The Vault | The LeRoy Grannis Collection | Vol 3

The Vault | The LeRoy Grannis Collection | Vol 3 from The Bend on Vimeo.
John Grannis, son of LeRoy Grannis, takes us through the legendary photo archives of his father, John "Doc" Ball and Bob Johnson.

In this episode, we visit the official archive of LeRoy Grannis in Hollywood, California to look through some of LeRoy's earliest work from Malibu in the early 1960s including unseen images of Miki Dora, LeRoy's camera collection, as well as photos from the early 1970s on the North Shore of Oahu.

Directed by Bryce Lowe-White

For more go to http://www.TheBendCA.com

Duct Tape Pool Party

Duct Tape Pool Party from STAB on Vimeo.

Boundless Dimension Society ll Mr. & Mrs. Wessels

Boundless Dimension Society ll Mr. & Mrs. Wessels from Nico Ramos on Vimeo.
JJ and Natalie Wessels got the blues.

Music: Beat Me 'Til I'm Blue by Alan Hawkshaw
Edit and Film: Who Gives a F#$% (Nico Ramos)

Boundless Dimension Society

The Vault | The LeRoy Grannis Collection | Vol 2

The Vault | The LeRoy Grannis Collection | Vol 2 from The Bend on Vimeo.
John Grannis, son of LeRoy Grannis, takes us through the legendary photo archives of his father, John "Doc" Ball and Bob Johnson.

In this episode, we head to Hollywood, California to visit the official archive of LeRoy Grannis. The Grannis Archive is made up of over 100,000 original photographs including the collection of John "Doc" Ball. "Doc" documented the first generation of California surfers, including LeRoy Grannis, throughout the 1930s - 1940s. He is acknowledged to many as the first official surf photographer on earth.

Directed by Bryce Lowe-White

A Conversation with Andy Nieblas | SURFER Magazine: Alternative Lines

Filmed by Andrea Coleman

Zack Flores Is San Diego's Next Surfer/Shaper Torchbearer

Zack Flores Is San Diego's Next Surfer/Shaper Torchbearer from STAB on Vimeo.

The Vault | The LeRoy Grannis Collection | Vol. 1

The Vault | The LeRoy Grannis Collection | Vol. 1 from The Bend on Vimeo.
John Grannis, son of LeRoy Grannis, takes us through the legendary photo archives of his father, John "Doc" Ball and Bob Johnson.

In this episode, John pulls out some photos by Bob Johnson, a good friend of his father's. While his photography is relatively unknown, Bob documented the first generation of California surfers alongside John "Doc" Ball in the 1930s - 1940s.

Directed by Bryce Lowe-White

Gliding Barnacles | Like Father Like Son

Gliding Barnacles - Like Father Like Son from Cool & Vintage on Vimeo.
Every year in Figueira da Foz, on the north coast of Portugal, Father and Son organize a gathering called Gliding Barnacles.

Howler Brothers Presents: Doce Días

Howler Brothers Presents: Doce Días from HOWLER BROTHERS ⚡️ on Vimeo.
Mexi Log Fest in La Saladita, Mexico is a glorious blend of waves, tacos, mezcal and dancinng with friends from around the globe. The event bills itself as a "Classic Longboard and Lifestyle Festival" but its so much more. It is truly one of the best hangs around. Consequently, we cannot resist making the pilgrimage each year to take it all in and link up with people from all walks of the surfing world.

This year, we sent down friend/filmmaker, Evan Adamson, to video his fellow Texans, Nate Floyd and Tegan Gainan, surfing and partaking all the other glories this fest has to offer. Here's a fun and quirky glimpse at the time they had south of the border.

Presented by Howler Brothers
howlerbros.com/

Directed, Shot, & Edited by Evan Adamson
vimeo.com/evanadamson
instagram.com/evan.adamson
facebook.com/adamsonfilms

Surfing by Tegan Gainan, Nathan Floyd and Johnny Pitzer
instagram.com/tegan_gainan
instagram.com/nate_floyd
instagram.com/jphonolua

Lady Sliding by Lola Mignot, Kirra Seale and Honolua Blomfield
instagram.com/kirraseale
instagram.com/lolamignot
instagram.com/honoluablomfiled

Music by Andy Gonzales y Sus Amigos
Song 1: "La Cumbiera"
Song 2: "Hecho en Mexico"
Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/3bvnwI7Th0skvhjaapJt0b
Purchase on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/album/andy-gonzales-y-sus-amigos/994686598

Island Surfing in Southern Sri Lanka with Ceylon Sliders

Island Surfing in Southern Sri Lanka with Ceylon Sliders from Local Kin on Vimeo.
Surfers Thili Mauranga & Petter Toremalm enjoying a morning at one of their favorite spots in South Sri Lanka.

