Last winter when the Rome mid west rep was in town I got to take the Rome Anthem SS 2012 for a rip. All rigged up with my bindings I rode this hot rod of snowboards in the natural pipes of Annupuri to blasting off pillows and deep powder turn at Teine in the mid March powder we scored through watching the weather patterns
The Anthem SS 2012 performed well in all conditions from boosting out of well ridden natural pipe walls to floating the steep powder laden bowls of Sapporo Teine. This board is tech madness and if you want to ride varied terrain and fancy yourself as a bit of a Lucas Debari then this is the board is for you. This board also looks the part with it's swish high end graphick! So what this makes this board tick? Well first up it packed full of strength, think stiff, giving you the ability to power through anything and accelerate out of turns. Strength is bought to by Rome’s PressurePop Tech: Kevlar V which transfers the energy from under the binding out to the contact points on the effective edge for maximum response. Put this with the Carbon Torque Hotrods that run between the bindings arching out to the sidecut at the centre which softens the end to end torque but still allows great edge to edge control to power out of turns. The Hybrid Camber gives it float when needed, this is done by making the edge contact points longer, allowing the camber start points to be set back so that when you decompress the board the tip and tail rise up. All this tech basically means you get increase control and pop from the reinforcement while increased float and ease of turn from the hybrid camber when in the pow. Finally put all this with the SinterCarbon.2 Base to make you slide even faster. This board is a machine for someone who likes to free ride in the powder, down steep lines, off kickers and the pipe and park. A good board for a peak to pipe runs this winter in Niseko or where ever you ride!! It comes in 157, 159, 161 and 163 and Check Rome for more Tech

rome anthem ss blasting teine sapporo Thanks to Pete from Great Lakes Insurgents RomeSDS for the image

Last winter when the Rome mid west rep was in town I got to take the Rome Anthem SS 2012 for a rip. All rigged up with my bindings I rode this hot rod of snowboards in the natural pipes of Annupuri to blasting of pillows and deep powder turn at Teine in the mid March powder we scored through watching the weather patterns;) The Anthem SS 2012 performed well in all conditions from boosting out of well ridden natural pipe walls to floating the steep powder laden bowls of Teine. This board is tech madness and if you want to ride varied terrain and fancy yourself as a bit of a Lucas Debari then this is the board is for you. This board also looks the part with it's swish high end graphick! So what this makes this board tick? Well first up it packed full of strength, think stiff, giving you the ability to power through anything and accelerate out of turns. Strength is bought to by Rome’s PressurePop Tech: Kevlar V which transfers the energy from under the binding out to the contact points on the effective edge for maximum response. Put this with the Carbon Torque Hotrods that run between the bindings arching out to the sidecut at the centre which softens the end to end torque but still allows great edge to edge control to power out of turns. The Hybrid Camber gives it float when needed, this is done by making the edge contact points longer, allowing the camber start points to be set back so that when you decompress the board the tip and tail rise up. All this tech basically means you get increase control and pop from the reinforcement while increased float and ease of turn from the hybrid camber when in the pow. Finally put all this with the SinterCarbon.2 Base to make you slide even faster. This board is a machine for someone who likes to free ride in the powder, down steep lines, off kickers and the pipe and park. A good board for a peak to pipe runs this winter in Niseko or where ever you ride!! It comes in 157, 159, 161 and 163 and Check Rome for more Tech

rome anthem ss blasting teine sapporo Thanks to Pete from Great Lakes Insurgents RomeSDS for the image

We are really digging this little segment filmed in central Hokkaido. Got everything from super sick riding, good tunes, to a bit of Japan, Head Love… otsukare sama deshita! For some photos of the area check below the vimeo

Head – Japan Love! from HEAD Snowboards on Vimeo. End of February Christophe Schmidt, Fredrik Evensen and Shayne Pospisil went Asahidake in Japan to meet up with Masaomi Harada. Because of the great snow conditions it was possible to film this clip in 7 days. Enjoy! My central photos on Flickr Nice Line in Central

