Sick ollie over a car. 

My favourite skatepark - Stronach in London, Ontario

In London, Ontario (Canada) there is a place called Stronach.  It is a community center and hockey arena which happens to have right beside it a skatepark.  This skatepark is the park I skate the most out of all the parks in London because it is the closest to my house.  In terms of the park itself it has a rail (want to own your own rail? - Element Flat Bar), a box/ledge (6' Long Grind Box (Wood, 6' Long)), a little bank, and sort of a round quarterpipe (sort of) (want to own your own halfpipe - 4 Foot Wide Quarterpipe). Personally, for me this is a solid park because all of my needs in terms of a skatepark are covered. To me all I require at a skatepark is a bank, a rail, and a ledge or box. In my opinion the bank is the perfect size. It has a great incline and a box at the top. If I could say one thing that i wish that they would add is a new box. The old box that is already there is a little big and can take some effort to get to the top. I wish they could add a box that is half the size of the one that is currently there and put them right next to each other, one after the other. All and all the park is not bad and as long as I am where I am I will continue to skate it.

My first real Skateboard Deck - The Element Section Black Skateboard Deck - 7.75 Thriftwood

My very first skateboard I ever owned was a Walmart board with a shark on it (don't ask - you can read a previous article on my review of the "Plan B OG Team Light Blue Skateboard Deck") but my first REAL skateboard deck (right after I was finished with my Walmart board) was the Element Section Black Skateboard Deck - 7.75 Thriftwood...and I absolutely loved this board.  Especially, when it became a big part of my life and skating life for around a year and a half.  I can honestly say I believe this board is a great choice for any skater.
     So whether you are just starting to skateboard or you are a seasoned "pro" the Element Section Black Skateboard Deck - 7.75 Thriftwood is a great choice.  First off, this board is very durable, after riding it for a year and a half there were no chips in the board, barely any razor-tail and even the bottom of the deck was still in good condition.  I personally usually skate flatground, but I do enjoy a rail or ledge now and then and the board never chipped or snapped on me!

   Another great selling point is the fact that the board is quite light.  As most skaters know lighter boards have their advantages for certain tricks.  It is not the lightest board around but the lighter the board is the more susceptible it is to snapping or breaking.  But you don't have to worry about the Element Section Black Skateboard Deck - 7.75 Thriftwood as it is very stable and will take a lot to break it. 

   Another fact worth pointing out is that the concave on this board is excellent; it makes it really easy to flick my foot for doing kickflips or heelflips because of the steep concave.  You can also feel where your foot is on the board.  With the The Element Section Black Skateboard Deck - 7.75 Thriftwood your pop will surely improve because of the concave and the way the board is made; it all seems very solid.

   Lastly, I really enjoy the graphic on The Element Section Black Skateboard Deck - 7.75 Thriftwood; it is simple and enjoyable to look at. The colours all compliment each othe well.
     Overall the The Element Section Black Skateboard Deck - 7.75 Thriftwood is a great deck that you should definitely check out if you are in the market for a new board.

Check it out: Element Section Black Skateboard Deck - 7.75 Thriftwood

I love this game. I play Skate 3 all the time.

Chaz Oritz getting ready for his run at Street League in Germany.

Cool shot of everyone getting ready for Street League.

Prod at Street League in L.A. doing a backside lip slide.

Shane O'neill doing a nice feeble grind down a very sketchy rail.

Shane O'neill is one of my favourite skaters. Through back to him at Street League in Vegas.

Nyjah Huston has one almost every stop in Street League. Its almost not fair. 

Greg Lutzka doing a one-footed crooked grind. I've never seen that before.

Okay, how does this even happen? What were you doing to your skateboard?

What is your favorite song to skate to? Mine is another song for the weekend (acoustic) by A Day To Remember.

Who thinks this is a sick skatepark outline? I wish that was somewhere close to me.

Eric Koston doing what he does best... Skating. No one skates like Eric.

Street League Skateboarding in Germany. The very stop where Chris Cole won his first Street League win. My favourite skater. 

Paul Rodriguez is one of the greatest skaters right now, and he shows it with a switch bluntslide.

Wow. I wish that the toy army men that I had as a kid did this.

SpongeBob admiring one of, if not the best street skater to ever live. Rodney Mullen!!

"Thunder Sonora Teal Fade Light Hi 147 Trucks Review"

Thunder Sonora Teal Fade Light Trucks - Pair

      Thunder Sonora Teal Fade Light Trucks - Pair have to be without a doubt my favourite trucks to skateboard on; and i am going to tell you why. 

       Thunder Sonora Teal Fade Light Trucks - Pair are my first exposure to the brand Thunder Trucks, they are now my favourite brand for trucks. 

