Category: Skateboarding Product Reviews

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Review: Bones – Little Bartie 53mm

Bones Wheels are slowly being recognised as one of the best wheels on the market today, and with their Street Tech Formula wheels being used by a wide range of street skaters it makes you wonder: what’s caused all the fuss? Are they really that good? The answer is yes!

Chad Bartie’s pro wheel, aptly named ‘My Little Bartie‘, comes in – amongst other street friendly sizes – 53mm wheel in a skinny profile. A lot of people have a problem with coloured wheels as in some cases it can affect the quality of the urethane, but be rest assured that with these this is not the case. Bones STF’s are made to go faster, last longer and most importantly slide further! Every skateboarder can agree that there are few feelings better than bombing down a hill, powersliding every 10 seconds to evade the dreaded ‘speed wobble’.

Three weeks in and lots of powerslides later, I’m yet to see some sort of damage to this wheel. Don’t let the girly colour and graphic fool you, they’re the Terminator of all wheels! They may as well be egging you on to try and flat spot them, but it just wont happen. In fact, I am sure I’ve heard them screaming at me “GO FASTER! SLIDE FURTHER! GO ON, TRY AND BEAT ME!”. Terrifying.

All in all I can enthusiastically recommend these wheels. With an RRP of £35 it’ll be more than worth it as they’ll last you till the next millennium. Bones recently released a trailer for their new video which will feature all the usual suspects and – fingers crossed – hopefully some UK heads too! Enjoy!

Brewer

If you’re more of a skatepark aficionado then head over here to read our review on Bones’ SPF wheels designed specifically with skateparks in mind.

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Mischief Bobble Hats

mischief_bobble_hatWith up to 9 inches of snow falling up North this weekend and more scheduled to drop in the near future, the lads of Mischief skate shop in Stockton On Tees have their work cut out to even get in to serve your skateboarding needs.

Get yours and keep your nugget warm before they are all gone from the shop at 5 Regency West mall or online at
mischiefskatestore.com

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

éS – Bobby Worrest Collection Review

Below: Bobby getting rubbed up in the Soletech HQ (Photo: Stanley)

Polaroid of Bobby Worrest at the Soletech HQBobby Worrest is one of those rare folk in skateboarding who seem to embody what many a self-proclaimed ‘true’ skateboarder associates with both skateboarding and the extended culture that comes inherant within it. Devoid of any artsy pretense, Bobby tears up streets in the same way he’d tear through a six pack of beer, drunkenly roar through a capella renditions of Slayer or cover grotty walls with spray paint.

Bobby gives a shit about the things that matter and doesn’t waste time with the things that don’t, so you can be guaranteed that with the Bobby Worrest approved garb that éS unloaded on stores this autumn that you’ll get what you pay for. Solid materials, no-bullshit design and stuff that gets the job done in the raddest way possible. Just like his First Blood shoe (which happens to be one of our absolute favourites from the last decade) before it, we were a little more than stoked to try out some of his signature clothes.

Read on below for a top-to-toe review of Bobby’s Wrecker Cap, Chop Jacket and Worrest 2 Jean and follow this link for our linguistic rimjob of his First Blood shoe.

Wrecker Starter Hat

So let’s tackle these from the head down. Now, New Era might be what first springs to mind when thinking of fitted caps but Starter were the definitive hat brand in the late 80s and early 90s, rocking that snapped back harder than your 9-year-old self did on summer holiday trips to the seaside. Bobby’s collab with the hat-champs is a rocking callback not to awkward family trips, but thankfully recalls the styles of early east coast subway graffiti writers and b-boys alike. Awesome.

It fits nice and tight, even on my ridiculously shaped head, is super comfortable and the custom twill patch logo on the front looks dope too. Very Bobby so far…

Chop Jacket (Tobacco)

At first glance, this cotton quilted garage jacket may remind you of those that tend to frequent buses so much that they have their own pass and somehow know everyone on-board. Maybe it’s the mouldy tobacco colourway that evoked these connotations but on second glance I’m already kind of into it. In fact, my reaction to this jacket kind of went remarkably like this.

