The brand "season" launched by Eric Pollard in 2020. Landing in Japan in the 2021-22 season has become a hot topic in the industry. However, there are still some parts such as the ride quality of the board that are still covered in veils, and there should be many people who are interested. So this time, general users and the steep editorial department actually rode this attention ski.
First of all, there are overwhelmingly few models compared to major brands. Each of the 5 cars in the lineup is properly differentiated in the situation to be used, and with these, it can be used in all conditions.
And a distinctive black design. As an artist who draws graphics, Eric was entrusted with everything from the design to the design of the board during the LINE era and put out his signature, but this season's skis are daringly wrapped in matte black. In an interview, he said that this is to get the skis to be used for a long time. Even in the all black, there are stamps, flags, and one-point designs called portals here and there.
If you want to learn more about the brand, check out our previous feature on it.
Brand lineup
The lineup for the season is as follows.
Five models from the left: forma, nexus, aero, kin, and pass.
Snowboards have also been launched with the same name in the season, so they are correctly called kin skis, kin snowboard, etc.
The outline of each ski is as follows. (Comment quoted from the catalog)
●forma
167cm D=148-114-136 R=16.5. 1900g 176cm
D=148-116-135 R=17.5.
2100g 183cm. D148-118-138 R=19.5. Pollard's favorite forma skis are dependable skis in the finest powder to rough snow conditions. Compared to the wide skis that Eric had ridden up to that point, the width of the waist was slightly narrower and the sidecut was set a little shorter, giving it light maneuverability. And the overall balance of the core, fiberglass, and metal parts in the tail allows you to step into it. "Powder" and "stability", these two elements are the most important features of forma skis.
nexus
158cm D=131-100-127.R=14m.1750g 167cm.D
=
133-102-129.R =15m. -106-133. R=17.5m. 2000g 189cm D=139-108-135 R=18m
. According to the concept of nexus, it fits regardless of the field from soft conditions to hard slopes. Quad fiberglass and metal parts on the tail allow for a firm step.
Aero
158cm D=119-90-115. R=14.5m.
1750g
165cm. D=121-92-117. R=16m . D=125-96-121. R=17m.
2000g The only SEASON SKI model that uses Titanal aluminum laminate for high-speed skiing. A responsive flex balance, mid-waist and tail metal parts allow you to push hard no matter where you are on the mountain.
kin
163cm D=137-95-133. R=15m.
1750g 175cm. D=139-97-135. R=
15m . It's a hybrid of mountain, race and freestyle skiing. A deep sidecut, long contact edges and soft flex allow for a variety of turn shapes.
D
=138-114-134 R=15.5m 1600g
178cm D=140-115-136 R=16.5m 1700g
185cm D=142-116-138 R=18.5m
1800g Based on the nexus, it has been reshaped into a more versatile design. It goes without saying that it is more suitable for backcountry.
With these 5 units, it is an image that can demonstrate the best performance in all snowy mountains depending on the situation to use. This time, we used four skis, excluding the pass, as test rides, and had five general skiers ride them.
user impressions
I used the Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture from late December to early January as a test ride location. At this time of year, the peony snow that is unique to Niigata falls and piles up, increasing the amount of snowfall at once. Fresh snow continued to fall on the day of the test ride, and the conditions on the slopes were powder. Even the compacted snow course is lightly covered with snow.
User review No.1
Mr. Uemura, 20s
I handle a wide range from park to backcountry skiing. A ski holic who loves to ski on any kind of ski.
Review ▷
I learned about season from SNS that Eric Pollard left LINE and created a brand.
I had an image that he mainly develops skis for powder and backcountry skis, but after trying them on this time, I felt that they are easy to use even in the park. His favorite board was kin. It's a comfortable board that doesn't lose speed even when carving. I thought it was one that would be very active on the slopes. My next favorite board is nexus.