Rome SDS has been designing some sweet bindings over the years and the top end Targa for 2012 is a beauty. Targa’s are known to be tech, tuff, light, adjustable as can be and aesthetically pleasing. When a few guys from the rome crew came over to shred Niseko and Teine, I strapped my boots in and ripped around on em. Boot-in and board dangling off the lift, the binding didn’t release so no need for a leash! When fully strapped in the Targa’s are so comfy that it feels like you are just wearing boots and somehow your board is attached- Comfort King approved! Super responsive in the Niseko pow, chop, park and pipe. Rome rider Cameron slashing around the Sapporo Teine resort on a deep day
Kopish kicking a method strapped in the 2012 Targa's and Mod Some progressive ideas that the Rome binding design guru has put into place are the V-rod baseplates that have a smaller binding footprint on your board with all four corners raised up allowing more board flex. From your toe and lateral side of your heel the V-rod baseplate delivers power and the “Yes, I cant system” gives you EVA-to-board contact for maximum cushioning, canting options and lightness. The Targa’s come with normal flat, 2 degree and 3.5 degree footbed/basepads and are the only Inbase canting system in snowboarding so far. I rode them normal-flat and Cameron ripped the 3.5 degrees cant. Cam says it helps in better knee position and gives more leverage on rocker boards. Seen it in the 90′s… cool tech comes back around. The four corners of the V-Rod baseplate are raised up for more board flex 2012 Targa binding is ready and willing with cool new toestraps and highbacks New AntiShock highback and AutoStrap out of your boots way. Ready to strap in Internal highback adjusting and a fresh looking binding The Big Hits! I’m going to use the word “Tweakable” instead of “Adjustable” in the next few sentences. The Targa’s Boot size tweakable baseplates and tuff aluminum underwrap heel hoops are soft and solid to stand on. The interchangeable and tweakable EVA inserts in the ankle straps give you 3 flex options and the new Conformist.3 toe straps fit snug. The new AntiShock highback takes the abuse and has fully tweakable rotation, toe and heel ramps. The Targa’s tool-less tweakable forward lean, toe and ankle straps come in handy when it’s time to swap boards for a run. Tweakable to the max, the 2012 Targa’s hold your boots like you hug your best friend. Brian

Last few weeks has seen the weather go from winter to spring and back to winter a few times here in Niseko but generally the the riding conditions have been good. We got a bit of sand blow over from Siberia which made all the snow go brown and slow but now it is back to white as I write. A few good night sessions were had a few weeks backs and also a few spring park days too! Hope you enjoy the pictures and come back soon…… Sun going down Niseko Dusk Waiting Top of RoxC Niseko nights kosan no sawa a.k.a backbowl Niseko spring backcountry Spring spine

Niseko snow and I are stoked to have warm fingers while grabbing stalefish and proud to introduce Neff’s new powdershark mitts for 2012. A nice addition to Neff’s ever-growing glove collection are the mitts that float the Hokkaido fluff like a puppet-show powder-master. These waterproof sharks have opposable thumbs and dangerously soft dorsal-fins that can catch your nose while slashing pow when wiping snot. Watch out! Mitts that bite powder and kill next season Work on your puppet show skills in the park, on the lifts or gondolas and create dialog with other fish out there poaching the lines. Brian

A few weeks back we were lucky enough to get a few nights with no snow here in Niseko, well maybe not lucky but it was great to see the stary and full moon sky. So we decided to get out and take a few photos for a friend who wrote us a great article. Until we publish that article please enjoy our photos. yoroshiku

It had been a fairly dry week out, apart from the sake testing…  so we keep an eye on the weather radar and called Kiroro yesterday. We hit the road early-ish and were on the slopes with our Hokkaido Ski Season Net passes by a quarter to nine. It was negative 13 and snow still falling and we were amped and in anticipation to see what was ahead. We hit the Asari side of the hill first up and straight of the top found fresh lines on/off piste in wind loaded and protected  spots. Back to the top for more we circuited the Asari chair for the morning with a short break at the Asari View Restaurant for a teri chicken mayo man and to warm the feet, it was cold. The afternoon saw Brain, Sofie and myself check the other side the resort out and to our surprise scored freshies deep n bottomless in some unassuming places following lines of other riders. With a quick circuit back on the other side to some more “out of the way spots”, more fresh lines  were enjoyed until we were out of time and hopped on the home run chair and then the road home. Fun times! and definitely worth a check again, till next time… enjoy the vid and pics

