Ladies and gentlemen, this is not to be missed (even though I regretfully did). Find a tour date here and call up your crew (worldwide!) Hi-res skateboardsmanship at its finest. No harness or net. Prepare to be amazed, befuddled and possibly perplexed. Or maybe just stoked.
Showing posts with label Volcom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Volcom. Show all posts
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Powder Day Volcom Giveaway!
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| Charlie Slasher not included |
It's finally snowing a bit out here in Oregon and it's about time. My first pow day came damn near all the way through February! I know the rest of you have been waiting a while for a proper winter, too (unless you're in the Midwest or East Coast, in which case, congrats, or Japan, in which case do you have a room I can rent next winter?), so I'm here to help you out with some free shit! This here's a Volcom Service 4-Way Stretch Jacket. I'm no expert on 4-Ways, but that's a lot of stretch. This thing shines like the sun, too, so all your buddies will be able to see you even when you're fully immersed in the white room. All you gotta do is comment on this post, 'like' the related instagram (@boredyak) and/or retweet the tweet (@boredyak). Use the hashtag #yakjacket so I can find you. Oh, you know you have to follow my channels, too, dunce. May the best (random) fan win!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
'Guch Teaches You the Backcountry
Last post I was talking about how we didn't have any snow. One week and nine feet of snow later and we're back in business. Of course, going from cold to rain, back to cold and dry and now a bunch of wet heavy snow has left the snowpack about as unstable as it gets. Who could possibly teach us about about how to have fun in such a minefield? Umm, Bryan Iguchi? Just to be sure, this isn't meant to replace any structured or accredited avalanche training, just 'shop talk'. Probably more like common sense stuff, which is not nearly common enough these days. Maybe like that North Face thing. Come check it out, though. At the very least, you hear some stories from a guy who has a few and a lesson worth repeating. (Seriously, THE GUCH!) Maybe you'll learn a thing or two while you're there and meet some shreds who like to get out and get after it on the other side of the ropes.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
My Gear This Year 2012: Jackets in Review
Part two in this year's look at my gear and its upkeep will focus on the stuff that keeps my torso warm and dry. I'm lucky enough to get some outerwear almost every year. Some because I'm good at trivia, some because I can convince people that my word can be construed as marketing, some through connections and some just because I pay hard dollars for it. One thing is for sure, now is the time to go through you jacket pockets. This year I found a goggle bag and a dollar. Thank Terje I didn't find anything rotten like I have in the Snowdays jackets (banana peel). Now on to my closet...
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| L to R: Homeschool, Holden, Columbia (w/ liner), Volcom, Billabong, Neff |
First up, the Homeschool Snowboarding With Teeth jacket in Ever (green). Well isn't that clevergreen. Homeschool sent me a kit to review for this winter, their first year with outerwear on the market. I haven't worn it riding yet, so I can't say much, but it is 10k waterproof and a whopping 30k breathable. It's comfortable. The fabric is nice and flexible right out of the wrapper. Enough pockets, not too many. Good pant to jacket connection. Some conspicuous omissions: wrist gaiters. The hood barely covers my XL helmet. I'm intrigued by the Cocona fabric technology. You'll hear more about this as the season plays out.
Next is the 2010 Holden Harvieux. It's a sample. 10k water and 5k breathe. Yeah, I get that inside-out sweat feel sometimes. Not a storm jacket, but my opening day jacket this year and my most stylish coat. To me this means I feel like I 'should' wear it around town, but I usually don't. I only wear the jackets in that picture around town when it's really pouring. Except the Neff. I save those jackets and their DWR for snowboarding. A regular hoodie will get you by in Portland. Especially when you're used to colder places. Anyway, the Holden jacket is nice in that it has wrist gaiters, as every jacket should, but surprisingly few do. It keeps me dry, but its pow skirt is worthless unless you have a zipper that fits (I don't). A good number of useful pockets and then one with a fake button top, but real side-zip entry. I thought it was a fake pocket for months. The hood actually fits comfortably over my King-dome helmet for those extra stormy days. The liner is Cocona and the rest of the coat is recycled poly. As Holden says, it's eco-friendlier, which is a plus in my book. I still wouldn't pay retail for it at $260. It needs to come through better than that for that price. Then again, I'm not into fashion.
