Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Emerica vs Altamont Reynolds Cruisers

reynolds-cruisers-altamont-black-tan-largeA pair of these arrived on my desk last week and just opening the box gave me a satisfied smile that one can only recieve when appreciating shoes that are designed and run solely by skateboarders. The relationship between Emerica and Andrew Reynolds is one that should be recognised and saluted. Throw in Altamont and you know that these are going to be a strong purchase and that’s exactly what your feet feel like once slipped into these puppies. They are pure quality.

Andrew Reynolds wanted some ultra-slim, low profile boat shoes to skate and chill in, and the Reynolds Cruisers are the result. The mix of suede and denim work extremely well and should last way longer than your average thin suede-only skate shoe, especially if you are partial to blasting holes through the sides of yours due to ollie abuse, which should never be a problem.

The tongue gives extra support and the gum sole sticks to griptape like nothing else. In fact, after a few skates in these, moving around became easier ending in perfect grip. Overall, once worn in these work a treat. Try some for yourself this Autumn.

Categories
Skateboarding News

Heath Kirchart Stay Gold bonus up for 48hrs

When the first premiere of Emerica’s Stay Gold opened in Los Angeles this day last year, the lights went out to reveal a section by Heath Kirchart that brought the house down. This footage is now available to watch over the next 48 hours so click here to stream it. Click here for Heath’s interview if you missed it at the time.

Categories
Skateboarding News

European Emerica team edit from Stay Gold

The Emerica Stay Gold footage just keeps on trucking this year. Click play below to watch the the Euro team video featuring hammers from Eniz Fazliov, Rob Maatman, Helder Lima, Pontus Alv, Vladik Scholz and Euro flow riders Thomas Nielsen, Henrique Goncalves and Ante Aiello.

Word has it that there’s another european edit from Emerica on its way so look out for that here once we get it.

Categories
Skateboarding News

Heath Kirchart Emerica Stay Gold B-Side

heath-kirchart-stay-gold-b-sideEmerica just released Heath Kirchart’s Stay Gold B-Side and it’s a beast. The amount of dedication that goes into his skating is phenomenal as you will see from the street footage on this edit. This is followed by a session at Bob Burquist’s mega ramp where you can really get a feel of just how hard it is to skate. Stay with it.

Overall, this is one of the best B-Sides from Stay Gold. If you missed it, read our interview with Heath and enjoy this footage.

Categories
Skateboarding News

Jerry Hsu Emerica Stay Gold B-Side

jerry-hsu-stay-gold-b-side15 minutes of extra footage of Jerry Hsu has been released today from Emerica’s Stay Gold DVD. Enjoy his full B-Side here.

Categories
Skateboarding News

Brandon Westgate Emerica Stay Gold B-Side

It’s Brandon Westgate‘s turn to share his B-sides with us today so sit back and take in 12 minutes of goodness from Emerica’s brightest talent.

If you our interview with Brandon in April then click here for the feature.

Categories
Skateboarding News

Andrew Reynolds Quartersnacks Baggy Girbauds remix

Like Ice Cream? Like Andrew Reynolds in Stay Gold? Like this remix of Reynold’s recent b-sides by Quartersnacks from the button above.

Categories
Skateboarding News

Andrew Reynolds Stay Gold B-Sides video

You may have noticed that extra footage of various riders that starred in the Stay Gold video have been posted online over the last 6 weeks so you will be stoked to know that Andrew Reynolds’ bonus, behind the scenes footage has arrived today and of course, it’s pretty amazing. Get in there.

Categories
Skateboarding News

BaKu Barrier Kult edit unleashed

The extra secret BaKu Barrier Kult edit inside the Stay Gold DVD is now online so if you didn’t manage to unlock it then here it is.

Categories
Features

Brandon Westgate Interview

Portrait/sequence courtesy of Emerica and Atiba Jefferson

brandonwestgate2010 was a cracking year for Brandon Westgate. Not only did his official pro status on Zoo York come to fruition, his part in Emerica’s most anticipated DVD Stay Gold kicked off smiles for miles as his technically gifted style stomped through the streets of SF and beyond.

His pro shoe on Emerica released last month brought another edit that swept the web and kept his skating do the talking so we decided to share a few of our own words with the Massachusetts kid that keeps himself one step ahead of the game by wielding some seriously devestating pop.

Easy Brandon, what’s going on?

Nothing much just got back from my shoe party in LA.

New Year’s Eve wasn’t too long ago, do you remember it?

It wasn’t messy, my girlfriend and I went to her sister’s and she had this karaoke machine set up and everyone got drunk and sung songs all night, it was fun.

