Category: Skateboarding Product Reviews

Now there are the select few (like myself) where hats just do not suit you. No matter how good they look on the stand, it still looks like your head’s the landing pad for some kind of extra terrestrial activity, which is where Nobis come in handy. They’ve come away from the norm to present you with hats with a slight tweak and their own sense of style, giving those with lesser gifted shaped heads just that bit more choice.

Teabag

The Teabag seems to be aesthetically pleasing in the way that it’s almost like a mix between a beanie, deer hat and a peaked cap, as well as being quite functional. It has fleece inside which keeps your ears nice and toastie and has a removable bobble, just in case it’s just one of those non bobble days that we all get.

I would say this is an ideal hat for someone who skates or snowboards as it’s a snug fit and doesn’t have a lot of faff going on that will obscure you from landing a trick.

Mr Sunday

At first glance Mr Sunday just looks like another flexi fit cap with a classic print on the underside of the peak, but when you look closer you do find it is a rather clever invention.

Have you ever had a fitted cap that just stretches over time? Or had a mate with an over sized head try on your hat and ultimately you’re left with a loosely ‘fitted’ hat on your head? Well fear not for Nobis have come up with the idea of a micro adjustment dial, and for those of you who aren’t hat tech savvy, it’s basically a superb knob on the side of the hat which allows you to tighten or loosen the fit of your hat meaning it give you a personalised fit. It’s genius invention…and it works.

Debbie

The Debbie has to be one of my favourites. To put it in simple terms; it’s a big knitted hood. 2-ply chunky, yet light weight hood which buttons down. I can see this being a win for the ladies as it keeps your head warm and doesn’t have the problem of blowing off your head in the wind.

It has a satin print in the center front which gives it a feminine touch and has a heavy knit look which is this seasons next big thing. I would say you’d have to wear it with similar looking jumpers/coats as you might end up looking like a modern day granny!

All in all, it seems as though Nobis, as any other good company, is trying to appeal to a wide audience with some good designs as well using recycled materials in some of their products. I think some of their hats personally, are hit and miss, but we’re not all perfect. I definitely recommend checking out their website and having a good look at their range for yourself this winter as you may just find something for you there.

Samantha Bruce

Anthony Van Engelen has a unique attitude towards the styles he chooses for his collections at Vans, he likes to keep things fresh with an old skool flavour which is fine by us as they generally work very well. This selection of winter wonders are no different, so enjoy we have picked from Vans Fall collection so that you can keep warmer on those dark, cold nights out there this xmas.

AV Nowhere Raglan Tee – it’s simple, winter requires longer sleeves and a thicker jersey, 180g in this case, so the raglan is an obvious choice for your first layer. AV stuck to basic colour ways and a very simple, very old school Vans logo printed on the left chest with the same design printed big and centred on the back. The Tee also features Anthony’s custom subtle embroidery on the sleeve.

Av Drag Flannel – Finished off in stylish solid check blocks, this flannel comes with a strong 90’s feel, but has a bit of twist up it’s sleeves. It has a thin layer of quilt running throughout the inside of the garment, thus making it a windproof shirt! Don’t be fooled though boys, AV chose very lightweight materials and even though it looks like a jacket, it fits and feels like a shirt with added warmth…Perfect for a 2nd layer!

AV Antagonist Hoody – This has to be one of the best Hoodys I’ve been sent for years. It’s ultra old school and I have to be honest, I love it! It’s supremely well put together and features the same print as the Nowhere Raglan. You can wear this as you would any normal hood, but because its thickness (80% poly / 20% cotton) and zipper, you can wear it as a jacket, especially if you combine this with the nowhere raglan and Drag flannel, which would make this layer 3!

All of these are slim Jim fits, but none of them are tight fitting. Get amongst it, there’s tons more goodness over at the Vans site, check it.

2P

Crawl…Walk…Skate

As with most Creature boards, the Blood Shed isn’t for the faint hearted! It weighs in at a hefty 8.375 with an extra long wheel base of 31.9 making ideal for smashing a hole in your local bowl. With riders such as our very own man mountain Stu Graham putting Creature products to the test on some of the world most frightening terrain, the good people over at the NHS HQ have added extra reinforcements with their highly acclaimed Power Ply system.

Donning their trademark luminous lime green, the Creature design team has unleashed a retro horror movie poster theme for us this time around. The theme for the graphic comes direct from the new Creature DVD Hesh Law, set for release in the early part of December 2009, with Blood Shed being the B-side to this main feature.

