Friday, March 22, 2013

Top 5

I decided to kick off the blog with an ode to my top 5 skaters and what I find to be the best video evidence substantiating that claim.  In no particular order:


1. Madars Apse

European skaters work hard.  Madars Apse is no different -- his trick selection is varied, his style is natural, and the product looks great.  Most of you have probably seen his part in Future Nature, so I posted this older part from Element Europe's last video, Get Busy Living.  I think it flows better than his sophomore part, and the ender is better in my opinion too.  Props to the lankiest, goofiest skater who still knows how to make it look fun.





2. Josiah Gatlyn

I honestly thought this dude was about to blow up and go pro after the Bang Yo Self contest, much like the Cory Kennedy trajectory.  I don't know why Stereo left the picture but I hear he switched sponsors (again) from Zero flow to being on Chris Cole's subsidiary board company, Threat.  With independent compilations like this one, companies should be drooling over Josiah's work ethic.  The style is buttery and I love the trick selection... front feebles, bluntslides, big flips, etc.  Someone put him back on the map!




3.  Trent McClung

This McClung brother can do no wrong.  Every video he's associated with is worth watching; I can't say enough good things.  He's like a younger, steezier PJ Ladd.  Every trick is popped waist-high.  The ledge-to-manual combos he does are nuts.  His recent parts (Element's Future Nature, welcome to the Element team video, welcome to LRG, Bones' New Ground, etc.) are all mind-blowing, but this Mo' Mondays clip is stacked, decently lengthy, and reminds me of when I first started hearing this name.  Dude kills it.





4. Mark Suciu

Mark has the fastest feet in the game, long-ass lines, and style for days.  I remember when he was just the little Volcom grom poster-child.  He's come a very long way since then due to the insane amount of footage he collects.  Aside from Habitat videos over the years, he has released tons of online parts that are always pro-quality, like his recent welcome video to Adidas Skateboarding.  He gets more coverage than anyone so it's good to see him going on blast.  Watch this part he dropped through Thrasher to see what skateboarding is supposed to look like... technical, high speed, smooth-style shredding.





5.  Sam Hubble

I have to pay homage to the skateshop that introduced me to this perfect sport, Technique (RIP).  Technique shop videos were on loop all day, every day as a kid.  I know them all by heart and it's those types of videos that bring me back to the root of it all.  Just hearing the familiar songs in the parts reminds me of when I was first learning to kick around on a board.  So, here is Sam Hubble.  The first person to make skateboarding look like something I could enjoy.  He's currently recuperating from a knee injury and should hopefully be back out in San Diego soon so we can see some new footage from him with the SK8MAFIA dudes.  You need to see every trick in this video.