Snowboarding '08-'09 Day One: Stratton, VT

The superstition is this: The later your snow season begins the worse it will be. There have been some stinker seasons the past 10 years. In my 27 years of being on the slopes nothing was worse than 2001 - 2002. I wound up skating an empty pool on Rte 123 in Virginia because it was 85 degrees in February. However there have been some exceptional ones. The previous winter I found myself in Killington Vermont during the second week of October riding out two slopes with my old friend Hans. We wound up receiving an incredible snowfall that year and all was well. When the opportunity arose this weekend to ride at the tail end of November on the slopes of Stratton, VT it was game on to get the season started off right.

Now, in my years of snowboarding( 17 I think) I've learned to ride alone because my work schedule tends to deviate from those I ride with. As the trek to riding this weekend became a reality I linked up with my newly acquired shred friend Frank. Frank had commented on this blog awhile back and we ended up e-mailing only to find out we are from the original hometown in Vestal, NY. On the random scale of 1-10 that rates about an 11. Long story short, Stratton was open and Frank would be there so it became clear I'd have somebody to ride with.

After leaving Vestal, NY at 5 am I finally pulled into lot 1 at Stratton. With over 30% of the mountain open I was excited to get on the hill. One minor boot malfunction, a quick pit stop and $69 for a ticket later I was walking towards the Gondola. The conditions were primarily overcast usually this means you'll have a lovely mixture of flat light and missed cues on the slopes. This was the first noticeable positive thing about Stratton. The slopes were pitched to keep you moving but never obstruct your vision. That's a fancy way of saying the rollers and pitch was spread out enough so that even in lousy conditions you had good visibility. While the famed Stratton groomers were long gone by the time I got on the hill the snow was still solid.

I eventually caught up with Frank and after a few warm up runs I demo'd a Burton Hero with V-rocker. That review can be found right here but I will say it boosted up the fun level several notches. Riding with Frank was great because he's the type of rider I like to ride with: Somebody who is much better than me. Being my inaugural trip to Stratton, I took cues from his lines and linked into his turns. I found a few of my own lines, little rollers and jibs but like any good first time session having a person to follow really helped out.

Stratton as a resort, even in this early season, left me with some very positive thoughts. The lines kept moving, the slopes were excellent and overall everybody had a great vibe. I can only assume that a strong early season opening left everybody smiling. I would easily recommend Stratton for a trip if you are on the East Coast, Plan on attending an on-snow or ever want to see a big comp ala the US Open. A two big thumbs up and I'm looking forward to the on-snow in early 2009. While riding up the Gondola at the end of the day a few snowmakers began talking about the other parts of the mountain yet to open. Juding by the look in their eye I've only scratched the surface of good things at Stratton.

So, the season is off with a bang. Skating is now relegated to the occasional indoor and night session. Snowboarding is a go and I'll be back out once more before we get in December. Here's to some cold days, Colder nights and plenty of snow falling from the sky.

Photo 1. Frank

Photo 2. Jonny in his best "homer" pose

2008 Burton Hero Review

Finally snowboarding has returned. With a basement full of boards I'm happy to finally get into reviews for the 2008 - 2009 season. Right out of the gate my first review is one that came unexpected to me. On day one of the season I found myself up at Stratton, VT and looking at a 155cm Burton Hero board with 08 Uninc EST binders. Interestingly enough I had not planned on riding this board and was happy with my Gnu riders choice under my feet. But, Frank had brought this along with the explicit intent of getting my opinion on Burton's version of a board with rocker. Game on

First up it should be noted that i haven't ridden board under 160 CM in eight years. I'm not a job kid but I do enjoy having fun in the terrain park. Overall, when it comes to jumps and jibs, I like to mix them into riding down the mountain. Natural or unintended terrain seems a bit more fun and experimental. Plus I am typically 15 - 20 years older than everybody in a terrain park. Aging old man ego aside freeride/freestyle boards tend to be the most fun for me.

With that in mind I was skeptical of the Hero. All I heard was jib board/ park board to this point. Skepticism was crept by in ever larger quantities when it came to the EST. Being built genetically more for football than snowboarding I've found myself in the unfortunate position of breaking bindings and pulling out inserts before. So, full of doubt it was into the gondola and up the hill.

After one run I went through my seven stages of review ...

Shock or Disbelief -- I was in left in wonderment over how well the board rode. Cruising speed allowed to really feel how playful the board was. Quick butters, 180's all felt effortless. I counted a few instances I should have caught and edge but the hero rolled away.
Denial -- High speed groomers, rollers, trailside jib all felt amazingly stable under my feet at fast clip. A little loose but stable overall. On a 155 deck? Not a chance, yet it did.
Bargaining -- I immediately wanted to compare this to the Lib Tech Phoenix BTX 160 in my car.
Guilt -- Well, no guilt really.
Anger -- Crap, I've been screwing myself out of some fun.
Depression -- I had to give the board back to Frank.
Acceptance and Hope -- Perhaps the Lib tech Phoenix will ride as well or perhaps better. If not, maybe Burton will let me scoop one up on proform.

On the binder side the EST worked like a charm. Being so close to the boards topsheet allowed me to leave the forward lean in a very neutral posit on and the result was very natural skate feel to the deck. Not quite baseless ala' drilling holes on the outside of your board and getting crazy with t-nuts. But, there was enough of a difference for a noticeable change in the boards ride. Going back to my C02's at the end of the day was like going back to a hot ex girlfriend and meeting a chick you really dig. Still sexy but damn, you see so much potential on the other side!