That gray and green piece (and the darker layer to its right) is the 2011 Columbia Powder Bowl Parka. Columbia sent it to me because they identified me as a passionate blogger. And they wanted to crack into the snowboard scene. I said about all I have to say about this coat in this post. One thing a friend of mine brought to my attention is that this jacket might be good for hunters who sit in one spot for long hours. This means it might also be good for snow filmers. Just not people who are constantly riding. That said, I do keep the layer in my bag at all times.
What you see next is the Volcom Gennerman. Gore-Tex Soft Shell. Bought it in '08ish on one of those deal-a-day sites. Best jacket I've ever had. Amazing water and sweat resistance. Same goes for durability. Perfect number of pockets, that being four. That might have been a little before the era of wrist gaiters, so it has that excuse for not having them. The pit-zips don't have mesh backing, so if you ever have to open the vents you risk snow entering the 'no snow zone.' It has the standard Volcom Zip-Tech pow skirt, but also clips that work with belt loops for a more universal appeal. I wonder why more companies don't do that. Some jackets just work and this is one of them. I'd have no problem paying retail for this.
The black and green stripes? That's a little Billabong number. Mark Frank Montoya handed it to me when I correctly answered the question: Who did the music for Nicolas Müller's part in Saturation? This was at the Optimistic? (2007) premiere. Here's the thing, I had never seen Saturation. Still haven't. Justin Hostynek was up on the mic giving clues and and shutting people down. It was getting awkward for a second. Then he said something like, 'He might even be here tonight.' And that was the give away. Scott Sullivan. I try to wear this jacket when I'm riding with a big group. It's easy to pick out. Nothing special. Middle of the road stuff. Touchscreen compatible mobile device pocket. Good pow dress (the snaps). Starting to need the spray-on waterproofing (I use Nikwax TX Direct). I might have sold it if it didn't fit so well. Kinda ho-hum, but it has gotten me through a few years now.
Finally, you can guess by the print that the tech hoody on the far right is the Neff. That was a late-season sale purchase. For a road trip where I didn't have a rain jacket or a warm coat. Guess that means I bought it in '09. Saved my bacon in a Mississippi downpour. Pair up the animals type weather. Me out in my Neff checking out the swamps. Looking for gators. Saw none. She sees the spring slopes and city streets only. Breathes like a Hefty bag. The vents are always open. The pow skirt zips off when you don't need it and has those snap closures that can fasten around belt loops when you do. Thumb loops, too. Good piece. Knows its role. I just wish it was more breathable.
Having more than one jacket is key. You can switch things up and not wear the same jacket back to back, over and over. This increases the durability more than you can imagine. Now, I know not everyone is lucky enough to have six jackets, but when you see that I only paid for two of them, well maybe I've given you some ideas as to how to get cheap or free jackets for yourself. Of course, most involve luck. Some involve buying used, buying in the springtime or finding sample sales. Get some Gore-Tex Soft Shell if you can. That fabric is perfect. Keep an eye out for Homeschool Snowboarding, though. They could be a hometown sleeper.
Check out my other "My Gear This Year 2012" reviews: Boards and Pants.
What you see next is the Volcom Gennerman. Gore-Tex Soft Shell. Bought it in '08ish on one of those deal-a-day sites. Best jacket I've ever had. Amazing water and sweat resistance. Same goes for durability. Perfect number of pockets, that being four. That might have been a little before the era of wrist gaiters, so it has that excuse for not having them. The pit-zips don't have mesh backing, so if you ever have to open the vents you risk snow entering the 'no snow zone.' It has the standard Volcom Zip-Tech pow skirt, but also clips that work with belt loops for a more universal appeal. I wonder why more companies don't do that. Some jackets just work and this is one of them. I'd have no problem paying retail for this.
