On Takeshi Kawada
Representative of Alpine Logic
Vector Glide Support Members
Anglo & Company Ambassador
Mountain and Road Ambassador, etc.
- profile -
Born in Otofuke, Hokkaido in 1979, he spent his youth as a DJ in Brooklyn, New York, and currently resides in Obihiro, Hokkaido. His grandfather gave him a name that naturally drew him to the mountains. His main field of activity is the mountains and rivers of the entire Hidaka Mountains and the Daisetsuzan mountain range in Hokkaido. He is well-versed in mountain biking (although it's exhausting, so he's mostly been riding eBikes lately), packrafting, and survival camping. He is a professional angler and excels at river fishing, but is quite bad at skiing. One day, he suddenly decided to start Alpine Logic, saying, "I couldn't find what I wanted."
- How SKEATS™ Met -
My encounter with SKEATS™ began when it came up in a closed Facebook group called "Dark Ski Club," where people exchange extremely niche skiing information. Because the yen was weak and shipping costs were high, we decided to buy together. We ordered a reasonable amount, and Leonardo from Mountain Cleats Inc. immediately replied, "Why are you buying so much?" "I'll buy a lot, so please make it cheaper." "Okay, brother, how about the regular wholesale price?" "I'd even be happy to be your Japanese distributor, brother." Things progressed smoothly, and Alpine Logic was born.
- SKEATS™ Field Report -
I had always questioned the practicality of existing ski crampons (crampons, or kutos). (Actually, I had them but never used them because they were unusable on steep climbs.) The moment I saw SKEATS™, I was instantly captivated by its simple, revolutionary, and logical design. See below for a comparison with conventional ski crampons.
| SKEATS™ | Traditional ski crampons | |
| Detachment | Easy to wrap around with a strap | A little difficult, attaching to bindings |
| Storage | small | Large and bulky |
| Hike up | The claws are always out and very effective | If you use heel support, it won't pierce, so you can't use it when it's crucial. |
| Reuse on other boards | Yes, as long as the board width is wider than the cleat width. | Yes, if the board width is narrower than the crampon width, but if the bindings are different they cannot be attached. |
| Mounting to a thick board | As long as you can wrap the strap around it | Depending on the binding, up to 125-130mm |
| material | Stainless steel, not easy to deform | Aluminum or titanium, which may be deformed |
Recently, there are crampons that have rotating discs attached to the skis that stay attached to the skis at all times, but when I tried them, I found that the claws were too long and got caught, making it difficult to walk. I also had concerns that attaching the discs requires additional drilling of holes in the skis, and that it would be difficult to remove snow and ice and attach them reliably in harsh environments.
Honestly, the SKEATS™ are flawless. If I had to say something, it would be that the straps need to be fastened tightly, otherwise they may come off. When walking, I don't feel any catching, although this depends on the condition of the snow surface.
This photo was taken near Kamui Mintara, commonly known as "Ohachi" (Crab), in the Daisetsuzan Mountain Range. The slope here is exactly 30°. As you can see in the photo, the friction between the SKEATS™ Claws and the skis makes it possible to maintain one-footed balance even on a 30° slope. This is possible because, unlike traditional ski crampons, SKEATS™ Claws have a claw that extends across the ski.
It is especially recommended for splitboarders, whose outer edges become straight when hiking up, making it much more difficult to climb than skis, and for women, whose plantar flexion (push force) is said to be half that of men. Simply put, it's a must-have item for all backcountry skiers and splitboarders.
With SKEATS™, you can climb steep, crux sections that previously required skis to be seated (a technique known as carrying skis attached to a backpack) and boot crampons. This can be difficult and time-consuming in bad weather or low temperatures.
In my case, I put them on from the start of a hike, and use them to hike up more directly, with fewer steps and distance, minimizing the number of times I zig, and shortening the time it takes to hike up. The first thing you notice as soon as you start walking is the difference in stability and security. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes to be able to take the next step with a more stable stance without the fear of slipping. They also prove effective when traversing icy slopes. Instead of walking fearfully in a gust of wind, relying solely on the edge's grip, as if the board were about to slide and fall headfirst, I can move forward steadily, one step at a time.
SKEATS™ has arrived in Japan this season, 2022-2023. Please give it a try! (This sounds like a politician's speech...)
If you're reading this article and you've thought things like, "Hiking up is so tiring," "Oh no! That group of foreigners are climbing way too fast!", "Maybe it's because I'm getting older, my stamina's gone down...," or "I slip and slip " (a repetition of "azuru" - Hokkaido dialect for "to slip") on steep climbs, then SKEATS™ is sure to make hiking a little more fun and safer this winter!