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charlie trefry - head siftertom addison - global sales directorkathy addison - regional sales/fashion divachuck dinkins - all things skate and musicdave settgast - all thing surf and musicjennifer biondi - our marketing/pr princesscarlos barbosa, stephanie monaco - words and stuntsbrage garofalo - really big words and marathonsaddfitz.com - pretty picturescharlie trefry, josh riggs - pixel pusherscarlos barbosa - web monkeychristopher st. john - our euro connectionand a special thanks to goes out to coleman, mr. kim, bob k and shannon for being a part of our 4x4 forecasting panel.
guest sifters
marlise kast lives in san diego but travels all over the world writing and surfing. She also wrote a book called tabloid prodigy about life working in the gossip industry. check it out.
ryan coulter lives in the northwest and spends his days skating, boarding and working for a little shoe company up there you might have heard of. ryan’s a seasoned industry veteran with stints at burton, savior and that previously unmentioned shoe company.
judi oyama is the art director over at giro sport design. when not writing for sifter she can usually be found charging down the steepest hills of santa cruz and capitola.
carlos barbosa is our resident brazilian surf-skate daredevil. when not doing our product testing he is working on designing video games for ea sports. i’m still waiting for that free xbox.
stephanie monaco is our resident andy rooney. she lives and breathes bikes. and she has been known to drink a few (many) guys under the table at the red room in santa cruz. but now back in montreal, she will report on whatever she damn well wants to!!!
Sifter Magazine is a product of Trebio, LLC
If you want you can send really cool products to our secret testing facility at Sifter Magazine 724 Viscaya Blvd.Saint Augustine, FL 32086
And if you want to find out about ad rates or how you can get your products in front of tons of people that matter, checkout our website at: siftermag.com. To actually buy an ad, contact tom or kathy at: [email protected] And feel free to email us for more info at, you guessed it, [email protected]
Welcome to SURFEXPO/ASR/SIA/MAGIC/ISPO. We are SIFTER MAG,
the latest edition of action sport magazines that are weighing down your swag
bag and causing your back some serious undue stress. (I bet you’re glad we
are at least a small mag) After you’ve had a chance to flip through this issue
you’ll notice something different. We actually have info you can use, not just a
bunch of redundant action pics and useless ramblings about epic swells you
wish you were at.. No sir, we are about what keeps your doors open. Product.
Not just any product, we’re talking GOOD PRODUCT. The stuff that sells. The
stuff you have to reorder 3 or 4 times a season. The stuff those kids in the
pics have been saving their summer money for.
Not only will Sifter show you the new stuff, we’ll also talk to the people mak-
ing it! We’ll talk to the product designers, the sales reps, and the artists that
are to blame for making everything so damn covetable! There’s a lot of great
stuff out there - some you know, some you don’t. What Sifter is gonna do is
tell you all about the stuff that’s out there worth knowing about. We will be sift-
ing [ pun intended ] through everything the action sport industry has to offer us
and highlighting the stuff worthy of a second look. And if you are one of those
companies making Sifter-worthy product, let us know so we can tell the world.
That’s it. Read Sifter. Walk the show. And if you picked this up in Orlando
don’t miss the SIFTER PAR-TAY featuring Whole Wheat Bread and The New
Threat on Saturday, January 12th at Club Firestone.
Thanks!
Charlie Trefry - Head Sifter
welcome to:
a. surf expo...orlando
b. ASR...san diego
c. sia...las vegas
d. magic...las vegas
e. ispo...munich
The Smith Exclusivo Limited Edition SetThe Holt helmet and the Prodigy goggles in a custom designed set. Check them out at smithexclusivo.com
Muy Awesomo!
Shadow Conspiracy Ltd Ed BMX Seat
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Body Glove Rusty Malinoski 6W wkbd vest The 6W stands for ‘Work will win when wishing won’t’. Nice.
Saturday SkateboardsSnake and Bear graphics are made from actual woodcut designs made by Philly artist Bill McRight.
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Betty Belts Tiki God Necklace “Tongaroa” is hand carved in Cali by Tiki Tony. Made from drift-wood he finds on his local beaches. Each one is signed by Tony & hangs on a hemp cord.
DoomDrips.comFrom the indie music poster gurus at aesthetic apparatus comes a unique apparel line called Doom Drips... Most worthy of a closer look.
Spacecraft Bob Ross WalletThis wallet is handmade in Bali with origi-nal beach paintings made by the locals at Echo beach. Big fluffy clouds anyone?
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Spacecrafts Wooden Bunny They are carved by hand in Bali with Jackalope magic.They come with a knit bag that hold the antlers.
Terra Plana - Dopie SandalsIts all about toe control.They’re huge in Europe...gonna be big here very soon!
Vestal Watches - PlexiYours for about $250
Jib Hunt2.5 Layer H2O
Proof Breahable Jacket.
Check it out at JibHunt.com
Damzl Free Ride PantzRip-Stop, Ballistic Nylon, Wicking and Zip-Off@the knee...Nice Pantz.
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Toy Machine Goth Monster 5 HRM veneers in between 2 FiberLam high density thermal poly plys.
DogPoo WaxNext Level S#!t, indeed!
