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A trip to Niseko in winter is not complete without experiencing snowsports at least once. If you are completely unfamiliar with the sport, you may find it a little intimidating to be on the slopes. To make your experience more enjoyable and a little easier on your first day on the slopes, here is a beginner’s guide to skiing/snowboarding, with the help of a Rhythm staff member, Chelsea from Australia.
Before the Slopes
Skiing or Snowboarding?
There is no definite rule on which sport to start with and you can start with whichever interests you more. However, if you’re unsure which sport to start with, Chelsea recommends considering your background. “If you’ve surfed or skateboarded before, you’re probably better off doing snowboarding first. If not, then I would say ski. Skiing is easier to pick up but if you have that background, then snowboarding will be easier for you.”
Both sports are enjoyable in their own way, especially if you have gotten the basic skills. “Skiing is easier to pick up but harder to progress, while snowboarding’s a little trickier to pick up but easier to progress,” she adds.
However, you don’t really have to feel pressured to choose one sport. If you rent with Rhythm Setsu, you have the flexibility to swap gears if you decide the other sport is not for you.
What to Wear
If it is your first time doing snowsports, we highly recommend renting your ski/snowboard wear and gears first to make sure that you’ll love the sport first. If you’re staying in Setsu, our in-house Rhythm Store is your one stop shop to rent the necessary gear and clothing. For hygiene reasons, goggles, gloves, socks, and neck warmers cannot be rented but you can always buy one for yourself at Rhythm Setsu.
If you’ve decided that you want to buy your own gear already, here’s a guide on how you can make the proper choice.
Clothes
Just like any normal winter wear, layering is important when skiing or snowboarding to keep yourself warm and dry while on the slopes.
Base Layer
Starting with the base layer – what you wear will be very important as this is what will maintain the warmth and keep yourself dry. For base layers, you will want a thermal top and bottoms. “Merino wool is always the best way to go,” Chelsea notes, “and then I always like to wear a fleece or a down puffer vest,” for her mid layers, or your insulating layers.
Outer Layer
As for the outer layer, “a shell jacket is always good if you’ve got the right mid and base layer. But if you run cold, get a thick insulated jacket,” she advises. With all the layers you’ll be wearing, it will be good to go oversized as well as you will need to be able to move on the slopes. A tight outer layer will only be restricting your movements. Additionally, make sure that they are waterproof and of good quality.
Socks
As for socks, she recommends wearing good ski socks. “Ski socks are going to be much more comfortable. They will prevent you from getting any shin bruising, and they’re going to be warmer. They are odourless if they’re the good quality ones and you don’t have to wash them as much.”
Rhythm’s Chelsea in her ski gear
Accessories
Gloves and Mittens
Gloves and mittens are essential to your snowsports wear as it protects your hands from the cold and wind, lessens the risk of injury, and if you’re a skier – it gives you a better grip on your poles. But which one should you get?
If you’re prioritising warmth, go for the mittens, but if you want to have more dexterity, then go for the gloves. Mittens are warmer because not only does it insulate the warmth from your hands, there is added warmth from having your fingers in contact with each other. However, it does restrict you from certain movements such as gripping your ski poles, unbuckling your boots, opening your pockets, and more – movements that will require you to remove them from time to time. Gloves, on the other hand, give the person more movement with their hands since the fingers are in their own individual pockets. However, it does sacrifice the level of warmth that you’re getting with mittens.
If you’re needing extra warmth and protection, get a pair of glove liners. A good pair should be thin and lightweight, making them fit underneath most gloves. Make sure that it is made of good material as well like merino wool or synthetic fabrics to retain heat and absorb moisture.
Balaclavas and Neck Warmers
Last, but not least, is a balaclava and a neck warmer (or buff). This will be the lightweight, insulating layer for your neck and face, protecting you from the cold and wind. Depending on your needs and your preference, a neck warmer can be pulled up to protect your neck up to your cheeks, while balaclavas cover the neck up to your head, only exposing your eyes.
Your headwear, like the others we have mentioned so far, must also be made from good quality materials like merino wool, fleece, or synthetic fibers.
Gear
Of course, you cannot go on the slopes without your skis/snowboard gear. If you are a beginner, it might be a little overwhelming at the start how to choose the right gear. You usually don’t have to worry about how to choose as a beginner since rental shops, like Rhythm Setsu, will have experts who can help you get the right fit when renting/buying your gear.
Skis/Snowboard
There are different types of shapes available for skis and snowboards. Rhythm recommends getting gear with a bit of a rocker. A rocker refers to the dip in the ski/board – the opposite of what a camber is, or the arch you see in the middle of your gear. These types of boards are more forgiving when making turns, making it more beginner friendly. The stiffness of the gear is considered as well where beginners should try to go for gears with a medium or medium/soft flex as these are great when learning turns.
Height also plays a role in determining the size of your gear as well. For skis, you will want something that is about the same height as your nose. While for snowboards, the general rule of thumb is that the length should be somewhere between your chin and nose.
If you’re going snowboarding, determine your stance or which foot will be leading in front of the board. If you have done sports like surfing or skateboarding, you might have an idea what your dominant foot is already but if not, don’t worry as you will know what is natural for you once you start learning.