       When I first used them I noticed how well they turned; everything just felt very responsive and simple. The bushings for these trucks are very soft and make for an enjoyable ride. These trucks grind very stably. They lock in nicely and there are no real problems with grinding. You feel like you are locked on the rail using the Thunder Sonora Teal Fade Light Trucks - Pair.  

       Another important thing about the Thunder Sonora Teal Fade Light Trucks - Pair is that they are very light.  This will allow you to get off the ground more and increase your ollie height.  These trucks have an amazingly soft feel to them and they turn great, grind great, and are very stable. They pass all other types of trucks in every department for me in my opinion.  So for your next pair of trucks try these out. You won't regret it.

"How to do a Varial Kickflip"

Before even thinking of attempting a varial kickflip there are two tricks you need to be able to do in order to nail this trick; they are the backside pop-shove-it and the kickflip.  And when it comes to these two moves the pop-shove-it is more of the main necessity, however, you still need to be able to flip the board around like you would during a kickflip - so both are necessary just slightly different in terms of rank of importance.  

        Really all a varial kickflip involves is a combination of a backside pop-shove-it and a kickflip together.

         To begin your front foot should be set up in the Kickflip starting  position; except for on more of an angle and set up further south on the board. 

          Set up your back foot by placing it flat on the tail; in a similar way to how you would for a backside Pop Shove-it. However, you should move your toes more off the edge to get a scoop. 

          The next step is to from that position perform an ollie.  And when you are about to ollie Pop the tail and pull south with your back foot in a scooping motion to start the spin.  Just spin the board enough to cover 180 degrees of rotation.  Make sure you pop the board hard. 

          As far as your front foot goes when you are popping just give it a flick when the board is turning backside.  That will make the board do a pop-shove-it and a kickflip at the same time. Make sure you pop the board first and then give the board a flick with your front foot otherwise your varial flip will look ugly.  When the board comes around slap your feet back on the grip tape and ride away. 

          Like most skateboarding tricks it sounds harder than it actually is and it also looks cooler than it sounds.  So keep practicing these moves and eventually you will nail it.  So that in a nutshell is how to do a varial kickflip.

          Oh and one last thing to add...I have been doing varial kickflips for a while now and personally I think the best board to do them on is the Plan B OG Team Light Blue Skateboard Deck 7.75.  It is my favourite board in general.  I love it. 

Ryan Sheckler and Zered Bassett are in a New York state of mind. The perfect state to skateboard.

Its not just people who realize how great skateboarding is, these turtles are picking up on it too.

This is where the dream starts. This kid is doing something right.

This piece of wood is all you need. Who knew that this little thing would be the greatest thing ever!!

Eric Koston doing a Feeble grind while Shane O'neill watches. Love those two. Shane, you might want to get out of the way.

How To Do a Kickflip – A move every skateboarder should know.

The kickflip is the base of skateboarding.  It is one of the moves that separates the beginners from the intermediates and is one of the hardest tricks to learn; but it is also the most rewarding trick when you finally learn it!

A kickflip is just like an ollie…your backfoot is in the same position as when you Ollie (you put your back foot in the middle of the tail), the only difference is the front foot. The positioning of the front foot is very important because that is what causes the board to flip.  To do a kickflip you need to place your front foot about an inch or two behind the front set of bolts on your board.  You want about half of your front foot on the board, with your toes slightly facing the nose.  The other half is off the board.  Put most of your weight on the front foot.  Then pop the board with your back foot (instead of using your front foot) and then with the front foot you are going to follow the grip tape straight up the board, sliding your foot on an angel and giving the board a nice little flick on the top corner of the board; just enough of a flick so the board turns in the air.  When the board starts turning, bring your legs up and when you see the grip tape come around again stomp your feet on the board.  When you stomp on the grip tape all there is to do now is ride away.

            Yes, I know easier said than done.  But I promise if you keep on practicing and using these steps you will eventually hit it.  When you do finally hit your first kickflip your skateboarding career is beginning to reach a new level and your life will change. Personally, I think the best board to do a kickflip in is the Plan B OG Team Light Blue Skateboard Deck 7.75. It has been my favourite board to skate.

Bones Reds Skateboard Bearings – A great choice for any skater.

What do you do if you are a new skater looking for some bearings?  Or you are someone who has been skating for years but needs a new set of bearings?

Well, if your a skater who doesn't have a ton of money or you just want to be smart with your money I would highly recommend the Bones Reds Skateboard Bearings. When I think of good bearings I think of a product that will last a long time, is high in quality (meaning that they spin well), and doesn't break the bank (I don't know about you but I don't like spending $50 on bearings!).