RoughNeck Sk8ToolIts like having AAA for your skateboard
Subrosa Cruiser(with mags)
Jansport Ltd Ed.Artist Series Pack This one was done by Blaine Fontana
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Bern HelmetsThe Watts
This is Bern’s first vented visor lid
Cobian Sandals - OAM Synthetic nubuck strap with graffiti liner print & color blocked foot bed
Turf Skateboards french fry mini series designed by K. Cubitt Ogio
Surf Wet/Dry Duffle Bag...comes with a pressurized resevoir shower, a beer cooler and wetsuit compartment
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Liquid Vision - FlexToolcheck it at flexcomb.com/flextool.htm
Burton Gig Board BagMulti-board, tuning pkt, TSA appvd locks & sk8 convert straps
Rip CurlTimes Square Watch
Dual time & H20 resistant to 330ft
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Prior - The ATV Split is the world’s first splitboard designed specifically for hard-boot splitboarders. Its 23.5 cm waist width, sidecut, shape, flex and construction are all specially designed to provide hard-booters with the best backcountry experi-ence possible.
Ocean CurrentFloral Skull HoodieNice subtle all-over graphics
Sacrifice Skateboards Dave Nelson’s Pro Model Anti-Blade graphics by Kevin Marburg
Bell Helmets - FactionThe McCann signature model...That Hilgard sure knows how to design a helmet!
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nls
Rip Curl - Tarmac Wet/Dry BackpackPadded Laptop Sleeve, Pockets for mp3, cell and shades, too!
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Gravis Expedition Series CORTEX MID leather up-pers, buffalo plaid padded interiors and a mylar heat retention strobal board.
Element SkbdsNature DecksElement teamed up with The Mountain to display some of their best known art works on skateboard decks.
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Coleman Horn Westwood, Ca.Director at PHYLA Design
Bob Kronbauer
Vancouver, Canada.
CD Crownfarmer, Turf Skbds
and MumbleMagazine.com
What trend do you wish would just go away?CH: All-over prints and limited edition collaborations. Any print tees on American Apparel blanks. (actually anything American Apparel, or anything ever photographed by Terry Richardson) Please, make them stop.BK: Artist series t-shirts.RK: T-shirt collabos. Blog Brands.SK: Fur.
Name 3 brands that you think will blow up in 2008?
CH: Hecklewood, NAU, Acronym and S/DOUBLE. And Fresh Jive since
Rick took back control.
BK: Agents Of The Area, Princess Tina and I want the little kid who used
to do that Eggplant Beanies mail order company back in the 90’s to
make a comeback.
RK: Apolis Activismm House of Cassette and Keep Company.
SK: Hysteric Glamour has some really great tees and denim.
Paul Frank’s Women’s apparel collection has matured a lot
and is super cute.
This is our 4X4 section. Trend forecasting by four insiders. We got four industry
veterans to give us their take on what we’ll be seeing (and not seeing) in the coming year.
pic
:dyl
an d
oubt
Bob Kronbauer
Vancouver, Canada.
CD Crownfarmer, Turf Skbds
and MumbleMagazine.com
Shannon Kennedy
Long Beach
GD - Girl’s Apparel at Vans
Mr. Kim Los AngelesCD - Evil Monito Agency
What trend is going to be the ‘sleeper’ for 2008?CH: I think that subtlety is going to make a comeback. It’s not going to hit us from behind, (it’ll take a season or two) but people are getting tired of the over applied logos, the all-over prints and the bling. I see a real return to roots where the quality of the material and the gravity of the brand will sell products, versus the current gauche factor. Look at iPod, look at Burton AK, these are coveted brands whom do so by being great through subtlety.BK: Eggplant Beanies.RK: Reading. Drinking Tea. Keeping it Local. More folksy, artsy, real things.SK: In tee shirts, the V-Neck is gaining popularity. Also shiny gel type inks and photographic prints are being seen overseas and in high fashion.
What colors will be the ‘must-haves’ for 2008?CH: Christ.. I cant think of any colors that aren’t relevant today... it’s
like any colors seem to work. Primaries are still strong with an 80’s
vibe.. (purple, yellow, white) Muted camo-variations- Black, white
and turquoise. Grey on grey on black. My favorites would be: Black,
Chrome, Flat Black, Gold.
BK: Eggplant, obviously. For men and women.
RK: Mens: Monochromatic, vertical stripes.
Womens: Monochromatic, horizontal stripes.
SK: Besides the basic black and white, I’d have to say Cobalt Blue,
Deep Purple, and Vibrant Yellow for girl’s pop colors.
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How long have you been in the business?28 years... I started young. :)
How did you get started?Delivering Surfboards in the late 70’s while surfing contests up the entire East Coast and Gulf Coasts... Lewis Graves and Bruce walker from Ocean Avenue Surfboards in Melbourne Beach really put me on the road early. Then came Pete Dooley with Natural Art Surfboards and he took me under his wing in the early to mid 80’s and I started repping soft goods and accessories as well.
Without that foundation of being taught by the best, driving so many miles, it made me into a battle ready road warrior that produced good solid work ethics. I owe it all to them on the start of my business career and appreciate them very much.
Rep Spotlight: Greg Taylor
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Greg and Danny in the GT Surflines warehouse.P
hoto
: Addy
by Tom Addison
What does it take to be a successful sales rep?I think success always starts with hard work. If you want to be a rep you have to be motivated and really believe in what you sell and be on the road building relationships. You will never be able to please everyone but you have to grind it out and stay focused. I remember the Late Lewis Graves once said, “You are only a good rep as long as you have good lines.” Anybody can sell some-thing but you need to know that each account you work with is unique and we as reps need to know what retails for them. It really comes down to making money - the Bro guy will only go so far. Lets not forget Prayer as well. Barry Schidel of Inland Surf Shop once said..The THREE F’s is key in running any store. FOCUS, FOLLOW UP and FOLLOW THROUGH.
