Product Reviews

Monster Paint Traction Spray

Contact info: http://www.longboardgrip.com/

Find them on facebook

Price: $19.95 for 1 bottle

1 bottle can spray up to 4-5 boards.

Review:

A skateboard is a skateboard. There’s nothing too special about them.

That’s why we like to do things to change the look of them. Sometimes we like to lay multiple different colored grip tapes down in some sort of pattern, sometimes its just cutting the grip tape in certain spots.

It’s all up to the rider on what he wants his board to look like. There are of course limitations when it comes to the top of the board.

It is hard to draw onto grip tape and clear only shows through so well.

Well, if you have a high quality design or want to really make your deck look unique Monster paint clear grip spray is the way to go.

It sprays on clear over any decal or art graphic you put on the board. A grit additive is recommended to add that extra bit of grip to the board.

Monster paint is also very easy to use. After 3 coats with about a 5-10 minute wait in between each one gets the job done.

Bottom line:

If you want to display any artwork or decals on top of your deck Monster paint is the way to go.

It sprays on so completely clear it almost looks like there is no grip tape at all giving it a professional unique look you can’t get with clear grip tape.

This was the first board I used Monster Paint on because of it’s clean old school look. The board is a Gordan and Smith Fibreflex courtesy of Von Bone!

Please visit our sponsors who help make it all possible:

www.skatersocks.com

www.vonbone.com

www.balboaboardsports.com

www.xssailing.com

John Angelo hangs 10. Photo by: Amelia Freeman

Everyone has seen the simple sticks with wheels attached to the bottom that people use to “paddle” or push their skateboards down the street. The Von Bone Street Paddle is that but on steroids. “This isn’t your mother’s broomstick,” said Hurricane Von Bone (inventor/creator/mastermind) as he handed me a street paddle.

“I was riding my bike one day and I saw a guy trying to push himself with a bamboo pole and he just didn’t look happy. I did that with a broomstick when I was 12, and it just didn’t really work out for me. I was riding my bike down by the beach, and all of a sudden this light bulb came on and then I created the Von Bone street paddle,” said Hurricane.

The street paddle is exactly what the name implies. It’s basically a stand up paddle board for the streets. As I paddled down the street following Hurricane, I even noticed he was standing on the board the same way you would with a stand up paddle board. His feet side by side,  in the middle of the board, pointing straight ahead, switching side to side with the paddle.

“That’s probably part of it, you know. The standup paddle boarding thing is so big right now, and you wouldn’t believe how many people are afraid of the water. I mean, they’re scared to fall on a skateboard too but they’re even more afraid of the water,” said Hurricane.

As I paddled down the street, I noticed it was a great upper body workout as well. I have tried the other sticks people use for pushing before and this is not really comparable to them. The Von Bone Street Paddle uses torque powered by the rider to spring him or herself forward.

“With the way it’s designed, no matter how you grab it when your switching hands and hitting the ground with it you’re at the right angle. The grabbing handle’s round and the traction ball’s round so no matter how you hold it you got the right angle” said Hurricane.

Karly Freeman gets barreled. Photo by: Amelia Freeman

The street paddles come with two different pounds of torque, the 60 lb version and the 80 lb which are suitable for the majority of riders. There is version however a lighter resistance model and a heavier resistance model being designed to better accommodate riders of all abilities and strength.

For the short time I was at the booth I saw lots of people excited about the product and many people wanted to try it. Their booth was packed the whole time I was there.

“We’re getting people who have never even skated before that are looking at this going, ‘you know, I think I could do that.’ I’m getting moms and grandmothers trying it. They may not take up the sport but they’re thrilled with it, and you wouldn’t get them to walk into your average skate shop and try a board out. Something about our product makes it appealing to the general population, not just the skate kids.”

The Von Bone Street Paddle is an awesome invention that creates a way for people anywhere at anytime to go outside their house and start paddling away. The stick is light enough to easily carry around and it just further shows the relationship between skateboarding and surfing. They go hand and hand and this brings the concept of stand up paddle boarding to the land. It’s only natural that this thing was built and designed in Huntington Beach, aka Surf City USA, in the beautiful state of California. – Leecifer

www.vonbone.com

Find them on facebook.

John Angelo paddles down the boardwalk. Photo by: Amelia Freeman

Stop by their booth Tuesday’s on main st in Huntington Beach between 5-9. They also skate the boardwalk at Huntington St saturdays and sundays. Photo by: Lee Eisler

Peter Kell has a creative and entertaining way of reviewing his top 5 most kick ass boards in longboarding.

Edit By: Peter Kell

5. Kevin Reimer’s custom made carbon fiber Rayne Killswitch

4. 313 Skateboards “The Bird”

3. Airflow “Bracket”

2. WeFunk “Roadmaster” with no cutouts

1. 42″ OG Sector 9 Race deck

Check out the wheel review our homie’s from ThreeRing Longboard’s put together. These dudes live in Salt Lake City, Utah and they have a pretty cool thing going on. Also look for events in your area from these guys. They throw some super rad events. Check out the video of the event they threw in Las Vegas with this link…Three Ring Longboards Vegas Showdown

If you’re still rocking an old phone, like I was not too long ago, then you’re missing out. I recently joined the whole smartphone craze, and I have been addicted to my phone ever since. Everything is so convenient. From checking your e-mail, to seeing updates from the game while your out on with your chick. Well, with all the apps out there it is sometimes hard to find the right ones. Although I did not get my phone to play games on it, that happens to be part of the fun.

