Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Review: Hubba Wheels Mike Wright 52mm

The UK has it’s very own secret weapon in the skateboard game. He’s truly got his own thing going on, pulling out tricks you didn’t think possible and combining them with life threatening stunts that will leave you wet in your y-fronts and shaking with anxiety. If you don’t know of this Northern marvel, then I suggest you quit riding a board with handlebars and 2 rubber wheels, otherwise referred to as the scooter. These contraptions are for girls, won’t get you laid and instantly become a hazard when used during fierce electrical storms.

Mike Wright’s wheels, like most out there, are pretty standard in the sense of being a 99 duro, come in a pearly white urethane and allow you the option of selecting 52 or 54mm sizes. I didn’t know Mikey’s age, so I was a little bit sceptical about the 2 ales on top of the black Union Jack that wraps the outside of the wheel, but it turns out he’s old enough to get dirty on liquor, so I don’t have to worry about any underage drinking skateboard union mom chasing me round the streets to confiscate my rollers!

I can safely say that my first Hubba experience has thus far met expectations and after a power trip in Eindhoven’s Area 51 skatepark, Amsterdam’s indoor facility as well as the city’s 8 ft concrete kidney bowl in moister than average conditions, they held up beautifully and still rolls fast and round to this very day.

Get wet.

AC

Categories
Film Reviews

Film Review: Tron: Legacy

Official Website
Walt Disney Pictures

The sequel to Tron was always destined to be met with a mixed reception. After all, it’s more-or-less impossible in today’s filmmaking arena to match what the original Tron had achieved in terms of its cultural impact, its technological progress and its narrative innovation: introducing Carrol’s fantastical down-a-rabbit-hole plot to an electronic man-made world that so perfectly explored the late 20th century human dilemma; selfishly thinking about what technology can do for us and not worrying about what it can do to us. Since then, the idea had been done to death as sci-fi met cyberpunk and went mainstream, not too long before The Matrix turned up and established itself as the coolest looking thing ever while at the same time turning Tron’s concept upside down and presenting the programmed world as what we know to be the real world. Tron: Legacy’s tagline is ‘The Game Has Changed‘, and that it undoubtedly has… and has done already many, many times over since 1982.

So the big question is, what have they actually made in this new environment? They’ve cockteased fanboys everywhere for five years with acts as simple as putting a 2 in the title (TR2N) and have made a decision as bold – but immensely apt – as to have Daft Punk score the soundtrack. The hype was ludicrous. We live in the most perpetually hyped up era of visual media that has ever existed, but Tron: Legacy took the biscuit, ate it and subsequently boasted that it was about to drop the raddest shit you’ve ever seen. Well…

It is, at the very least, the raddest shit you will see all year. And let us not forget that Inception came out this year. Yes, Tron: Legacy is aesthetically more stunning than a Christopher Nolan movie. Digest that for a second…

That is not to say it suffers from some issues, but these were all inevitable. It was always going to have staple Hollywood moments thrown in, some more clunky than others, but even the most gorgeously dystopian backdrop (and they are gorgeous… and very dystopian) is vandalised by Sam Flynn’s (played decently by Garret Hedlund) at times ridiculous voice; as though Kosinski had said to him every other scene “hey! before this bit of dialogue, why not smoke five packs of cigarettes, drink a litre of bourbon and pretend you’re Solid Snake pretending to be Solid Snake pretending to be Raiden”. But then, annoying as this is, it’s instantly forgivable because Jeff Bridges is Jeff Fucking Bridges and Olivia Wilde looks like the Mirror’s Edge girl in a massively desaturated world, which is awesome regardless of what you want from the film. Really awesome in fact. Really awesome.

Really awesome.

At times the mise-en-scene looks like a refined pastiche of all successful sci-fi / fantasty films over the past two decades that has been topped with blue and orange neon lights like what a Japanese Jaffa Cake box might look like. The skyscrapers rise with the gloom of Ridley Scott’s Los Angeles in Bladerunner, the outlands look like a blend of the Matrix’s ‘real world’ and Oddworld’s Rupture Farms and the light-jet battle is basically Star Wars Episode 1’s podracing scene but less cripplingly awful. But it’s all so visually rewarding and satisfying, for both your average filmgoer and all the sci-fi neeks who should admire how tastefully the influences are moulded together to create a genuinely new both inspired and imaginative world which makes Avatar look like it was designed by five year old in MS Paint.

