Outerwear & Innerwear
Riding Japanese mountains at the peak of Winter will definitely put your gear to the test. The New Years period in Hokkaido typically sees temperatures averaging -10°c at the base and -20°c - ideal conditions for dry powder snow. Later on in the season however, you may be unlucky and encounter days with wet snow and sometimes even dreaded rain. Layering is the best strategy. By having a combination of outerwear, midlayer and base layers you will be able to dress appropriately for the day, peeling off and putting on layers as the weather changes.
Goldwin Arris Jacket & Pants
The Arris is one of Goldwin’s premium ski jackets. Made with Goldwin’s signature attention to detail and technical materials for the best in waterproofing and breathability. Don’t let the minimal aesthetic fool you. The Arris is packed with features. The hood snaps to a magnet on the back of the jacket when not in use, stopping it from flapping around. A special waterproof aero-gel pocket is designed to keep your mobile / action cams protected from the elements. A forearm lift pass pocket ensures you will never ever have to shell out another 500 Yen for a lift pass holder.
Decathlon Wed’ze base Layers
We tested several sets of Decathlon’s snow inner wear range and found that they performed exceptionally while being well priced. We liked the Wed’ze 500 range as they were reversible giving you the option of a warm side and a hot side with waffle perforations on the inside to trap heat better. Their bottom inners are cut short stopping at the calf so you don’t need to have extra bulk in your snowboard or ski boot. Decathlon’s 900 range is designed for more performance with less warmth and higher moisture wicking abilities. Two sets of inners are the minimum if you are diligent and do a load of washing every day.
Ski / Snowboard Accessories
Oyuki Pep GTX Gloves
Oyuki’s gloves were designed for & tested in the harsh Niseko Winters. They will see you through a howling snow-storm that will leave others back at the Paradise Hut. The Oyuki Pep GTX is their trigger style mitt designed by skier Pep Fujas. They free up your index finger while keeping the reset of your digits snuggled toastily together. The PEP mitts are super insulated with a gore-tex membrane and have a stylish old school durable leather outer shell.
Oyuki Magnaclava
Absolutely bloody essential unless you are an Iceman Wim Hof disciple. There are lots of different types and designs to choose from. But if you are after the very best fit and breathability then check out Oyuki’s Magnaclava. It fits under your helmet and the faceguard can be in an open or closed position held in place by magnets.
Goggles
Depending on when your snow trip is you may find yourself dealing with stormy zero visibility or sunny blue-bird days. Matching the lens with the day’s conditions ensures you will get the best visibility. Thankfully, Goggles nowadays are normally sold with 2 sets of lenses. For Japan you will want low light lenses with a high Variable Light Transmission (VLT) value for foggy, cloudy conditions and an amber all rounder if you are unlucky and don't catch any snow.
Anon M4 Zoom
The M4s have Magnatech quick lens change technology so you can easily swap to the right lens for the day. The Toric Sonar lenses were developed by Carl Zeiss for the best visual clarity for snow sports and the lens's shape mimics the curvature of your eyeball for the most natural vision. Another fantastic feature is their MFI Technology Magnetic Facemask Integration - which lets you snap a specially made Anon face mask to the goggles with zero gaps. This.. My friend is the Daiginjou of Goggles.
Apres Fashion
Burton AK457 Japanese Edition Hoodie
If you manage to source one, a hoodie from Burton’s Japan market AK457 range has a cool understated minimalist stylishness while still offering performance fabrics and warmth. The hoodie can be worn on short trips to the Selcomart and still look good chilling by the fireplace. The rest of us get away with wearing next day’s inners and mid layers.