About Rapie Mountain Equipment
Rapie Mountain Equipment — known locally as simply Rapie's — is a veteran backcountry and freeride ski shop in Hakuba, run by owner Matsumoto-san from a gear-packed storefront near The Big supermarket. The shop has earned a reputation as one of the valley's most trusted sources for unbiased, expert advice on backcountry skiing, touring setups, and telemark equipment. Every corner of the store is filled with carefully selected gear, giving it a distinctive, packed-to-the-rafters character that serious skiers find irresistible.
Rapie specialises in backcountry and touring equipment including alpine touring skis, telemark setups, splitboards, avalanche safety kits, and skins. The shop offers demo rentals on backcountry gear, binding mounting, ski tuning, and sells both new and quality second-hand equipment at competitive prices — often matching or beating online retailers. Year-round operations cover summer mountain sports as well, but winter is when Rapie truly shines, outfitting riders heading into Hakuba's legendary sidecountry and the backcountry terrain of the Northern Alps.
What sets Rapie apart from Hakuba's larger rental operations is Matsumoto-san's deep personal knowledge of the surrounding mountains and his willingness to spend time helping each customer find exactly the right gear for their ability and objectives. There's no hard sell here — just honest, experienced advice from someone who has spent decades exploring the terrain he's outfitting people for. For backcountry skiers and tourers who want to go beyond the resort boundaries, Rapie Mountain Equipment is the local insider's choice.
