# Japan Trip (can you fit snowboards in a Nissan Cube!?!)



## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

I'm looking to rent a car while in Hokkaido, my girlfriend is pretty in love with the Nissan Cube and it seems pretty quintessentially Japanese in it's cuteness, and it even comes in 4wd! I wonder though how well this thing will fit snowboards inside, it looks very small. Anybody with experience with this car?

If not I think we'll rent a 4wd Wingroad, it looks a little more functional, but way less cute. hah


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Tycho said:


> I'm looking to rent a car while in Hokkaido, my girlfriend is pretty in love with the Nissan Cube and it seems pretty quintessentially Japanese in it's cuteness, and it even comes in 4wd! I wonder though how well this thing will fit snowboards inside, it looks very small. Anybody with experience with this car?
> 
> If not I think we'll rent a 4wd Wingroad, it looks a little more functional, but way less cute. hah


depends how many clowns you need to also fit


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Never been in a Cube. (…_personally I think they look like a refrigerator on wheels!_) :laugh: But I rented a Kia Soul once. I usually go north with 3 boards in tow, . A 163cm, 159cm, & 157! _AND_ I'm an incurable "overpacker!!" The room in that thing was freakin' amazing. The Cube looks to have even more cargo space than the Soul!

You'll be fine!!!


(…leave the clowns at home tho!!!) >


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

chomps1211 said:


> Never been in a Cube. (…_personally I think they look like a refrigerator on wheels!_) :laugh: But I rented a Kia Soul once. I usually go north with 3 boards in tow, . A 163cm, 159cm, & 157! _AND_ I'm an incurable "overpacker!!" The room in that thing was freakin' amazing. The Cube looks to have even more cargo space than the Soul!
> 
> You'll be fine!!!
> 
> ...


Heh, was supposed to be 4 clowns, but now just 2 due to flaky ass friends :| . That said we are staying in a lodge and may very well make some friends to tow along with us here and there.

I am taking 3 boards too hahaha, 2 sets of bindings, that way I can shove it all into one board bag.

I think the Cube might be able fit the boards with one seat folded down and the boards all stacked on top of each other. It looks like it will be a close call though.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Roof racks?????


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

Mizu Kuma said:


> Roof racks?????


Yes, that is an option (only 1080 Yen) but my boards are my babies, I don't want them full of road grime!


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

They rent racks but not cargo boxes??? :huh: 

I'll be mounting my skybox and using it for the first time when I head north next week!! It'll be nice not to have to fuss with fitting & securing 3 boards in my Focus with the rest of my gear!! The board's edges scratch the interior & I'm always worried if I get in an accident,.? One of them will cut loose & decapitate my sorry ass! :laugh:

(...One guy, heading north & you'd think I had an entire SBX team with me for alla shit I stuff in there!) :blink:

I'm gonna need to get _SERIOUSLY_ minimalist for my CO. trip next month! :laugh:


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

Just from this thread title alone... I know this trip will be a success.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Tycho said:


> Yes, that is an option (only 1080 Yen) but my boards are my babies, I don't want them full of road grime!


Just put a sleeve over them?????

And hopefully there'll be no road grime anyways!!!!! Just Hokkaipow!!!!!


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

F1EA said:


> Just from this thread title alone... I know this trip will be a success.


LOL I'm assuming that is a vote for no, snowboards will not fit in a Nissan Cube?



Mizu Kuma said:


> Just put a sleeve over them?????
> 
> And hopefully there'll be no road grime anyways!!!!! Just Hokkaipow!!!!!


Heh, true, roof rack is the backup plan if I rent the Cube, I think F1EA has just intensified my doubt and I'll probably play it safe with the much more spacious albeit far less kawaii Wingroad.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

You're in Japan!!!!!

Go the Cube I say!!!!!


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## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

With the smaller cars you are best having all the boards on the front passenger seat, and passengers in the back. If you dont mind driving like that you wont have any problems


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

tokyo_dom said:


> With the smaller cars you are best having all the boards on the front passenger seat, and passengers in the back. If you dont mind driving like that you wont have any problems


That's how I used to get to the surf in a Subaru Sherpa I once had!!!!!


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## Tubby Beaver (Jul 16, 2015)

The Cube is actually surprisingly spacious. You can fit AT LEAST 2 boards, base to base, down the centre between the 2 front seats. You should be able to get a 3rd leaning on top, bindings side down....so its sitting at an angle. 