It’s as comfortable as what I’d imagine wearing your bed would be, only it’s ever so slightly more casual and inconspicuous than leaving the house in a king size duvet. So when it’s spuds-u-like outside (like the perpetually freezing east coast) you can keep cozy. Want proof? Try to imagine Bobby Worrest shivering… you can’t. Bobby Worrest doesn’t shiver.

The colourway itself is so beige it’s actually rad, plus the twin front pockets are deep enough to carry all your bus passes, bits of tissue and snack size mars bars. If you’re not sold on first glance, then you’ll be surprised how styling you could be in this. It does the jacket job, and it does it well.

Eli Shirt (Gold)

A collection can never be without a woven plaid flannel number, and the Eli is a fine example of how to fully complete a clothing line. The Eli comes in a traditional red/black colourway for all those who love buying into all that wood-chopping, animal-loving, cigarette-smoking, beer-swilling malarky and in this mustardy gold/yellow that we were told to wear and tear. Generally, it’s as hard to stand-out with flannel shirt design as it is to go wrong with it, but this particular colourway is a rare gem that you won’t find in the local market.

The Eli is a mid-weight flannel that serves as a solid layer to aid you in your constant battle against the bitter winds of winter but not feel too bulky while out skating. There’s dual chest pocket action providing a miniature time capsule into the 50s should you choose to keep a comb or pack of smokes close to your heart. Overall, a versatile piece of comfortable cotton in traditional buffalo plaid and a worthy addition to your wardrobe that’s probably filled with substitute picnic blankets as it already is.

Worrest 2 (Midnight Wash)

These denim wonders are nowhere near as poetic as the colourway ‘midnight wash’ might implicate, a definite good thing. If my arguement why you should be repping Worrest’s signature gear is primarily concerned with how it replicates the ‘get shit done’ mentality then these jeans would be the perfect example. These are a refreshingly plain pair of jeans that combine cotton with stretch denim to provide that massively comfortable bit of give. They are a regular fit and haven’t once irritated the areas most frustratingly prone to irritation. That’s right gents, your balls are safe. Bobby wouldn’t have it any other way.

The usual five pockets are there in the usual places, the fly zips up and down easily, the little shield éS logo is a nice touch and it even comes complete with a patterned shoelace belt to save you raiding your wardrobe for a spare. I couldn’t ask for a better pair of jeans. Bobby and éS come up trumps yet again with these. Highly recommended.

Stanley

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Zoo York – Chaz Ortiz Three-Peat Deck

Zoo York Chaz Ortiz Threepeat DeckMy interest in sports peaks in whatever novelty crossover Nintendo have got Mario involved in and up until this point, the italian plumber has raced in little cars that gobble shrooms and shit banana skins and has even engaged in tedious golf tournaments; but never has he jumped on the basketball bandwagon, even during the height of Fresh Prince tie-in possibilities. So the word, ‘Three-Peat‘, serving as the name for one of Chaz Ortiz’s trio of inaugural pro models, meant absolutely nothing to me other than it’s a terrible, terrible pun. What’s cute is that I’ve since discovered that a retired basketball coach had trademarked the portmanteau (a posh word sometimes used in place of ‘terrible, terrible pun’) ‘Three-Peat’ for commercial use. Thankfully, in later years, more people realised that making money out of a pun is as intensely stupid as making Mario play mini-golf so Zoo York had no legal trouble using the name for young Chaz’s three-peat success of boards. Fun fact: neither did we writing it in that last sentence. Why? Because it’s just a fucking pun.

Three-peat is the correct term however, as Zoo York have taken the tried and tested plain and simple approach and made three solid models making sure no one misses the point: Chaz Ortiz, the young gun and comp-destroyer picked up by the late legend Harold Hunter himself is a professional skateboarder and you can buy boards with his name on.

I’ve only rode one Zoo York in the past but have been equally pleased with the results. Their shape (and this comes in the glorious street skater’s dream size, 7.75″) is spot-on, complete with expertly crafted dips in the concave that help provide an instant sense of excellent board control, response and subsequently gives you more confidence while skating, which I haven’t noticed in a deck in some time. Feet-on manoevres are so simple with Zoo York, so if you’re out to learn 360s for the first time then it wouldn’t be out of line to give them a go on this. It’s mad durability may take you by surprise too. As someone who favours ugly spots that tear up decks faster than the notorious blue shell I was stunned by how intact this deck has remained. Not a single chip, no pressure crackes, no ugly grom scratches on the graphic from where it looks like I’ve been boardsliding a rock (which I had).

