TESTIMONIALS
I can talk and write a lot about my boards. So lets see what some other monoskiers have to say:
Aurelien - Yama Ookami
My name is Aurelien and my first relations with Hattori Hanzo's board were riding prototypes (First Cut and Yama Ookami). I got to love them so much that I had to get my own personal blade, so in the meantime i became a very happy owner of a Yama Ookami.
It is very fast and extra stable at full speed, even in trafolle and packed snow, when you point it down it feels like it is accelerating all the time. On the KL (speed competition) at Mondial 2017 i did 105km/h at the first try. And this on a 3 season old, barely waxed testboard of the Yama Ookami. Just some guys with narrow derby race boards where faster. Not bad for a freeride full rocker monoski !
In deep powder it is perfectly floating and reactive even with 60cm of fresh snow. It is fun to make jumps everywhere, it lands perfectly without making you crash. The long rocker tip is very tolerant and never pushes you out of your way. You don't need to lean backwards like we had to in the past (even on traditional powder boards) , which is far better for control, precision and and you get also less tired !
Even in superslush or in big trafolle with deep tracks to cross, it behaves really comfortable and it feels like having a cruise missile under your feet! This is the first board that allows me to feel that. Going from edge to edge on hard snow is still very good, i had no issues managing the ski in moguls, it turns really quick. The strong core and reinforced edges provides you good grip even with 215mm under the feet. Very good doing big carving turns on the slopes.
It is rockproof! After hitting some rocks many times, just minor scratches are visible when some boards would be total destroyed!
The finish is a blast, you can hardly see the fibre on the top of ash core which is really beautiful and clear. I could choose from different wood cores the one i like most and Tom made a real nice special dedication to me, making this masterpiece unique ! This Yama is now my favourite ski for mountain and places like La Grave and I don't use anything else in these places anymore :)
The more i ride it the more i love it !
Der Schtef - Magic Forest
Seriously, this is the best plank I've ever been able to ride, swallow the bumps without getting you in the air. And then in the peuf she brings you no effort! Frankly awesome the magic forest 👍 and also of exceptional quality!
Tom puts the bar very high with his stuff, and there are for all tastes 👏🏻👍🏻🙏🏻
Philippe aka Supersonic Fifi - First Cut
Hello, my name is Philippe , aka supersonicfifi on the website of the French monoski association. I've been passionate about Monoski since 1986 I only practice monoski (I can't ski anymore !!!) but I've tried pretty much every monoski in production since.
The finishing of Tom's boards is impressive and the glide too! I practice the KL (monoski speed with my friend Xavier COUSSEAU who teached me his small secrets). My best speed is 197 KM/H - i am therefore attentive to the sliding qualities of the boards.
During my essay I was impressed by the care taken to the board (collage, structured soles etc. ..). Even the brand's name recalls the art of Japanese sword manufacturers... and the board I tried FIRST CUT is like a Jedi lightsaber ready to cut all the snow! indeed at first the width of the board and its shape can surprise anyone, but are quickly forgotten under the foot. The test conditions were perfect at the "7 laux resort" during the 2018 World Championships: a small layer of powder covered the beautiful bumpy combes of PRAPOUTEL and I was able to validate the off-piste behaviour of this very playful board!
The length (i like the long boards to go fast!) allows to hold the speed / schuss well and quickly take off in powder, the camber makes the board very playful under the foot and becomes a real pleasure of stability in rough terrain: in clear we swallow the te easy to do.
I think the optimal flexibility plays a big part in that.
This board is an aggressive toy for riding in all conditions and is therefore perfectly suited to shred the valleys of the meije in any season. As a long-time fan of ultra-stiff race boards i am now a big fan of more flexible boards allowing less effort on the long term for your legs! The FIRST CUT is a perfect board to go from the cool ride in powder to a mode "the last down pays the drinks , wild derby!"
Tom monoski's are part of the boards to have your quiver and it will quickly become your favourites.
Indeed a multi-purpose board is an imperative when you decide to invest in your stuff. The best is to have more than one board to vary depending on the conditions ... and therefore to ask TOM for several models !!!!
Staaphy - Yama Ookami
I loved it, this board goes everywhere, you can do everything with it. The built quality is very good. This shape is really great for me.
Really good gear, made with Love with a big A
Frank aka FSK - First Cut
I tried the First Cut for the first time in La Grave, place-to-be for this board if you ask me!
I’ve needed 2 runs to find my position, you actually need to be centered, or naturally relaxed, on this board.
On slopes, you need a tad more energy to put it on the edge than with a narrower ski (I weigh 65kg, so a wide board 195cm long, you notice!). But, once I did that, it has a very easy carving radius! I’ve needed a few runs here again to correct my position because the edges were new (I did not even break the first 5cm!), but then, even on icy snow, I was on rails, and oblivious to the snow that was piling up, and still very playful thanks to the relatively small carving radius. So, great surprise on the slopes, but… it’s not slopes you’re looking for on a First Cut! And it’s in pow pow that you have a real revelation! With all the skis I’ve tried, Free 180, EDG 178, but even Mountain 187 and Swell 192, on a real deep powder day, I’ve always had to go a little bit back on my ski to avoid the risk of diving, meaning a small reduction of control, and pleasure… but not here! You stay centered, like on slopes, and you just fly, regardless of…anything. What’s most noticeable is that you automatically go faster in powder, because you are more stable and the ski gives you TRUST. A completely new sensation, probably same as on these Movement and Black Crow powder skis (just even bigger).
