Old Stuff
Newer isn't always better.
A couple weeks ago I went snowboarding in Utah with a couple of friends. When I returned, one of the guys I’d been riding with sent me this video, commemorating the 10th anniversary of Lib Tech’s Skate Banana snowboard. The reason he shared the clip is because I had been riding (and continue to ride) the very first edition of that snowboard. That means my board is OLD.
The Skate Banana was the first board to usher in the era of reverse camber. Other boardmakers hopped on the trend. Lib Tech’s Banana technology was labeled “V Rocker” by Burton. Today, according to the video-sending friend, employees at snowboard shops are talking up camber as the hot new thing, even though it’s not new at all. Before the advent of reverse camber a decade ago, all boards had a camber profile. This is all to say that what was once innovative technology has become ancient technology, and that what is now thought of as novel technology is actually not new at all.
Compounding matters was the fact that I was strapping even older boots—ThirtyTwo Ultralights—into that old board. As someone who used to get new boards and boots every year (every other year max), this was an interesting thing to come to terms with.
But here’s the thing: I like my old gear. I know what’s new and what it purports to accomplish, but I prefer what I’ve got. I like the fact that my boots are light and soft (stiff seems to be considered “better” by the industry at large) and that they have laces so I can make certain zones tight and certain zones loose. I like the way that reverse camber makes a board feel loose and free through turns, giving it the right degree (in my opinion) of out of control.
While I fully stand by those reasons, I do still wrestle with the creeping thought that I’m using those reasons to justify being stuck in my ways. With age, comes wisdom, but the flip side of that growing confidence in one’s discernment can be a reluctance to experience new things. If I already know what I like, why would I stray from that? The answer, of course, is that “what I like” is fungible. It can, and should, evolve, even if the barrier to entry for membership to the “what I like” crew rises.
This is a long-winded way of me coming to the conclusion that next year I’m going to get a new snowboard. I just can’t promise that it won’t be a new version of my old snowboard.
Joel Tudor on “Soundings with Jamie Brisick”
For all the ways that it can be considered out of the mainstream, surfing can be a very homogeneous place. Joel Tudor can reliably be counted on to be a fly in that ointment. He’s a contrarian agent provocateur with good taste who consistently keeps the surf world on its toes. In this podcast episode, he brings all of those traits to the fore, all while telling plain ol’ good stories. —Justin
Adidas Jamaica Football Federation Jerseys
Depending on the fit (not looking for anything skintight here), I’m a big supporter of soccer jerseys as T-shirt alternative. And the new Jamaican kits fit the bill perfectly. They were designed by Wales Bonner and are the tough-to-nail mix of streetwear cool and athletic performance. Here’s hoping this partnership continues to develop in the future. —Justin
The Yin and Yang of Gerry Lopez
For the past few weeks, this has been my go-to nap-time-video. In other words, when the 3pm crash comes, I lay on the couch or bed and put on this peaceful surfing montage with a soundtrack of infinite wisdom from the legendary Gerry Lopez. It put me right to sleep within 5 minutes every time, but I finally finished it this weekend and could only think: what a cool grandpa this man is going to be. If I was your doctor, what I would do is recommend you bring a foam roller and yoga mat to wherever your biggest TV is and you roll out any soreness or tension while watching this doc. You’re going to feel better. I guarantee it. —Andrew
BEST OF Chipotle Snowboard Knuckle Huck | X Games Aspen 2023
This rec comes from one of my best friends and JAT patron, Ari Halle.
The X Games are boring. Fact. As a fan of this event for the last few years, I thought I could watch the whole event, but I was wrong. Boring. This 10 minute recap, however. Not boring. As far as I know, this event is the only real innovation in extreme sports competition for the last decade and it rocks. —Andrew