So, how does it skate and who is it aimed at? Well the Creature family aren’t known for their skills on plastic picnic tables nor for their Nollie Tres Nose Manny Nollie Inward Heels out, but that’s not to say that other boards within their range do not cater for such activities. The size of this board pushes it more towards the Pool and Tranny skater or anyone with a need for something more solid under their feet and the ample concave and kicks are in place to help keep you afloat. All in all, another solid release from the guys at Creature, keep your eyes out for Hesh Law in your local SOS this Xmas.

Emilio Gonzales

Ok, it’s freezing cold outside but thankfully Matix got it covered with the Warsaw Jacket.

This is a total no-fear of the cold job here; the plaid cotton lining keeps the heat in, while the heavy twill keeps the cold out. Matix Clothing have always had a penchant for quality, durable fabrics and this jacket is no exception to this – alongside quality, attention to detail never escapes them either, this jacket has some nice discreet embroidery and a helpful wallet pocket in the chest and snap pockets where you need’em.

Freezing breeze off the river at South Bank? No problem. Pouring it down and putting off going to the indoor car park for that post game of skate? Just zip up and get going, you will arrive there toasty warm ready to bust out your repertoire.

9/10

Phil Procter

Iron Fist are steadily making waves in the skateboarding world, building up their skate team roster after recruiting vert Legend Darren Navarette and Death’s very own Moustache Aficionado Patrick Melcher so it’s great to see that the clothes are up to scratch as well as the fledgling team. The lovely folks over at Iron Fist HQ sent me the Heartcore Duffle Coat coat from this season and I couldn’t be happier with it.

It’s a fairly lightweight slim fit wool duffle coat with a zip front, push studs and classic duffle fastenings to make triple sure that you’re not getting a draft in and has a couple of spacious pockets for storing whatever it is that you might need to store. As an added bonus it’s not super padded so you don’t end up sweating like Michael Jackson’s doctor any time you wander in from the cold which in my opinion is a definite plus point. It has double buttons and straps on the sleeves and the back to adjust the fit, comes with a detachable hood and has a small subtle Iron Fist Logo on the chest. I would recommend trying it on first as it is on the slim side so you might want to go up a size if you are ordering it online but that’s just an observation coming from a slightly less than slim fit reviewer.

As rad as this coat is, I probably wouldn’t think to rush out and buy it as it is catering to the smarter end of the skate market, which I seldom venture into but it is well made and could be one for the Christmas list to keep you nice, smart and warm for the new year. It’s not the cheapest on the market but like most things you get what you pay for and as with all other Iron Fist gear its top quality that you know will last. It’s smart enough that I’ve been wearing it into the office and Mrs Dickfingers has her eye on it already which is a pretty good recommendation and a sure fire indicator that I will lose it sooner or later.

Talk to your local skate shop or click here for stockists.

Dickfingers

I remember the eighties and Guy Mariano’s shared part in Powell Peralta’s Ban This changing my life. Around that time, I had a pair of lime green and orange Velocities and those were the last hi-tops I owned, until now that is. The Lakai Guy Hi ain’t no Mid–Top, it’s a proper 80’s throwback and a full Hi-Top which are perfect for my battered old ankles.

Thankfully, there have been a few advancements since then, such as vulcanized soles and these bad boys give you amazing grip and incredible flexibility.

Some other advancements are the fake stitching on the toecap. This is not a bad thing because these uppers are really strong, no splitting along the seams anywhere. I love the tough fabric of these shoes and when you first pick them up; strength is one of the obvious good points and comfort the other.

I am definitely past the stage in my life where I feel the need to throw myself off a building or down a large rail, so, for me, the Lakai Guy Hi is a very good skate shoe with the Hi-Top being enough to prevent those ankle biters and the sole allowing you feel all the chewing gum stuck to your grip tape. Recommended.

Brendan Ryall

Women’s Mittens

These are hardcore mittens. They look like they do the job but when you put them on, it’s clear that they take winter handwear to a whole new level. Acting as a veritable cocoon to protect from chilly fingers, these ‘Sandra’ mittens have layer upon layer of padding beneath their woolly façade. The chunky wool knit is finished off by a button detail on each hand. Cute…but also functional.

Although they do make you look a bit like you have oversized hands due to the massively padded section around the fingers, these mittens look good and are toasty warm. No danger of feeling cold in the hands with these babies on. Mittens may not be the most practical of all glove solutions in terms of being able to use your phone etc with them on, but in terms of keeping warm, they truly are unparalleled.

www.nobis.ca

Winey G

In today’s market where even the most core tech street skater can knock out some heavy duty ‘Cheese and Crackers’ shit on a mini ramp and some ‘Thrill of it all’ hammers, the days of the lolly pop stick are starting to fall behind us. With the Hub of Motive being in Milton Keynes, home of UK ledge skating and with Rob Selley, pioneer of UK technical skating at the helm, it really is a sign of the time when this board measures in at 8 inches wide.