It is in the visual appeal where Tron: Legacy is both at its most successful and its most relentlessly awesome. Sure, it’s Kosinki’s strongest director trait, but the CGI is used to an effect that substitutes tacky for the fantastic, whilst utilising 3D technology not for a better box office performance but to totally redefine the often overused word ‘immersive’. If Avatar was a bar of chocolate then Tron is visual hit from a class A drug. It makes the little narrative niggles that podcasting neckbeards will inevitably argue over totally redundant, while reminding you just how phenomenal the Tron world is. Who cares about where the world cup is hosted when we can watch Sam Flynn enter THE GRID, hook up with the program that has a human complex, Quorra (adorably played by Olivia Wilde who should wear that wig for the rest of her life), beat the shit out of Rinzler, ride through an expertly choregraphed and thrilling light cycle sequence, and then battle countless programs in a pixelated nightclub with a neon frisbee while Daft Punk look at each other, nod, and then proceed to drop the biggest beat in the film diegetically while Jeff Bridges struts around talking like Jeff Bridges. It is mindblowing escapism at its absolute best.

So conceptually it’s a little weak, but I think most of us were expecting that. But as a feature film spectacle, it is a visceral gift to even the most imaginative dreamers and sci-fi lovers that somehow delivered more than my fanboy expecations craved for. Tron: Legacy will leave you breathless, it will leave you exhausted, it will leave you wanting more and most importantly, it will leave you completely and utterly derezzed.

Stanley

Tron: Legacy is out in UK cinemas on the 17th December.

Categories
Live Reviews

The National – Live

The National
O2 Academy, Brixton
30.11.10

Words and photography: Caitlin Mogridge

Only The National could have a sell out tour, and fill the Brixton Academy three nights in a row and still remain relatively unknown. This band is like America’s secret export which people are only just discovering, but they already have three incredible albums behind them. I jumped at the chance to see them while they’re here, particularly after hearing the write-ups they got over the summer. It’s fair to say I was a little bit excited about this one.

They began with an incredible ethereal opening, then straight into Anyone’s Ghost. Anyone who knows this band will know the power they have live, and eerie looped visuals made it an incredible show to watch. Mistaken for Strangers got everyone singing adoringly, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the drummer who absolutely made this song live. He made it look effortless.

The set mainly jumped in between Boxer and High Violet but it all fitted perfectly, and ended up sounding like an extended greatest hits. You couldn’t fault a single track. A personal highlight of mine was Green Gloves, which had been powerfully enhanced with a piano and a brass section. I don’t think this song would have worked live without the added punch, but there was an obvious consideration for what would suit the venue and the crowd, and it paid off.

I was expecting quiet appreciation from the crowd but towards the end they couldn’t be contained. In the pit people were in a trance, packed in tight but still moving, and responding to every joke or intro. At the back, it seemed to be a couple affair and generally an older demographic, but that’s cool. We’d be proud if our parents had such good taste.

I couldn’t believe how fast the last hour went, but they came back on with an explosive version of Terrible Love before concluding with something none of us were expecting. The lights went off, the mics went off. The applause died down and they began an acoustic version of Vandalyle Crybaby. Everyone sang along, and anyone who shouted or spoiled the mood was told where to go by everyone around them. Suddenly the show became a group event which everyone was part of. It was the most incredible moment, and the best possible ending to their show.

I urge you to go and see them live if you can, I know I’d do it all over again if I could.

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
Live Reviews

Rival Schools – Live

Rival Schools
16th November, 2010
Hoxton Bar and Kitchen

Rival Schools have a bit of a theme going on this evening. Frontman Walter Schreifels is fixated on the introduction of The Beatles’ back catalogue to iTunes. He has a little talk about it, starts a few impromptu singalongs to ‘Yellow Submarine’ and ‘Hey Jude’ along the way, usually when also tuning guitars or sorting something technical between the band’s *actual* songs. This banter works well in the confined environment of tonight. Barely anyone moves throughout the set as we’re all crammed in like sardines and transfixed by the band’s pure brilliance as a mixture of ‘United By Fate’ classics and new album classics-in-the-making are unraveled by the recently re-united band. Having played a few shows and festivals together over the past couple of years, the band have finally taken the next step towards a whole album of new material which is set to be released early next year. It only took ten years.