It's a ski that you can enjoy carving on piste and a bit of powder. The aero was not suitable for this heavy snow environment, but it seems to be active in the beautiful Pistenbahn and bumps. I have the impression that I would like to use it for spring skiing as well. For backcountry skiing, a forma thickness is fine, but I want to be an all-rounder, and I want to enter the park and ski with switches, so if I were to buy one, the kin or nexus would be better. I think
User review No.2
Mr. Sato, 40s
The owner of the sports shop "Sato Sports" in Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture. He's been into backcountry skiing lately.
Review ▷
I learned about the season when a customer purchased a board online and brought it in for a binding installation request.
There is a process of drilling holes when installing the bindings, but it was hard to make a hole, so I felt that a good core material was used. (Cheap boards have holes easily.) As for the graphics, it's a simple and cool design that you won't get tired of using for several years. I usually use LINE's pescado, so I was interested in forma.
The top is 150mm, so the buoyancy is enough. Even with rough ground powder, the board was hard, so there was a sense of stability. Even in compacted snow, if you speed up, you will feel the stability of the board even more. It's a fat ski with a radius of 19m, which is small, but it's a board that bends more than it looks. It was a board that makes carving fun. I think it is also recommended for those who are from racing and basic skiers. The second one was a test drive of nexus.
I felt that the swing weight was light with a shave that was one size thinner than forma. There is good recovery even if you lose your balance by speeding up on uneven terrain. I think it's a high quality board because the board doesn't flutter even with high speed carving like forma in the compacted snow barn. What I can say in common with both of them is that they are good for the slopes and I wanted to use them in the backcountry. Also, I am grateful that the board runs on the sintered 7500 running surface. Since the board is solid, I think that the boots should be stiff. In my image, Flex 100 or more is ◎. Overall, the feeling is good and I would like to consider handling the season at our store.
With just one nexus, you can ski comfortably in most places.
User review No.3
Shita, 50s
These days, the slope run is the main one. Every year, he continues to set new records for how old he can make Rodeo 540.
Review ▷ As
Eric Pollard made it, the board is solid.
It's a ski that looks cool no matter who rides it, without limiting people. I usually ride LINE's SAKANA and pescado, but I felt that the forma was a little heavy even with the same fishtail, but it has high-speed stability. The tail part is also slightly different from SAKANA and Pescado, and I felt that it was even stronger. The charm of the fishtail is that the tail floats and the snow does not limit the arc of the turn. I felt that forma had a good balance. Because it is a little heavy, it seems that you need leg strength to hike up, so it seems difficult for an old man like me to wear this board and do a full hike (laughs). Side country with lift access and wide slopes are good. The side curve is 183cm and 19.5m, so it may be a little difficult to handle in a tree run. It looks like it's good to slide the board with the powder of the open burn. The nexus was good for the comfort of the turn.
You can turn as you wish. It's perfect for cruising on the slopes, even though you might think it's mountain skiing. The aero had a light swing weight and was a responsive board. Personally, I'd like to use it in a park or something. Spinning tricks may be too much. The black board makes it easy to match with any wear and you won't get tired of it. It's nice to be able to keep using it.
User review No.4
Mr. Koshiba in his 40s
He used to be a snowboarder, but in recent years he has rediscovered the fun of skiing and has become a skier.
Review ▷
I used to do both skiing and snowboarding, so I was quite curious about the season that Eric Pollard and Austin Smith were involved in.
Since it is a brand made by two legends of yesteryear, at first I had an image that they would choose skiers, but I felt that even an intermediate skier like myself could enjoy this board. It's not that anyone can handle it, but I feel that it was easier to handle than I thought. I felt like I didn't have any peculiarities in a good way. There is a slope for aero, powder for forma, and switch for kin.
Among them, if I want to buy one, it is nexus in my case. You can play any situation if you have one with almighty. Of course, if I have enough money, I'd like to have a forma too (laughs). Eric Pollard is known for his artistic designs, but the season design betrayed me in a good way. I think it's the "ultimate", with a pure black color that makes you feel like you've reached your destination.
Excellent stability even on jumps and rough slopes
User review No.5
Mr. Matsuzaki, 20s
A salaryman skier who balances his hobby and home life.
Review ▷
Even though the lineup has changed for the season, I was attracted to the luxurious design and shape.
