Thursday 30 April 2015

Sponsor Spotlight: Kryptonics


There's been some criticism of Kryptonics recently: They don't wear out fast enough, they don't flat spot. Apparently this is what goes for criticism in the world of wheels. Well, I'm sorry if your reasonably priced wheels last longer, cost less and perform better over time than their competitors!

Not only are they so robust people complain about them, Kryptonics have been developing a new, white formula. This is mystical stuff happening here (read: years of applied materials science and rider input), and rumours are they're better than your current red/green/blue offerings (I assume they mean a better all round wheel rather than one that cores instantly), and that we'll have a set of them as a prize before the year's out! Watch this space for those elusive white ones!

Meanwhile on the weekend, UK ambassador Rob Ashby will have a set of blues and a set of greens for you guys to try to ruin! How's that for for a challenge!

Sponsor Spotlight: Dangerous Decks

Dangerous decks will be presiding over a number of things at the Crackling: Mini Motos, as ever, will be present, armed and lethal and The IFCRA (international freeride cake racing association) will be presiding over Round One of the Hog Hill Buttboard 2015 championships. The ever elusive cage-luger/street-fighter (I think I got that right) Will Stephenson is still working away in his secret dangerous lab, so check out what they've got to offer, and support another UK-made longboard brand!


Wednesday 29 April 2015

Sponsor Spotlight: Pavel Skates



Pavel have for a long time made slalom boards. When longboarding was in its rennaisance in the late 90's and early 00's it was still hacking at trees with flint compared to Pavel, standing among them like that obelisk in 2001: a space oddessy. These boards have used composites for a long time, and use them fantastically well - ultra light weight boards with a high strength high quality carbon fibre skin make these board look and feel amazing, if maybe a bit short for dancing! Once again, check out the slalom side of things to see these beautiful boards in action on the hill; they also make pool, park street and more recently downhill boards. check out the website for the later; if you want tog et hold of them in the UK, the shop to talk to is Octane Sport -  check out their slalom colab:
Check out Octane sport for photos of the shape and concave
and to get a better look at the shiny carbon fibre!


Sponsor Spotlight: BTR Leathers


Ras at BTR has long been a helper in the UK scene, a catalyst shouting “Engorilee!!” at us as we chase round corners. Although we're still working out if there'll be any BTR prizes, Ras's leathers deserve a mention, as a UK skate company making it happen. Ras' leathers are now worn by most of the UK riders who ride big hills or internationally, so if you're thinking of going fast check him out!
Ras will be helping around the track and generally encouraging you to best yourselves, so go say hi if you see him about


Ras looks like this, enthusiastic!

Tuesday 28 April 2015

Sponsor Spotlight: Longboards UK




Longboards UK still maintain one of the best-stocked physical shops in London when it comes to boards, and an enviable range online to accompany it. With a branch in Brighton they cover two of the UK's longboarding hotspots. They sell a huge range of boards, from budget beginner offerings all the way up to the top end freeride machines, and are always there to help you find something in your price range. They're an ace shop to stop by and say hi to and always well stocked with bearings and hardware (and street decks fr those of you interested). A lot of impulse buys have become active longboarders because of the physical shops. Kudos guys for keeping the physical stores and weathering them through a tough recession, and thanks for sponsoring us again this year! 

PS: they also sell slacklines for those of you who want to up your balance, and cocktail flairing stuff for those who want to worsen it!

A snapshot of their website - check it out. I'm pretty sure that's not all the brands the stock.

Monday 27 April 2015

Sponner Spotlight: Thrill Magazine

www.thrillmagazine.com for the website, check out your local WH Smiths/longboard stockist for a physical copy

Thrill Magazine have supported Hog Hill events (and the scene as a whole) with both advertising/coverage for Hog Hill and physical support since Thrill's inception 10 issues or 3 years back. Thanks to them, the Hog Hill events reach a much bigger crowd, bringing the community closer together and catching all those stragglers who might not otherwise get stuck into the UK scene. Thrill spend their time covering UK events, keeping you guys updated on products and happenings, and being there to document the growing UK scene, and importantly, supporting those who push to grow it. They also feature content created by you, whether it be instagrams (#thrillmag or #thrillmagazine), drawings, crew features, articles or anything else you want to send in (opinion, comments, cakes, but not chip shop reviews; Skateboard phil may get angry ;) ) F'rexample check out this edit from last year's Swanage sessions. Get involved like thrill has and help push your local scene!



Saturday 25 April 2015

Sponsor Spotlight: Slide Perfect


Slide Perfect had a successful debut last year, selling something like 30 sets of wheels over the course of a single Hog Hill event after their launch over the summer. This year they're back again with the next iteration of unique wheels pioneered by Bodhi and his team of dedicated riders. There's not much more to say about these wheels – if you haven't heard of them yet, you will probably get to try a set (if not win some) at the Crackling. They grip, they slide, they perform with the best of the big name brands and you'll be supporting another UK longboard company when you get a set.  

Bodhi does some skating. Photo nicked from his website.

Friday 24 April 2015

Sponsor Spotlight: One Tree Longboards

It's difficult to mention One Tree Longboards without mentioning the Greenwich Groms. The two go hand in hand, One Tree with a seemingly endless supply of custom painted decks, and a voracious pack of shredders both representing and consuming them. One Tree Boards are dedicated to getting those custom pieces of art out to shredders around the UK for a very reasonable price, stoking the scene on good quality hand painted decks. Watch out for the custom graphics for the Crackling – the boards for Fumble in the valley were awesome, I can't wait to see what they come up with for us!

Check them out on Facebook:




Return of: Fumble boards by One Tree. Photo nicked from Tom Cambell

Thursday 23 April 2015

Sponsor Spotlight: Mindless longboards



Haraka 66mm wheels. Green is the fastest colour.
Mindless longboards have provided us with a ton of talisman trucks, voodoo bearings and a variety of wheels over the last few years – voodoo bearings being the UK's cheapest readily-available built-ins and a mainstay of a lot of riders. Talisman trucks see the use of a ball pivot, meaning none of that pivot cup mashing from your street skating days alongside a precision of turn not seen with the low price you can't get much better for an all-round RKP. Also, if you want a wheel for your town cruiser or shredder that'll grip anything I recommend anything in 66mm 78a – their Mojo formula on a wheel this small means it eats roughness rather than slowing you down.

Mindless have been working hard with well known rider and genuine rad dude James Allen, who's been representing regularly at the Hog Hill events and helping push some up-to-date shapes; every time you look back at the Mindless website there's a new something, either a fantastically priced new shape in their classic range or their brand new "black edition" lakota DT board. We'll definitely be seeing some Mindless gear appearing in our prize pots, hopefully we'll see some of the Mindless team ripping it up on the day!
Mindless Nyoka - reminiscent of the DK Penguin, but much cheaper!
Freestyle anything and everything.