The black and green stripes? That's a little Billabong number. Mark Frank Montoya handed it to me when I correctly answered the question: Who did the music for Nicolas Müller's part in Saturation? This was at the Optimistic? (2007) premiere. Here's the thing, I had never seen Saturation. Still haven't. Justin Hostynek was up on the mic giving clues and and shutting people down. It was getting awkward for a second. Then he said something like, 'He might even be here tonight.' And that was the give away. Scott Sullivan. I try to wear this jacket when I'm riding with a big group. It's easy to pick out. Nothing special. Middle of the road stuff. Touchscreen compatible mobile device pocket. Good pow dress (the snaps). Starting to need the spray-on waterproofing (I use Nikwax TX Direct). I might have sold it if it didn't fit so well. Kinda ho-hum, but it has gotten me through a few years now.
Finally, you can guess by the print that the tech hoody on the far right is the Neff. That was a late-season sale purchase. For a road trip where I didn't have a rain jacket or a warm coat. Guess that means I bought it in '09. Saved my bacon in a Mississippi downpour. Pair up the animals type weather. Me out in my Neff checking out the swamps. Looking for gators. Saw none. She sees the spring slopes and city streets only. Breathes like a Hefty bag. The vents are always open. The pow skirt zips off when you don't need it and has those snap closures that can fasten around belt loops when you do. Thumb loops, too. Good piece. Knows its role. I just wish it was more breathable.
Having more than one jacket is key. You can switch things up and not wear the same jacket back to back, over and over. This increases the durability more than you can imagine. Now, I know not everyone is lucky enough to have six jackets, but when you see that I only paid for two of them, well maybe I've given you some ideas as to how to get cheap or free jackets for yourself. Of course, most involve luck. Some involve buying used, buying in the springtime or finding sample sales. Get some Gore-Tex Soft Shell if you can. That fabric is perfect. Keep an eye out for Homeschool Snowboarding, though. They could be a hometown sleeper.
Check out my other "My Gear This Year 2012" reviews: Boards and Pants.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Purgatory: A Brief Guide to Videos, Since You Probably Can't Ride Yet
No, not the formerly-known-as ski resort. I'm talking about when you can see the goods, but can't get in. As in, this time of year. It's snowing. The weather outside is shitty, but still you can't snowboard. It might be another couple weeks, even by the resort's most optimistic forecast. How the hell is a pusher of p-tex supposed to stay sane? Watch a ton of videos, that's how. The following is a brief 'what's what' of the few videos I've watched this season. No one can tell you what to watch, but I can lay out the info as objectively as possible. Pick out the one that most suits your taste and it'll keep you from going cuckoo for snow snow puffs until you can finally get out there.
Title: Jeremy Jones' Deeper
Crew: Teton Gravity Research
Riders: Jeremy Jones, Travis Rice, Xavier De Le Rue, Josh Dirksen, Ryland Bell, Jonaven Moore, Forrest Shearer, Johan Olofsson, Lucas Debari, and Tom Burt
What It's Got: backcountry, documentary style, big lines, long trips, hikes to every drop, huge mountains, Alaska, Chamonix, Sierras, Antarctica, a few backcountry booters, that epic feeling
What It's Not: parks, rails, anything urban
My Opinion: If it doesn't make you want to shred, it will make you want to get better.
Title: Right Brain, Left Brain (disclaimer: I only saw the Right Brain)
Crew: Think Thank
Riders: Jesse Burtner, Matt Edgers, Scott Stevens, Sean Genovese, Gus Engle, Pat Milbery, Nick Visconti, Tim Eddy, Mark Thompson, Jason Robinson, Chris Beresford, Austin Hironaka, Blair Habenicht, Chris Larson, Ben Bogart, Sam Hulbert, Austen Granger, Andre Spinelli, Chris Brewster, Jess Kimura (no wonder they 'needed' two discs)
What It's Got: lots of jibs, some park, some backcountry, crazy one-footed stylings, crazier 'kickflips' and other no-footed shenanigans, some big spins off of big jumps, fun feeling, fast pace
What It's Not: that self-serious feeling that so many videos get these days
My Opinion: It will make you look at snowboarding (and your snowboard) differently and that's a good thing.