What are your territories?All of Florida, Georgia and some Alabama(Gulf Shores and Mobile)
Which territory is the most profitable?Central to North FL from April to July - South FL from November to March.
What are you involved in outside of the surf industry?Have a real passion for worship ministry, playing piano and guitar as well as singing at church. And being with my family. I love to write songs. Also we are really into Jaguar football - season ticket holder for the last 5 years.
What lines do you rep?RVCA Clothing, Cobian Sandals, Anarchy/Angel Eyewear, MD Surfboards, and OAM
What is your overall motivation?My Overall motivation comes from God and my wife and kids. God gives me the strength to carry on, and my wife and kids give me the motivation to never give up. Also, my accounts are my friends. When I go on the road I look forward to having a little fun with a buyer or owner, or just catching up on all the years going by so quickly. Then there is the occasional good surf trip. Good surf with speed and lined up walls is a big motivator.
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GT on a little R&R in Mentawaii. Photo: Ashton
(You can read the rest of the interview with Greg at SifterMag.blogspot.com)
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With everyone talking green nowa-days, Sifter thought we’d skip the lip service and walk the walk. The next few pages will give you a few new choices this season that even Mother Nature would approve of...
1. Element: Seasonal fleece (100% organic cotton)
2. Sanuk: Surfer SandalSuper comfy shoe that they insist is a sandal. Super light and work friendly
3. Terra Plana: Nova 3Yet another great shoe from TF that incorporates recycled materials.
4. SuperGreenBoards.comSkateboards made from sustain-ably harvested bamboo and eco-friendly glues. Each board is signed and numbered. A soy-based glue version is in the works.
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5. Deck Magnets From the guys at The Art of Board come recycled skateboard decks. Shown are some fridge magnets they made out of thrashed decks. See more of their handywork at: www.regrind.org
6. Simple Shoes - The SkiffYet another green shoe from the shoe company that redefined green shoes. This one is the Skiff and its a recycler’s dream...organic cotton lining, car tire outsole, bike tire toe and heel, even a cork midsole.
7a. Yes, More Simple - EcoSOld school Simple meets new school Simple. Its made with hemp uppers, more bike tire sidewalls, PET (recycled plastic bottles) laces, more car tire outsole and 100% post comsumer paper pulp foot forms. You can get them in Natural, Olive and Cub (whatever that is)7b. They come in black, too. :)
7a
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7b
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8a/b. ElementThe Caravan knit is made from 100% organic cotton and their Embarcadero jeans are, too. Nice.
9. Reef: Machado Classic SandalYou know anything Rob puts his name on is gonna be green. These sandals feature retread tires for the sole, a foot bed made from plant cellulose and vegetable tanned leather. Yum?
10. Cobain: ReeseThe Reese comes in a raw canvas or hounds tooth upper and features an eco-friendly rubberized cork wrap.
8a
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8b
Sifter is printed on recycled paper and we use only soy-based inks :)
Black Flys sunglass case
RoughNeck Hardware
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I noticed something as we were going through the products we reviewed for this issue. There doesn’t seem to be enough thought put into the packaging of products. It is important to design good product but we must not forget that when that product is bought, we are also selling the brand. And that box my friend is also your brand. A well thought out box not only adds a perceived value to the product you’re selling but it also says volumes about your company. There has got to be some marketing stat out there that supports a direct connection to
Giro Sport Designgoggle packaging
Smith Exclusivogoggle package and case
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packaging and the in-store buying decisions of the typical
action sport consumer. A well thought out branding and design campaign
shouldn’t stop at the logo (btw, a logo is not a brand). Basically
anything a consumer can see or touch should be given
as much thought as the actual products you sell.
Here are a few examples of packaging that we felt took
the branding of their products to the next level. I know
when I have to choose between two products where price
is not a variable - be it new bindings or canned yams - I
am going to choose the better packaging just knowing
they were actually thinking the whole thing through.
-CT
Every so often a new twist on the old deck, trucks and polyurethane combo appears boasting words like, ‘revolutionary’ and ‘phenomenon’. Years ago Snakeboarding (now StreetBoarding) came on the scene and changed, well nothing really as it was a small niche skating style hid-den under rollerblades and skateboards. What Snakeboarding was (is) is something different, a fun way to move that feels as good as it looks. Now, almost two decades later a new twist emerges on momentum based skating, Freeline Skates. This new style removes the center bar of a Snakeboard, giving you two excellently crafted pedals, four wheels and a good time.
Freeline Skates are difficult to describe, part skateboarding, part land surfing. They work similar to Snakeboards in which movement is based on foot and body work creating momentum. Getting the hang of these skates was a bit tricky. Watching the videos on their website helped solidify the concept, but it was practice, a steep hill, and several beers that got me finally moving. Beers and steep hill not recommended! Once I got going though it felt great just riding around. The freedom to take hair pin turns at high speeds makes it a blast to ride, however it suffers from the same pitfalls as the Snakeboard in that going vert is limiting as your feet need to be attached to the skates.
