up

SKI: SNOWFLAKESKI | RMP188cm
BINDINGS: FRITSCHI | VIPEC EVO12
BOOTS: SCARPA | 4-Quattro SL
POLE: SCOTT

The RMP188 skis have a large rocker shape at the top, moderate flex in the center, and side curves, making them easy to ride all around in any condition.
The VIPEC EVO binding allows you to switch between walking and gliding without having to take off or take off your boots. The unique tech binding has a release mechanism on the front piece, which reduces accidental release and provides high safety. I think SCARPA boots' 4 Quattro SL is the ultimate boot that is extremely lightweight and has excellent gliding and walking performance.

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CIRCLE GAME guide service ｜Shohei Sasaki

Setup with emphasis on balance between glide performance and weight

GEAR Set Up

SKI: Vector Glide | nadurra185
BINDINGS: Marker | KINGPIN m-werks12
BOOTS: SALOMON | SHIFT PRO 130AT
POLE: Vector Glide | v stick straight 115cm

I don't want to compromise on the gliding, but I do want to make it as light as possible, and I think this is the setup that users are looking for most, even though it's a bit selfish for a skating rider.

The nadurra is a wide model with a center diameter of 115mm, but I was able to play with it throughout the season, from deep snow like Mt. Asahidake to alpine snow from Mt. Rishiri to corn snow from Mt. Tateyama.

The side curves of the skis are not too sharp, so the edge grip is strong even when climbing or downhill on hard snow, giving you a sense of security. I've been using KINGPIN for about 6 years now, and it's one of the gears I trust with no major problems.

When you are not wearing boots, you must keep the toe piece down (the spring is compressed), and make sure to remove snow before changing modes, which are common to other companies' products. This would greatly reduce the risk of damage. This season I've been wearing SALOMON's SHIFT PRO, which has a great balance of gliding performance and lightness.

It holds firmly and has a great sense of stability at high speeds and on icy snow conditions. I also trust that I have never had any trouble switching modes. If you're a skier, you don't need telescopic poles because they're lighter and your swing balance is much better. When I work as a guide, customers say to me 3 or 4 times a year, ``It's not a telescopic pole, is it?'' If you think you've been fooled, please try using a straight pole! ︎

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COLOR SPORT CLUB ｜Tomohiro Shakawa

A setup that has excellent rigidity and power transmission, and has excellent running feel and running performance.

GEAR Set Up

SKI:TONES SKI｜KANBA and HANDS
BINDINGS:Marker｜KINGPIN 13
BOOTS:K2｜MINDBENDER120

By using Marker KINGPIN13 with TONES SKI, a domestically produced ski, you can expect a reliable sense of quality that will never fail, such as a more reliable feeling of rigidity and a balanced feeling of communication with the snow surface. .

You can tell from the shape of this ski that it has great glide, all-terrain performance, ease of maneuverability, stability underfoot, and stickiness of the tail. Marker KINGPIN13 is lightweight and has a very direct feel with a low setting closer to the board. The seasoning and balance are exquisite. These are reliable boots that can be expected to enhance the feeling of skiing, with their dependable rigidity, the feeling of putting your feet in, and the feeling of gripping the snow surface with the entire sole of your foot.

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IDEHA｜ Takahiro Ishizawa

Recommended setup for telemarkers

GEAR Set Up

SKI: K2 | WAY BACK 106 (179cm)
BINDINGS: 22DESIGN | Axel
BOOTS: SCOTT | VOODOO
POLE: K2 | DISPATCH 120

I'm a telemarker, so I like the lighter and more flexible WAY BCACK than a hard, heavy board. For bindings, I like and use 75mm cable type instead of NTN. A stiff binding with no play like NTN's is not bad, but I like to glide more freely on powder with a little play, so I'd go for the cable.

Infield ｜Toyokazu Nakano

Telemark setup with the best balance between lightness and glide.

GEAR Set Up

SKI: Black Diamond | Heliocarbon 104
BINDINGS: 22DESIGNS | Lynx
BOOTS: SCARPA | TX Pro
POLE: Black Diamond | Laser Carbon Pro POLE

I feel this is the easiest combination to use when considering the balance between lightweight and glide as a set of telemark skis for use on backcountry tours. Skis with a center width of 104 mm are the skis that are used the most, as they can be used from deep snow in the depths of winter to early spring when the snow has not yet settled down. You will need to get used to tech bindings to use the Lynx, but you can use it with the same gliding sensation as the Outlaw X. The best part is that it is lightweight, which greatly reduces stress when walking.