Supported by Bing Surfboards.

Land and water photography: Lachlan Dempsey
Drone Photography: Jake Kin
Edit: Lachlan Dempsey

http://www.ceylonsliders.com

Matt Chojnacki | Sydney, Australia

Matt Chojnacki | Sydney, Australia from NobodySurf on Vimeo.
- Location -
Sydney, NSW, Australia

- Surfer -
Matt Chojnacki (@thewaxhead)

- Film/Edit -
Blake Dubler (@blakedubler)

- Supported by -
Vans (@vanssurf)
McTavish Surfboard (@mctavishsurf)
Uppercut Deluxe (@uppercutdeluxe)
Flying Tiger Barbershop (@flyingtigerbarbershop)

- Music -
"Ghetto In Paradise" by Guts

- Year -
2018

- Run Time -
1min

SURFING ITALY! | ALE PONZANELLI LONGBOARDS in BELLA VITA FILM

SURFING ITALY!  ALE PONZANELLI LONGBOARDS in BELLA VITA FILM from jason baffa films on Vimeo.
Did you enjoy the clip?  please consider supporting the production by buying an HD download of the entire documentary, visit:  www.bellavitafilm.com

Italian stylist Alessandro Ponzanelli surfs a remote point break in the Mediterranean Sea.  Shot on 35mm & 16mm Film by Jason Baffa and water cinematographer, Scott Kassenoff.  To see the whole movie, featuring Leonardo Fioravanti, Conner Coffin, Parker Coffin, Dave Rastovich and Chris Del Moro visit #iTunes, #Amazon or bellavitafilm.com

Down at the Bu

Down at the Bu from Mollusk Surf Shop on Vimeo.
Big city, bright lights: everybody we know can be found here. Jack Coleman and a full cast of characters descended upon the 'bu for a lengthy board meeting on this most recent south swell. Palms were greased, deals were made, and the majority shareholders were pleased with their return on investment. Enjoy this edit of the multi-shredder conglomerate of Southern California.

CJ nelson | in conversation on sobriety

CJ nelson | in conversation on sobriety from the noun collective on Vimeo.
CJ Nelson is a super talented longboarder and has made a living from doing what he loves.

He is ‘living the dream’. CJ doesn’t see it like this. He has battled with substance abuse and has regrets on the way he treated himself and others.

He is now on the path to making amends. Living clean, consciously and inspiring the next generation to do the same.

This is his story.

http://thenouncollective.com/cj-nelson/

Santa Cruz photography: Alex Darocy

Katin in the Basque Country

Katin in the Basque Country from Katin USA on Vimeo.

Roseblood

Roseblood from ClubMedSucks on Vimeo.

Meet Jules | RVCA

Meet Jules from RVCA on Vimeo.
Hailing from Europe’s cradle of surfing, La Côte des Basques in Biarritz, France… Meet Jules, 15, a natural-footer switching from classic log to twin-fins and alaias with one very specific thing : he wears a large stoked smile from dawn till dusk when in the water. The young man started focusing on his retro-surf passion not long ago, and has found his perfect fit riding Thomas Bexon’s vessels and going from one single-fin event to another… Talent, positive attitude & passion for surfing mostly define who he is. Meet then young man before you see him up against the world’s stylish log-riders at next year’s Mexilog festival… Yep, he’s invited…

Video - Shot & edited by Sarah Segalla
Music - Juniore 'Cavalier solitaire' Instrumental Version

Jared Mell & Art of Steeze

Jared Mell & the Art of Steeze from Noon Moon Productions on Vimeo.
Watching Jared Mell surf is anything but predictable. And that's part of what makes him so fun to watch -- you never know what's about to happen next. Here are a few moments from Jared's rides during the Deus ex Machina "9-Ft & Single Event" in Canggu, Bali this year.

Music: Black Rabbit George
Footage: Andre Cricket & Peter Baker

An Evening With James Parry

An Evening With James Parry from Foam Symmetry on Vimeo.