Asari Chair Asari Chair at Kiroro Asari Chair Teri Mayo Chicken Man

I started riding next season’s 2012 Rome Mod Rock in Sweden earlier this season- and in all my years shredding, I have never strapped on a board that felt so comfy. From early season arctic Sweden’s parks, to the last month strapped in everyday ripping Niseko’s pow, this stick has been sweet in all conditions. From what I’ve got-off from her so far… she’s the future of boards from the future. First function, then style, right? With new board tech that works mixed together with London’s-calling born and bred D*face’s street-artist skills and graphics, this board rides as amazing as it looks. Mounted centered, this true twin’s new freepop (flat -actually a tiny bit of mini-camber in mine- then rocker) camber-profile has both high-speed powder float and hard-pack pop, reg or switch with a free from catching-edges feel.

D*Face base graphic

Quick slash The Mod’s mellow rocker starts outside the binding inserts and is loaded with carbon hot-rods that snap the pop. It edges awsm with the quickrip side-cut (Rome’s reply to Mervins Magna-traction) and it’s just as playful at jib tempo in the park as it is at mach speed. Wheeling in deep Niseko powder or bombing the tard-traverse-crud in slush or crust, pipe, park or rails, the 2012 Mod is dirty-clean. Equipped with all the bells and whistles of Rome’s high end line… the carbon double barrel hot rods in the tips, kevlar impact plates under the boots, air-pop core fully wrapped in carbonbiax alloy laminate with that carbon-sintered super fast base… It’s worth next season’s loot.

Rome and D*Face 2012 Mod Rock top sheet Mod Rock rail pop

Everyone that I have let ride this board instantly likes it. The 2012 Mod is one of Rome’s most hyped boards for next season and it’s been a gem to ride from the arctic north to the rising sun. Rip-Roaring Fun.
 Ask your local shop about it next season! Brian

Niseko or Hokkaido make a little appearance in here, some awesome powder riding from all around the world. This Video has the best powder for 2011 with some cool lines, deep powder and great cinematography. After watch this we here at Niseko Snow say bring back the powder. What do you think?

Found my car The icing on the cake? Light Snow electric snow snow bar snow on top Is this my car! photos courtesy of the wolfe and the windh

I was passed this from a friend so thought we should posted it! What a cool poster to have on our site. Unfortunately I missed these guys last year but heard it was awesome, will be there this year for sure. Tomorrow Wednesday 2nd of February, Thursday and Friday at the Barn. We’d love to here some comments from last year, post away below!

We’d love to here some comments from last year, post away below!

The snow has kept falling in true Niseko fashion and now Niseko is looking like what it is suppose to for this time of year. I selection of photos from out and about.. ENJOY! “] Niseko powder snow Green Houses A Grand Lunch Waiting for the bus Ice in the River Early Morning Silence Hirafu Night Photos by Simon Ramsay

To continue our contrasts gallery, the simplicity of nature…

Photos by Simon Ramsay

The season was slow to start but now is in full swing. A few photos from the last 2 weeks… Nakayama Toge sunrise Riding the goods Huddling around the fire The last of the sasa Not so much snow in Sapporo A typical day for us of late New Years fireworks on the slopes of Annupuri Pillows

The season was slow to start but now is in full swing. A few photos from the last 2 weeks… Nakayama Toge sunrise Riding the goods Huddling around the fire The last of the sasa Not so much snow in Sapporo A typical day for us of late New Years fireworks on the slopes of Annupuri Pillows

The season was slow to start but now is in full swing. A few photos from the last 2 weeks… Nakayama Toge sunrise Riding the goods Huddling around the fire The last of the sasa Not so much snow in Sapporo A typical day for us of late New Years fireworks on the slopes of Annupuri Pillows

A great video from the Rocky Mountain Sherpas showing the cycle of water, it really makes you aware of how dangerous snow is as it is just water. Check the avalanche at the end to get a check and be careful out there. The backcountry is looking good now as is most of the mountain. We recommend also watching the Fine Line teaser and if at all possible the whole thing. The movie have won multiple awards.

a clear day in the weeks start nupuri karasu

The week ended with snow, a lot of Niseko snow

The view of the Niseko Annupuri backbowls in the different seasons. The last one is from January 2009 and the first from a few weeks ago.