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JUNRINA mountain service ｜ Jun Nagai

A setup that allows you to enjoy a variety of snow conditions

GEAR Set Up

SKI: Vectorglide｜Polarve Standard (186cm)
BINDINGS: Marker｜KINGPIN m-werks12
BOOTS: ATOMIC｜HAWX ULTRA XTD 130GW
POLE: Vectorglide｜V-stick

In Joshinetsu, the center of the activity, the snow quality changes drastically due to the influence of sunlight, wind, elevation difference between the top and bottom, and temperature, and you often encounter bad snow. Stable skis are required to enjoy the diverse snow conditions. We really like the Polarve's solid edge grip in turns.

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Kagura Powder Station ｜Kazuya Igarashi

Use different setups depending on the time and situation

GEAR Set Up

SKI: K2｜MINDBENDER 116C, WAYBACK 106
BINDINGS: Marker｜KINGPIN m-werks12, alpinist9
BOOTS: K2｜MINDBENDER130 BOA
POLE: BCA｜ SCEPTER CARBON ALUMINUM

The K2 skis provide the best performance and cut in powder, backcountry, and a variety of other conditions.

K2 boots are lightweight and have a wide range of motion, allowing you to increase your speed while hiking without getting tired. It maintains a firm flex when descending, providing reliable glide. Introducing the individual setups... K2MINDBENDER 116C 186cm is set with marker Kingpin m-werks12 and used for powder and deep powder from the beginning of the season to early April.

The 116c has a very good balance throughout, giving it a sense of stability and demonstrating good operability in a wide range of situations, from ski slopes to deep powder. Especially in powder, the top swing weight has good operability and it is comfortable to start turns. I set alpinist 12 to WAYBACK106 179cm and use it for long touring from spring snow in mid-March to Mt. Gassan, Mt. Chokai, Mt. Tate, Mt. Fuji.

The skis and bindings are also lightweight, allowing you to climb long and steep climbs without fatigue and stability. The good balance between wood and carbon fiber and the titanium plate at the foot hold firmly on changing slopes and ice burns, giving a sense of stability under various conditions. MINDBENDER130 BOA, but turning the dial of BOA boots This allows for a precise hold that wraps around the entire leg, making it possible to start turns quickly and reliably. You can make fine adjustments by turning it backwards. When hiking up, the buckle does not hit the snow wall, and when setting up for skiing, there is no need to tighten or adjust the buckle, just tighten the BOA, and the setup is quick and reliable.

KinTouN Backcountry Guide｜Kenichi Minegishi

A completely lightweight setup that does not compromise on slippage.

GEAR Set Up

SKI: FOON SKIS | MAVERIC Original Custom 182
BINDINGS: FRITSCHI | Tekton 13
BOOTS: SCARPA | 4-Quatro XT, Maestrale XT, Maestrale RS
POLE: BLACK DIAMOND | Laser Carbon Pro

Overall, we are conscious of a setup that is lightweight and does not compromise on slippage.
For FOON SKIS, we chose the surfy MAVERIC as a template and had them customize the supple flex according to their personal preferences to create a one-of-a-kind original.

This set is best suited for freeriding, which uses terrain more than speed. The binding is FRITSCHI's Tekton 13, which I have been using for the past few years, and although it is lightweight and is made of pintech, the toe piece has a system that absorbs vibrations, so I think the ride is as smooth as an alpine bike.

The boots are 4-quattro XT with a flex of 130, and I think they go well with the FOON SKIS MAVERIC.
During the powder season, when I use a lot of lift access, I often use the Quattro XT, and in the spring, when hiking approaches are long, I often use the Maestrale XT or RS, which are supple and easy to walk on. The poles are Laser Carbon, which I've been using for many years, and I like them because they have good balance.

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Kuroda Mountain Guide Office ｜Makoto Kuroda

Thinking about carrying a guest's board, my gear should be light

GEAR Set Up

SKI: VÖLKL | BLAZE106 186cm
BINDINGS: FRITSCHI | VIPEC EVO 12
BOOTS: SCARPA | Maestrale RS
POLE: Black Diamond | Laser Carbon Propol

BLAZE106 is moderately light and moderately sturdy, making it easy to handle a variety of situations. Maybe the boots could have been softer? I'm not racing, so it doesn't have to be that hard. Since the hinge is located low, it works well and prevents your shoes from slipping.

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Niseko Mecca ｜Hisataka Tanaka

Setup for ease of movement with HOJI's 4LOCK system

GEAR Set Up

SKI: 4FRNT | HOJI184cm 4LOCK
BINDINGS: Dynafit | ST ROTATION
BOOTS: TECNICA | ZERO G TOUR PRO
POLE: 4FRNT | UPTRACK POLE

I use the 4FRNT HOJI series 4LOCK system.