Title: In Color
Crew: Transworld Snowbording
Riders: Chris Bradshaw, Devun Walsh, Iikka Backstrom, Jake Olson Elm, Jussi Oksanen, Keegan Valaika, Mark Sollors, Mikkel Bang, Phil Jacques
What It's Got: shred porn, good mix of urban and backcountry (maybe leans more toward urban), giant glacier-maw gap, old-school and new-school riders, solid
What's It's Not: big mountain lines, lacking
My Opinion: Plenty of amazing riding, so why was I feeling a little 'meh' at the end? Was that just me?
Title: 9191
Crew: Volcom
Riders: Gigi Rüf, Nicolas Müller, Austin Smith, Curtis Cizek, Wille Yli-Luoma, Wolle Nyvelt, Jake Blauvelt, Blair Habenicht, Luke Mitrani, Bryan Iguchi
What It's Got: Gigi-centric without actually feeling Gigi-centric, custom-made soundtrack (Slayer's drummer performs a drum solo), extraordinarily creative backcountry, enough of said backcountry to make you want to spring for a heli this year (as if you didn't already)
What It's Not: urban, bad
My Opinion: This one really made me want to ride. Add a little more documentary and it's up there with the best ever.
Title: Fuck It
Crew: Forum
Riders: John Jackson, Stevie Bell, Nic Sauve, Niko Cioffi, Austen Sweetin, Jake Welch, Cameron Pierce, Pat Moore, Andreas Wiig
What It's Got: funny intro sequences, urban, big park jumps, John Jackson getting gnar in the backcountry, some others get a little in the backcountry
What It's Not: Peter Line, Daniel Ek
My Opinion: I was bored with all the rail and park porn. Then John Jackson came on and I got stoked.
Hopefully this list will help you get a grip on some of the videos out there this year. As usual, you have dozens of choices and they're all different. Mostly different. The few I've listed are but mere flakes on the grand mountain of shred celluloid. Fortunately, unlike Indy's choice in The Last Crusade, you can't really go wrong. And with iTunes out there, you can put a couple bucks away toward your season pass, too. If you're lucky, you have friends who like shred flicks, too and you can borrow some. Trade back and forth and get a little library thing going. Which makes me think, why isn't there any place out there where you can rent these videos? Would anyone else partake in this? I know I would. While I'm mini-ranting, does anyone else feel like it's giving away the ending when people who preview videos tell you who had the ender? I do. That shit has got to stop!
Deeper and 9191 are the two from this list that I'll buy. Their re-watching potential is sooo high. I'll also probably buy Absinthe's NowHere (though maybe on iTunes) because I know, instinctively, that it's going to be good. I might have to get Right Brain, Left Brain, too, if only to see the other half.
No matter how close the season is, it will always feel like an eternity. With the right exercise and stretching routine to get you in shape (you know, so you can actually ride without feeling like every bit of soft tissue in your knee is going to explode on every landing) and a couple movies to keep the kid in you alive you'll be on that first chair in no time. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to find someone to convert my old, twisted Mack Dawg tapes to DVD.
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| In a land... |
Crew: Teton Gravity Research
Riders: Jeremy Jones, Travis Rice, Xavier De Le Rue, Josh Dirksen, Ryland Bell, Jonaven Moore, Forrest Shearer, Johan Olofsson, Lucas Debari, and Tom Burt
What It's Got: backcountry, documentary style, big lines, long trips, hikes to every drop, huge mountains, Alaska, Chamonix, Sierras, Antarctica, a few backcountry booters, that epic feeling
What It's Not: parks, rails, anything urban
My Opinion: If it doesn't make you want to shred, it will make you want to get better.
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| A fresh one-footer over a foot of fresh powder |
Crew: Think Thank
Riders: Jesse Burtner, Matt Edgers, Scott Stevens, Sean Genovese, Gus Engle, Pat Milbery, Nick Visconti, Tim Eddy, Mark Thompson, Jason Robinson, Chris Beresford, Austin Hironaka, Blair Habenicht, Chris Larson, Ben Bogart, Sam Hulbert, Austen Granger, Andre Spinelli, Chris Brewster, Jess Kimura (no wonder they 'needed' two discs)
What It's Got: lots of jibs, some park, some backcountry, crazy one-footed stylings, crazier 'kickflips' and other no-footed shenanigans, some big spins off of big jumps, fun feeling, fast pace
What It's Not: that self-serious feeling that so many videos get these days
My Opinion: It will make you look at snowboarding (and your snowboard) differently and that's a good thing.
