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..

ski.com.au/forums - best snow forum going by a comfortable margin

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?

Hakuba for the win - And dont miss Nozawa Onsen. Ski schools are good too btw.

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

hey JB
if you're interested in riding with your son in future, maybe take the learning pains and learn to snowboard with him (and your daughter), assuming you don't yet?
you'll never forget how to ski, but being competent on board will allow for some future fun just with kids if your wife is having those "prefer to stay in hotel rather than ride all day" parts of a trip (assuming everyone loves it and snow trips might happen repeatedly - it is bl00dy addictive )
this advice is from Canadian friends of mine who were serious skiers, but who felt that being able to board those few times a year they went to hills just with boarders was way more fun than skiing along with them and/or significantly out pacing/different lines/runs etc. they were all typical "aussie ski season" level snowboarders eventually but ripped skiing, and said it was nice to have the option / change up. interestingly, my Canadian friends that were good snowboarders in turn would just ride switch for a whole day, or without bindings on, if they wanted to keep pace with us "aussie" level boarders haha ohhh to have been on snow as a toddler and then into teen years...

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

Again thanks guys, yeah my jackets (20 plus years old) has a liner that in Aus i think i never wore.

Its just the tech descriptions on line can be confusing. I don't really want to annoy the local shops with silly questions if I'm not looking to support them financially. I guess i will buy some stuff their? Not sure about helmets they seem bulky to travel with. Do the snow boarders really need them? Last time i went, only the ski schools wore helmets..

As for me snow boarding, i have skied for a bit and seem to pick it up every time easy enough, i can jump and turn 360 spins on the flat and last trip was practising skiing out backwards from jumps, but as for the idea of snow boarding, i never could ride a skate board backwards, and the idea of falling a lot at 45 seems a little daunting..

I get that carving sensation from skis that i love, so I've been reluctant to waist time re learning..

Is snow boarding and skiing all that different, (for my son and i to trip together) freestyle skiing seems to be fairly excepted these days and even the terrain parks they seem to mix. I haven't skied for maybe 5 years though..

Sorry is thats all a bit over the place, trying to work, shop and think at the same time..

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.

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myusernam said..
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.

Yeah having only skied Aus, I'm told powder is very different, it was even suggested if i want to ski not so groomed runs a lesson in powder would be beneficial. But then some one else said not so..

We are their 27 dec so early i think in the season. Ill give the boarding some more thought..

I wanted to get a private lesson for my kids as one is 13 and the other (Who has snow boarded but is slow) 16 they won't put in classes together, to much age gap..so thought i one on one with my son and my daughter watching on would be beneficial. I was told really two half days or a full day would see him set..

...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'd be dead if I didn't wear a helmet.

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

See if you can get your hands on the Aldi ski gear - cheap but plenty warm enough for that part of Japan. Agree on the boarding with kids - top fun, but after 2 days you'll struggle to keep up with them. My kids who had never skied or boarded were doing blacks on the third day. Powder on skis is hard, on a board it's awesome! Helmet is a must - keeps you warm and stops your brains falling out when you tomahawk. Japan is so odd - no discounts for bulk buying lift passes or hire, so just do it day by day in case you need a break. Oh, and it ain't a fashion parade in Japan - your 20 year old stuff won't be the oldest you see on the mountain!

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kiteflo said..
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

Yeah, I went down last season, and I was one of the few people without helmets. So, this season it was the first thing I bought. Its good that everyone wears one nowdays, so you feel unusual if you aren't wearing one.

They also keep you nice and warm and just give you that bit more confidence in being safe.

If you are going via Tokyo and are spending any time there, that's the place to buy gear. Specifically Ochanomizu/Kanda.
Yes to a helmet for boarding for beginners. You'll slam fast, hard and often. Wrist guards too.
Sizing can be problematic if you are tall.
The last time I went, I wore my winter wettie under rain gear. Toasty! Bit of a pain to have a slash though.

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

Snowjapan is best/easiest forum for weather and lift info, Aussie ski forums normally have Japan posts closer to winter, if your large make sure u buy gear in aus or Tokyo, all other gear can be bought in country, kanda in Tokyo, xebio and sports depo in Nagano or most major cities have good gear like descente, spyder etc

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

I'm a former snowboard and ski instructor. Snowboard. You'll have so much more fun. It really will let you attack the mountain in a way that freestyle skiing can't even get close. A beginner snowboarder may have a bad day at the start (most coordinated people don't) but then after that it's full steam ahead. You won't get left behind. Most of the fun is not in bombing down as fast as you can. It's all about playing on the natural features. Sure, I prefer riding with a good crew, but I have almost as much fun riding with a bunch of kook mates. I'd bet money that if you snowboard for a few days, you'll never even think about skiing again. Boredom would be skiing with beginner snowboarders. Do yourself a favour and just snowboard. If after three days you hate it then switch to skiing. Give it three days though. Most coordinated beginner snowboarders that have lessons can hit black runs in a few days. Beginner to instructor in a week is the saying.

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

I'll let my mum know that she is too old for snowboarding then. If you are a coordinated person and get lessons you shouldn't have too many stacks at the start. Then you just get to stack whenever you want to try anything fun, but that's optional. Either way it'll be more fun in Japan.

^ 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!!