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There is so much that is contrary to writing coverage of an event in the safety of one’s own space. No more the whistle of mortars singing earthbound the buzz and twang of shots fired, scrambling for safety as you hurriedly load another clip. No instead, it’s a quick walk to the coffeemaker, a glance out the office window at the blowing leaves. The time and place so calm and so devoid of stressors or catalysts that it's hard to even imagine a pointed write-up could be made about a hectic event from the seat of a serene one. Or, maybe it's the chaos and bedlam that blur the perceptions and mar the recollection of the day’s event. Either way, coverage needs to be done. This is the recap of Surf Expo 2009 .
The Good, The Bad, The UglySurf Expo 2009
This is a general rundown of the most notable, interesting and unique things that were run across at the convention. We're not going to go into specifics about the show itself, as we are planning to run a comparison article outlining the primary differences between Surf Expo and Action Sports Retailer. We want to make sure you are informed about where your money is best spent in regards to convention attendance and displaying.
In all honesty, our resident hater really didn’t find much he fully loathed, true there was still a great deal of faceless softgoods shops, the same weird collection of cheesy beach decorations and gift shop crap. These however don’t arise ire, or fury. No in this case they are just looked down on with contempt and generally ignored. Is it unusual that he didn’t find anything that boiled him to rage; yes, are we gunna keep poking him with a stick till he freaks out and flips over a table covered with 1,000 hermit crabs; no. With that, please enjoy the conclusion to our coverage of Surf Expo 2009.
Best In Show
FlexDex Pro60Sorry boys and girls, I am a longboarder at heart. Jeer and cackle all you want, but a longboard should be long, flexible like a glass noodle and turn on a dime. Years back, FlexDex was angry with the world so they heartlessly stopped making the Pro 60 and effectively created a market for 60's that others leapt to fill. Now isn't a time for recriminations over the past, but one to look forward to a time with the Pro 60 in our lives again. Yes, we can! They brought it back and oh yea, it is just as awesome as it was before. You can go ahead and enjoy yer 43 ply drop-through-drop-deck-concave-rockered-carbon-floo-flah. I just be pushing on the Pro60. From all of us here at Silverfish, we congratulate you FlexDex. So what are you gunna do when we elect a Mexican? (Slater's board was sweet. )
Best New Board
The Honey Skateboards RogueThis 38" carver/ripper/cruiser from Honey is the latest in craftsman Mike Mahoney's line and will be available in February, '09. Ten inches wide and inlayed with his trademarked, matching grain hardwoods on the top and bottom, this board created the reaction you see above from most everyone that got their hands or feet on it. Honey Skateboards
Most Innovative
Sorry, this ain’t going to a longboard. It’s going to a material and that material is whatever Cold Snapp is made of. One of the big benefits of being home is testing stuff. I ran the sink, steaming hot water, soaked it, wrung it out and then snapped it. Within a few minutes it was not just cool it was cold to the touch. I wrapped it around my neck and sawed a 30” by 10” pine log in half. It stayed cool. Not much more I can really add.
Most Atypical Adoption Of Materials
For a company known for Canadian Maple and Carbon Fiber boards, it may seem surprising that they would diverge in the sense of materials. If you look at their overall quiver of more than 30 boards, it starts to make more sense with Landyachtz getting into adding bamboo to their board materials list it looks like the company with the biggest lineup of longboards also wants to be the most diverse in regards to materials. From what we saw landy is going at it in an intelligent and thoughtful way pairing the material with boards that will benefit from it.
Most Evolved Board
Any idea what goes into making a longboard, and I mean beginning to end not just production? Well allot of research, modification and refinement. Knowing what goes on behind the scenes is fun because you can give people web-awards and people will have no idea why. The most evolved Soldier by NeverSummer Industries.
Company To Watch
They make outrageous statements, bring cutting edge engineering to longboarding and are releasing not just a full line of 10 boards, but a truck design, wheels and safety device for downhill bombers. We are not saying they are the next big thing or that they are on the wrong path, all we are saying is keep your eyes open, 'cause whatever IA does it’s gunna be interesting. Oh yea, and while you are waiting for whatever they are gunna do their graphics sure are really awesome. Congrats Insane Asylum the dark nature of your boards is a bright light in the bland land of surf and sun longboarding. Whatever you do, keep it evil.