Other things to consider for snowboarders would be the width of your stance and the angle of your bindings. A narrower width is better when you’ve only just started learning – and you can go wider from there. For the angles of the bindings, the most common set up for beginners is a directional stance, which are bindings set up to travel favourably in one direction. For those who haven’t determined their stance yet, a set-up called duck stance is usually used, allowing the rider to experiment in both directions until they’ve figured out which stance works best for them.
Poles
For skiing, choosing the right ski pole length is also very essential. Poles will give you extra stability, as well as the extra momentum to move forward on flat terrain. The right length will be based on your height and the general rule is to turn the poles upside down and with your arms against your body, your arm should make 90 degree angle when holding it under the snow basket – a round plastic disc that prevents the poles from sinking. If you can’t find the right pole height for you, going a bit shorter is always better than going a bit long.
Boots
Boots can also make or break your first experience on the slopes. Make sure that you are comfortable and get the right fit when trying on boots as you will be in them the whole time you are on the slopes. When finding the right fit, you want your feet to be snug inside the boot – not too tight since this might cause numbness in your toes nor do you want it to be too loose that it will cause you to slip when making turns.
The flexibility of the boot is also considered and a boot with a softer flex is highly recommended for beginners. For finding the right size, you want your toes to just slightly graze the end of the boot – not squashed nor have too much empty space inside. When you bend your heels, you want your heels to not lift and feel planted and secure. To ensure the right fit, make sure that your snow pants are over the boot, and not inside.
The Rhythm Setsu store is equipped with a 3D Foot Scanner that scans your foot profile, helping the Rhythm staff in finding the perfect mould for your boots.
Tip: Try to get your boot fitting in the afternoon or evening when your feet are the largest as they tend to swell throughout the day.
Goggles and Helmet
Other than clothing, wearing goggles and a helmet is also important for your protection. When choosing a helmet, make sure that it fits your head well as they are there not only to protect your head, but also keep your head and ears warm in the cold.
Goggles are another important accessory when doing snowsports. These will not only function as protection for your eyes, but will also help you see better in the snow. There are different types of lenses for different conditions, so you have to keep that in mind when choosing your goggles.
Chelsea explains, “Somewhere like Niseko or Japan in general, it’s usually pretty overcast and the sun doesn’t come out as much. So you want a lens that gives you more visibility, so it lets in more light – like a lighter lens. So Niseko or Japan in general, you just want some hi-visibility lenses. If you were skiing somewhere like Europe, it’s usually quite sunny. So you want something that lets in less light. So there’ll be, like, a darker lens. So it just depends on the conditions.”
Choose the type that will cover a majority of your riding but if you plan on skiing/snowboarding in different weather conditions, having more than one pair is better. You can also consider getting a pair of goggles where you can swap lenses for a sunny day and another for a cloudier day.
When buying your helmet and goggles, Rhythm suggests buying them at the same time. While most goggles will fit helmets, it is still much better to try them on together to make sure that they fit well together and you are comfortable wearing them.
On the Slopes
What Should I Expect?
Just like any sport, stretching and warming up is an absolute must before going skiing/snowboarding. For beginners, a lesson with an instructor – like Rhythm Rides – is recommended. “Try and do a lesson. It’s going to go a long way, I promise. Or take a friend out who’s really good and can get you some tips,” Chelsea adds, “other than that, just go out there and have fun.”
She also notes, “Expect to fall over a bit, but that’s okay. It’s a safe space, no one’s judging. Getting on and off the lift can be a bit tricky, getting off especially. Again, it’s a safe space, no one’s judging, you’re allowed to fall. It’s a little bit tricky at first and it can be frustrating, but if you stick with it, it’s a really, really good feeling.”
Where Do I Go?
There are 4 ski resorts in Niseko: Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Annupuri, and Niseko Village. Each ski resort, with their own set of green runs – or beginner trails – is easily accessible from each other with shuttle buses running between the resorts.
Photo Credit: Niseko United
In her second season in Niseko, Chelsea is quite familiar with Niseko’s slopes. She highly recommends Annupuri and Niseko Village for beginners. “Annupuri especially has a really nice open and kind of flat mountain. I think that’s a really good spot for beginners. And Niseko Village as well has really lovely, flat, very aesthetic, very pretty green runs. So they’re always really good,” she remarks. However, if you find yourself staying in the Grand Hirafu area, she proposes going to the Family Run near Ace Gondola and the green runs under King Gondola.
For a detailed guide on Niseko’s ski slopes, check out our blog.
How Do I Improve After My First Time?
Ideally, continuing with the lessons is the best way to improve. However, if you prefer not to take any more lessons or just want to get in some practice runs, Chelsea suggests doing the same runs you did in your lessons until you get confident in them.
“Then start pushing yourself. Obviously be careful and safe, but you’re only going to get better if you push yourself and try new things. Try the red runs and maybe the black runs occasionally. Worst case scenario is you slide down on your butt,” she comments.
She also recommends asking everyone for tips and advice. “When I was learning to snowboard, I just saw someone who was really good, and I said, ‘Give me one tip,’ and then they gave me a really good tip. Everyone has a different way of skiing and snowboarding, and they can always give you little bits of advice on how to improve or how to visualise things.”
If you still have some questions that we weren’t able to answer in this guide, you are welcome to head on over to the Rhythm Setsu store and one of them will be happy to answer any questions and help you get set up for your first day on the slopes.