The entire experience was both frustrating and satisfying with a good dose of workout. My legs and back was more than a bit sore, but overall I would say these are a good ride intended for cruising around campus or on the beach. - CB
Reviews by Carlos Barbosa
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The beach is doomed! Well not really, more like slightly less crowded. Instead of getting dropped off by the pier with surfboard in hand, kids are getting dropped off at the mall ready to get wet in new compact wave pools called Flowrider. While not exactly a wave pool (more of a wave ramp) this relatively new attraction is showing up more and more places like cruise ships, theme parks, and as I’ve mentioned, the mall.
I remember lugging around a semi waterlogged boat of a surfboard to the beach. This thing was a behemoth, but the ride was fantastic, pure joy until my face met the water and my leg got nearly ripped off. The sun, surf and rashes were all part of the experience. How things change. The new trend is a small fin-less board, a soft padded ramp and 120 mph water jets. Needless to say, seeing this made me a bit angry, until I stepped out onto the ramp and realized how much fun it really was.
Flowriding is a very different experience, combining elements of surfing, snowboarding and wakeboarding in a compact, nearly painless area. I bring up painless because stepping out onto the rapid water will take you out, falling down and getting thrown up the ramp is good times though. Staying up on the board takes a bit of dexterity and practice; I found that after about 30 minutes I was able to carve slightly, staying up for minutes at a time. Pulling off different tricks come easily after mastering the balancing needed to stay up.
Overall Flowriding is about having a good time by having quick access to a perfect wave. Falling is never a problem, and the learning curve is small compared to surfing or snowboarding. My only complaint is the wait from ride to ride as the pool can get a bit crowded sometimes and everyone is getting better. - CB
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How did you get started in art?From watching my dad paint when I was about 7 years old. He got on this kick where he painted constantly because he was laid off from work. So I would sit at the kitchen table and watch him. It amazed me, the things he could create out of nothing. So I wanted to be like my dad and draw and paint. That’s how it started.What is your medium of choice?I really like to keep mixing it up. My favorite will always be just plain ink and a brush. I love sharpie markers and acrylic paint. I won’t even touch oils be-cause they’re such a pain in the ass. And there’s always the computer. But most of the stuff I do on a computer starts in a sketch pad and ends up on the computer for output/color purposes. Sometimes I start and end a project in the computer, too. It’s like a giant etch-a-sketch to me.What is the process you go through to come up with your ideas?Usually something is stirring around in my head that needs to get out. It might just be some visual image that popped in there when I was falling asleep or seeing some abstract shadow shapes or something. Generally I see some-thing random (insect, leaf, shape) and it will inspire me. Do you see yourself as an artist or a designer?Most definitely I have accepted my fate as an artist. Design is a monster all it’s own and it’s more to do with computer skills and visual reference at this point than having an eye for visuals. No offense to the ‘designers’ out there. I design stuff, too. I love layout and strict design but I don’t do it very often.Who or what inspires you?I’m definitely inspired by artists like Miro, Chagall, Kandinsky and Picasso...more so of how much they produced than what they produce, but Chagall and Kandinsky stuck with me over the years as breaking new ground and doing
their own thing. From the regular world, it’s still very random stuff: literature, music, insects, 70’s horror films, minimalist utilitarian design. I hope that my work meets somewhere on a plain in the middle of all that stuff. Somewhere.Do you collect anything?Not really. I have a huge collection of old t-shirts. They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. I have art from my friends and stuff like that. And a collec-tion of old decks that I’ve done over the years somewhere.What brands have you designed for?I’ve tried to keep my artwork pretty specific so I’ve only done boards for 2 companies: AWS and Element. I did a series for Jamie over at Zero, mostly because I’m a big fan of his skating and I think he’s done it right. Then there’s a company in Germany called Hessenmob that I’ve done 2 boards for. A good
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friend of mine owns the company and it’s a rad little operation.Can you tell me about how your relationship began with AWS?It was just by chance that I saw a classified ad where they were advertising for an artist. From that point on, I was really excited at the thought of getting it but wasn’t totally confident it would happen. It just happened somehow. It was eight years of being involved on just about every level so it was more than a job. It was a huge part of my life.What skate brand do you respect most?Tough one. There are different companies out there that I respect for very different reasons: the team, the aesthetic, the graphics, the history, the actual business side of it and how fair they seem to be. I’m a fan of Baker because of the team. And because I think Andrew Reynolds really struggled to make ithappen the right way. Just a guy that loved to skate and came up and pulled the trigger and did it well. I feel the same way about what Jamie did with Zero. Girl/Chocolate are always favorites for the aesthetic and teams. Same with AWS and Habitat...they’ll always be up there as my favorites.Can you tell me about the Element Artist Tour?It was put together by Element Europe. We went and did some shows in Lon-don, Paris, Brussels and Berlin. It was a blast...the Element Europe dudes are the best. And everyone we met along the way were super rad. It was just like this perfect little 3 week trip where nothing went wrong. Except I got strep throat. But even strep throat doesn’t suck so much when you’re in Berlin.I saw the mini YouTube doc on you that Dave Ackels did. how it that come together?It came together with the first series I did for Element...that 3 Beasts series. Just as some background into the process of creating it and being a part of El-ement for the first time. Ackels shot and edited it really quick...the whole thing
came together really fast and the DVDs came with the boards.What’s new with Darkroom?Right now, not a whole lot. I’m in between seasons trying to figure out if it’s something that I want to continue with. It takes a tremendous amount of time to do something like that by yourself on top of other artwork and jobs. I have to make money and Darkroom isn’t a full business. Just a project. So I’m at the point where I have to manage my time and figure out if I can work Dark-room in there...everything from folding shirts to processing orders and pack-ing/shipping. It’s a full time job on top of my other duties. So it’s just kind of waiting right now.I heard you did a fund-raiser with the red cross for the katrina victims, how did that come about?