The overall impression was solid. You can charge it and take it into the terrain park. Like any board you jib once you start it's a fast road to the board eventually falling apart. A side note of this was I had to really think about where to ollie. Dialing in the pop took a bit more effort. I think that would be solved with a slightly bigger version. Based on my style of riding this board was incredibly fun and I'm excited to try the 158 Cm at an upcoming on snow.

Thanks Frank for bringing up the deck and giving me an opportunity to put it through the paces.

Zoo York Drops the Harold Hunter Day 2 Clip

Zoo York dropped a great edit of the second Harold Hunter day. Already well documented this event (as we all know) remembers NYC skater, actor and all around human being Harold Hunter. I have to hand it to Zoo for dropping a clip that not only sings the praise of their own fallen friend but also cuts in solid skating. Plus they got Pete Rock to DJ. That's pretty tough. Throw out a little ollie for Harold next time you go skate and of course, legends never die.



Give thanks for skating.

Details, Details and More Details

Well I had an incredibly busy weekend. Granted none of it was stuff I wanted to do (except hang out with my family, that's the best part of the weekend) but I did manage to catch up on my news, blargs and tidbits. Here's what happened while I was traveling back and forth from DC to the Rockies to DC.

Silas Baxter-Neal as your 2008 Skater of the Year as deemed by Thrasher Magazine. I know this is old news but it's still bad ass. Get all your SOTY updates over at Thrasher Magazine



J Strickland gives a pleasant interview over on 48Blcoks.com where he pretty much calls out everybody involved in Baker. I imagine skateboard drama is like a bad Mexican soap opera only with more shitty tattoo's and less kissing. I try to ignore but the unintentional comedy is running at an all time high.

Rob from SpoT auctioned off 34 pairs of shoes on Ebay. Homes in Tampa must have big effin' closets.

Some footage ..
Mystery promo
Wes Bell footage from High Grade distribution
Zoo York TV is worth watching
Tribute Skateboard Bay footage

How to Avoid Shopping Hell Part 2: C-3 Shop

Last week was a pure clusterfuck in the world of American automotive manufacturing. I guess that serves them right for creating massive POS vehicles for the past 20 years. Seriously, you think these cats would have learned their lesson post Japanese car invasion of the 70's-80's. Nope, instead the built 'em bigger and badder. Well, that bubble has recently gone pop and I find it hard to believe that one of them won't go out of business. On the flip side the economic crunch is hitting lots of industries right now but you know who isn't going out of business right now? C-3. At least I'm pretty sure they aren't.

I should have checked with Johan on that first. But, in my valiant effort to put some knowledge in your head screw fact checking and lets get this dialed in right away to see what's available to you through the C-3 shop. You see holiday shopping can be about more than just lots of stuff. Yes, it can be about the one or two unique things you find. Over at C-3 shop there's more unique weirdness than a convention for transgender midgets.

Now you can purchase whatever you want and believe me from samples to stragglers there's some interesting stuff to be had. However, there is nothing more interesting than the binding collection to be scooped up. While 2008 may go down as the year of collab mania gone awry it's nice to see Union (C-3 binder brand at large) kept in all in check with some well thought out plans. Lets count off the three or four collabs that Union has taken on that are kinda rad.




KFC Binder - No my style but holy crap did they blow this one out yet again. In a world where I am getting older and snowboarding getting younger this makes sense.



Iuter Clan - Yep, Super limited and solid design. Can't find them in your local shop? no problem.



Advita Collab - Hello Frenchy. Graphically speaking this binder looks pretty much better than Advita's street wear. Again, I'm an old man take my fashion tips at face value.



On Board Collab - it makes me wonder why the smallest media players in the space have the common sense to make this stuff happen and Transworld puts out a movie they expect you to buy. Hmmmm.

Now, does this make Union the best binding in the land? I'm not sure. I've only ridden a handful of their products and the results have left me pleased. This does mean C-3 is smarter than most companies by not only selling direct but selling some of their limited pieces direct. That's smart business and good for the consumers as well. Meaning, if you are looking to avoid a pain in the ass of waiting in line outside some Burton or Core store at 2 AM to get a limited edition binder now you have another resource.

Danny Way Injured on mega Ramp in Brazil

While skating the Mega Ramp down in Sau Paolo, Brazil Danny Way has suffered a back injury. Watch the video to see the accident occur. On hand was Bob Burnquist and several Brazilian skaters.

From the looks of it Danny came up a bit short in his attempt over the larger gap and hit the transition of the deck. Hitting the knuckle like that will propel you and is often the last place you want to land while going over a snowboard jump which is the closest thing in proximity to the mega ramp experience. Get well soon Danny. Heal up and maybe take a few days off from being the guy with the biggest balls in the world

How to Avoid Shopping Hell Part 1: Quiksilver Friends and family Sale

I have a neighbor who wakes up at the ass crack of dawn on Black Friday and hauls ass down to Best Buy to snatch up whatever $40 flat screen TV they have on sale the day after Thanksgiving. Usually I am working off a world class Turkey binge via skating or as luck would have it some snow slashing that very same day. After all, the latter is more important plus this is the civilized world and lines are for suckers. Big box electronics stores can advertise all they want but until the but a teleportation machines on the auction block I'll keep doing my thing.