So this one is undoubtedly exclusively for the street skaters, but as the second ZY deck I’ve loved to ride in a row I feel tempted to make a threepeat purchase (hohohohohoho) and can only recommend that you give these a try too. All puns aside, Chaz is pretty ripping, hasn’t let the pro status go to his head yet, is stoked on school and skating. So big ups.

Stanley

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Element – Desoto Jean

Fresh out of the steamy red-bricked neighbourhoods of Brooklyn, New York, the Desoto is swiftly becoming one of Element’s most wearable and well-designed denim product. It’s expertly crafted from cotton and nice ‘n’ stretchy ‘flex denim’ and comes in a classic slim-straight fit that’s neither too tight nor too baggy but fitted like all good jeans should. This may come as a surprise to those who saw the word ‘Brooklyn’ and were mentally assaulted by gangs of scumtache hipsters in the tightest jeans ever made, but the fitting is legit and perfect for getting just the right amount of attention. As in, they make your legs look good to any eye that looks your way and not ridiculous. Yahtzee!

It’s a noticeably lightweight jean that allows more freedom and leg movement than most of the preferred trouser-choices of skateboards (cords, chinos etc.), certainly more than denim. Versatility is something that should always be encouraged in clothing companies who aim their products at skateboarders; as when we’re not skating or climbing over fences (poorly) we’re sitting on our arses, so a strong but massively comfortable jean is ideal. This is spot on.

Pictured is the same grey colourway that are currently covering my thighs, knees and shins. It’s got pockets in the right places and there’s minimal branding which – in an ideal world – should be practiced as standard. Two thumbs way up on these bad boys and full dopealicious/10.

Bellend Sebastian

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Think Skateboards: 8-Bit Tag Deck

Think Skateboards are a company that in the past have sponsored some of skateboarding’s finest riders that include Dan Drehobl, Pat Duffy and Birmingham’s new favourite skater Lizard King. Think have re-launched their team recently and Think is now home to many ex-City riders with a banging new promo so things are looking up in general and rightly so.

When this arrived through the post I opened it up to find potentially my favourite skate graphic ever. Think have been inspired by Nintendo’s 1981 smash hit ‘Donkey Kong’ for this model and this was an instant win for myself- a self-proclaimed video game geek. For me this couldn’t have come at a better time, a week off work and not much to do so I headed down to some of the Black Country’s finest parks and gave it a test drive.

The board’s a perfect size for me personally coming in at 8″-31.75″. The width making it a lot easier for my feet to find the thing to land on. A few hours later and my conclusion was that it was more than good enough for the early grabs and crack nollies that I was going to use it for. This 8-Bit Tag deck comes with a medium concave and holds up strong enough for Dave Bachinsky to Kickflip off the Eiffel Tower; all thanks the Deluxe wood it was made with.

If that doesn’t cut the butter for you then feel free to let the Think team do the talking in their latest promo whilst I nerd out on some 8-bit video game action!

Brewer

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Element Wentworth Jacket

This Fall/Holiday season Element have unveiled a series of warm and sleekly clothing dubbed The Wolfeboro Collection which when considered phonetically carries in itself a sense of warmth and sensibility to it. Go on, just say it: ‘Wolfeboro’… you want to wrap the sounds around you right? Well, as it turns out the clothes featured in this collection are just as inviting.

The Wentworth subtly draws attention thanks to its well-fitted shape and simple design. It’s 100% cotton shell comes exclusively in simple colourways: black, chocolate brown and a more natural beige/brown. Pictured right is the chocolate brown colourway which has been painted on my chest frequently in the nippy weather we’re having. The branding isn’t at all heavy, just a simple leather appliqué style tree icon badge below the shoulder. The button front pockets are deep and comfy for your greasy mitts with enough room for that perpetually necessary bag of crisps, or whatever you want that’s around the same size as a bag of crisps.  It should be noted that the interior lining comes in a 100% cotton red/black plaid pattern and is staggeringly dope. A unique selling point for sure.