In short, it’s orgasmic (Tesla would say “ludicrous”) in deep powder and surprisingly fun on slopes! Need to try.
Me, I gave up resistance in the end, and in two weeks I’m taking my new weapon to it’s place of origin: La Grave (Tom told me the idea and the design are born there).
Ludovic aka Lateralus Monoski - First Cut & Yama Ookami
First time I tried a double rocker monoski in powder, that was just a great fun. You just stand straight on the board, no need to lean back to get out of a deep powder! Congratulations Tom, you've done an incredible job... Starting from nothing , building up even the machines to manufacture, we are all very impressed by your work! Wish good luck to this new monoski brand!
Phillipe - RuckZuck
I am a monoski speed freak, thats why they call me supersonic fifi.
For years I've loved scaring skiers and snowboarders with a 205 cm pro model derby board Xavier Cousseau (the fastest monoskier on the planet), a super stiff and incredibly stable ski.
This board had become my favourite because it was totally cool in the lift (mine is bigger than yours) and unbeatable on long tracks. The one and only problem was the narrowness of this board, which was totally unsuitable in powder. So it was a board like a giant ski (the alpine ski competitors will tell you about their thighs that burn with this kind of skis !!!) and well there it was the same ... So I am used to always have two boards (a wide in the morning powder and the big one for the slope afterwards).....
Until HATTORI HANZO enters the equation!
Indeed Tom by a magic trick has arrived to make a board with just perfect flexibility and has the shape really all terrain. The first day of testing I did on the slope and I was impressed by the finishing qualities of the monoski (just perfect!).
During the first turns I had a hard time finding my rhythm, i found the board too flexible and at the same time too stiff!!!! In short I had to find my marks because I constantly compared it with my old 205 cm .... I reassure you at the bottom of this first track everything was perfect. From the balancing to the feeling of sliding everything I liked, but it is mainly in the feeling of speed and damping that this board made sense. In short, a real treat!
But where the magic really worked was on the next day. A good layer of powder 25 cm had fallen and I decided to try my new toy .... a little worried because I found it too narrow... And there! The revelation! It was starting direct because the shape of the spatula slightly wider makes it easy to take off in deep snow and makes this board a real treat in all snow conditions.
So it motivates me to train for the derby of La Meije! Indeed this board will be perfect to go from the glacier to the bumpy terrain of the valleys at full speed but in total serenity!
Once again Tom manages to mix several impossible things (speed, trajectory stability and flotation). Tom is a magician and he proves it with this RUCKZUCK
PS: What does Ruckzuck mean? It means move your ass !
David Tristan - RuckZuck
Hattori Hanzo made the best samurai swords but now makes the best monoski to catch BILL on the derbys! They are very fast and manageable! Thanks for the test! The best monoski I tell you !!!
Pierre Pel - Yama Ookami
During the mondial 2018 i was one of the lucky ones who could test this handmade 190cm board in 30cm fresh pow. Compared to my skis (Best Off 183, EDG188, Aiguille Verte185, Kick Off185, Aniversario 185..) this board is much wider, I was surprised by its light weight. It has excellent feedback during the edge change, small and big turns you do without thinking, the tip always comes up by itself. It was a great pleasure to glide without effort. It is superstable even in big and fast turns and takes me wherever i want. I had not enough time to try it on hard snow or in the moguls. I like the transparent wood look, its a little bit minimalistic. In my opinion this ski is suited for all levels of riders.
Aurelien - Wakizashi
After some weeks without powder at all, I did try this board on hard icy slopes of Montgnèvre, it was freezing cold and windy!
This carver board has a quite stiff flex but I got it in hands quickly, on the first run I understood the right position needed to ride the wakisashi properly. For this you need to push strong on the tip to cut a nice clean curve, then in the end of the turn it is possible to get more acceleration by extending your body on your heels. This board was designed like a giant slalom race ski so it behaves like a racer! I had no slalom doors to confirm my first feelings (later in Vars at the bank slalom chrono it proved that this feeling was right!) but it reminded me of the giant (sl) skis I used for french "Fleche" training.
Keeping fast straights and big curves on ice is very easy. Performance doesnt prevent from having fun with whatever you like on the slopes. I found it even really nice in the bumps and very small turns. Still it is a board designed toward confirmed riders who will be able to push it to find her real performances. Deep powder will not be at the program due to the low height of the front tip. Grip on hard packed snow is amazing and you can get faster then you would dare on many other boards. And that in this icy morning, trust me I am no fan of ice at all !
It is a really nice toy for slope riding, slalom and periods without powder at all, with this you'll feel like a descent racer :) You won't need too much speed to have fun. It is easy to handle even on crowded slopes and it enables riders who like to carve as hard as they want!