Now picking up the necessary skate-surf-snow items is another matter entirely. At this juncture in life I have one theory with two parts and it goes like this: Support your local shop whenever you can. I've always espoused that theory whenever possible in this blog. Local shops build the scene, are a rallying point and typically the lifeblood of your skate-surf-snow community. Part two comes down to common sense: when you see a good opportunity, take it. That brings us to brand stores. A few years back there was some hullabaloo about brands selling directly online. Vans and Burton come as the first big brands to take this on and now it seems everybody is heading in that direction. The circumstances driving the stores vary but the end game is that it's an opportunity for you, at times, to get what you want for some type of bargain. That of course depends on what your idea of bargain is...

So with Black Friday looming I figured I'd start rolling out the Online Shopping Alternatives to your local shop. As I mentioned before, support the shop but these dire financial times can make you the big winner. Previously mentioned Vans and Burton both have online shopping portals which are OK. The main thing here, and the reason I don't recommend them, they don't offer anything different from what a typical shop offers. Nothing against the brands, I like their product but go buy that from a local shop. Lets move into "opportunity and payoff for you as a consumer".

Lets talk Quik for a few minutes. I actually like Quiksilver products. Never mind the RVCA, Volcom, whatever else the crap is going on in the shrediverse, I firmly believe that Quiksilver just has their pieces from streetwear to boardshorts to snow outerwear dialed in. Most important they do the best job out there of explaining their fit system to people. This was probably the first thing that made me smile about the website.

I took Quiksilver.com for a test spin today and bought a few things. I know what you are saying: "I thought all glamorous bloggers got their gear for free!?!?!? Not so much. Plus have you seen my picture lately I've been downgraded by Moody's from glamorous to sourpuss. Granted, Quiksilver's website and store are better now than in the past iteration, however, they still have a long ways to go in order for it to be more user friendly: I kept finding deadlinks. Really, there is no excuse for that. On the plus side a nice feature is the lower page tracking of the last 10 items you viewed so you can quickly go back to something. Also their "buy this look" feature should make it easy for somebodies crazy Aunt to go online and hook it up rather than wander around Macy's looking for your gear. Factor in their fit explanation system and it came together just not in an intuitive manner.

What triggered me finally making a purchase form this site? Well, I'm glad you asked. I received an e-mail that stated the following:

Quiksilver Friends and Family Event:
3 Ways to get 40% off your purchase from Nov 20-23
1. Shop Online using promo code FFN8
2. Print this email and bring it into our stores
3. Order by phone 800-435-9917

Hmmm, looked legit. Checked it out and sure enough it worked. Plus free shipping. I classify that as a good consumer experience. Even the Misses got in on the action and checked out a few items. Why wait until December 26th for everything to be marked off 40%? Hustle now. Overall, I'll give the shopping experience a 9 out 10 based on the discounts and the ability to send along the products via social plug ins. I was also pleased to see it was valid across their entire site and all product lines. So, if you like Quik outerwear for snowboarding ... giddyup. An even larger way to compound your savings was to look at their Sale category.

OK, so that's a few too many words for one blog post. I would be curious to hear form somebody at Quiksilver if this was driven by the poor economic climate or their current cash flow issue. However, would they reach out to a sucker like me? Doubtful. But, if you dig Quik this is your opportunity to take advantage of a situation and maybe even save some cash this Holiday season Tomorrow we dive into a the opposite world: the C-3 Online store. Until then good luck and don't go broke.

Thrasher's Skater of the Year

Announcing Friday Morning at 9 am PST.

Why is this important? It just is ...

Check the picks as posted on Thrasher's site.

John Cardiel's SOTY Picks

1. Silas Baxter-Neal
2. Sean Malto
3. Paul Rodriguez

Geoff Rowley's SOTY Picks
1. Guy Mariano
2. David Gonzalez
3. Rune Glifberg

Tony Trujillo's SOTY Picks
1. Peter Hewitt
2. Dennis Busenitz
3. Jake Duncombe

Dennis Busenitz SOTY Picks
1. Silas Baxter-Neal
2. Sean Malto
3. Torey Pudwill

Danny Way's SOTY Picks
1. Ryan Sheckler
2. Paul Rodriguez
3. Jereme Rogers

So yeah, it's all over the map. I would guess but I am way too tired...

Band Brains Gets More Supreme

Amazing what the Google mail will deliver to my inbox whether I want it or not. It appears the guys in Bad Brains and the holier than thou NYC/ LA/ Tokyo/ Quad Cities, Iowa (OK, maybe not) collective of Supreme is rolling out another collaboration with Bad Brains. I get it in the sense they are pioneers in hard core but man from what I heard their show at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. recently sucked more than Jenna Jameson video. Seriously, historic night in the District with our new President coming in and apparently they mailed it in. Then again they went on before some shitty hip hop band that uses french horns. I would mail it in as well.

So I wonder if we'll ever start seeing some of the post-hardcore bands actually rise up and get this collab going. I doubt Mike Watt would have much to do with it or Dismemberment plan but it would be funny to get their read on stuff like this. Check out the Bad Brains stuff below if that's your thing. November 29th if you feel like going out hunting.








11/20/2008

Bad Brains/Supreme

The second installment of the Brains/Supreme series will consist of two t-shirts and a hooded sweatshirt. All items were produced from original artwork supplied by Bad Brains.

Available at the NY, LA and web stores on November 24th. Available in Japan store locations on November 29th.

Additionally, F/W 08 third delivery t-shirts will also be released.

