Gear 08/11/2008

Blue Ridge Camping Hammock

This thing looks pretty ideal to take on a surf trip if you’re planning on camping. It can be used either as a tent hammock, or on the ground as a bivy tent. Blue Ridge camping hammocks are made of the finest materials, including a nylon pack cloth bed, rip-stop nylon rain fly and no-see-um netting. Camping hammocks are safe, comfortable, easy to set up and really protect the occupants from flying insects and the elements. It’s also light weight, weighing only 4.25 lbs. You don’t have to carry added bulky weight such as ground tarps and sleeping pad. Looks like you could just cram it into your boardbag too.

Where to Buy

AmazoN $149

Movies 08/08/2008

Archy on High Shredability

It looks like this episode of the VBS.TV show High Shredability has been up since April, but I haven’t seen it, so maybe you haven’t either. It’s about Archy, and there’s 2 parts. Check-em out. Archy’s a Legend, and still surfs insane!

Environment 08/08/2008

The Air Car is Coming.

I’m not going to re-write th whole CNN story, but you should check it out.

Some bullet points though:

• The car would be powered by a combination of compressed air and fuel and will achieve 100+ mpg.

• Zero Pollution Motors out of New York are pledging to deliver the first models in 2010 at a price tag of less than $18,000.

• The six-seater planned for the U.S. market would be able to reach speeds of more than 90 mph and have a range of more than 800 miles thanks to a dual energy engine.

• It would run purely on compressed air when driven at speeds less than 35 mph.

• An on-board compressor would refill the air tank while the car is running, or owners could refill it by plugging it into a power outlet for four hours.

Babble 08/08/2008

Nike 6.Oh My God

Nike converted an amphibious armor-plated war-truck from 1959 into an extreme sports mobile HQ for Mountain Dew’s Action Sports Tour.

“The 8-wheeled ill-mobile is capable of crossing deserts, climbing mountains and taking the team to any secret spot. Racks for bikes, surfboards, wakeboards, skateboards, mean going anywhere for any scene. There’s an on deck bbq for grilling up fresh meat, a deluxe camper shell salvaged from a junkyard in remote corner of Oregon and a basement couch for a front seat. Rails to grind are featured on both sides, and a quarter pipe folds down for impromptu sessions. The stereo system requires 2 car batteries, a set of jumper cables and a little luck, but once it’s blasting, it’s like a stick of dynamite in your eardrum.”

Also, they’re looking for a name for it, if you want to suggest one via their site.

“We’ve created this beast of a machine and we need help coming up with a suitable name. It’s a souped-up, tricked out, action sports shred-mobile: part amphib, part 1970’s camper, 100% rock and roll. Let’s name this thing!!”

Their 3 favorites right now are:

1. Shred-a-baggo
2. Ill-mobile
3. Precious

I’m just going to add a few to the list:

4. The 4mpg-er
5. The Air Extreeeeme, dude.
6. The Will-Never-Be-Used-For-Anything-Mentioned-Above

Got anything better?

Music 08/07/2008

Two of the Three Dudes Leave Wolfmother

Grammy Award winning rock band Wolfmother has announced the resignation of bass/keyboard player Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett effective immediately.

Singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale now plans to find other musicians over coming months and to then begin making a new Wolfmother album.

Wolfmother toured the world virtually non-stop through 2006 and early 2007 on the back of their acclaimed self titled debut album. Longstanding frictions within the group then lead them to take an extended break during the second half of 2007 to consider their future.

In early 2008 they regrouped and worked on new material. Initially encouraged by those sessions, they committed to a handful of live shows to ‘road test’ the new songs and to try to find a way forward.

Those dates concluded with a headlining slot last Sunday at the Splendour In The Grass Festival in Australia’s Byron Bay where rumours circulated about possible lineup changes.

Following that show Chris Ross decided to announce that he was leaving the band due to irreconcilable personal and musical differences. Myles Heskett has also decided to leave the band rather than continuing as part of a changed lineup. The pair has been working together on songs for some time and they plan to focus their energies on that new project in the future.

Wolfmother’s self titled debut album is one of the most successful Australian rock releases this century. It has sold over 1.3 million copies and received multiple ARIA Awards and a Grammy – making them the first Aussie band to receive such an award in 25 years. Other highlights for the group have included appearances at just about every major music festival in the world, sharing stages with Pearl Jam, The Who and The Strokes, and a special performance inducting the legendary Led Zeppelin into the UK’s Rock’n‘Roll Hall of Fame.

Andrew Stockdale, Myles Heskett and Chris Ross will make no public statements at this time except to say that they are each really looking forward to making their new music over the years ahead.

In the meantime they simply ask all Wolfmother fans to please understand that in spite of their best efforts over a long period of time, they just could not find a harmonious way to work together and that has lead to the decisions announced today.

Gear 08/07/2008

Toyota Winglet

Check out the Toyota Winglet. It looks like a Segway banged a pair of rollerblades, and this is their baby.

Movies 08/07/2008

Alan Stokes - The Truth

Saw this over on the Drift Magazine and thought I’d pass it along. It’s like one of the skits that Taylor Steele always does in his movies, only this is funny, has better acting, and isn’t a complete waste of time and money.

Movies 08/07/2008

Pineapple Express - Review

AWESOME and HIGHlarious! Go see it immediately and laugh your face off.

Overall, I'm gonna give it 4.5 out of 5 drops.    

Design 08/06/2008

Skate Study House

Check out the skate inspired modernist furniture, or is it modernist inspired skate furniture? I’m not sure, but it’s pretty nice.

I remember when I first moved to Califonia and had an interview at Powell Skateboards, I thought that the coolest thing about the place was the furniture made out of their decks. Chairs, and desks and what not. I got turned down for the job (fuck them, they didn’t know what they were missing), but I alway remembered that furniture.

Well it looks like the boys at Skate Study House (one of the boys being the founder of Etnies) took the concept and ran with it. They expanded on the idea, refined it, and they’re making some pretty cool stuff.

Like this Jetset Chair with the cushions wrapped in neoprene. This piece is created to the indoor/outdoor lifestyle and fits perfectly on a patio or waterfront deck. The Jet Set Lounge Chair is made of 8 decks with neoprene cushions on a metal frame. Dimensions: 32“x32“x65

No prices on the site, so I’m not sure how much they’ll set you back, but they don’t look cheap. They make a lot of things besides chairs, so click-thru for some more pics, or check out their site.

Read on…

Gear 08/06/2008

VITEO OUTDOOR SHOWER

All surfers like an outdoor shower after a sesh, and this one is pretty sweet.

The VITEO OUTDOOR SHOWER was awarded the IF product design award in the category leisure or lifestyle. The new product, designed by Danny Venlet for VITEO OUTDOORS.

This Outdoor Shower features clear and functional forms and is ideal for the garden, the pool area and also the patio. The jets get set off by your body weight and gush up around the edge of the foot panel before falling gently down like rain and create a new sensual outdoor shower experience! The white foot panel is made of UV resistant, non-slip plastic, with the substructure enclosed in a stainless steel ring. Water is supplied via a standard garden hose with a Gardena connection. Material Upper Piece: Plastic, UV resistant and non-slip with drill holes. Spray height approx 6.5 ft to 13 ft.

p.s.- I don’t think the Donnie Darko inspired rabbit mask is included, but you can get one here if you want.

Where to Buy

fitzsu $1154