The all-black graphics, which were unexpectedly unlikely, are really cool. It is an image of adult skiing. Forma has a thick and pointed top, so it is excellent for straight running in powder.
At the same time, it had excellent operability because it could be turned just by tilting the body. I felt that the fishtail not only has an impact on the appearance, but also has the advantage that it is easy to spray and looks good in photos and videos. The next ski I rode was a nexus. I felt that this ski was a true all-rounder. Soft top and tail make it easy to play. However, even at high speed, my feet were stable, so I was able to push forward even on rough slopes. If you can't decide which board to choose, this is the board for you. However, since the recommended binding position is closer to the middle, I personally would have liked it to be a little longer. I would like to purchase one for my next pair! However, I am concerned that the price is not affordable.
froma and nexus for deep snow
steep editorial department Onozuka's review
Editorial Department Onozuka 30s
Having made a U-turn to snow country last year, he spends a luxurious day skiing only in the morning every day. I'm worried about the pain in my knees when I slip, so I'm considering a diet, or I'm not.
After actually wearing the season, I got the impression that it is a brand that makes solid boards overall. In the video linked at the beginning, Eric talks only very briefly about each board. However, because of the limited line-up with few words, I felt that they were meticulously designed to differentiate themselves.
Test drive the aero on a sunny day. You can enjoy terrain play while comfortably sliding on the slopes
Forma is a ski that inherited the fishtail that can be said to be synonymous with Eric Pollard. Due to the characteristics of this tail, there is good snow shedding, and I have the impression that just by putting a little weight on the tail in the powder, you can get a lot of speed. Combined with the unique pinnose shape, even the slightly heavy powder unique to Niigata can glide like a tear without the nose getting caught. I could glide as if I was floating, and I could run through the fresh snow as if I was diving. Overall, the flex is stiff and not light, so I have the impression that it is difficult to handle on slightly heavier snow. I think it's just right for skiing while drawing a large arc on a wide slope.
forma has fishtail and pinnose
Nexus was a good board for the first impression. According to the concept, you can ski in any situation. The response of the board is good and carving is fun. It's a little stiff, but it has a well-balanced flex that makes it easy to ski over rough slopes. Rather than deep snow powder, I felt that it was more fun to use this board on uneven freeride slopes after sliding powder. Carving performance, stability, ease of handling, it is a well-balanced ski.
How to get up the nose rocker. From right: aero, kin, nexus, forma
The thinnest ski in the line-up, the aero is petite, but thanks to the built-in titanium, it can traverse rough slopes without any wobble. The binding on the test ride was in the middle, so the nose felt short. So, I thought that it would not be stable if I skied at high speed, but it was a baseless worry. I even think that this shortness often has this sense of stability. The aero isn't supposed to slide in powder, so it has short nose rocker and long contact edges. Therefore, the swing weight is light and the operability on the slopes is excellent. I think that it is a board that brings an outstanding feeling on compacted snow slopes.
My first impression was that the nexus was my favorite, but in the end my personal favorite was the kin. The season board is surrounded by thick sidewalls from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. I think this sidewall is one of the reasons why I feel that it is a solid board overall. However, only kin has thin sidewalls on the nose and tail side. Therefore, it is easy to do butter tricks. In addition, the contact edge is long like the aero, so the swing weight is light and easy to handle, and it is easy to do spinning tricks. Furthermore, with a radius of 15m, the turn arc is small and you can slide freely on the slopes. This "freedom" is attractive to kin. The nose is slightly wide, so you don't have to worry about small powder or bumps.
The season has a stiff flex overall, and I felt that any board is a ski that is easy to slide on rough slopes at high speeds and stiff night skis. It's a ski that's cooler and tougher than it looks, ready for any kind of snow. The construction is sturdy, the design is easy to use for all age groups, and the sophisticated black color makes it easy to match with any outfit. It is especially recommended for those who want to keep using their favorite skis for a long time.
If you are interested in the season, you can rent forma at the rental service of Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort, so please try using it.
season instagram ▷ https://www.instagram.com/seasoneqpt/
web site ▷ https://seasoneqpt.com/en-jp