Sneak Peak of the Terry Kennedy Supra

Really it's the old news that's the new news. Did that make sense? Not so much but my point being that you only need a few random words to fully embrace the concept of gibberish. Befuddled yet? Hopefully not. You see what you are looking at below according to the fine folks over at Skateboard.com is a sneak peek of Terry Kennedy's new pro shoe from Supra.

Now, I could probably pick up the phone and call a few people to confirm but at press time (and I use that term in the loosest sense possible) I don't really care all that much. Supra is kinda a weird one for me because not being entrenched in the Hollywood crap of skateboarding I don't get shiny shoes and bright colors. I'm not sure who it was but I was once told that my view of skating was too "blue collar." I'm not quite sure why nor do I really give a fuck but this shoe looks like another high top from hell. But, hey these guys get paid and supposedly have some input. Take a glimpse ...


Like I said: high top from hell. At a glance it looks kinda, sorta like a leather high top but with a gum sole and some crazy strap flopping off the top like ski boot. Ah well whatever, Terry can rock all the crazy shit and try to get his rap career off the ground. At any rate it's a more sedate than some of the shoes they currently have in the collection. Take glimpse at some of these winners that are probably selling out much to my dismay...

Muska's shoe the skytop if nothing else looks like nothing else in skating. However you can also argue that every turd you lay is unique.


Yup, that's a gold shoe or as I like to call it a "Punch my face please" card.

Erik Ellingtons new shoe or Elton Johns footwear circa 1978? You decide.

Didn't Vans originally make this shoe? Didn't Emerica copy it and do it in purple already?

Linoleum is the new pleather

The Vulk low actually skated OK being one shoe of theirs I tried. However at this point just go buy a pair of half cabs. So there you have it ... Supra. But skating in all it's carbon copy glory has something for everybody claiming "individual" status. Supra might be your bag.

The Sheckler Vert Shirt Premiers at the Office

Well crap on a stick Ryan Sheckler has done it again. This time he's single handily bringing back the vert shirt. Not since the days of Hosoi, shitty deck shapes and the over use of "brah" have I witnessed the indulgence of that much man-pit. Kinda skeeby. Lets hope Ryan doesn't end up running steroids into Orange County the way Christian tried to run meth to Hawaii.

On a totally side note his skating is kinda sorta like watching snowboarding now. In his new super fun zone park dubbed his office Ryan is throwing up some pretty big shit. Also, I had no clue his brother Shane could skate at that level. Looks like the brother may have future ripper in him. We can only hope for some bizarre Cain and Abel skating zone. In the meantime watch Ryan drop in on shit that you know you'll never do. Enjoy.

Hollywood Trainwreck: Shaun White's Video Game Release Party

Over the past week my google alert has been pretty much blowing up due to the fact that Shaun White's video game was released. Usually I'd read a review of the game but this being a busy time of the year I pretty much ignored the daily influx of alerts. Oh, I could not have been more mistaken in my actions. No, this was a quite the buffet of unintentional comedy and after a spat of insomnia I flipped thru a few pages of pics. What did I find? More c-list celebs and just general oddities than you can shake a stick at.

I imagine these Hollywood PR fests are not unlike a rejected scene in 'Entourage' where they take every e-mail possible and send out a spam sized blast. The beauty of the train wreck is to see who shows up in the official backdrop. In the Warholian world where everybody is famous for 15 minutes including skaters, snowboarders and some surfers who have dated Pam Anderson getting PR becomes part of your life. The sad thing is when you see just how low the benchmark is set for action sports "stars". Maybe Hollywood's A-list was burned out from Tony Hawk's Stand Up for Skate parks benefit but those that lust for fame came out for the game release. This just goes to show you can be on the cover of Rolling Stone and well...you're still just a snowboarder. Albeit one with Millions of dollars, your own video game, a Lamborghini and yeah you were on the cover of Rolling Stone before they pussed out and went to smaller magazine size.

So Shaun is still the man to some extent and like they say those who laugh hardest are the ones who cash the big ass royalty checks. But, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy some gold old fashioned picture commentary.

This is easy: a shot of Shaun playing the video game. Nothing really funny but, good to see him actually tapping away on the console.

This random shot of some guy with the Iron Sheik could quite possibly be one the best things to happen to snowboarding since Bakoda has an advertisement of batboy saying "That's not where you put a rake!" Clearly nothing to do with video games or Shaun White just getting that press whenever and where ever. The ultimate non-sequitor.

The label said Brittany Gastineau. She had a reality show. I'm guessing it was called: "I Want to look like Brooke Shields" or "Brittany Gastineau: side boob at large"

OK, there was an entire write up on who this was but all I could think was how can she be so happy as her pelvis is being crushed? Actually she is from 'The Hills'. I can now shoot myself for having written antying about that MTV train wreck.

When the fuck did Cher get neck tats? Ohhhhh it's that chick who did decks for Bam and Mike V. Enough said.

No clue. But, side bar here, when I was in college for a few semesters outside of Pittsburgh I'd see this type of chick all the time. I imagine this is what South Western PA transplants look like in Hollywood. Somebody told me she was from 'the Hills'. If they mean Forrest Hills or North Hills they are correct.

Again another 'Burgh chick or a playboy bunny who didn't quite "make it" to the magazine.

America Olivo, the new "token hot chick with a well stocked gun rack" is available for award shows, openings, release parties and PR events. Book time now.


Hey it's Kelly Osbourne, I thought she was deported. Instead its rumored she's trying out for the female lead in the Orange County Repertory theater version of 'A Nightmare Before Christmas.'

Hey it's Bam and he's not skating. Imagine that.

