Japan

"Your posts are constantly encouraging people to go powdering all over the world. What's the point! I think it's fatal in view of the ecological consequences." We are always happy to receive reader feedback, even if it is critical, like this message that Roman recently wrote to us. If a Facebook message then turns into a meaningful discussion and an entire article, we are all the more pleased. PG reader Roman Bonderer criticizes the contradictory (travel) behaviour of many winter sports enthusiasts:

With the Powder Calendar, there will once again be plenty of powder action within your own four walls all year round in 2019.

The Jones Stormchaser Split is currently only available in a relatively short length and is therefore particularly interesting for smaller, lighter riders who are looking for a wide, maneuverable board. The shape of the nose is a matter of taste and takes some getting used to on the ascent.

Our roving ski-bum reporter Zach loves to spend his winters in Japan. Rishiri, the legendary volcanic island off Hokkaido, has been on his to-ski list for a long time. This year the time had finally come and the Gaijin crew made their tracks in the - would you believe it - fluffy powder on the spectacular Mount Rishiri.

Our third Conditions Reporter of the Week is Zach Paley, who is always reporting for us from the more remote corners of the world - sometimes in the form of powder-filled Japan CRs, sometimes with longer, personal travel stories from Lyngen, Argentina, or Kyrgyzstan.

Somehow it's strange: after years, there's enough snow here in the German-speaking Alpine region to be able to hold freeride contests properly, but there are no contests taking place at the moment. Based on experience from previous winters, the dates have probably been placed a little later in the season to be on the safer side.

The FWT hopes to be able to hold the first tour stop in Japan as early as tomorrow or tonight! The 2* FWQ in Kappl, AT, was canceled last weekend due to the heavy snowfall.

Want to go to Japan? Hakuba is the closest valley of ski resorts to Tokyo, and boasts the best terrain to be found in the country that spends the most per person on snow removal every year. Here's a few tips to make sure the froth factor is fufilled:

With the Vertic GTX 3L jacket and pants combination, Scott has a robust and stylish outfit in its range, which our global Skibum correspondent Zach took a closer look at in his Japanese winter domicile.

For the first time, the 2* and 4* FWQ events in Hakuba were international freeride competitions on Asian soil. For PowderGuide, rider reporter Michael Strauss reports on his experiences at the contest and at JaPOW!

The first contests are coming up, with Japan and Tyrol kicking things off. As the start of the FWT season is still two weeks away, let's take a quick look at the In&Outs of the FWT starting field.

THE FOURTH PHASE is the third major film by and with Travis Rice - after "that's it that's all" from 2008 and "the art of flight" from 2011 - which have contributed greatly to Travis Rice's general, cross-industry fame.