We've fit 4 snowboards into a 1980's registered 1L Vauxhall Nova when driving up to Glenshee in Scotland.  Just start practising by playing Tetris


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## Alpine Duke (Jun 21, 2015)

Seems like most forum members on here like little, tiny, chick boards....so if you are in the mainstream....then yes....your 152s should fit just fine.:smile:


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

Tubby Beaver said:


> The Cube is actually surprisingly spacious. You can fit AT LEAST 2 boards, base to base, down the centre between the 2 front seats. You should be able to get a 3rd leaning on top, bindings side down....so its sitting at an angle.


That is good advice, thanks, though it might be too late.

I played it safe and reserved a Wingroad/Fielder. When we arrive if they have a Cube available and if the agent speaks a little English I might see if we can test fit our luggage in it and swap the reservation, if not the Wingroad will be far more practical, and we can tow a couple new friends around to if we make any.




Alpine Duke said:


> Seems like most forum members on here like little, tiny, chick boards....so if you are in the mainstream....then yes....your 152s should fit just fine.:smile:


Hah, so judgmental...Well, I will be bringing a tiny chick board for my tiny fiancé. She's just under 5 foot and rides a 134 Nugget. I'll be bringing a couple of 156s and maybe my 154 park board in case we have days with no freshies. At 150lbs I'm in the lower side of the weight range for all three of them.

I do have to agree with you somewhat, it pains me a bit to see big dudes riding around on floppy little 150s.


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## Alpine Duke (Jun 21, 2015)

Tycho said:


> Hah, so judgmental...Well, I will be bringing a tiny chick board for my tiny fiancé. She's just under 5 foot and rides a 134 Nugget. I'll be bringing a couple of 156s and maybe my 154 park board in case we have days with no freshies. At 150lbs I'm in the lower side of the weight range for all three of them.
> 
> I do have to agree with you somewhat, it pains me a bit to see big dudes riding around on floppy little 150s.


Come on now....not judgmental. Like I said....tiny boards=mainstream.


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## Tubby Beaver (Jul 16, 2015)

my board is 163 and fits fine in the cube


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

Tubby Beaver said:


> my board is 163 and fits fine in the cube


Sweet, as described above by Tubby Beaver?


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## ju87 (Mar 9, 2011)

you'll have to fold down part of the rear seats to get boards in the Fielder, although the 134 would fit in the cargo area with seats up

as for racks, you'll only get pow on the boards and no road grime if you're there during pow season, but during Spring i cannot say


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

ju87 said:


> you'll have to fold down part of the rear seats to get boards in the Fielder, although the 134 would fit in the cargo area with seats up


Agreed. I guess you could stick part of the board over the rear seat backs. But realistically you need to fold down 1/3 of the rear seat.



ju87 said:


> as for racks, you'll only get pow on the boards and no road grime if you're there during pow season, but during Spring i cannot say


Depends on where and how far you are going to drive. Commuting around resort(s) should be fine, but if going for >1 hour (eg Chitose to Rusutsu/Niseko) and possibly stuck behind buses/trucks it could get messy.


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

SGboarder said:


> Agreed. I guess you could stick part of the board over the rear seat backs. But realistically you need to fold down 1/3 of the rear seat.
> 
> 
> Depends on where and how far you are going to drive. Commuting around resort(s) should be fine, but if going for >1 hour (eg Chitose to Rusutsu/Niseko) and possibly stuck behind buses/trucks it could get messy.


We'll be doing a fair amount of driving, Niseko to Asahidake and everywhere around in between.

And my stoke is reaching levels not normally found in grown men.:grin:


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## Tubby Beaver (Jul 16, 2015)

The Japow train has firmly pulled in at the station. This storm is huge and pretty much EVERYWHERE is getting or going to get its fair share. Tokyo got 5-10cms on Monday, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Osaka, Shikoku.....all places that aren't usually snowy have been getting relatively large falls these past few days. The mountains of course are where we want it and while Hokkaido has been faring fine this season, Honshu has been unloved......thats changing today. 

Winds are huge tho so many places will be on wind hold.....tomorrow and Friday should be classic


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

Tubby Beaver said:


> The Japow train has firmly pulled in at the station. This storm is huge and pretty much EVERYWHERE is getting or going to get its fair share. Tokyo got 5-10cms on Monday, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Osaka, Shikoku.....all places that aren't usually snowy have been getting relatively large falls these past few days. The mountains of course are where we want it and while Hokkaido has been faring fine this season, Honshu has been unloved......thats changing today.
> 
> Winds are huge tho so many places will be on wind hold.....tomorrow and Friday should be classic


Ironically looks great everywhere except for the famed Niseko which has gotten blanked after 3 great weeks.


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## Tubby Beaver (Jul 16, 2015)

they have plenty already....time for em to share some with everyone else


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