Most Valuable Thing You Could Have Found At Surf Expo I was talking with someone about other industries and how the lectures are always attended at most typed of conventions, where with the Action Sports Market, the discussions are a back room, off the floor, waste of time. We think that is not only unfortunate but also is one of the reasons sales, market successes, and revenue are failing. Information is king. The most valuable thing you could have found at Surf Expo was not opening a new shop, locking in that new deal, or scoring one of the Lost girls. No, the most valuable thing was the discussion by Sage Island about utilizing the internet to grow your company and bring it inline with SEO knowledge, social networking, linking, sitemaps and a collection of other brilliant ideas. The lecture was simple, solid and well laid out. There were maybe 30 people in the crowd really taking it in. Information like this comes with a heavy price if you have other people implement it. This workshop though told you exactly how to do it for yourself. I would easily guess that if you implemented the stuff discussed you could bring in 30-40% more traffic in the next 3 months easy. What is that worth to you? To me, that is priceless. Did you miss it? No worries... Sage Island You can download the SEO Best Practices presentation here .
Most Productive Booth
GOES TO... The LandyachtzConcreteRayneWaveAbecSkatera11HamStreetBoardSwellTripleMiramar8 BoothYou would think all those businesses in one booth would be a scene. It was. You think they would battle, they didn’t. I for one was dissapointed, Miramar had it in numbers, I think they kept everyone in line. All I could see was sales being made people smiling and interested parties. Hilarious.
http://www.concretewavemagazine.com
Best Beach Equipment
EZ Beach brings us the off road cruiser and their heavy duty cart. I really can’t think of a reason not to have these, desert, beach, park, shopping and taking your legless dog for a ride. Covers just about everything. www.ezbeachattachments.com
Best Innovation In Safety Gear
Bern is gunna make a full face? No f’n way? With kids wearing tin cans wrapped in saran wrap as helmets it’s about time a helmet be available for action sports and not just adopted from jousting, hang gliding and motorcycle racing. My X-11 is sweet and all but I don’t want to wear it skating. When Bern comes out with a full face? I will be in line.
http://www.bernunlimited.com/
Best Innovation In Not Safety Gear
This also wins the “Malakai Kingston thinks this is a bad idea but he is more than happy to take pictures” award. Banshee Bungee, propel yourself to 30mph in no time flat. Looks like a fun time, you first. Trust me I am not in any way dissing this product. Really it looks awesome, I just… no I’m not a sissy, what yea I’ll try it sometime, just not today, maybe some other day. /me runs away Banshee Bungee
Best Follow Through
Fist saw this company at ASR, they had like 2 designs at their booth. We catch up to them and they have over 30 designes and they look awesome, it is neat to follow a company through growth and success.
Best Swag
This was gunna be a split category but since the other one already got an award. I walked away from Surf Ex with a 30oz TANK!!! Now only if I could find some Brawndo… In all seriousness, super solid, keeps liquids temperature, easy to seal, drink from and I just killed the neighbor’s goat with it. "Weapons Of Mass Consumption"
Best Energy Drink
Lost Cadillac. Seriously If you followed the coverage, you knew. They may hate me but I love them. Lost Cadillac
Still The Most Confused
Magic Fish? Okay you add water and dirt, and you grow a fish… Why though was it at Surf Expo, I mean that is kind of extreme in a “I just painted starry night with an etcha sketch” kinda way. Magic Fish I would like to thank all the vendors, retailers and reps that took the time to talk to me, I know the media don't make you money but maybe a little publicity might be nice for ya. I want to specially thank NSI, IA, Miramar, the Concrete Wave Booth and Honey for being there. Good to see you all. Also a personal thanks to the Lost girls for keeping me going and the Stoked girls for giving me something to shoot for fun, thanks for the laughs. Also a shout out to Sage Island for that awesome lecture, it genuinely was the most valuable thing I took from the show. Want to say hey to everyone who came up and respected the fish and all the artists who shared their skills. Some of you will be at ASR can't wait to see you and a few won't till next time. Next year is gunna be something all together different.
Knowledge is power, it's time for a change. |
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