They are riding soft boots. That board is available in the United States. I saw it at Powderbowl in NJ. 

Posted by: @liketocarve

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They are riding soft boots. That board is available in the United States. I saw it at Powderbowl in NJ. 

Interesting. I am originally from the Garden State myself...

Posted by: @kagurasnowsurfer

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The Japanese carving boards are usually very narrow 250ish

Most Moss boards have waists around 260mm, especially the wider ones. If you're in Japan, grabbing a local board might seem like a no-brainer, but honestly, the price to value ratio isn't always great. A lot of them, like the Ogasaka FC and some of the entry level Gray and Moss boards, are just your standard wood core boards. My first carving boards was the Ogasaka FCL. It's a solid starter, but it gets a bit shaky when you really push the speed. I also had a Gray Mach, and let me tell you, it felt like a rip-off. It's pretty much a Burton Custom X but way pricier and with a longer sidecut. The last Japanese board I went for was the Gray Type R 160w, which has a 256mm waist. The Type R is actually pretty good if you know how to handle it, and you don't have to stick to the JSBA style of riding like you do with an Ogasaka, you be fine doing what James is doing on this board. When picking out a Japanese board, it's all about matching your riding style. There's a big difference between the JSBA and SAJ riding styles. My advice is do some homework on these styles before you decide on a board, or look for a European brand. 

Posted by: @pigbrogg

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Posted by: @kagurasnowsurfer

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The Japanese carving boards are usually very narrow 250ish

Most Moss boards have waists around 260mm, especially the wider ones. If you're in Japan, grabbing a local board might seem like a no-brainer, but honestly, the price to value ratio isn't always great. A lot of them, like the Ogasaka FC and some of the entry level Gray and Moss boards, are just your standard wood core boards. My first carving boards was the Ogasaka FCL. It's a solid starter, but it gets a bit shaky when you really push the speed. I also had a Gray Mach, and let me tell you, it felt like a rip-off. It's pretty much a Burton Custom X but way pricier and with a longer sidecut. The last Japanese board I went for was the Gray Type R 160w, which has a 256mm waist. The Type R is actually pretty good if you know how to handle it, and you don't have to stick to the JSBA style of riding like you do with an Ogasaka, you be fine doing what James is doing on this board. When picking out a Japanese board, it's all about matching your riding style. There's a big difference between the JSBA and SAJ riding styles. My advice is do some homework on these styles before you decide on a board, or look for a European brand. 

 

Thank you for your detailed feedback. I have been looking at getting a Moss Twister. The recent models include a 163 with a waist of 264 which

seems to be one of the wider options out there for a Japanese carving board. Here are some stats from their 2021-2022 catalog.

@kagurasnowsurfer 

The 2023-24 season will mark the conclusion of Moss's production of the Twister. The company will introduce a new flagship line called Legit, replacing the Twister. The Legit's longest length will be 163 cm, with a waist width of 26.4 cm and a sidecut of 11 m.

Posted by: @pigbrogg

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@kagurasnowsurfer 

The 2023-24 season will mark the conclusion of Moss's production of the Twister. The company will introduce a new flagship line called Legit, replacing the Twister. The Legit's longest length will be 163 cm, with a waist width of 26.4 cm and a sidecut of 11 m.

 

I am very impressed with your knowledge of the Moss lineup. I have a question: have you ever demo-ed the Gentemstick Big Mountain series (Impossible, Speedmaster, Magic38, Zephyr)? I wonder if these are a bridge between carvers and Japanese snowsurf? How do these boards handle with the soft flex of snowsurf boots like the K2 Taro Tamai boots?

@kagurasnowsurfer 

Snow surfing and carving definitely overlap, but they're not the same thing. Carving is all about gripping on hardpack slop, so those boards are built differently. I've owned a few Gentems (Rocket Fish, XY, Barracuda HP) and tried out their big mountain series too. They're all about float in powder, those boards are awesome for that, but not as precise for carving as a true carving board like that Moss you're interested in.

I don't wish to sound like an old coot... well, at 60 I kind of am, but anyways many of those riders in the Asian carving videos are younger, more flexible and potentially lighter than I am.  I'm only 175 and 5'10" and can make a stiff production "carving board" like the Nitro Pantera 169 Wide fold up like a freestyle board.  My Rossi Sushi Wide also carves really well for what it is, so it is very subjective.  It is easy to mistake the board type for the rider ability in these videos- they are supremely talented and can probably make any board with a decent sidecut dance.