Snow forums

Can anyone point me in the direction of any friendly and helpful snow skiing forums

Im travelling to Japan over christmas with the family and have to many questions

Even if anyone has any good websites to look as I'm after its of stuff to buy..

I have found Torpedo 7 and the SnowIn in the UK so far..

Have been to Japan a few times skiing and boarding with the family so happy to pass on some tips if you PM me.

Are you going to Hakuba, Niseko or somewhere else?

Thanks guys, heading to Hukuba, my wife and i both ski and have done but only ever in Aus.

My daughter snow boarded once this year with school and wants to go back next year, my boy 13 has never seen snow but surfs and skate so wants to also snow board.

I have paid for everything but want to buy clothes for them (wife insists she wants a new set also ) .

My gear is 20 years old but couldn't care less.

Im going to just book a private lesson for my son and my daughter to snow board, ill do that when get their.
We have hired hard ware so figured they'd point me in the right direction for private lessons.

BUT clothes being in WA their is not a lot of choice and its pricey. I imagine if i wait and buy on the mountain I'm restricted and can image it will be also not cheap.

Im curious about temps, and water proofing. SO many of the jackets i look at they say 10K or 15K some don't say anything so i guess they are obviously not rated.. Do i need to buy a insulated shell or a soft shell No many actually give a warmth rating..

The pants are often only 8k but i think for snow boarding you'd want good pants

We are staying about 350 m of the bottom of the gondola so hopefully its a good location. Im just a little nervous as they say its -10 at the bottom and -30 at the top of the mountain..Thats cold compared to Aus..Were i often ski in just a thin shell..or even t-shirt

jbs.... u can get cheap snow gear from anaconda.
if you choose to board (and particulary if you have only skii'd in australia - u dont sound like too much of a vet)
then cutting over to boarding it will probably take you three days to surpass your skiing level and u will never look back.
U and your son will have such a good time. Best to learn snowboarding in good snow. avoid ice at all costs when learning!
Get your son (and u if you are doing) some under glove wrist guards (I prefer under glove with big over mits, but you can get integrated. U can use skating ones i turf the under wrist bar and just keep the over wrist. I still wear them now because I have always done and feel naked without them. reckon they have saved me many many times
I suggest thermals from big w, polar fleece, Jackie how under thermal if real cold and just a shell style jacket. THe shell styles are good because you can use them in aus or when out in the boat ect and just put however much stuff u need underneath. Take a backpack so u can strip layers untill u work it out. If u board wear thin socks not thick.
Post pics

helmets - u can hire but not necessary.
tech - its all marketing ****e. i have a helley hansen jacket and the crap arse one i have is just as good.

the learning curve for skis and boards is so different.
Anyone (other than maybe a grandma female jap) can board all mountain deep powder in under 5 days.
Skiing takes years for you to be able to truly appreciate powder. Even very accomplished skiiers struggle with it.
To be a very good skiier takes years of continual investment, coaching etc. Board u just strap on and go. Yeah the terrain you appreciate is different, you ski down the hill differently and if you are together you will probably find you run into eachother a lot.
The carving is much better on a board. Dont worry about skateboarding - different. dont worry about backwards. the falling is ok (and dareisay kinder on an older body) less chance of indipendant knee movements (how i first ended up on a board - i thought i would never change)
seriously you will be that rusty anyway, u will be pissed off that you aren't as good as u remembered. The most fun of any spirt is when the learning curve is the steepest (ie u are progressing the fastest)
Just bite the bullet and do it. u wont regret it. lessons every morning. by day three you'll be on blue and black runs, and ducking under ropes for fresh tracks (i hear frowned upon in japan btw. avalanches are a risk also so maybe dont)
if u go board when at the hire place tell them u dont want clickers/ look for seperate boot bindings or a more credible hire place that does boots seperate.

...I only ski in Europe, don't you know...
I disagree with The User regarding helmets. You gotta use them. Doesn't matter how competent you are, it's the numbnuts coming down the hill out of control that will give your helmet some use.

I've been skiing and snowboarding for 15-20 years. I wear a helmet and a back protector. It's like JulianRoss said, it's about the crazies coming down the hill. Everyone wears helmets these days, keeps you nice and toasty too.
This has saved me from serious damage more than one time

Still living in Japan currently, bout two hours drive from hakuba, definitely wear a helmet have seen some nasty collisions in last two seasons, plus it keeps head warm and dry, snow sticks to beanies then melts!!! Helmets will be part of hire package, good gear makes a good day skiing especially on the colder days, -30c tests out how good your gear is, normally for me thermals, track pants, ski pants bottom, thermals, thin long sleeve, softshell and jacket top, lose trackies and softshell if -10c and above, if u buy gloves leather are the only way to go, any other questions feel free to pm

Thanks for that guys, were flying directly in at night and getting a car straight to to the mountain. I was a bit pissed because after ringing them back and wanting to change that, they just simply said no. I did get the idea to go skiing and booked two days later, i tend to be a little impatient. I always hire hardware but when i double checked yesterday, that was nearly $2200 so i could have almost bough the stuff Too late again.. I have paid for lift tickets, its the same price here or their and i really don't won't to take any days off, so this way i have an excuse to drag family out, I really hope my kids love the snow like i do. Im used to sing mornings with my wife and she then disappears.

I jumped into the above ski forums and its great. Even had people who have stayed at the accommodation were at so thanks. They suggest the temp will be only around -1.5 at base and only really -8 at the top for that time of year. So thats not really so cold. I have found heaps of clothes sites but getting my family to sit down and chose is stupid hard. Especially when the wife keeps picking out $1000 jackets.. Thats ho happening..

Okay so helmets it is, wow things change. Do you think the helmets will be part of the hardware hire

What about goggle colours, any suggestions as its apparently rather glum weather, not blue bird days..

I have been thinking about snow boarding, but as was just pointed out, my son will leave me for dead learning from scratch, were as skiing blacks and double blacks is what i enjoy so will he not leave me too far behind, then their is also the memories of snow boarders getting onto the chairs

Snowboarding is a youngmans game. If u r only learning now u will spend the first day on your butt and half the next day, so if you have skii'd stick with that u will enjoy and be able to push more, as much as rental is expensive it will let u change gear for conditions, so with a dump change to planks(powder skis) and also change lens colours depending on days, helmet should be included in rental, If not only aus $50-100 to buy, if any of your kids r beginners def book them into evergreen ski lessons, pickup at gondola, might be $200 per person per day but worth it to get them going, these guys have patience and make it fun, if the first day goes bad with kids it is a struggle, good luck happy skiing stay safe, PS keep your eye on Gumtree and eBay for bargains as u can get some

^ go tell mumma whatever you want

Jb go whichever you want or feel and enjoy!! I understand kids will prob sway your decision as well u will have fun in jaPow either way
PS best thing with rental package is u can change to whatever you want each day!!