United By Fate’ tracks are unsurprisingly received the most rapturously, but the crowd is equally intent on hearing the new material and a couple of the more riffy tracks in particular stand out as potential equals to the material everyone already knows and loves so well. ‘Undercovers On’ and ‘The Switch’ are particular highlights as guitarist Ian Love’s riffwork blasts forth with potency and brilliance and everyone present sings their heart out. However, the evening predictably culminates with Rival Schools’ most-remembered song – ‘Used For Glue’. And it sounds every bit as thrilling now as it did ten years ago. That’s one song that will never get old to anyone.

Winegums

Categories
Live Reviews

Trash Talk – Live

Trash Talk, Cerebral Ballzy
The Barfly
22.11.10

A word from the promoter before the show lets us know that this event is a couple of tickets away from selling out. It seems they completely underestimated something along the way as we get into the upstairs room to find it at possibly the fullest I’ve ever seen. Even for support act Cerebral Ballzy, it’s a bit of a strain to get any sort of view at all. And forgive us, but we don’t fancy being too near the front given both bands’ reputations for hurling objects (and themselves) into the crowd as well as a tendency to puke / spit / generally emit bodily fluids when on stage. Despite being confined to a small square near the back of the venue, it’s still possible to enjoy Cerebral’s exuberant take on old-skool punk rock and hardcore as they barrel through upbeat songs about “drinking til you puke”, “not having enough money to pay for the tube” and “girls”. It’s certainly obvious these guys are basically kids but that’s what makes their reinvention of the genre so potent and fun.

Trash Talk have pretty much lived in the UK this year and it’s clearly a big deal to them that this will be their last show in the UK until summer 2011. Even though that doesn’t seem so far away, I think it’s safe to say that the UK will be a touch more boring without their perpetual presence. Their music is somewhat darker than what has preceded tonight and menacing basslines are coupled with frenetic drumbeats and vocalist Lee Spielman’s shouty/screechy/growly sounds. Throughout the set, the mic is passed to audience members etc as Spielman literally climbs the walls of the venue (seriously, what is he holding on to?!) It’s almost as if the wirey, long-haired singer has been re-incarnated as Spiderman as he flips around, bouncing off the walls. Trash Talk have managed to carve themselves a niche in the live scene in the UK, somehow attracting indie kids and metallers alike to their frenetic live show and it’s safe to say that many will be awaiting their return with baited breath.

Winegums

Categories
Live Reviews

Therapy? – Live

Therapy?
London Forum
19.11.10

“The last time we played here was when we released this single!” declares a grinning Andy Cairns, shortly before the spidery riff of ‘Turn’ incites roars of joy from the sold-out crowd. Indeed, it’s been a good few years since Therapy? have played venues of this size, but tonight many casual fans have been enticed out of hiding by a very tasty carrot; the prospect of the band playing their 1994 breakthrough ‘Troublegum’ album in its entirety. Unsurprisingly, faded t-shirts and beer guts abound, but this crowd certainly compensates in enthusiasm for what it lacks in youth.

Dinosaur Pile-Up aren’t about to spoil the early-90s revival party. Their marriage of breezy melodies with chunky, rough-edged power chords may have more in common with early Foo Fighters than with classic Nirvana, but there are too many good tunes on offer to dismiss these guys as a mere anachronism. They rock out with the kind of carefree simplicity that all too few bands have these days, and although the likes of ‘Love To Hate Me’ sound suitably huge tonight, it’s tempting to imagine the chaos that would ensure in a small, barrier-less club.

Therapy? have always been an unpredictable and forward-thinking bunch, which suggests that maybe tonight’s nostalgia trip is more of a treat for the fans than for the band themselves. Still, as Cairns and co rip into ‘Knives’, they certainly seem happy enough at the sight of the crowd exploding into action.

