Fresh Snow, Fresh Gear

So here in Hokkaido Japan the snow has begun to fall, all over the island the tops of peaks are turning white, beanies are being put on and shops are filling with the latest gear, mouthwatering 08/09 gear. All the new innovations are being showcased and peddled to willing punters. All those fresh colours and styles that year after year somehow seem to appeal that much more than what you had the winter before.

The selection to choose from these days is always overwhelming, I personally tend to stick with either what I know or what I know friends have had good experiences with. Sticking with big brands always helps but of course unfortunately you end up paying extra for real quality products, like anything I guess.

I had two things I really needed this year a new snowboard and some snow shoes, I chose a snowboard pretty quickly by sticking with a brand I new and choosing a model that I thought would suit A/ my riding style and B/ the conditions I'd be riding in.I eventually settled on an Option Signature 160 perfect for that deep Hokkaido pow! Snowshoes however I new nothing about except a couple of brands my friend had recommended. So I let my mouse do the walking and after sifting through a few pages settled on some MSR shoes that promised to take me to the snowy peaks of my dreams. Heres a couple of places to check out one of which is nestled in heart of Niseko Hirafu.

http://www.msrgear.com/snowshoes/

http://www.cheapskates.co.nz/stores.htm

http://www.inski.com.au/products/default.asp?catParentID=288