For those of you out there too young to remember the mid 1990’s, Rob Selley was amongst the heavy hitting pro Blueprint and Reaction ranks, putting out a few mind blowing and video parts deep in mathematically technical skating. Due to constant injury and a career ending ankle problem, Rob went on to take care of the Skate side of DC shoes in the UK before launching Motive Skateboards in 2005.

The Motive crew consists of some of Britain’s best talent including Pro’s Dave Snaddon, Dylan Hughes and Sean Smith, with back up from the multi lingual Layth Sami, OG Bristol Gangsta Paul Carter and Leo Smith. Motive have recently solidified a distribution deal with I-Five, alowing Rob take the company to the next level. The full length Motive DVD, Dimensions, has just been release containing some heavy hitting sections from new comers Jack Edwards and Barney Page, along side some truly amazing sections from the pro team.

With the background info taken care of, let’s get down to the business of the 8 inch ‘Flying TV’s’ board. With enough width and wheel base to handle pretty much any modern terrain, the board has a good foot hold with its deep dish like concave, ample kicks and comes out of one of the most notable US wood shops. I’ve this board through some hard time including a few high-speed wall collisions and endless grip tape ending primos and plenty of pop and shape remains.

The graphics fit in nicely to the conspiracy theory mindset of Rob and his crew that anyone that has travelled with them will be only too familiar with. Bent politicians and dodgy warfare are all part of the boards comments upon our hectic modern world.

Motive have managed to do what not too many UK board companies have done in the past: Hook up a host of established riders and hold on to them, discover some of the most shocking emerging talent that Britain has to offer, release a DVD with some incredible filming and skating on it and secure a substantial distribution deal. If this board is a testament to the quality of Motive as a brand, then it’s a thumbs up from me and here’s to the exciting future of a solid UK brand.

Emilio Gomez

8.12” x 32”

Everyone has a preference in life, one of my best friends loves the big booties, he sees them girls with the Shaken Stevens backsides and he busts a nut on the spot. I on the other hand couldn’t differ more in this situation, I can honestly say I’ve never ridden anything bigger than an 8, that’s a good size for me and hell, I like them agile and built for speed!

This board landed on my lap and I was like, only an asshole passes up on a free ass! As I’ve never had more than 8 inches under me, I was a little bit anxious about getting to grips with a board of this size, but I immediately took the beast out of the wrapper and set it up for a good grinding.

Deluxe boards are amongst the finest presses in the world, if you don’t know that, then well, your loss I guess! The symmetry on the nose and tail are very similar, slightly higher and longer nose as you’d expect, but not much. Due to the width of the cheeks, it doesn’t really feel heavily concaved and even though it took me a little while to adjust to the size, it’s seriously been a good ride for me, one of the best I’ve ever had…no shit!

TNT rolls bowls, hills, streets and occasionally even drives a taxi, so you know this board handles all terrain, especially if he’s got something to say about it! It’s got a tight butt on the bottom too and if you can’t do them, backside lipslides cum good on this ass!

2P
Crawl…Walk…Skate

First off, yes I know this looks like a Ged Wells Insane graphic from the 90s but I haven’t got a clue what he is up to these days. What I do know though is that Lucero’s Black Label is established and has always had super solid wood and great videos. This particular gem is no different. Lucero hasn’t ever compromised on quality, whether it is the team or the product, so let’s discuss whether this recent rig fits the bill.

This deck is a little heavier that my usual rides, could be to do with the “gimmick free” construction though. It also has a huge tail, admittedly it took me a moment to get my usual height, but gave me extra drift instead – which admittedly I had been missing for a while so it made up for it perfectly. The concave is on the deeper side, similar to a recent Santa Cruz deck I had but after my feet got used to it I was shiftying away happily once again and enjoying the ride.

After a few skates this deck has hardly worn at all, which is a testament to the simple high quality maple construction. The cruiser feel and hard wood makes it feel like a more serious ride overall. Even snapping disasters feels like a more manly affair, no twinkle-toe lip tricks for me on this plank, strictly frontside 5.0’s and nose grab disasters in my bag.

I reckon Black Label cater well for their core followers and I think I owe this all-terrain punisher some concrete affection. Get yourself a Crutch.

8/10
Phil Procter