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I just sat and watched the footage of when the floods started and realized how many people were going to lose everything they owned. I lost everything I owned basically in a fire once so I know what it’s like to start over. So I just told everyone that if they’d donate to the Red Cross (on elephont) that I would match the donation and send them a piece of original art. It worked really well and we raised over 2 grand. I l like to give back. I like to stop and ask myself how I’m contribut-ing to society in one way or another. Most of the art shows I’m involved with are 100% fundraisers for parks or people or whatever. It’s pretty rare that I keep the money I make from paintings. It has happened but it’s not the norm.And what’s the latest news on the Little Giants project?Bob K. has a treatment ready and he’ll becoming to Dayton to start filming for it in the next month or so. He wanted to wait for fall for the filming aspect of it so we’re promoting it and doing random projects here and there to build up some interest. I’m looking forward to getting it ready and out there.
Last question, If you weren’t doing art, what do you think you’d be doing today?I’m not very driven. I’d probably be working at a newspaper doing design or illustrations. Possibly teaching illustration. Something that I would enjoy and care about that would still pay the bills. Kinda like what I’m doing now, I’d hope.
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Zoo York Tomkins
Zoo York Trul
Zoo YorkMari
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OsirisSouth Bronx Drunks
Osiris GirlsServe
GlobeVagrant
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Osiris GirlsSouth Bronx
GlobeSabaton
iPathMatt Field Pro Model
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Osiris GirlsAries
OsirisBronx
OsirisDuffel Corpse
IPATH Rodriguez Hemp
ElementDarrell Signature
Osiris GirlsSouth Bronx
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GlobeMumford Altar
DeklinePrescott
DeklineDerby
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ElementGriggs Americana
Back in the early days of skateboarding, skaters slalom raced (timed racing against another rider and the timer) and downhill raced, rode banks, cruised on long boards, freestyled and rode parks where they could find them. When the downturn in the sport occurred and the parks closed due to insurance costs so did many of our skate spots it seemed as though all you saw in print was street skating. It is re-freshing to see at least one skateboard magazine like Concrete Wave show the diversity of skateboarding today. The resurgence of slalom skating has sprouted new slalom deck companies like Roe Racing, Sk8kings, Pocket Pistols, and Pavel who are making boards made from carbon fiber, foam and wood with new shapes, kicktails and con-caves unlike the slalom decks from the past. New truck companies making trucks with amazing turning radiuses to accommodate the faster speeds and needs of racing. Truck brands like Radikal made in Florida to G.O.G. from Germany and even Bennett a brand from the past retooling for the needs of today. Seeing companies make spe-cific skate products has been great for the sport. Khiro Skateboard Products makes angled risers in multiple angles for tweaking boards
Judi’s first slalom race 1975 Capitola Photo: Richard Oyama
by Judi Oyama
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for specific hill speeds and turning needs. They also provide one of the best ranges of truck bushings from the super soft to hard. The same goes for wheels from 3DM and industry veteran Chris Chaput with his Retro and Abec 11 wheels for both downhill, slalom and longboarding. On the longboard end Sector 9 has become the staple, Santa Cruz has reissued the 5 ply and the colleges have the student populations riding between classes nation wide. Skateboarding is a way of life and it’s great that these companies are filling the different skating needs of today.
Judi at the Slalom Skateboard US Nationals 2007 in Longmont Colorado Photo: Farid A. Abraham
RoeRacing slalom boards race ready.
The Leaders in the slalom industry include...RoeRacing Slalom Skateboards - roeslalom.comSK8KINGS - www.sk8kings.comSanta Cruz - www.santacruzskateboards.comIndy Trucks - www.independenttrucks.comPocket Pistol - www.pocketpistolskates.comSector9 - www.sector9.comRadikal Trucks - http://aahts.comPavel - www.pavel-skates.com/
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You are from Michigan, I am from Indiana. What is it that sets the Midwest
apart from the rest of the country? There’s just something that’s mysteriously
“real good” about it. It feels safe. It feels simple. Times goes by a little slower back
there. Sure, it might lack in topography or coolness or fashion or slang, but, it makes
up in quiet spaces and great stretches of unassuming beauty, contrasted by mo-
ments of brawny, industrial rawness. I find a lot of beauty in the utilitarian ware-
houses and factories back there. I also find a lot of beauty in the concept of “family.”