Turns out you’re a month younger than me. That’s bonkers. I haven’t even bombed a hill in SF yet? How did that feel the first time you did it?

It was the best feeling and every time it gets better, you really have to get out there one time.

Compared with many other skaters in recent years, very little is known about your personality and life off the board. Was it a conscious decision to not let the world’s collide and let your skating do any necessary talking or are you just being you?

I guess I’m just being me. I like being out here and Massachusetts, away from everything.

Even a recent interview with Chris Nieratko didn’t disclose too much about you. So let’s just talk straight skateboarding for the rest of the interview: last time we interviewed you was in 2006, has skating changed for you at all during those four years or is it still the raddest thing ever?

It’s for sure still the raddest thing ever, I’ve learned how to skate different and learned new tricks I never would have thought about then. Thats the best thing about skateboarding you can learn whatever you want.

Over the last few years who has helped you out or inspired you to get you where you are right now?

There’s a lot of people who inspired me and helped me out: Jeff, Timothy, Miner, Seamus, Suski, Leo, Shetler, Herman, Reynolds, Figgy…

Your shoe has just arrived and everyone is mad stoked on it. Looks a little similar to the Hsu model (very good thing). Was the design inspired by that model at all?

I always really liked the Jerry’s so I started off that, but I just tried to make a really comfortable skate shoe that skated good and held up.

Think back to when you first got a pro deck, what were you more hyped on: a graphic with your name on or a shoe?

I was so stoked on both but if I had to say probably the shoe. it’s really hard to get your name on a shoe and you get full advantage to make the best shoe you always want to skate.

How about the part itself… was it made up from leftovers from Stay Gold? You can’t have had much time to gather new footage so soon after Stay Gold come out…

There’s some left overs, but there’s a lot of new footage. Miner and I worked really hard together on this one. It was mainly just us and not the whole team so I think it easier to focus. To begin with they just wanted to use leftovers to make a little clip online then we ended up coming up with a lot of new stuff given the time.

As a pro skater this side of the decade, do you feel under any pressure at all to produce more content as the online edit takes over the skate DVD?

I feel the same amount of pressure either way people see it and online more people see it sooner than a DVD.

What surprised many is how both parts could essentially be interchangeable, they’re both so good. What approach to filming did you prefer, the long-term project approach of the short but exciting turnaround of footage?

I liked them both. The short-term project was a lot more stressful because I didn’t have much time and it was a clip of only me, not the whole team. I prefer the long term just because it’s easier to get the tricks you want for your part.

Are you stoked with how both parts come out?

Yeah I’m stoked on them, there’s always more tricks I wish I could have got for them but time just runs out. I think Miner killed it putting it together. I think that makes it more enjoyable to watch when they’re edited really good.

You have a good mix of East and West coast skating in your parts… what elements of each do you enjoy skating the most and why?

I really like skating the West because SF is so fun. There’s nothing like bombing those hills and skating all the natural bumps- it’s truly like nowhere else. I like skating the East because the spots are a little bit more beat up so you usually have to do some fixing up and the spots turn into a challenge to skate.

Who had your favorite part in Stay Gold?

My favorite part was Leo’s, just seeing him skate is so gnarly and he just loves to skate. Herman also had one of my favorites; all those picnic table lines are amazing. I love everyone’s part though for their own way of skating.

Leo obviously was a deserved winner of SOTY but was there anyone you skate with often that kills it that you think was overlooked a little?

There’s definitely a lot of skaters who kill it but Leo I think deserved it by far.

Ph: Brandon shows Atiba one of his favourite FS 180 5050’s in China.

brandonwestgate

What trip in 2010 did you enjoy being a part of the most?

My favorite trip in 2010 was to China with Emerica filming for Stay Gold. It was a fun crew and awesome skate spots.

You just got a house right? What’s it like? Got any plans for it?

Yeah it’s cool, big back yard, farmer’s porch, fire place, garage, it’s just really comfortable. I’ve been doing work here and there a lot the whole time I’ve had it, mainly tile, painting and yard work. I’m planning on making a sick ramp in the back yard this summer.

What about when you hang up your trucks?

I would like to own some cranberry bogs I think they would be fun to try and run. Plus, I just like all the land that comes with it.

What would you be doing right now if skateboards were never invented?

I was going to a tech school which is a school where you do regular class work like your math and science, and the next is your shop class, I was in marine machines where I worked on boats. I would probably have tried to get a job in that field.

Finally, any words of wisdom?

Just keep skating and have fun.

Win a package of Brandon Westgate ‘s sponsors that includes a Zoo York board, Bones Swiss Bearings, Hubba Wheels and a pair of his Emerica signature shoes here this weekend.