Therapy? gig veterans know full well that many of the ‘Troublegum’ favourites remain in their set to this day, and although ‘Screamager’ and ‘Nowhere’ sound as potent as ever, the lesser-aired songs are those that impress most tonight. Notably, the seismic rumble of ‘Unbeliever’ is lent extra ferocity in the live setting, and bassist Michael McKeegan leads the crowd in howls of “CHRRRRIST!”  for a suitably unsettling ‘Lunacy Booth’. These guys have the energy of bands half their age, and a brilliantly self-deprecating sense of humour to boot – with McKeegan proclaimed the ‘Evil Priest’ for the evening.

As ‘Brainsaw’ draws to a close, it’s clear that the band could call it a night at this point, and still leave most of the crowd happy. But we’re not getting off that easily, and they soon return to play a grab-bag of other Therapy? gems. The catchy riff of ‘Stories’ wouldn’t have sounded out of place in the main set, but the real treat comes in the form of their industrial-tinged early favourites ‘Meat Abstract’, ‘Innocent X’ and the closing, sample-infused ‘Teethgrinder’; a sweat-soaked crowd bouncing along all the way.

In terms of ‘Therapy: The Glory Days Revisited’, this will take some beating, but tonight has also served as a fine reminder that Cairns’ crew are not yet finished after 20 years of playing by their own rules. Long may they reign in black.

Alex Gosman

Categories
DVD Reviews

Review: Toy Machine – Brainwash

One thing I’ve always admired about Toy Machine productions is their meticulous attention to detail and maintaining a fluent coherency. When you get past the iconographic desaturated colours of the packaging and press play, you can be guaranteed that no section will be out of place and that there will be enough editing/artistic touches perfectly slotted in to not once tempt you in the direction of the fast forward button. Though I cannot take anything away from Welcome To Hell (which will forever remain a classic by anyone’s standards) I do enjoy how the bloodsucking skateboard company have moved towards making short, fluid visual mixtapes to frequently remain amongst the collective consciousness of the generation of skateboarders most prone to ADHD and short term memory loss. Brainwash is perhaps the closest Toy Machine have come to perfecting this notion, coming in at a Goldilocks-approved jussssst right 20 minutes. Which is – according to a statistic I just made up – the average amount of time it takes for a skateboarder aged between 14-41 to get amped for a session.

Before we jump straight into the action that does not once stop for air we’re treated to an introduction that dares to do something interesting! I know, crazy behaviour in 2010 to steer away from time lapses, montages or similar crap, but this one actually works. The screen divides into a Goldeneye style multiplayer horizontal split (apparently player 2 sucks) with different footage from the same sessions working together to tell seperate stories as a worm crawls across the centre of the screen introducing the film. At first it’s a lot for your eyes to make sense of, but when Templeton is constantly throwing in written captions throughout every Toy Machine video to the point in which 75% of them go unnoticed it makes for a rewarding re-watch. Attention to detail is as spot-on as you’d expect.

Daniel Lutheran serves as the insta-banger to get this 20 minute mix started, and for good reason; he’s got balls-out 50-50s that are both long and gnarly enough to cause even the most jaded and desensitized viewer to shit their pants. Handrail-wise, he continues the concept that Toy Machine have pioneered since day one: simple but ridiculous. The Albuquerque ripper also boasts a monster nollie/switch heelflip and some bonkers 360 variations that when combined with torn jeans and hands-down style make him a perfect addition to the Machine. Oh and if you hadn’t already, the last 50-50 WILL cause your bowels to do deeply unpleasant things to your underwear… so go sit on a toilet or something the first time you watch this. Oh, and there’s already been at least four speech bubble jokes put in by Templeton. Did you catch them all? Go and watch it again as there will be a pop quiz at the end of this review to ensure you’ve been paying attention (protip: there won’t be, but watch again anyway – go on, get amongst it).

Johnny Layton is up next and it’s a real pleasure to see him extend his trick selection, no matter how awesome street grabs are for those that have been initiated. Expect off-key manouevres from the Long Beach advocate, notably a no-comply bigspin heel and probably more fliptricks than you might expect. Solid section from a true powerhouse. Johnny has mad pop and a frontside flip that’s up there with someone who puts the captial B in The Boss. Then we move from powerhouse to powerstache, as the video makes a smooth transition to the oddball power moves of one Billy Marks. Billy continues to baffle me how his ankles and shins have survived such bait flippery but whatever, I dig it. These two sections also contain the funniest captions so far… which reminds me, have you been paying attention to them? You goddamn better have.