Like I said. Imagine that

Awwwww it's Shaun and Tila Tequilla. Maybe it's the aftershock of Halloween but doesn't her head look like a jack-o-lantern pinata?

This guy is Sam Raimi's brother. Sam directed 'Spiderman'. His brother pictured above gets the coveted "That Guy" award of all time. You know when you look at somebody in a movie who clearly you've seen before and say "Hey! It's that Guy!" Bill Simmons was right.

Finally, It's somebody from American Idol. Personally I was hoping for the token "drunk Paula Abdul" shot but no such luck. Instead we get this reality show randomness. So the conclusion here is that Shaun White really needs to get a better PR firm. Seriously, if the you're pulling the Iron Sheik in the door you might want to screen the invites a bit more. Actually strike that the Iron Sheik Classes up the joint and at least some of the ladies are good looking. All in all a tremendous assortment of random reality TV and teeny bopper celebs. The reality of Hollywood is that: those who are famous don't go to things like this or are self confident enough that they can avoid the spectacle. But, it seems everybodies plan did work out in the end. Even I blogged about it.

Snowboard Notes #1: Capita and the Porn Form

Ah, so yeah people listen up it's about time i stated blargin' a little about the snow slash-ayin' side of life. I'm watching friends receive their proform stocking all shipped with care. Plans are being formulated for an all out over 30 shred session at Stratton Mountain during Drunksgiving and most importantly: it's getting cold. Now I need to hurry up and make a donation to certain doghouse so I can be in good keyholder standing when the indoor skate time comes around. But, until I get off my ass and get the Swede some cash for skatelite, I'll start planning for some snow. A few things popped up worth sharing.

God Bless Capita!
Capita started shipping their horrorscope FK decks last week to the C-3 Super pros. While questioning the in-house Capita gimp he let me know that "Our little thing we do since we were all shop kids once. Roots." Very cool of them and you can find the adventures all logged over yonder. Apparently the proform got kicked over to being a pron form. Now you got shops kids doing shit like this? If Capita is lucky they'll get their own brand of protesting. Becasue that's what snowboarding needs more soccer moms putting up "Poach snowboarding" signs because naked photos were taken. Before I get in trouble for starting the pacific North West version of Boobie Gate let me be perfectly clear on this: there is no connection to the naked photos and the "horror" graphics. Additionally, I don't give a fuck if you are offended. OK, that being said lets move on!

OK, I lied that's really all I felt worth putting up and maybe I was a little aggressive in that last paragraph. But, what's done is done. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube y'know? The point being is the Capita (like so many other companies) is looking out for the shop kids and in this day and age it's nice to these companies still look out for shop kids. OK, quit staring at the two bozos and the chick on my right and get back to work. Seriously, get back to work.

When Hollywood and Action Sports Meet Part Two

Stuff like this happens ...


... I laugh.

I can thank AngrySnowboarder.com for tipping me off on this video plus check out his site for an ongoing saga with Fed Ex. Frankly it's one of the more inspired voices from the edge writes I've heard in awhile. Then again i spent the last week listening to Helmet, Dag Nasty and Minor Threat so angry and pissed off is a good way to round the blarg readin'.

Seriously though in watching somebody who claimed pro shred status get misty eyed on the Youtubes because his American Broadcast Corporation bred honey dumped him is just the sort of schaedenfruede needed to get you through the night. In reality (not reality television) this sort of thing hits about 14 on the unintentionally funny scale that goes from one to ten. My guess would be is that this boob is jockin' to be the next Bachelor. OK, that being said I need to go hit my left thumb with a ball peen hammer because I'm blogging about this guy. But, excluding his general douchebagery, aside best of luck to him in getting a new board sponsor. I hear this company could sign him.

Snow Notes #0 Mark Landvik on the Radar

I typically don't follow the life and times of pros. Actually, strike that, I never follow the life and times of snowboard pros. Not unless there's some really good material to be found for future snarky comments. Some pro's though, transcend that and demand attention. No matter how big a pile they may be (Whittlake, possibly Kass?) or reluctant rock star mantle they assume(the Kelly-Iguchi-Rice trifecta) there will always be somebody on the rise who you can't ignore. Today that guy happens to be Mark Landvik.

Landvik was poppin' up over the past couple of years in some vids as a true all mountain rider who may or may not have been the one who was credited with returning snowboarding to snow. Nothing against handrails and wall rides. Actually if you check out a recent shred show Fuel TV you'll see Lando throwing down some wall rides and sparkin' up the concrete. Pretty cool in it's own weird sort of way.

Now Mark has a pro model out with Lib based off the infamous Jamie Lynn Phoenix shape and you better bet your ass he's taking advantage of the 160 cm banana traction stick of choice. It may not have the uber-rolled up tail but it still looks pretty mean. Seriously, demo day can't get here fast enough. More importantly go buy yerself a copy of 'That's it, That's All' and check out Mark's method at 45:19 into the film. Just raw style on display in the most stylish trick in snowboarding. Oh yeah, one more thing he's putting it down in Alaska. That's a different breed of rider and the kind who you watch come down a mountain and it makes you say: "I want to go do that!"

I'll be tuning into Fuel TV's daily habit tonight to watch what he's got to say and more importantly see what's coming up this season for this guy. Banked slalom at Baker? Filming? OK, now I'm intrigued: what's next for Landvik.




As they say the devil is in the details....

