Vans is promoting creativity as mental health during the pandemic with their second annual Vans Checkerboard Day on November 19, 2020. Join in and Vans will donate $1 million to 10 charities.
“We’ve spent much of the year apart. And it’s been tough. But despite the isolation, both physically and psychologically, we are and always will be a Vans Family, forever connected by creativity,” says Doug Palladini, Vans Global Brand President. “A recent study by Complex showed that in the U.S. alone, half of today’s youth are more stressed and anxious now than before COVID-19 started. Through the power of creativity, our mission for Vans Checkerboard Day 2020 will be to show that smaller acts of expression can make a big impact on our personal and collective well-being.”
For all the official details on exactly how you can get involved, please follow the jump.
Contest surfer Jack Freestone has just re-signed with surf hardware company Creatures of Leisure until 2022. And as we all know, having good sponsors during these times is a great thing.
“Having full faith in your equipment is crucial,” says Freestone. “At the end of the day as a surfer that’s something you can’t put a price on. Creatures put more thought and effort than anyone when making sure their leashes, tailpads, and boardcovers do what you need them to. I’m really excited to be continuing on with them into the foreseeable future.”
Or at least for a year and a half. For the official word from Creatures of Leisure, please follow the jump.
[Editors’ Note: Okay, just for historicity sake here goes the media story that we hinted we weren’t all that interested in covering because you don’t hold funerals for zombies.]
Today (October 3, 2020) it was announced that the Bible of the Sport of surfing, Surfer Magazine has been shuttered by what remains of American Media Inc. (now called A360 Media). The 60 year old chronicle of the surfing life will live no longer. Longtime Photo Editor Pete Taras said it this way on Instagram:
It’s with great sadness that I write that today was my last day at SURFER. Between Transworld SURF, SURFER, and SURFING, that was half my life. 21 years between the three. It’s really hard for me to put into words right now the feelings. I’m a weepy mess. I taught. I was taught. I cared so much for all the creatives I worked with over the years. We were family. Thank you @fijichili for providing that 16-year old film when I needed it. @chriscote , Marc Hostetter, @the_check_republic and Joel Patterson, you took a chance hiring me as a 23 year old Photo Editor. @eslate you gave me confidence to go full bore with my visual vision. @chatoaganza , you were always the creative guiding light. @jimmicane you always brought the heat! @todprod you taught me patience and professionalism. Lastly, I want to thank my wife @grettygt123 for having to deal with it all through thick and thin. With much love – Peter
Taras (and the rest of the Surfer Magazine staff) were only the first wave of “furloughs.” The employees in the Carlsbad, California offices who survived the first round will reportedly stay on the payroll until November 20, 2020. Then they too will be out of a job. Happy Thanksgiving to them and to you all.
Bike, Snowboarder, and Powder magazines are also being put to rest: RIP. Oh, and David Pecker remains true to his name, one more time.
Jeremy Jones‘ new eco film Purple Mountains has been on our “must watch” list for a while now. Here’s the back story:
Motivated by an urge to protect the places he loves, Jeremy sets out on a physical and philosophical journey to find common ground with fellow outdoor people across diverse political backgrounds. He learns their hopes and fears while walking a mile in their shoes on the mountain and in the snow.
Patagonia has a new CEO. His name is Ryan Gellert and he was the former business director of Patagonia’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa divisions. Jenna Johnson will now lead Patagonia, Inc (which is the clothing side of the business) We’re have no idea what this means for the company, or for us. But Gellert is obviously happy about his promotion.
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity and keenly aware of the responsibility to lead this company in this critical time,” stated Gellert. “No one’s expectations of Patagonia are higher than our own. Everything we do needs to ladder back to our mission of being in business to save our home planet, and we need to do that in a way that is just, equitable and inclusive of all people. Ambitions don’t get much bigger than that. And while there will be more tough days ahead as we challenge norms, I am excited to do the work alongside Patagonia’s talented and passionate professionals. And, I am certain we will also have some fun along the way.”
There were some other changes at the company as well. For all those details, please follow the jump.
On the list of people who made snowboarding better for all of us Bob Gore would rank pretty high. In fact, on our list he would be in a close tie with (Smith goggle founder) Dr. Bob Smith for a top five spot. Being able to see and stay warm and dry during a massive powder dump changed the game for all of us. That’s why we were bummed to learn that Gore died on September 17, 2020. He was 83.
Bob’s commitment to research and development led to his 1969 discovery of a versatile new polymer form, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). The introduction of this groundbreaking new material opened a world of possibilities for products and further innovations. The substance provided myriad new product applications including GORE-TEX® Fabrics, the world’s first waterproof breathable outerwear and a product that through the years has become synonymous with the outdoors.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends. For the official word from W. L. Gore & Associates please follow the jump.
We’re always pleased for a new GoPro with a higher number because it means the chances of this one being a consistently usable camera are at least hypothetically increased. The new GoPro Hero 9 Black has some great new features (bigger battery, screen on the front) that will make it easier to use in all kinds of situations. And hopefully, this one can survive an in and out of the water trip without the back LCD screen failing. Guess we’ll have to see on that one. (Can you tell we’ve had trouble with every single GoPro we’ve owned?)
Yesterday (September 13, 2020) marked the six month anniversary of the current now. Hard to believe we have been mired in this situation for half of 2020. On the one hand we’re blown away by all the calamity that we’ve been faced with, on the other, we’re thankful for all those oblivious deniers who keep on keeping on like there’s nothing wrong. Kudos to them for showing us that it is entirely possible to live a normal (albeit angry) life with your head firmly mired in the sand and/or up your own butt.
With that out of the way, here’s the news that caught our clicker in the past month (thought we were doing this weekly, but my how time flies). Follow the jump for the whole list.
Vans is promoting creativity as mental health during the pandemic with their second annual Vans Checkerboard Day on November 19, 2020. Join in and Vans will donate $1 million to 10 charities.
Patagonia has a new CEO. His name is Ryan Gellert and he was the former business director of Patagonia’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa divisions. Jenna Johnson will now lead Patagonia, Inc (which is the clothing side of the business) We’re have no idea what this means for the company, or for us. But Gellert is obviously happy about his promotion.
On the list of people who made snowboarding better for all of us Bob Gore would rank pretty high. In fact, on our list he would be in a close tie with (Smith goggle founder) Dr. Bob Smith for a top five spot. Being able to see and stay warm and dry during a massive powder dump changed the game for all of us. That’s why we were bummed to learn that Gore died on September 17, 2020. He was 83.