Bones Reds Skateboard Bearings have all of these characteristics! Making Bones Reds Bearings the perfect choice for most skaters, as they will not kill your wallet and are of very high quality making them perfect for a beginner to mid range skater to use.  

Bones Reds Skateboard Bearings are bearings I have personally been using for as long as I have been skating.  They are perfect for skaters who need a bearing that is reliable and inexpensive. Bones Reds Skateboard Bearings have a removable rubber shield and a removable high-speed nylon ball cage making it very easy to clean and re-lubricate.  

The Bones Reds Skateboard Bearings are not the greatest bearings in the world but that's not the reason you buy them, they are some of the best bearings for the money; being of great quality and durability for an affordable price. You will not regret picking up some Bones Reds Bearings I can promise you that!

Bones Reds Skateboard Bearings

Chris Cole doing a 360 flip down Wallenberg. During an interview he said that it took him around 62 tries to land it. If that isn't dedication I don't know what is.

My Favorite Skating Obstacle: The Element Flat Bar

A rail that every skater needs to experience for themselves…

 For the longest time I used to only skateboard in my driveway; doing the same stuff (ie skating back and forth) over and over, which got really repetitive.  I mean don’t get me wrong I love skating anywhere and anything to do with skateboarding.  But after a while only skating back and forth in the driveway and trying tricks here started to become a little bit of the same old same old.  I must admit I still do occasionally skate in the driveway because it is still fun even to do that, just not all the time – aka everyday without any other options.  So to change things up one Christmas I asked for an Element Flat Bar and received the Element Flat Bar. I set up the Element Flat Bar on the driveway and never looked back.  I have had this Element Flat Bar for about 3 years now (maybe longer) and I have really enjoyed this rail.  It’s just a simple 6-foot flat bar and can be a lot of fun to skate.  You can practice and learn a majority of rail tricks right on your own driveway.  You don’t have to go to a skatepark or try and turn another obstacle into a rail that isn’t supposed to be one. The Element Flat Bar is a great rail to practice on and it really can benefit your skateboarding abilities to have your own obstacles to practice on because they are more available to you.  Like I said I set mine up on the driveway so I would just come home every day after school and practice on it. I had basically turned my own driveway into a mini skatepark.  However because of the harsh Canadian winters when the snow starts to fall i set up my Element Flat Bar in my garage.  What can I say, the Element Flat Bar is a very nice and solid flat bar that is solid and well built and has lasted me for over three years and is still holding up strong.  However, if I had to say something about the Element Flat Bar that I didn’t really like it would be when you start to skate it the design on the top starts to peel off (the top of the rail is covered in Element logos).  But it is a small problem I had and you can always buy new stickers to put on it.  Overall, I am really happy with the Element Flat Bar and would recommend it to anyone who wants their own skate rail.

Element Flat Bar

My favorite skate shoe: The Etnies Men's Sheckler 5 Skate Shoe

For the past two years I have only worn Ryan Sheckler’s shoe – The Etnies Men's Sheckler 5 Skate Shoe.  It is in my opinion the best skate shoe out there on the market.  In fact, they are my favorite shoe in general.  Because not only are they great shoes to skate in but they also look awesome.  First things first, the shoe looks really nice and clean.  I am a huge fan of shoes, actually all products in fact, that have a simple, clean look to them and the Etnies Men's Sheckler 5 Skate Shoe nail this concept.  With its simple and clean look I don’t think there is a better looking shoe on the market; that of course is my humble opinion.  But I really do think they look so sharp with almost no design elements on them except for the little “Etines” logo on the back left of the shoe.  Other than that the shoe is fairly plain; again simple always works best in regards to design.  On top of this simple design I also really love the color of the shoe; I really like the red on the white of the shoe, it really pops out.  Overall, this simple design with common yet contrasting colors creates an eye catching and bold look that really jumped out at me.  When it comes to picking a shoe, other than the look of it, one of the most important things about a skate shoe is how well it is made.  Is it going to last for a while if they get used a lot?  Or are they going to get worn out after one month of skating which makes me have to get new shoes?  Well in the case of the Etnies Men's Sheckler 5 Skate Shoe I can say with confidence that over the past two years of hard skating and the harsh Canadian winters that the only changes I have seen on my shoes it that the color has faded a bit and there is a small tear at the front of my shoe where I do my kickflips, but it is really small. For two years of use that is by far the longest lasting shoe I have used.  As I said before I did buy two pairs and I do suggest doing the same if you can.  I literally wear one pair all day everyday for everything and they still are in good shape after two years. The Etnies Men's Sheckler 5 Skate Shoe is a great shoe and would absolutely recommend the shoe to anyone who is in the market for skateboarding shoes.

Etnies Men's Sheckler 5 Skate Shoe