And in the subtle accents. Or how someone might come off as a little “naive” in such
a fast-paced world. All of it adds up to something that is authentic and real. It’s a “no
bullshit” kind of place, and man, that will forever appeal to me. Function over fash-
ion, motherfuckers, function over fashion. Your aesthetic seems very grounded
in the heyday of the 40’s. What influenced you to head this way? It was just
a simpler time. Communication was so honest and naive and straightforward and
trusting. Companies took pride in their namesake. I will be forever inspired by the
industrial functionalism of military manuals and shop guides. I think what attracted
me was the straightforward quality of it. The “tradesman” quality of the old days
always appealed to me. Those designers weren’t renowned as the artists they are
today, so, it was more of a “trade,” so, there’s this unsung heroism to the work of that
era. Then into those early ‘60s, with all the sugarcoating of the post-war era worn off,
things got ‘modernized’ and cleaned up with this fascinating European simplicity. It
was about refinement, with these beautiful, simple forms being boiled down to the
clearest possible design. The amount of typefaces was limited, so, you were just
sorta “stuck” with the basics. Give me your take on the difference between snow-
boarding and the snowboarding industry. My friends and I moved West in 1993
to ride every single day. There’s the difference. That was for the love of it. I meet
a lot of fuckers who didn’t even set foot on a board until they were done with their
goddamn master’s degree or whatever. And they are calling the shots. Ha! Smart
Straight-shooter and damn good graphic designer Aaron Draplin of
DDC gets a grilling from old friend Ryan Coulter on things like his dog
preference, design influences and the snowboard industry in general.
people with business plans and rules and just the right amount of slang to keep shit
cool. But, for every yahoo I meet who tells me how “down” they are with it, well, I
meet and know just the right amount of folks who are still into riding, and care about
it, and love it and cherish their time on the hill. I love that part about the industry. I
don’t give a fuck if the guy loves riding or flyfishing or video games or whatever. I
am inspired by people who make time in their lives for the things they love. There
ya go. Maybe I am still a little creeped out by the commerce side of things, and how
it’s boiled down to pure dollars, and is sort of predictable. I still expect the thing to
be wild and fun and exciting. It has to be to remain vital. To this day, I cringe when I
hear riding being referred to as a “sport.” It was never a sport for me. It was our life.
We turned our back on speed suits and gate bashing and rich kids with expensive
tastes and invented a new way to look at the hill, and, life. Now, those boundaries
aren’t as defined, and it’s not like I lose any sleep over it. Kids are out there having
fun on snowboards, so, that’s pretty damn good in my book. Skiing is still pretty
wack. But I knew that a long, long time ago. Get it together, shredders. How have
the changes in the snowboarding industry over the past decade affected
you the most? Well, for starters, I got hired doing something/anything. That was
a nice change for me. It’s been positive on many levels. I work for good people
whom I love, and am damn proud of the work. I don’t know really know any other
way to look at it. Do you snowboard? Do you like snowboarding? Do you like
snowboarders?Not really, anymore. Sorry. I had my day. Long time ago. It just
to the point where it became kinda predictable and stuff. I remember “giving it up”
and feeling really good about the next chapter in Minneapolis.
Rebirth. The little, incestuous world of the snowboard lifestyle
just suddenly felt so insanely small and limiting, and, well, that’s
when I hung it up and quit saying the word, “Dude.” I like the
spirit of snowboarding. I do miss it from time to time. I moved out
west at 19. So young and dumb and wild.
(continued on page sixty-four)
45
The most anticipated and exciting project to be introduced to the RVCA program in 2007 was RVCA Retail. In September, RVCA conducted a soft launch of VASF - a 4,312sq foot location in San Francisco situated on the iconic corner of Haight and Ashbury. VASF is the first of a number of RVCA retail flagships around the globe (with stores already in the works for Los Angeles, NYC, Tokyo and Sydney).
Combining art, music, fashion and popular culture, RVCA Retail offers an ideal platform to truly represent the brand’s point of difference within the marketplace and offers the ideal stage to illustrate PM Tenore’s vision for the brand.
VASF is the ultimate platform to share RVCA’s culture with the brand’s fan base. Showcasing the talents of RVCA’s ANP (Artist Network Program), VASF collaborates with ANP members on a wide variety of projects - Artist Josh Lazcano aka AMAZE executed a piece on the façade of the building prior to it’s opening and skateboarder come artist and ANP Quarterly editor Ed Templeton completed the window displays for the store’s opening.
The culmination of RVCA culture is the gallery space in VASF. The gallery is a special platform for ANP artists. VASF will curate four art shows each year and will provide a new and exciting source of art culture for the local community, working alongside the ANP and local artists and personalities on special projects and events.
VASF 1485 Haight St SF CA www.rvcaclothing.com
RVCAISVASFINSFCA
RVCAISVASFINSFCA
After two years of development, entrepreneurs Jason Neu, Eric Deitch and Jeff Doner have launched WSS, a non-skid surface that will eliminate the need for wax on surfboards. The idea was first explored after WSS co-founder Eric Deitch found himself searching for a bar of wax on a rare, uncrowded and epic day at Swammies. “I drove to three stores looking for wax,” says Deitch, “and by the time I made it back to the beach, the place was swarming with surfers. I knew there had to be a better way.” And there was. According to CEO Jason Neu, the developmental process involved nearly sixteen months of trial and error. Working in a laboratory, the team searched for a method that would provide traction on all types of boards. They ultimately achieved success, creating a sealant, on which the patent is still pending. Their product can be applied to both new and old boards and is considered to be safe for the environment.
48
by Marlise Kast
“We have engineered a texture that creates a non-skid surface when the board makes contact with the water,” says Neu. “The feel underfoot is secure and level, making it easier to pull off more radical maneuvers with a solid grip.” During the trial process, the WSS creators tested their product throughout Fiji, Mexico, Hawaii and Europe in various climates and water temperatures. The feedback they received was extremely positive, triggering hundreds of pre-orders from those who have tested the non-slip surface. At a cost of approximately $10 per foot, the WSS product lasts forever. It can be used on nearly every type of material including wood, epoxy and fiberglass. “We believe that the surfing community has been looking for a substitute to wax since the 1930’s,” adds Neu. “Our goal is to provide them with a reasonable alternative to what they have been using to date.”
