In one of the worst tragedies to befall the great city of New Orleans, Philly Santosuosso and the family of skateboarders around Humidity Skate Shop are running a righteous deck sale to help victims‘ families. Buy a deck in person or on Humidity’s online store for the next two days and 100-percent of profits will go to funds helping the families.
„Please read. As most of everyone knows what happened on New Years morning. Shit fucking sucks. Only a few blocks from the store. Being in the Quarter has been heavy. Want to say big shout out to everyone who has stopped by and reach out. For the next two days 100% of decks sales will go to the victims that were injured and killed in the attack that happened on bourbon. We will also be matching that number. This also goes for online deck sales. So if you need a fresh deck or just want a wall hanger not only will your money got to the victims we will be matching that number. We love you New Orleans ⚜️✊“
Philly’s always done right by his city and its skateboarders. The scene down there is rad and worth a visit. Consider buying your next deck, ASAP, from Humidity.
Few events in skateboarding capture the spirit of community and raw talent like the annual Copenhagen Open, which is why it’s really no surprise the CPH Open has been considered arguably the best skate event of the summer for the past few years.
This insane global gathering brings together the world’s heaviest pros, ams, and a variety of skate enthusiasts of all ages for an unforgettable (well, maybe sometimes forgettable) week of skating, partying, and absolute fun.
Nike SB just released its official ‘Copenhagen Open 2024 Recap’ video (although, it did take place in Athens, Greece this year…ha!) that’s certainly worth a watch and makes all my blabbering above make a little more sense. Check it out:
One thing is for certain—there was no shortage of ripping in Athens last year. This is where raw skate action and culture collide. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to experience one of these events, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. And if you haven’t, this is the perfect taste.
The flatground sessions are all-time. The bowl jam looked insanely fun. This edit is like a dad-cam montage in all the best ways; a proper fly-on-the-wall experience!
Not exactly sure why the CPH Open was in Athens this year, but I’m certainly not complaining. Summer will be here before we know it! Who’s going this year?
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Bækkel and Nunez built their reputations on conquering the most hair-raising terrain in the game, but the streets fight back. Witness the commitment it takes to make it on a Monster trip.
As skateboarders, when we think of what a skatepark is, a number of things can come to mind. Perhaps it’s a giant concrete paradise in the middle of nowhere, fully equipped with every obstacle imaginable. Maybe it’s a fun little spot on the edge of town with a few hips and quarter pipes or a prefab pop-up park in a community center with all the bells and whistles. It could be a unique DIY slab in an old rundown parking lot. Whatever! The list goes on.
With that said, it could also simply be a variety of movable obstacles in your front yard! Having a ‘DIY skatepark’ in your yard is a dream scenario for any skateboarder. Not only does it offer the convenience of skating whenever you want—minus the crowds—but it’s a place that can really cater to your personal preferences.
Hey, skateboarding has no rules, and remember, like I said, a “skatepark” can be anything—even if it’s just a few rails, boxes, quarter pipes and random obstacles set up in your yard! Let’s dig a little deeper and see just how possible it is to make this dream a reality.
The best thing to do before starting a project like this is to have a plan. Do you have any of these obstacles already? Are you planning on building any yourself? Are you going to buy certain items from ramp-building companies? Is cement mixing going to be involved? Knowing your budget, how much space you have, and what you want to skate are the first few things you’ll want to figure out.
What Materials and Tools Do I Need?
Depending on the task at hand, you’ll probably need a variety of materials and tools to build your personal little skateboarding paradise. Items like plywood, angle iron, 2x4s, concrete, and screws are all you need to build a handful of obstacles like a kicker ramp or box, for example. You’ll also want to make sure you have a drill, screwdriver, hammer, measuring tape and other essential tools handy.
Again, it all depends on what you’re trying to build. But having a little box with angle iron and a kicker ramp is a great place to start! Lines for days.
In case you’re unaware, a “box” is basically just a ledge that you build out of wood. In my opinion, it’s an essential obstacle for any skatepark to have! They’re also super versatile. From grinds and slides to manuals and drops, a box can provide endless fun and really help you progress. And they’re honestly pretty easy and straightforward to make!