It's a full rocker ski, so you can easily turn without putting any weight on it. Good on steep slopes and crust slopes. Comes with POMOCA Free Pro 2.0 with 4 lock system. The Free Pro 2.0 is his number one compact sticker, which is also lightweight and offers outstanding ease of movement. This is a reliable system recommended for those who are having trouble with the tail hook of the seal coming off. Both skis and boots are lightweight.
Technica's Zero G Tour Pro is lightweight but has high glide performance. The binding is Dynafit's ``ST Rotation 12,'' which has fewer resin parts and is highly rigid. There are fewer troubles on the mountain.

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locus guide service ｜Kazuya Furuse

I like the balance of good gliding performance and light weight.

GEAR Set Up

SKI: VÖLKL | BLAZE106 (186cm)
BINDINGS: Marker | KINGPIN 13
BOOTS: DALBELLO | CABRIO LV FREE 130 3DWRAP ★
POLE: VÖLKL | TOURISTICK CC

I like the balance between having enough glide performance to enjoy skating and being lightweight.
BLAZE106 is a truly versatile ski, perfect for conditions in the BC area where conditions are uncertain.

From deep powder in the high season to carving on ski slopes with compacted snow conditions in spring, it is light yet has floatation and turning performance including carving. There are many boards that float better, are lighter, and run faster, but the most appealing thing is balance. When choosing gear for skis, boots, and bindings, we are conscious of having the three gear concepts in place.

I think this is the most important thing, because if this is not the case, the performance of each gear will not be maximized. If you are choosing with an emphasis on gliding performance, choose all three with an emphasis on gliding performance, and if you are choosing one with an emphasis on lightness, choose all three with an emphasis on lightness. My set is somewhere in the middle, and I chose it with an emphasis on the balance between enjoyable gliding performance and acceptable lightness. I always choose gears to find the limit of lightness that can be achieved without sacrificing glide performance. The gliding performance including carving performance of the BLAZE series and the holding power and reliability of KINGPIN. The direct gliding feeling obtained from the lower shell composition that can only be obtained with boots with a 3-piece structure, and the repeated prototyping and testing within the same group, the concept of 3 gears is the best match for him. Naturally, this brings out the best in each other's gear.

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POWERZONE Hakuba｜Mamoru Takahashi

A playful setup in the best sense of the word.

GEAR Set Up

SKI: ZAG | SLAP112 (176cm)
BINDINGS: Blackdiamond | O2
BOOTS: SCARPA | T2 eco

I like the firm flex of the skis, which allows me to carve on the slopes even though I have a waist of 112cm. I use the 75mm gnome binding because I think it's simpler and more reliable than the NTN standard, which has recently become mainstream. The boots are 75mm to match the bindings! Telemark is more interesting when there is "play" in a good sense!

TERUI DAICHI

The three elements of lightness, rigidity, and ease of handling are harmonized at a high level.

GEAR Set Up

SKI: ATOMC｜BACKLAND100 (180cm)
BINDINGS:ATOMIC｜SHIFT
BOOTS:ATOMIC｜BACKLAND XTD

Skis with a 100mm center for easy skiing in any situation. I prefer boards that are not too long for my height, with climbing in mind. The boots are the ATOMIC BACKLAND carbon XTD released this season. Not only is it light, but it also has a good grip. The last is also 100mm, so it has a medium last instead of the narrow last that is common with light boots. I think many skiers can use it.

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RIKI JAPOW GUIDE｜Riki Nakajima

Buoyancy, stability, and lightness are ideal

GEAR Set Up

SKI: Rossignol | Super7
BINDINGS: Look | HM Rotation
BOOTS: Rossignol | All trak pro130gw
POLE: Rossignol | Escaper telescopic safety

Buoyancy, stability, and lightness are ideal. Hiking is also taken into account to the extent that the boots do not impair the gliding performance, so they can be used firmly even in the mountains.

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Vertical Land ｜Yuki Ito

One that can be played in the mountains throughout the season! Great for enjoying natural terrain

GEAR Set Up

SKI: FACTION | LA MACHINE 4 MASSIVE (185cm)
BINDINGS: G3 | zed12
BOOTS: LANG | XT3 tour pro
POLE: Black Diamond | Laser Carbon Pro

FACTION's LA MACHINE 4 has a reverse camber that makes it easy to operate in any snow.

It is especially helpful when there is snowfall or heavy fresh snow. G3's zed12 binding is easy to install when wearing boards. There are also fewer problems. The LANG XT3 tour pro boots are lightweight and have a rubber sole, but they feel like alpine boots. I also recommend that you don't see many people using it. Paul's Black Diamond Laser Carbon was given to him by his senior, and it's been 4 years since this year. A reliable tool that will not break even though it has a telescopic function. The design is simple and only includes what you need, making it easy to use in the mountains.

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