Airing Wednesday, November 12, at 9:00 pm Eastern Time (6:00 pm Pacific Time) and telecast three additional times, Mark Landvik and Dave Parsa will appear on The Daily Habit.


Today, taking time from his never-ending quest for powder, pro snowboarder Mark Landvik drops in to talk about his part in the new film “That’s it, That’s All.” Plus, director Dave Parsa is here to talk about his new documentary “LIVE: A Music and Surfing Experience.” Also, we head over to Hollywood to check in with Chris Cote at the 2008 Life Rolls On event.


Mark Landvik’s sponsors include: Vans, Lib Tech, Anon, Volcom, Estate Hats, and Drop Gloves.

The Converse Skate Program Begins, Again

While flipping through the channels this weekend I finally caught the documentary on Christian Hosoi, 'Rising Son'. One thing that stuck out in my head was watching him skate with all his style in nothing more than a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor High Tops. This really did run through my head. You see back in the South of the North (Binghamton, NY) it was damn near impossible to find Vans or Airwalks or any type of good skate shoe. But, Cons were a-plenty at that point in time. A little shoe goo after a few sessions and you were typically good to go.

Fast forward 20 years and at my last count when I rolled back North there were at least 15 shops locally that sold skate shoes. never mind the interweb of department stores. So when Nike owned Converse was rumored to be getting back into the skate game it raise my eyebrows once again but after doing the brief flyby at ASR, I wasn't overly impressed. However, I am usually wrong more than I am right. So when Converse launched their skate website on Monday I decided to run through the line again. After looking over all the shoes it pretty much looks like a solid effort but I did get the same creepy vibe when I looked over the Gravis IV line. The shoes are staple designs. Nothing is gonna change from the cupsole here and vulcanized sole there. As Dr. Evil would say, pretty standard fare.

There is a small item I don't understand. That would be the Target - Converse connection. I'll come out and say it, I feel like Converse is dropping the ball on this one. So of the four models dropping through to December 15 the price range is $55 to $80. Meanwhile Converse has expanded their One Star line up in Target to include some $29.99 shoes. Why not sell the whole thing through Target? I understand Nike and Converse have a business to run. I think About the Starbury sneaker and how it was accessible to the masses. Sure it's not the greatest basketball shoe ever but it gets the job done. Maybe the Cons skateboarding shoe have an added benefit that will help you ollie higher and push faster. I doubt it.

The larger point being you can higher big old pile pros and young rippers but at the end of the day Converse will be battling their budget image. The other odd thing is Cons opens up their web page with a statement aligning themselves with revolutionaries, stating skateboard is in a state of mediocrity and that they have along intimate relationship with skateboarding I wonder what brand of their own kool aid is being passed out over there. Eventually, you have to wonder how successful can a company with one arms in mass distribution succeed while it's smaller soon to be less profitable arm pays for pros, tours, and the high end shoes sitting on boutique skate shop walls.

Beats me but it sure as crap will be fun to sit from the sidelines and watch. Hey, at least they didn't put skating ala' Target connection Shaun White on the team, right? In the meantime you could just go buy these for $10 American pesos and read Watson's take instead of my hippy POV. You be may happier.

When Hollywood and Action Sports Meet Part One

What's funny is that even with all of skating's California roots, Hollywood still can't get it right. Now, to be honest I can see why because of conflicting stereotypes When you have guys like Slash cruise into your office they're just hoping he doesn't sit down. Hell the clothes he's wearing probably cost less than one bottle of their fancy imported water. On the other hand when some hot-shit agent talks about his latest project any he says the skater they are bringing in is named Andy Mac bet your bottom dollar he will be rethinking that choice when his 15 year old kid rolls his eyes. Hence where the debacle of comprising to please a bunch of individuals rather than an audience begins.

That's why guys like Bam, Rob Dyrdek and some of these other train-wreck comedy guys on MTV are kinda important. Bam is his own beast in a very southern PA shitty kind of way. I can at least respect that he takes as much control over these scenarios as possible and then has the good sense to get the writer and direct working with him. That's not selling out, that's just being plain smart. The humor is often forced but so what he's doing his thing.

Dyrdek on the other hand is really funny. I'll admit to watching his current show and laughing without the aid of a bread soda. When this preview popped up on DC Skateboarding site I'm sure eyebrows were raised. What really sets Rob apart is two things and believe it or not, I'm going to ignore skating. Skating isn't the unique qualifier here. Nope, instead I'd say it's this: Rob has personality. If skateboarding had a shorter more hip hop kickflip version of Vince Vaughn, it would be Rob Dyrdek. The other thing would be: you are only as good as you look. Tremaine did a solid job with 'Rob & Big' and some of that must have rubbed off. No, detail is too small and this goes for DC as well. When they drop in on the Fantasy Factory floor and do the big reveal the quick edits timed to the Willy Wonka theme are incredibly tight. Details along those lines end up making and breaking the perception that skating is being taken seriously.

Clearly, it is. Looking forward to this show dropping and from the launch ramp to the spine that it the best looking warehouse set up I've seen since fight club 1.0. So why is this even important at all? Well, if we can't laugh and have it done right for skaters by skaters ... then it shouldn't be done at all. When it comes down to Rob's Fantasy Factory the sky is the limit and hopefully this is another good chapter in Rob's life.