It should not be regarded as the armour of choice when braving the Mother Nature’s Winter roster of absolute arseholes, wind and rain being the key perps behind our discomfort. But with its high neck it puts off that inevitable scarf purchase a little longer and is perfect light jacket material to take to gigs and save you some money at the cloakroom; it’s water repellent too… rad! It’s on a seriously smart/casual tip too which, unless you’re Danny from Cradle of Filth, is probably right up your strasse.

(Hot) KRS-Bun

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

éS Bobby Worrest ‘First Blood’ shoe review

Back in July when we re-launched this mag we had the pleasure of trying out a limited edition version of the First Blood signature shoe from éS rider and Beast from the East, Bobby Worrest and we were not disappointed. Well actually that’s a lie, we were actually gutted that éS had not released the leather version of these in plain black once their collab with graf artist Cycle had passed as they are one hell of a skate shoe and in leather they are as slick looking as Ice-T and his mates on the front of the Power sleeve.

After searching the web for simple black versions I found these black, red and gum sole versions in suede and they were that good that I ordered two pairs. Sometimes if you love a shoe that much and think that it suits your needs it’s always worth investing for the future as they do become harder to find as time ticks on.

Worrest’s kicks come in various other colours and are full of the usual goodness like the System G2 malarkey in the heel and that griptape sucking, vulcanized sole that was just made for skateboarding. It’s the most simple skate shoe ever made and on par with the Etnies Faction- no fancy shit, comfortable as hell with a thin padded tongue with a beer inspired logo fitted with those elastic tongue-centering straps that hold your entire life together. What more do you want from a skate shoe? Everyone has their own styles but for me I need look no further.

Rambo was the last surviving member of his unit in First Blood, the movie that I guess inspired the name of these kicks and with that in mind I believe it’s worth fighting everyone in your path to get a pair of these before they become ‘last year’s collection’.

MT

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

ETNIES – LA Woven shirt

Skateboard apparel has had its hits and misses throughout the years but in 2010 the focus by many companies has been on making quality fashion wear that is more than likely to cross over onto the back of your best mate who doesn’t actually ride a plank. Etnies are ahead of the ride on the quality stakes this year and this LA woven shirt is proof in the pudding.

This shirt is part of a new Ryan Sheckler collection for winter 2010 and love or dislike him Shecks has come up trumps with this one in his own black colourway. Made from 100% cotton throughout, this long sleeve feels fitted unlike most skate shirts that can just hang off your body and feels unlike your average skate wear. It also has no over branding and yes, I know we go on about it a lot but no one in this day and age loves to be a walking billboard for any brand – the LA comes straight out of the bag with a tiny Etnies logo on the tip of the single chest pocket and that is it.

This is comfortable, stylish and a must have next time you crave something a little different to the standard skateboard attire flannel shirt at a cost of roughly £45 in your local skate shop. If you are looking for a winter jacket to go with this we recommend the Kalmer also by Etnies.

Emilio Gonzales

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Etnies Kalmer Jacket

As I’m sure many of you have clocked on by now, it’s starting to really get cold outside and if you haven’t picked up a coat to keep you warmer than the one seat in the back of London buses then you’re either stupid or dead. Since I’m typing this I can only assume I’m not dead, but I have to thank Etnies for that as they so kindly provided me with this Kalmer jacket to prevent the tragedy that would be my stupid body freezing. Naturally, it went straight on and I embarked upon a test walk in sub-zero temperatures, the length of which that would rival your Grandad’s commute to school back in his overly exaggerated stories from times that probably never existed. So like, maybe a mile or two.

Not only did I feel totally snug in this jacket that’s fully lined with super-toasty polyester long loop terrycloth but I felt almost dangerously smart for the area of London I was walking around in. The simple black colourway is something I will forever encourage as that ish just works. The fit is not hipster tight but it’s not pseudo-fresh baggy either so even the thieving greedy bitch Goldilocks will be satisfied with this perfectly happy medium that Etnies have expertly crafted.

This is a mature coat with deep front pockets that can hold all of my useless crap. Thankfully, instead of looking like a sketchy salesman as per, this is the kind of jacket that could have you mistaken for some sort of employer at a bank rather than the unashamed floor-sitters we all are. But if you’re okay with that then don’t hesitate to get this sublimely comfortable and cozy jacket that’s just straight up super warm.

Bellend Sebastian