Try a Powder Board in the land of Powder
Japan winter tourism has grown rapidly over the last decade with the ever increase in powder hungry tourists.
First of all, welcome to Japan. Epic Powder awaits you in the land of the rising sun. Most people come to Japan with hopes of riding the deep stuff and a question we get asked a lot is ‘what is the difference between a powder board and a normal board?’
Well the good new is, you don’t actually need a powder board to ride powder. A snowboard rides powder snow a lot differently than what a pair of skis do. This is largely due to the construction of a snowboard and the surface area as a whole. Although there are certain elements in what makes a good board to ride in the deep stuff. If you own a freestyle board and is super soft or short then that is the complete opposite of what makes a powder board and will soon tire you out. All mountain boards work great with their extra length (especially if is rockered camber). This is generally what most people own and bring to Japan with them.
So what is a Powder board and why should I try one?
Most people don’t ride enough powder to invest and own a powder board. With that said, you don’t come all the way to Japan and not try one. Snow conditions vary in different countries/resorts around the world and trying a snowboard to suit the local terrain can make a world of difference.
Powder boards come in all different shapes and sizes. Depending whether you need a short and maneuverable board to float through tight tree runs or a long swallowtail for speed and wide open turns. There are 2 main attributes into making a good powder board.
- Taper – Gives a ‘surfy feel’ as the nose is wider than the tail which in turn helps the nose float.
- Rocker – A convex curve that also helps the nose float but doesn’t give you that ‘surfy feel’ that the taper gives.
Pretty much all powder boards have some sort of rocker whether it being just in the nose or full rocker. Having a wider surface area and these mentioned attributes gives for a better float and an effortless experience slashing powder.
Come and see us at Nozawa Central Rentals
Talk to one of our Shop Staff who are always on hand to give you the best possible recommendations. We are here to help and look forward to showing you our Powder board Range.