         
There has been a new app developed geared towards downhill skaters called Downhill Xtreme. It has an addicting gameplay, advancing you through races into the pro division. It doesn’t take long before you get the opportunity to change your looks, get a better board, and upgrade your wheels. There are qualifying heats where you race with a ghost of yourself with the best time you have had on that run. You can also play online outlaw races where the winner takes all and you race with real people from around the world.

The game is lots of fun and fairly addicting. The buttons are simple; Hold the right side of the screen to tuck, tilt to steer, and hold the left side of the screen to brake (tilting the screen while doing it to pre drift some turns). As you advance, it gets more difficult. Wheels must be used wisely as they are for use on limited number of runs, and they are expensive. Remember buy your wheels wisely and to go pro you have to have a helmet. – Leecifer

Find Downhill Xtreme on facebook!

www.skatersocks.com

Gunmetal Trucks team rider’s Tyler Hampson and Max Capps tested and approved the new 46* base plates. Start looking for these popping up in the near future.

Gunmetal Trucks releases their new 46* Baseplate. Photo by: Lee Eisler

Manufacturer –Specialized Bicycle,  Morgan Hill,  CA
Model –Stumpjumper FSR EVO
Price -$4,100

Review-

With a Sram 2×10 drivetrain,  carbon cranks,  Fox Shox suspension and a 67 degree head tube angle – Specialized’s Stumpjumper EVO is a swiss-army-of-a-bike meant to handle many different disciplines of mountain biking.  Offering a laterally stiff frame,  Specialized also took into consideration the EVOs aesthetics and design,  making sure the bike looked beautifully mean on all angles. While the build from Specialized is technically sound and should please most riders,  the EVOs “stock” Specialized Purgatory tires were slightly sketchy to say at best in loose over hard-pack terrain.

Bottom Line –

If you’re looking for a full-suspension All-Mountain ride that you can cruise down the steep stuff and grind up hills with,  the Specialized Stumpjumper EVO is the bike to go after.  Add a dropper post and change out the tires to your favorite set of rubbers and you’ll be ready for any type of bike-shredding action.

Filmed and edited by: Kevin Castenheira

Additional video footage by Ryan Scardigli

This video is nothing but radical. Snowboarding taken back down to the roots. Check out the sickest boards I have ever seen and some long board style pack runs even.

While you might be thinking about buying a new snowboard one basic design comes into mind with some slight variations between boards however Spring Break Snowboards is changing the game by going back to the roots of it all.

Corey Smith cut his shapes out of a piece of wood, fiber glassed, painted it and epoxied it and then went to shred. “This enabled me to look at the mountain and look at snowboarding from a different perspective and you know, just really enjoy it” said Corey Smith, Creator of Spring Break snowboards.

The shredding in this video is so old school and so basic, yet such a fun video to watch.

“Building and riding these boards has been one of the most best experiences I’ve had snowboarding.” said Corey Smith, creator of Spring Break snowboards. “Building these boards was just like one of the best experiences for me as far as, just falling back in love with snowboarding. I think I was just so over it, filming video parts every year.”
The minimum donation to get one of these custom made boards is $500 and it includes a 1 year warranty against breaking.

Check out their site at www.springbreaksnowboards.com

Manufacturer – Continental Tires America, Fort Mill, SC
Model – Trail King 2.2 UST
Price -$55

Review-

Sometime last year the Continental Trail King, formerly known as the Rubber Queen not only had a change in name, but also in sex.  But while these changes might seem drastic, don’t be fooled – this is very much the same tire in pattern, thread and compound.

The Trail King comes in two sizes, 2.2 and 2.4 to suite most rider’s needs.  What most won’t expect with the new name though is the extra girth these tires carry, with the 2.4 version surpassing most 2.5″ tires in width and the 2.2 coming a tad wider than most 2.3″ tires on the market.  But before you argue added rotational mass and weight, these tires more than make up for their extra doughnut-like appearance in bump compliance, traction, and rolling speed.  I’m on my third set and will be running these tires on my future builds.  The normal and UST versions both mix Continental’s Black Chili Compound, which from observation creates a tacky tire that’s firm on the sidewall, but wears really well.  I have over 400 miles on my last set and they’re still good to go.

Bottom line-

If you’re looking for a do-it-all tire, the Continental Trail King is hard to beat.  From shale, to hard pack, to boulders, these tires can grip with the best of them.  Let’s also not overlook the fact that these are German made, and we know that German’s don’t mess sh!t up.  Breaks loose as much as you want, and recovers better than you expect.  The Trail King is as predictable as they come.  Share the wealth of berm ripping fun, and feel like a king anytime you’re out on a ride.

Company – Vegas Indoor Skydiving
Contact Info – 200 Convention Center Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 731-4768

Located in the Sin City just off the strip, Vegas Indoor Skydiving is sure to provide a  good time for all you thrill seekers. From the moment you start watching the training video to the moment you step out of the wind tunnel your adrenaline is pumping. But before the post-ride endorphin rush kicks in, you must  lay it all on the net in “your x” form to get lifted into the air as winds reaching speeds of up to 120 mph propel you into the ceiling. For first timers like myself it is hard to keep a stable flight in the air, but there is an instructor there to keep you from flying into the wall. After cycling through everyone in our group a few times our time at Vegas Indoor Skydiving was coming to a close. A dvd was delivered into our hands after so that we can re-live the excitement that’s sure to bring back smiles from ear to ear. This was definitely a highlight of our Vegas trip and I would have stayed in that wind tunnel all day if they let me.

PS: Thanks Mike!