For more information go to waxlesssurfboards.com To read more from Marlise go to marlisekast.com >>>
L2R
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49
50
Element - Cross Country100% recycled poly suede
Rip Curl - Nomad KX2-Way Stretch, Taylor Knox Signature
Rusty - Crazy
51
Crave - The Pipeline100% brushed micro-fiber
Rip Curl - White LightningHydrostretch, Mick Fanning Signature
Globe - Camo FlowCotton twill, custom camo yardage printed cargo short
Globe - FloraGroovy AND Pretty
52
Rip Curl - Ultimate STLHydroflex 2 Way Stretch, Hydrophobic, STL Technologies.
Body Glove - Mike Losness signature series boardshort
53
Element - Third 100% recycled poly-suede board short
Reef - SeededMade with a blend of hemp and recycled PET fabric
56
Giro Semi
Anon Amos
Von Zipper Clutch
Black Flys Louis Flyton
Giro Convert
Smith Interlock Trace
Anon Josie
57
Von Zipper Manx
Anarchy Disorder
Black Flys Luger
58
Smith Shoreline
Anarchy Consultant
Black Flys Flyicious
Smith Royale
59
Giro Score
Anon Figment
60
Snowbunny Camos
Smith Prodigy Exclusivo
Smith I/O
61
(continued from page forty-five)
The country seemed so big and the mountains so vast and man, we had arrived.
I have a couple moments in my head from back in the day that I still hold close.
Something like this: “Hitting a jump called “Moto” and clearing all the whoops,
floating a nice Indy, and landing perfectly in the transition and riding away.” That
shit was like 10 feet up, man. That was big for
us. So cool. Snowboarders. Well, honestly, I don’t
really surround myself with those sorts of kids
anymore. Of course, through work and stuff, I’m
around them all the time, but, for the most part,
my pals and just badass motherfuckers who “used
to ride.” When and where did you learn to hate
pants so much? I like “feeling free.” Jeans can be
a little constrictive at times, y’know? Growing up,
dad would get home, jump out of his work clothes
and into his boxers and t-shirt. Same deal here,
but, I try not to have to put the pants on in the first
place when I get up in the morning. My dad used
to say, “These pants are like a cheap hotel: No ball-
room.” Exactly. Why did you decide to get a dog?
What made you decide on Gary, or a Gary-type
of dog? It’s seems to be a study in contrast.
After so many years of wondering about timing, and
getting myself to a point where I worked out of my
home, and had the resources to bring a little man
into the picture, that’s when I decided to get a Gary.
I picked Gary purely for his design. Dachshunds just
look the best. His coat is smooth. He’s clean. He
doesn’t smell like a big tongue. He doesn’t slobber on everything. Plus, dachs-
hunds are fiesty and precocious and have no problem telling you they aren’t down
with something. What else besides designing stuff do you like to do? When I
get free time I play my guitars, play my drums, draw, read, go junkin’, chow down
with friends around town, ship DDC merch orders, go see a documentary, nap, hit
up Powell’s and catch up on house cleaning. (I run a tight ship!) I look very forward
to having more time for myself next year, and, more time to spend with my gal,
Leigh. I got a “bad case of the Leigh’s.” If you couldn’t do design work, what
else would you do with your time? I’d love to be in a band, design Lego sets,
be a travel writer, make guitars, work in a library, make pizza again, volunteer for
a soup kitchen, help kids who don’t have a dad, or parents, or brothers/ sisters
and I’d love to design stationery. Wait, I do. (http://fieldnotesbrand.com) !!! I know
that your parents are very important in your life. Why is this? Describe your
relationship with your folks. My dad lost his dad at 16 and my mom lost her dad
at 26. This always affected me growing up, as, I always swore that no matter how
tough stuff got, I’d still honor them and love them. I’ve been blessed with an amaz-
ing set of parents who are still together after 37 years. My parents were always
there for me. Summer fun, baseball, christmas, sisters, family trips, art supplies,
safety, good grub, doctor checkups, all that. Pretty All-American, actually.
Life’s too short and I’ll be damned if they aren’t gonna be a gigantic
part of my life. I live across the continent from them for going on
15 years, but do my best to get back to Michigan 3-4 times a year
or bring them to Oregon once a year.