You’ll just need some plywood, 2x4s, metal coping and some screws. I could sit here and explain how to construct it, but if you’re a visual learner like myself, our friends at Empire do a great job providing plans here.
Gotta have a box in the mix!
Also, just keep in mind that ramp-building companies like Keen Ramps also sell a variety of boxes in different shapes and sizes. They provide all the materials and instructions as well. Easy-peasy!
Get a Rail or Flatbar
Rails or flatbars are another obstacle that I think every skatepark should have—especially one at home! Why? Well, they’re typically the easiest to move and store. They don’t take up a ton of space, and like boxes, they also provide endless fun and can really help you lock down your rail game. You can build them if you want, but I’d look around for used ones first. Someone out there is always selling a rail!
An essential obstacle at any skatepark!
Or you can buy pre-made ones from a variety of brands out there, depending on your preference and budget. Brands like Blunt Steel offer fun ride-on grind options as well—fun for all ages and skill levels! And like normal rails and flatbars, they’re super easy to move and store.
At any rate, if you have a ramp, box and a rail in your front yard … well, consider your skatepark open for business! But there’s always more you can do…
Do You Have Room for a Quarter Pipe?
Adding a quarter pipe to your home skatepark is a major upgrade—this is when things get serious. Whether you have space to pour some concrete and make a proper one somewhere at home or build/assemble your own out of wood, having a quarter pipe to practice your transition skills is a huge bonus. And let’s be real… it will start to make your setup truly look like a little skatepark!
Again, there are a ton of ramp-building companies out there who make building and owning a quarter pipe super convenient. Keen Ramps is a great example. Check these out! (They even have mini ramps, too.)
And aside from practicing your transition skills, quarter pipes are a convenient way to help piece together lines as you can simply kick turn and hit the obstacle again without skipping a beat. If you have room and budget for a quarter pipe, I’d highly recommend it!
Random little items like parking blocks can add variety to your skatepark as well. Endless fun awaits with one of these cement gems plopped in the mix! Get some of that good red curb paint and lather it up, or just keep it classic and have some wax on hand. Trust me, it’ll slide and grind one way or another! The best part is that a parking block has many uses—skate over it, practice no-complies, blunt stalls … the world is yours. I mean, seriously, who doesn’t love a good old parking block? Timeless.
Okay, so you built your own box and kicker ramp. You found a flatbar on Craigslist and decided to splurge a little on a quarter pipe. All of a sudden, your yard has become one of the best skate spots in town! Once your ‘DIY skatepark’ is complete, there’s only one thing left to do—invite your friends over for a session and enjoy the fruits of your labor!
One of the perks of having movable obstacles is that you can keep experimenting with different setups to keep things fresh and exciting. You also have the choice to just skate a few or all of them whenever you want. It’s a great way to progress, get creative and keep the sessions flowing at all times! Just keep in mind that safety should be your top priority when building and skating your new little spot. Make sure everything is stable and secure, watch for cars (and splinters), otherwise … let ‘er rip!
I had a little kicker ramp, two different boxes, rails, a parking block and even a plastic barrier in my front yard growing up, and it really did feel like my own little paradise. The sessions my friends and I had will stay with me forever. And it really did come in handy some mornings when we wanted to warm up or on days when the skatepark was flooded with scooters and skate camps. It’s rewarding, to say the least, and provides so much motivation. No excuses when all you have to do is walk outside and move a few things around!
So whether you’re crafting your own little pop-up park or diving deep into a cement project, the options are as endless as the fun they provide. Keep the fire burning and have some fun with it! And hey, get your friends to chip in. Sometimes you gotta pay to play!
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When it comes to choosing a pair of skate shoes, you’ve got a ton of choices: the brand, the color, high top, low top, mid top, or slip-on, materials (leather, suede, canvas, nubuck), but most importantly, cupsole versus vulcanized construction. This is where the shoe hits the board—your board feel—some people think this is the most important aspect of any shoe. So what are the differences? We’ve broken it down with examples of popular models.