Jordan Taylor has only been out of the flowtrash regiments from a year, but has earned his bloodsucking stripes with quirky quick-footed moves and an interesting approach (that 180 to switch slanted hubba ride is an absolute percy, and don’t get me started on that positively insane lipslide at 3rd and army). He’s someone to keep your eyes on for sure. Austin Stephens is another one I’m sure many of you have kept your eyes on, and the general consensus online is suggesting that his short, sweet, style-heavy parts are rich in marmite texture. Now, I’m the sort of person who actually drinks marmite on the regular, so unsurprisingly I enjoy watching Austin skate… but it’s understandable to see why people are disappointed with this. Since This Is Skateboarding he hasn’t shown any sign of progression but when so many of video watchers are blind and desensitized to progression then why should he strive to satisfy those that forget a section less than an hour after watching it? You cannot argue that Austin Stephens isn’t taking what he wants from skateboarding and giving back something that’s unmistakably his own… and I cannot hate on that one bit.

The extended team montage continues to be worthy of replay as The Butcher takes his feet-on tricks to the next level. Front smith 360 ollie out anyone? Right, so something marvellous has happened this year as more skateboarders than ever are landing stuff I frequently chose to perform in the escapist world video games permitted only five years ago. To see it happen without the addition of slomo and done like it’s nowt is quite the head scratcher. Ed Templeton straight up needs to skate more. He’s still killing it and all legacy aside, those three tricks stood out as some of the best in the montage so get that down yer. Josh Harmony takes his established style up a notch to carry on the montage. I’ve always been a fan of Harmony, particularly how he always skates the most awkward looking rails and ledges while landing stuff as though his arms are erratically paranoid of gravity. Finally we return our gaze to Nick Trapasso, who has come a long way since his breakout part in Suffer The Joy. He still sleepwalks through grinds and is one of the most nonchalant skaters out there right now. His conclusive 50-50 to ‘deal with it’ rollaway will silence even the most stubbornly contrary critics.

Although Collin Provost’s name signifies a return to the full section format, the flow is still that of an extended montage. All this means is that the excitement levels never once drop below AWESOME – a perfect response to the ‘tage era; editors take note. His part in Stay Gold is very much still hot and fresh out the kitchen but here he is serving up piping hot seconds that I’m sure you too are more than willing to get your lips around. Unsurprisingly, it’s another banger; filled to the brim with long lines, sketchy landings and walliebombs as plenty of rough street spots and man-made non-skatepark transitions alike get a thorough seeing to by another ATV to keep your eyes on. Something the filmer takes literally in the last shot, which lingers long enough for the viewer to see Provost overtake and cut-up a fucking bus during a hillbomb rollout. Amazing. A-ma-zing.

For reasons I’m not overly sure of, I’ve always considered Matt Bennett to be a comprehensive personification of all that is Toy Machine. Leftfield trick selection, an uneasy imperfect style, swampy hair and general overpowering radness. This section is a further testament to my uncertain argument and another solid 2-3 minutes of pure Toy Machine goodness. I’m stunned that he’s only just entered the world of professional skateboarding but better late than never I suppose. Have polejams up and down handrails become a trend yet? They will.

So who can play out this mixtape of sketchy, imperfect, balls out and positively pure skateboarding greatness? None other than one of the year’s absolute best of the best, the accomplished Leo Romero. If you hadn’t caught his section in Stay Gold yet then hand in your notice to the landlord of your rock and move the fuck out. Though many would be satisfied with a part as groundbreaking as that, here we see Leo shut down Brainwash with a manic push leading up to one jaw-dropper after the next. Leo has created a style of skating so impossible to imitate that all we can do is sit and watch, but when it’s this good, who cares? If P-Rod’s technical perfection depicted progress to the extreme in that direction then Leo isn’t so much the Anti-P-Rod but a very different reason to be stoked on where skateboarding is going, which, whatever direction you look in, is somewhere awesome.

Stanley

Out of the many Brainwash teasers that kept Toy Machines online omnipresence on godly levels it was Daniel Lutheran’s recent welcome clip that got us the most hyped. Enjoy… Now go buy Brainwash. This was a triumph.

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