Interesting Comments

One of the best things about blogging is that it allows people to directly interact with your words. Comments are often left anonymously but that's OK. I can easily understand having issue navigating blogger difficult tools (not so much) or just being plain chickenshit. Yes, they are lots of Internet tough guys out there. I find it funny that people often talk shit on the computer but clam right up in person. Luckily I don't spent too much of my time around people like that and have the good graces of knowing people who aren't afraid to speak their mind publicly. OK, so ranting aside here are some comments I received recently from the Are the Burton Protest and Boycotts Bull Shit ? blog

Anonymous said...
Hey all. Such an interesting take on our protest here in Vermont. Never thought people would think it is a fake! I am actually the mom, and leader of the protest. And I DID come up with the Poach Burton sign. Pretty good, huh, for a soccer mom!! Listen, this issue is not just about snowboards and telling people what they can and can't do. We in Vermont stand on a great record of civil rights, anti-slavery legislation, and rights for our gay and lesbian community. I am a very liberal Vermonter and really believe in letting people "do their thing." But, I have a daughter and I have a son. And I don't want my son to get the idea that war is right from video games he plays, and for my daughter to get the idea that she is a sexual oject for guys to use. In a country where women still only make 80% of what guys do, there is still much work to be done. And you can google "violence and porn" and see that the two almost always go hand in hand. I'm including below a link to the media literacy foundation's clip on sexualization of women in the media. It's eye opening for guys and gals. Keep the healthy and respectful dialog going!! LS from Vermont (and we have snow!)
http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=234 PS - I didn't mean to post as anonymous but I'm not a great navigator of blog sites. Peace.

I hate to be the downer here but this to me doesn't really make sense. I'd like to point out I'm not a Neanderthal, I don't speak in grunt or chirps and that well I'm not a total idiot. I also want to share my own anecdotal point: I don't care about your kids. Setting aside my thoughts that Burton set this thing up lets tackle this as if it were the real deal. OK, here we go: Burton snowboards is a business. Burton snowboards is not your kids role model. Burton snowboards is not your kids parent. In the same way Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii shouldn't be teaching your kids the in and outs of war. Sounds to me like somebody is compensating for not being home enough.

As for googling violence and porn, well I googled "Kitty poop". Sure enough I received an image of this adorable kitten holding a high power rifle. No doubt kitty is ready to strike down some bootleg Dora the Explorer DVD vendor in mid transaction with the kitty sword of justice. What does this prove? Well it could prove, using your definition and methodology, that kitten poop leads to violence. Instead I'll go with my definition: googling two words doesn't mean a fucking thing. Seriously, get a fucking grip. They are snowboard graphics. Of course that doesn't mean you weren't hired by Burton to be shit starters. Way to sell some boards ladies! Also from the same article ...

Anonymous said...
well that pretty much seals it. i can't believe you dorks are so jaded you would think Burton would start this themselves. get a fucking grip haters.

Nope. Still think Burton is funding this BS. For the records nobody is hating, I'm calling marketing type BS when it's being flaunted as authentic. Either these protesters are the most obtuse people ever to come into contact with snowboarding or Burton was looking to sneak this one by.

Linking, Blogging, Gadgets, and Widgets

Simply put, if you want me to link to your side send it in for a flyby to testernote@gmail.com


I'm happy to link out and link back.

Yes, we are back and running

A redesign is coming any year now...

The Tampa Am is Coming! The Tampa Am is Coming!

By this point in time everybody should know that I think Skate Park of Tampa is one of the last standing outposts of skateboaridng. Almost as if they are an outpost in a currently evolving culture. Now Spotlight productions their event company has got so many events on lock it's silly but their flagship events remain the Tampa Am and the Tampa Pro. Apparently getting into the Tampa Am is now a bit more select and why shouldn't it be. That's what we want to see the best of a new generation out there skating. Or to quote Rob Meronek

"If you're unsponsored or only shop sponsored, don't email me to get in Tampa Am. Just kidding. A little. I'm happy to check your footage. Just keep the roid rage jock rock out. It's harder to get into Tampa Am as a random, but if you're ripping, you can get a Damn Am spot where top 12 make it to Tampa Am December without having to fight your way in. PJ Castellano is probably the only unsponsored guy in Tampa Am this year. If you've got a swtich flip like this you might have a chance."

Check out Skatepark of Tampa.com

The bar is set pretty high but that's a good thing.

Decks part 3: Stereo Skateboards

The business of skateboarding has got to be tough but at least business is good. As skateboarding dips back into its roots and the aforementioned birth and re-birth appear its fun to see skaters simply keep skating. I'm not sure how a company like stereo comes into physical existence because it really seems to be more oriented as an idea rather than a physical "thing." Eventually though all ideas give way to to two directions physical birth (there it is again) or a fade to black. Wouldn't you know it Stereo has been down this road a few times over.

Its not worth rehashing what Stereo was in it's first round and what it is now because the reality is that it's on the same path. The only difference is that now, in the world of skating, diversity and divergent images are slightly more accepted. That or the general moxy of skaters has greatly increased, either way the timing is more suited to the idea of a Stereo.

Looking at their boards is much different than looking at board from other companies. Not unlike their overall vibe and roots in the improvisational world of music your you get the abstract feeling that these pieces are disparate but they tie together. That is the unifying element here. this improv vibe. Even down to the latest Clint's corner Where Clint Peterson, Olly Todd and Benny Fairfax excuse the ramp from the days session to take on a couch. The "whatever comes next attitude"brings the idea of Stereo to life.

From an amazing collaboration piece with Todd Francis to the smallest Cruiser deck, Stereo knows the hi-fidelity styling of skateboarding and what it means to them. While the graphics can seem a bit disparate you only have to go back to the idea of Stereo to see how it all pulls together. The only thing they leave open is the where and how that it takes place in the world of skating. That's how skating should be to a certain extent.

