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| PRODUCT REVIEW DARKSTAR- With the absence of A-Team skateboards, there has been a lot of changes going on at Dwindle, including the release of two new deck brands, Enjoi and Darkstar. Darkstar is being headed up by Chet Thomas, who also does Darkstar Wheels. The shapes are similar to their sibling companies, Blind and Deca for example, but the graphics offer a new image under this canopy of successful companies. The pro team is made up of Chet and Ryan Kenreich, and they've got Guy Kampfen doing things on the amateur tip. REVIEW- 9/10 PIG SKATRBOADS- Yes, you read it right. Pig is now producing skateboards in addition to wheels, bearings, and the other accessories they've been known for throughout the years. The graphics on the new boards are bold and clean, and the shapes look great, which is no surprise considering they're produced at the same place as Toy Machine, Zero, and Foundation Skateboards. You might be wondering how this will affect team rosters. Well, it won't. The many Pig Powered Pros will keep their current deck sponsors, and Pig boards has no plan for pro models any time soon. So, basically, you've got a new logo to gawk at when you're staring up at the board wall, one that used to be confined to the glass case. REVIEW- 8/10 DOG TOWN SKATES- There's a lot to be said about Dog Town, so let's start with the name. Back in the 70s when the first heavy influences on street skating were taking place, the Venice Beach and Santa Monica area was the scene that would go down in skateboarding history. This place was known as Dog Town, and this is where the gnarliest and purest skateboarding was being done. Streets, ditches, and backyard pools were being attacked by a generation of youth who had embraced the skateboard and everything that came along with it: trespassing, scars, punk rock, and enormous amounts of fun. Dog Town skateboards naturally spawned from this societal niche, and the same fire that drove the force back then is blazing today. These days, Dog Town is staying on top of things with a wide array of shapes and sizes that will accommodate everyone from the tech dog to the gnarler, including a couple big boys as wide as 9.5 inches and as long as 37 inches. The boards are incredibly strong and I seriously could not chip the WeeMan pro-model no matter how hockey-temper I got on it. They haven't had the best financial history, but what they lack in monetary backing is more than made up for by their pure dedication. Dog Town Skateboards can be reached via their website, www.DogtownSkateboards.com. REVIEW- 9/10 CONSOLIDATED SKATEBOARDS- Consolidated Skateboards runs their little operation out of Santa Cruz, California. I call it a "little operation" because they like to keep things simple, but they are huge when it comes to their devotion to skateboarding. I'll use their own words to sum up the ethic they follow: "Less is more. Stay pure, stay poor." The skaters that they sponsor aren't trying to be superstars, and they don't fit into the latest trends, but their skateboarding is full of energy and the team stays tight. They advocate the boycotting of huge sporting good manufacturers trying to cash in on skateboarding. They also advocate the disassociation of skateboarding with other, lesser activities, such as rollerblading. They believe in supporting and building your local park, and not having some outsider get involved with jacked plans and twisted priorities. They are down for skateboarding in the truest sense of the word. Check out their website, the layout is done really well and there is plenty of informative propaganda. The pro team consists of Karma Tsocheff, Scott Bourne, Richard Paez, and Alan Peterson. REVIEW- 9/10 MEDIA SKATEBOARDS-MEDIA skateboards is out of Ontario, California, part of the famous Inland Empire that has produced so many of today's technical skaters. Media has a full line of product, including a couple minis that have tons of concave, and other boards that range from flat to bathtub. I skated the Dave Duren model, one of the flattest, and it was a great board. For how mellow the concave was, the board was surprisingly strong and had plenty of that pop you're all looking for. It is a 7.5 inch board, so it was nice and light, too. The team is Tommy Budjanec, Dave Duren, Jake Stewart, and Jonas Wray (yes, that's Jeremy's bro). REVIEW- 8.5/10 TONY HAWKS PRO SKATER FOR