Crash Course, Buy a Snowboard

短期集中講座,スノーボードを買うこと。

We've been renting our ski/snowboard equipment for the one or two times  a winter that we can get to the slopes here in Japan, but now suddenly, Martin is in the market for a snowboard, fast.  It was my idea, not his.  He's dealing with jetlag and working too hard, can't really fit the time in for the research, let alone the shopping that's required, but I insist.  Now that Martin's snowboarding ability is past the constant falling down stage, and because he has weird feet, and because it was his birthday this week, and because we're going on a ski trip with some of my skater friends and their families, this is the time for him to decide which snowboard he wants and buy it, so that I can ship it ahead, and he can use it in Yuzawa next weekend.

So today, after a business day trip in Japan, and before a language class, a dinner business meeting and a late night conference call, Martin agreed to an initial fact finding mission to Kanda (the sporting goods section of Tokyo) to look at snowboards.  He's done some internet research, so he thought he was probably looking for a FREE RIDE style board.  Our Sunday morning City Run route runs right through Kanda, but at that time, most of these shops are closed and the sidewalks are wide and free.  It's an entirely different place with the doors wide open and the sidewalks overflowing with ski and snowboard equipment and stylishly dressed ski-goggled mannequins.  And since it's February, there are sales, generally 30% off the astronomical Tokyo price tags, down to what you might have paid in the US last fall, I'd guess.  In any case, it's like shopping for a new car.  I'm looking at the artsy designs thinking how the board would look on the slope, and he's peering under the hood and kickin the tires, imagining himself behind the wheel.

Indulge me for a moment and go to The Burton Website and take a look at that complicated chart of the various boards available in the Men's line.  This will be a complex decision.  Since Martin only started snowboarding since he's been in Japan, and only with the family, he hasn't been hanging with the boarder dudes, so he might not know all the lingo, but he is a smart engineer, and tends to make good decisions about things.  Still, there's a lot to consider.  These are just a few aspects of the board that one would want to consider when making a choice:  base, bevel, camber, capped, edges, effective edge, flex, front foot, frontside, leash, length, nose, nose width, rocker, running length, side cut radius, side cut depth, stance, tail, tail width, toe edge, twin tip, waist width, weight.  If you have some advice about choosing a snowboard, or buying in Tokyo, please pass it on. 

Here's the board that he liked the most, natural wood Arbor Element  But those are US prices.  Here, it was marked down from 81900 yen, but not that far!  Have to go with something a little more mid-line, I'm afraid.  He has some good Burton Boots which he wore with a rented board at Niseko.  They are fine, US size 11.5/29.5cm, so looks like he'll need a fairly large board.

この物語はスノーボードを買う方についてです。マティんは仕事と主張からとても忙しいですが、私は彼のためにボードを買いたいです。直ぐにスケータの友達家族とスキーに行くし、今週は彼の誕生日だし、彼は変な足がだし、だんだんよくになりましたから、今は正しい時間と思います。それから、彼はスノーボードを研究をして、選んで、早く買ってみます。彼は日本に来たからスノーボードを使い方を習いましたので、いつも道具をレンタルをしています。この時に初めてボードを買います。それで、助言があったら、教えてください。

   

Comments

[Azul]

いいですねー。新しい道具を買って取り組むことは常に前向きになります。スノーボードについては助言をするほど詳しくはないのでお店に行って店員をよく見て、信頼できそうならきちんと相談して買うのが良いと思います。
来週私は苗場に行くつもりですがもしかしたら湯沢に行って合流できるかも知れません。そのときはよろしく。

[Martin]

やっとスノーボードも買いました。今週の早い研究に基づいて、今ちょうと安いBurtonのを持っています。将来に、スノーボードもよく使えば、凄い木のArborのボードを買いたいです。。。