Surfing the Asphalt

I accepted Ritch's invitation, writer at heelsidechill.com to be a guest blogger!

So Ritch, be my guest...

Surfing the Asphalt: Finding a Decent Street Longboard Ain’t so Tough

As longboarding reaches new levels of popularity, the equipment marketplace is becoming choked with options. Some of these companies exist only to sell a single longboard to newbies, selling them junk with slick graphics. However, a few of the top manufacturers continue to make the top-quality gear that made them their bones while continuing to innovate.

That’s not to say that a longboard or its parts must be expensive to be serviceable. If you’re just starting out, you can purchase a cheaper street longboard to find out if you like it. Many longboards under $100 will work just fine for beginners. A top-tier, longboard is not necessary for learning the basics. After some time, though, most riders learn to appreciate finer equipment, as they develop skills that necessitate precise engineering. Let’s look at a few manufacturers that are still on top of their games.

Quality Longboards

Sector 9

Few manufacturers can claim that they invented their field, but the owners of Sector 9 can. Back in the early 1990s, a small group of friends in the U.S. began shaping old snowboards into the first longboards skating had seen since the 70s. They mounted trucks and wheels to their creations, which all resembled the modern pintail longboard, and took to the hills. When they began selling them to their friends, they quickly became inundated with orders. They formed Sector 9 in 1993 and have been industry leaders ever since.

Of course, longboarding has evolved since those early days, and the pintail shape is no longer ubiquitous. From around-towners like the drop-through Mini Lookout and the mini-cruiser Bambino to the all-out insanity of its Down Hill Division series, Sector 9 continues to produce quality street longboards. The company’s old school shapes are also garnering attention in the industry, and Sector 9’s use of bamboo top layers continues to help its boards look as good as they ride. Sector 9 wheels and protective gear — especially sliding gloves — also remain as popular as ever.

Arbor Collective

Collectively known as Arbor, Arbor Collective is a snowboard and longboard company with a conscience. It has built its brand on responsible manufacturing. Arbor uses renewable materials in creative ways, such as utilizing sugars in its sweet-rolling Sucrose Initiative wheels. Arbor also reuses the leftovers from cutting and sanding its decks, and it donates funds to help preserve Hawaii’s Koa forests.

Arbor doesn’t just make street longboards, it crafts them. The Koa forests it helps protect are the source of some of the company’s finest top woods. The care Arbor puts into its decks is evident in the beautiful wood grain on its decks, which it reveals with environmentally friendly clear spray-on grip. From the small and portable Pocket Rocket mini cruiser to classic pintails and downhill-ready drop throughs, Arbor has a street longboard for everyone, and it’s a purchase you can feel good about.

Landyachtz

Landyachtz had its inception in the late 1990s, formed by two lifelong friends in British Columbia. It has since grown into a major player in the longboard market while developing a sustainability program of its own. Landyachtz plants one tree for every board it sells, which should make for whole forests in the coming years.

Landyachtz continues to innovate with interesting shapes like the Dinghy Trout swallow-tail mini cruiser, but its drop-through and drop-down decks are perennial favorites in downhill longboarding. Any will make fine street longboards, especially if cruising and carving are on the agenda.

Rayne

Rayne has continued to diversify its offerings over the years, but its longboards are still its flagship products. The company’s commitment to producing the finest decks is evident. Rayne still manufacturers its longboards in Vancouver, B.C. It also continues to build on the innovation that saw it introduce the first bamboo-and-fiberglass longboards, which brought a new level of stiffness and toughness to downhill longboards.

Rayne’s newest shapes show an understanding of the direction longboarding is heading that only true insiders possess. It devises decks for the different disciplines, rather than expecting those experienced riders to conform to its shapes. Rayne downhill decks are all top-mount with adjustable wheelbases, are offer the utmost in stability. It also produces decks specifically for dance style, as well as a new line of mini cruisers. Rayne has a street longboard for every rider.

Conclusion

This list of competent longboard companies is necessarily brief. There are others, such as Santa Cruz, Gold Coast, Globe, Dusters and more that are putting out some fine wood and urethane. And, new companies continue to break out with quality gear on a regular basis. Of course, quality is never cheap. Be wary of longboards costing fractions of what top brands sell for, as the prices of quality materials and manufacturing preclude selling these boards on the cheap. Finding a good street longboard is not that difficult, but you usually get what you pay for.


By Ritch, writer and also hobbyist longboarder.