Decks part 2: Black Label Skateboards

Yesterday in part one I jumped into Creature skateboards. Simple appreciation aside you can see where thy fit into the growing world of skating. New sub groups always grow out of a larger group. Death metal was spawned from metal, metal spawned from hard rock which was of course birthed from rock and roll. Let me be 100% perfectly upfront: I like the rock and roll. From my first concert where I heard the Davies brothers rip through their Kinks tunes like a chain saw ripping through wet lumber an infatuation has existed for my self and rock music. I really do love all music but there's something about rock that is transformative. Listening to Mick and Keith tear into 'Can't You hear Me Knocking' provides the same building excitement that a session of skating can have. No wonder the two have gone hand in hand.

I can thank John Lucero for keeping this reminder in front of me. I do wonder if he has an idea of how profound his impact has been on the world of skating. Doubtful at best. That's the thing that makes Black Label special. Their attitude is "I don't give a fuck" but more of the "I'm doing it my way 'cause I like it that way" variety. The pleasure the Label guys dispense, what is shown through the images on their wood, is that of a gang who just enjoys it all and is laughing all the way. I can't help but look at their board and these guys and think of some of the bands through the ages who just put out these epic albums and volumes of material. There may never be a number one song but in the same way the radio industry was cheap it all comes down to marketing. While Label has their own special blend of getting the message out. The proof typically remains in the substance of their skating which in this case is undeniable.

While all wood is not created equal and different factories churn out different standards the Label remains strong. Like that band out on the road they keep re-upping for new adventure and quietly (Or in some cases not so quiet) churning our epic volumes of skating. Like skating itself. that is something to be a part of. Rock on.

Ryan Sheckler Shaves Head and Gets Aggro

Once again god bless Skate park of Tampa for making my day. A little bit of schadenfreude. That German for "finding joy in the misery of others" but I digress...
SPoT manages to put up a nice little rambling dialogue of a Red Bull event. What really makes it special is the image of Ryan Sheckler shaved head and all in mid punch getting carried away like one of the lollipop kids from the Wizard of OZ.

At this point the guy is wavering into unintentionally funny territory. That's the same sketchy turf he previously visited with his Proactive commercial. I'm not sure who's on the receiving end of the blow but it appears to be some douchey socal guy that follows Ryan around. I expect Ryan and his posse to now start their own Fight Club or begin jocking out in Grenade MMA gear on the season premier of 'Life of Ryan'.

Steve Astephen must be so proud.

Jeremy Cline Rides for Monument Snowboards

Indeed he does. A few interesting things about Jeremy. First up, he's deaf. Not like like kinda sorta deaf or "I listen to my iPod too loud deaf" but instead truly, profoundly deaf. Second, I have never had as much fun riding crummy little East Coast parks as I have with him and Dave Tran, Founder of Monument. Third, The guy is a straight up cool breeze. That's pretty amazing but Jeremy keeps riding and following his dream.

All you boot and soft goods manufacturers out there take note of Jeremy. In the snowboarding world of high maintenance shredder moms and anxiety ridden uber-pros a cool breeze like Mr. Cline should be every marketers wt dream. Then again, what do I know. I just write this blog.

Decks part 1: Creature Skateboards

Isn't the simplicity of skateboarding amazing? Simple tools, simple physics and simple fun. Going fast, launching into the air. The transition from rolling wheels to grinding trucks on a ledge or over to your board sliding on rail is so distinct that your senses celebrate its happening as if every action is the dawn of a new day. Maybe that's the best thing about skating: the constant birth and re-birth of you. New tricks are learned, old tricks are forgotten only to be brought back, decks are replaced and shoes re-laced. Every day of skating is a new start and this winds into what to go when you need new wood.

I'm typically a fan of buying local but there are companies out there that are an amazing blueprint for all things skateboarding. Lets leave behind big paychecks and star power for one minute. Not that there's anything wrong with skaters like Sheckler on Plan B or Muska on Element. But, in this day an age while their physical act of skating is amazing they represent a cross section of Hollywood and skating that I'll never be able to identify with. Standing firm on this one point: Skating is for everybody to enjoy. There are few barriers to entry. Whether you live in the Ozarks, Vermont, Carlsbad, California or Chattanooga, Tennessee skating can simply be done if you have the board. Instead I want to turn my eyes toward Creature, Black Label and Stereo.

Each of these companies brings a totally different feeling that supplies skating with a much needed vibe for the audience. While they move in different directions Creature, the Label and Stereo all operate in a similar sphere. These roll out over the next few days.

Creature
OK, if you are into black and green this might be your speed. Also, if your down with the death metal hesher than thou attitude you got your brand for sure. But, the reality is Creature packs one of the hardest hitting teams who has that bigger-badder- faster attitude all down like it was all you can eat taco Tuesday. If that's to wordy for you try this, they are fun as shit to watch skate. With the recent addition of Gravette the team is rounding out its heshlaw transition crew into something bigger.

The graphics are simple journey back into the Zorlac days of when metal and skating hit each other at full speed. never mind how even in my old age I find 90% of their shit straight up creepy, Creature represents every kid out there who is at the point in their life where the strength that skating gives them is represented through brutal imagery. That may not be important to you but it sure as shit is for somebody. That doesn't count for something I think that counts for everything.


Tuesday we'll tackle the good looking decks from the good folks over at Label