Vulcanized Construction
Vulcanization refers to a heat-treatment of rubber to make it more abrasion-resistant. Vulcanized rubber is used in tires, bowling balls, hockey pucks, but as we know most lovingly, in the soles of our beloved Vans Classics. That’s right, all those thin, low-profile, good-board-feeling Vans models (Old Skool, Half Cab, Slip On) got popular with skateboarders due to their board feel and long-lasting soles.
Now, „vulc“ shoes aren’t going to help much if you’re a hucker, jumping down gaps and stairs a lot. What you gain in board feel, you’re sacrificing in cushioning. Vulcanized shoes are perfect if you spend most of your time skating flatground, low impact spots, slappying curbs or skating mini ramps.
Here are some popular vulcanized shoes on skate shop shelves right now:
Nike SB Janoski
Converse CONS One Star
Converse CONS Chuck Taylor All-Star Pro
New Balance Numeric Franky Villani
IPath Reed
Emerica Wino G6 Slip On
adidas Busenitz Vulc II
Hours is Yours Cohiba Slip On
Nike SB Zoom Blazer Mid
New Balance Numeric Jamie Foy
There are many more out there, and if you have any questions, the employee at your local skater-owned shop will be able to help you out.
Just a few examples of current vulcanized models.
As you can see, vulcanized shoes hold a lot of weight in the skate shoe market with a lot of pros designing their pro model shoes to have a vulcanized sole.
Cupsole construction is a traditional way of assembling a skate shoe where a solid, one-piece sole is stitched to the upper of the shoe. Rather than vulcanized shoes‘ flat rubber soles, cupsoles are curved and provide more support to the foot and ankle.
In addition, cupsoles have more cushion for jumping down gaps but less board feel. Cupsoles can also add weight to a skate shoe and may not feel as flexible straight out of the box. But if you’ve found yourself victim to heel bruises from jumping down gaps and stairs, cupsole construction might be the right shoe type for you.
Here are some popular cupsole shoes you’ve likely seen at your local skate shop:
Nike SB Dunk
adidas Gonz Aloha
New Balance Numeric 440 High
adidas Busenitz Pro
Converse CONS AS-1
éS Accel OG
IPath Cats
adidas Samba ADV
Emerica OG-1
IPath Grasshopper
éS Two Nine Eight
Again, stick to shopping at skater-owned skate shops, and they’ll steer you in the right direction.
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Brian Kelly has been holding down the San Diego skate scene since the Street Machine days, basically since forever. He’s an epic dude, a family man, and a lifelong ripper in his own right—peep his 40-year old video part!
Recently his family took a hit when their house burned down. Luckily the family and dogs weren’t harmed, but the Kelly family is in a rough spot, looking for a new home, not to mention Brian’s collection of skate VHS tapes, decks, shoes, clothes and more were damaged in the fire.
On Sunday night, December 15th, Brian Kelly and his family came home to find their house in Chula Vista had been destroyed by a fire.
Due to the fire, Brian, Chloe, their 3 year old son and the family dog have lost most of their belongings, but more importantly a place to live just before Christmas.
In effort to provide a place to stay for their family and basic essentials in this time of need, we are asking for any donations possible. Anything helps, thank you in advance for all of your support.
The Kelly Family“
Anything you can do to help Brian would be amazing. He’s helped out countless skateboarders far and wide, so it’s our turn to return the favor. We take care of our own. Thanks everyone.
From Brian’s IG: „These past 5 days have been some of the hardest in my life. I’m trying to come to terms with what happened and let go of what I cannot change. What happened with the fire was tragic but what is happening with the outpouring of support is amazingly unbelievable. I want to say THANK YOU to everyone that has supported, donated, reached out, helped spread the word and kept myself and my family in your thoughts. It’s been very overwhelming and I am so grateful for all of you. I love you ❤️“
Once upon a time these ledges on the edge of USC’s campus were among the most famous, heavily sessioned blocks in the world. Though skate-stopped, their story lives on in a new form. Let Ted explain…