 |
| Yes it was |
Crew: Transworld Snowbording
Riders: Chris Bradshaw, Devun Walsh, Iikka Backstrom, Jake Olson Elm, Jussi Oksanen, Keegan Valaika, Mark Sollors, Mikkel Bang, Phil Jacques
What It's Got: shred porn, good mix of urban and backcountry (maybe leans more toward urban), giant glacier-maw gap, old-school and new-school riders, solid
What's It's Not: big mountain lines, lacking
My Opinion: Plenty of amazing riding, so why was I feeling a little 'meh' at the end? Was that just me?
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| Minibike himself showing love at his hometown screening of 9191. |
Crew: Volcom
Riders: Gigi Rüf, Nicolas Müller, Austin Smith, Curtis Cizek, Wille Yli-Luoma, Wolle Nyvelt, Jake Blauvelt, Blair Habenicht, Luke Mitrani, Bryan Iguchi
What It's Got: Gigi-centric without actually feeling Gigi-centric, custom-made soundtrack (Slayer's drummer performs a drum solo), extraordinarily creative backcountry, enough of said backcountry to make you want to spring for a heli this year (as if you didn't already)
What It's Not: urban, bad
My Opinion: This one really made me want to ride. Add a little more documentary and it's up there with the best ever.
 |
| No, it's not censored in the actual movie |
Crew: Forum
Riders: John Jackson, Stevie Bell, Nic Sauve, Niko Cioffi, Austen Sweetin, Jake Welch, Cameron Pierce, Pat Moore, Andreas Wiig
What It's Got: funny intro sequences, urban, big park jumps, John Jackson getting gnar in the backcountry, some others get a little in the backcountry
What It's Not: Peter Line, Daniel Ek
My Opinion: I was bored with all the rail and park porn. Then John Jackson came on and I got stoked.
Hopefully this list will help you get a grip on some of the videos out there this year. As usual, you have dozens of choices and they're all different. Mostly different. The few I've listed are but mere flakes on the grand mountain of shred celluloid. Fortunately, unlike Indy's choice in The Last Crusade, you can't really go wrong. And with iTunes out there, you can put a couple bucks away toward your season pass, too. If you're lucky, you have friends who like shred flicks, too and you can borrow some. Trade back and forth and get a little library thing going. Which makes me think, why isn't there any place out there where you can rent these videos? Would anyone else partake in this? I know I would. While I'm mini-ranting, does anyone else feel like it's giving away the ending when people who preview videos tell you who had the ender? I do. That shit has got to stop!
Deeper and 9191 are the two from this list that I'll buy. Their re-watching potential is sooo high. I'll also probably buy Absinthe's NowHere (though maybe on iTunes) because I know, instinctively, that it's going to be good. I might have to get Right Brain, Left Brain, too, if only to see the other half.
No matter how close the season is, it will always feel like an eternity. With the right exercise and stretching routine to get you in shape (you know, so you can actually ride without feeling like every bit of soft tissue in your knee is going to explode on every landing) and a couple movies to keep the kid in you alive you'll be on that first chair in no time. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to find someone to convert my old, twisted Mack Dawg tapes to DVD.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Exit Real World is Just About Legal
Think Portland and snowboarding and you probably think unreasonably long drives to schralp some glaciated park features in the summer... or in the rain. Right after that, though, you probably think about Exit Real World, the down-as-hell, 'core' shop that's celebrating it's 17th anniversary this month. That seed was actually sewn in Salem way back when and the party returns this weekend. Friday, October 15th at 8pm, The Ike Box in Downtown Salem (299 Cottage St.) will be lighting up the silver screen with Volcom's 9191 and Peepshow's Let's Make Better Mistakes Tomorrow. As if a shred double-feature wasn't good enough (did I mention it's only $5!?) Exit is having their biggest sale of the year the following Saturday and Sunday! Up to 75% off and shit!! Could I be more excited!!! Of course I could, think of all the free stuff they'll probably give away at this jam!!!1 I can hardly contain myself...
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| Kip Winger will not be appearing |
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