(You can read Draplin’s entire interview at SifterMag.com)
64
It was a Monday night when I walked in to my favorite Montreal bar. The level of alcohol was well below my normal tolerance as I had stopped drinking my beloved beverage for a day. You see, I try to avoid drinking alcohol on Sundays to let my liver recuperate from the slight overdose it receives during the week. It’s called cleansing I think... (If what I just wrote, makes no sense to you then:You should stop reading this article right now because you are probably too young to drink & consequently understand the rest of this story or...you probably should start drinking a hell of a lot more than you are now & this commen-tary will make sense.) So it’s Monday night, maybe even afternoon, I don’t make a point of remembering these things, especially when I go to Crossroads. I walk through the dark musty smelling bar to finally reach the back & nestle up to the deep brown maple lacquered friend I am so used to leaning on. It’s cold outside, the Canadian autumn has hit particularly hard this week & temperatures are well below normal. As any Canadian will explain to you, upon the first minus reading (as in -5 degrees Celsius), we frantically look for our hats, gloves, scarves, winter coats & all the other paraphernalia we need to get through the win-ter months. Most Canadians go through the ritual of storing their winter clothes when the summer months approach so when it’s time to unstore all our winter clothing, it takes a day or 2 to figure out where we put it! When that happens (& it does every year in my case!), I use my riding gloves until January hits where I then have to step it up a layer or two or else my fingers will fall off. I walk up to the bar, sit on my usual stool which ironically faces directly the fridge door that holds my favorite beer. Tonight, I’m in a particularly good mood. I just finished an urban assault ride on Montreal’s own illegal to ride on mountain (I think every city has one!) & my rigid single speed behaved very well. I didn’t get any shin bites from my insanely studded pedals & no cars tried to hunt me down & run me over. As I sit down, the bartender doesn’t even ask me what I want. My cold beer along with my Clamato juice is already waiting for me in my spot (most Americans have no clue as to what Clamato juice is but combine it with beer & you get a Red Eye. It’s an old man’s drink they tell me, an old tavern cocktail which works out well because some people say I’m old & smell like a tavern). I let out my usual hellos to the usuals that are usually there: Al, Bob, Bruce & whoever is in the same predicament I am that evening. I proceed to place my BMX gloves on the bar & let the cold beer warm my stomach & bring me to my happy place. “What the hell are those things?” I hear out of my left ear. “Transformer gloves? Sex gloves?” I think I heard all possibilities & permutations of what these 5 fingered marvels were until I blurted out, ”They’re my BMXing gloves you fuckin’ morons, I ride with these things. I couldn’t find my regular winter gloves so I ended up wearing what was close at hand! Now let me drink.... Please!” They got the idea... not about the gloves & what I was doing wearing them but about the fact that I had to desperately drink my Red Eye & feel the joy of that first sip. The first & foremost thing gloves are supposed to do is protect you. Whether it’s from the cold, the heat, the scrapes you get from bailing at the dirt jumps, gloves should protect. In my case that Monday night at Crossroads, the gloves protected me from the cold outside, the stupidity of the people inside & most of all, my killer urban assault ride I had enjoyed that afternoon. xOXo ~Stephanie Monaco aka AFCBC
RANTS from
SIFTERS ANGRY
FRENCH
CANADIAN
BIKER CHICK
(continued from page forty-five)
The country seemed so big and the mountains so vast and man, we had arrived.
I have a couple moments in my head from back in the day that I still hold close.
Something like this: “Hitting a jump called “Moto” and clearing all the whoops,
floating a nice Indy, and landing perfectly in the transition and riding away.” That
shit was like 10 feet up, man. That was big for
us. So cool. Snowboarders. Well, honestly, I don’t
really surround myself with those sorts of kids
anymore. Of course, through work and stuff, I’m
around them all the time, but, for the most part,
my pals and just badass motherfuckers who “used
to ride.” When and where did you learn to hate
pants so much? I like “feeling free.” Jeans can be
a little constrictive at times, y’know? Growing up,
dad would get home, jump out of his work clothes
and into his boxers and t-shirt. Same deal here,
but, I try not to have to put the pants on in the first
place when I get up in the morning. My dad used
to say, “These pants are like a cheap hotel: No ball-
room.” Exactly. Why did you decide to get a dog?
What made you decide on Gary, or a Gary-type
of dog? It’s seems to be a study in contrast.
After so many years of wondering about timing, and
getting myself to a point where I worked out of my
home, and had the resources to bring a little man
into the picture, that’s when I decided to get a Gary.
I picked Gary purely for his design. Dachshunds just
look the best. His coat is smooth. He’s clean. He
doesn’t smell like a big tongue. He doesn’t slobber on everything. Plus, dachs-
hunds are fiesty and precocious and have no problem telling you they aren’t down
with something. What else besides designing stuff do you like to do? When I
get free time I play my guitars, play my drums, draw, read, go junkin’, chow down
with friends around town, ship DDC merch orders, go see a documentary, nap, hit
up Powell’s and catch up on house cleaning. (I run a tight ship!) I look very forward
to having more time for myself next year, and, more time to spend with my gal,
Leigh. I got a “bad case of the Leigh’s.” If you couldn’t do design work, what
else would you do with your time? I’d love to be in a band, design Lego sets,
be a travel writer, make guitars, work in a library, make pizza again, volunteer for
a soup kitchen, help kids who don’t have a dad, or parents, or brothers/ sisters
and I’d love to design stationery. Wait, I do. (http://fieldnotesbrand.com) !!! I know
that your parents are very important in your life. Why is this? Describe your
relationship with your folks. My dad lost his dad at 16 and my mom lost her dad
at 26. This always affected me growing up, as, I always swore that no matter how
tough stuff got, I’d still honor them and love them. I’ve been blessed with an amaz-
ing set of parents who are still together after 37 years. My parents were always
there for me. Summer fun, baseball, christmas, sisters, family trips, art supplies,
safety, good grub, doctor checkups, all that. Pretty All-American, actually.
Life’s too short and I’ll be damned if they aren’t gonna be a gigantic
part of my life. I live across the continent from them for going on
15 years, but do my best to get back to Michigan 3-4 times a year
or bring them to Oregon once a year.
(You can read Draplin’s entire interview at SifterMag.com)65