PLAYSTATION-Well if you thought the first game was the juice, its time to take your ass down to Toys R Us(or your local skateshop) and buy THPS2. The game has been improved with the additions of Eric Koston, Rodney Mullen and Steve Caballero and the trick menu is also better with the newly added bluntslides, nose and tail slides and kick ass new specials like Hurricane grinds and Koston's Fandangler grind. Levels include The Hanger, Southern California School # 2, Marseille, New York, Skate Street, Venice Beach, Philadelphia, The Bullring, and two hidden levels: Helicopter Drop and Skate Heaven. If all that isn't enough for you, how about the levels are twice as big and you have to clear 10 goals instead of 5. The game also offers all kinds of new lines and gaps including well-known spots like the Brooklyn Banks, the Carlsbad Gap and the "Leap of Faith". I spent 2 days playing this game like a crack addict looking for bike to fix. My thumbs hurt and my eyes were bloodshot but I played on. Secret characters soon revealed themselves; Officer Dick is back with new spiffy outfits and the Amazing Spiderman makes his skateboarding debut (the video is sick). Last but not least, you get the 80's Tony Hawk character complete with that silly-ass hairdo he used to rock back in the day. I'm not going to give you any tips on how to clear the levels but if you are a big fat cheater, here are some codes for you: Fatten Skater (can be applied multiple times): X,X,X,X,Left,X,X,X,X,Left,X,X,X,X,Left Thin Skater (can be applied multiple times): X,X,X,X,Square,X,X,X,X,SquareX,X,X,X,Square Toggle Blood on/off: RUST Stats at 10s: X,Triangle,Circle,Square,Triangle,Up,Down Always Special: X,Triangle,Circle,Circle,Up,Left,Triangle,Square Big Head: Square,Circle,Up,Left,Left,Square,Right,Up,Left REVIEW- 9/10 ENJJOI SKATEBOARDS-Since the discontinuation of A-Team skateboards, Marc Johnson has launched his new endeavor, Enjoi Skateboards, under the same umbrella as his former sponsor. The shapes are clean with mellow concave, and the graphics are colorful and amusing, using a panda bear as the main logo. This is definitely something we haven't seen before, and team rider Louie Barletta seems to think it's going to work. In a recent interview in Slap magazine, he had this to say: "This company is based on how it was when you first stepped foot on a skateboard and the reason you originally started skating. That's why this company is going to work, 'cause it's not based on some gimmick or image. It's based on the fact that skateboarding's just fun." Sounds good to me. After all, isn't it about time that we see a company that is aimed at skateboarders, not just a demographic within skateboarding? REVIEW- 9/10 Zero Jeans- First off, you know Zero isn't going to make some half-ass product, no matter what it is. How would they look if they sent these jeans all over the world to every would-be Jamie and Lopez from here to Japan, only to have them be complete crap? Well, that's why they chose to make these pants quality, from the seams right down to the little buttons graced with the Zero skull. They come in black, dark blue, or "faded" if you're going the dirtbag route, and they truly are comfortable, and have a little stretch in them, which makes them that much better for skating in. REVIEW- 9/10 HABITAT SKATE BACKPACK- Habitat went all out with this pack; tough materials, lots of functionality, and great design. They used a heavy-duty cordura nylon for plenty of strength. There are a number of roomy pockets that either button or zip, an extra net pouch with elastic top to keep its contents snug, and straps for carrying your board, buckling across your chest and stomach when the load is heavy, securing and supporting the zippers, even a couple that hang below the pack for a sleeping bag or blankets (or another board). It also looks pretty sweet… good color choices and design, and a nicely embroidered Habitat logo. So, do you want this thing or what? Well, if you're a member, don't forget to enter the weekly giveaway, and every time you do, you're automatically entered to win this backpack. Fair enough? If you're not a member, you can become one for only the cost of your precious time that you must use to sign up. The rest is up to us-the free stickers, the hundreds of dollars of giveaways every week, and supplying you with a damn good website. REVIEW- 9/10 |
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