We have never been black Friday shoppers - nor do we promote buying more things for the sake of having more things..... we do however enjoy promoting ideas and products that might enhance your experiences!
We hope you enjoy the list and have some memorable laughs this holiday season.
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| Fin-ta-clause!! |
1. Larry Allison fins: Thanks to our friend Uncle Larry, we have a quiver of fins that help us tune the way our boards can feel. It is amazing how often you can change the way your board reacts underfoot simply by having the right fin for the right conditions. There are so many to choose from Larry's selection as he has many choices in colors and shapes. Our ultimate faves are Larry's Click-it fins! they are super convenient for setup & teardown, rental fleets, demos, and easy stacking up on top of the car!
Larry Allison now has them available in a High Density molded formula *(more wallet firendly) as well as in fiberglass
*PS - if you tilt these the right way - they might just fit into a stocking - or better yet - make a stocking in the shape of a fin sleeve!
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| Larry Allison's HDM (High Density Molded) Click it fins |
Here are our list of faves:
Coli:
1. Bat fin - for stability - Tandem paddling - and tracking straight
2. Gladiator Hybrid - to get amped in Race mode - tracking straight - and open water paddling stability,
3. Paddle Core Fitness - lots of stability - but allows the ability to goof around and do fun tricks - especially on an inflatable when you're encouraging others that it won't kill them if they fall in.....and most of the time - they really won't!
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| Coli with her Hibiscus Click-it Bat fin by Larry Allison |
Joel:
1. Larry Allison's new Stealth Ninja fin - this is the quickest and most versatile of Larry's fins.. A sibling to the Ninja fin - this new evolution will change all of your experiences from flatwater - to choppy waters to Downwinders. This is my new fave "One fin does all Go-to fin"
2. GT Moray - My absolute favorite Downwinding fin - also related to the Ninja fin and very similar in traits, but more playful. It allows me to sprint into swells, and maneuver the board with ease when I have to navigate..."if I ain't falling in - I'm stoked!"
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| Larry Allison's Stealth Ninja (Top) with it's sibling the Ninja fin (below) |
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| Coli and Finmaster Larry Allison |
**Pro Box twin system fins are not included in this list as that would entail a whole nuther blog post!! - but if you would like to know more - our friend Chip Bock has an amazing write up on them
Chip Bock - release-twins!
2. Monster and Sea: There is something truly special and Unique about this brand.
Ever since Troy created Monster and Sea - he has brought the community together in more ways than any of us could have possibly imagined. We have more group paddles, reasons to get together, mysteriously large downwind runs, slapped many high fives, shared many hugs, and it has become this genuine trickle effect.
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| Monster and Sea brought us all together for this amazing downwind session last year Photo: John Patzer |
All of their products are dedicated to families arm wrestling cancer and 10% of every sale goes towards a cancer foundation.
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| New Monster and Sea Patches |
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| Coli in the Scout Hoodie |
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| Our friend Lisa Schell can't get enough of this combo! | Windchill scarf and slash beanie |
His tagline "Go Because You Can" is simple, yet very effective and powerful.
"Go because you can has inspired me in so many ways to get out there and create those memories - Thank you Troy for reminding all of us" ~ Coli
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| Troy Nebeker and Coli |
Find them here on Facebook
Monster And Sea
3. Solar powered inflatable lights - The most amazing & practical lights you will ever own. We hate stocking batteries - they cost a bunch and are just nasty for the environment. Whether it's a power outage, camping, exploring at night on a hike, or paddling, looking for gear in the car in the dark....or as Coli says "reading session under the blankets" - these lights are one of the best products out there to have for multiple reasons.
Coli is a huge fan of Luminaid - The brand was founded by two amazing women Anna Stork and Andrea Sreshta, that met while studying architecture and design in graduate school. They both created Luminaid to help problem solve the need for light in post natural disaster situations.
Luminaid is a solar powered light that is super compact, easy to transport, inflates into a pillow, waterproof, super practical, and best of all can give you 8-15hrs of light (depending on setting) without the need to lug around batteries! It recharges with any source of light (not just direct sunlight - although it might take a little longer)
we have them in our emergency packs, cars, and they have come in handy way more often than we could have imagined!
Luminaid Video
Coli loves the Luminaids, I'm a fan of the Luci Lanterns - both are super practical and don't break the bank!
Luci Lantern
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4. Season Five apparel: we wear this apparel year round for paddling. Their water repellent Atmos fabric is splash resistant, breathable, and the water beads off super fast....in short, it dries very quickly! We use the Chalk sleeveless and Crystal tank all summer long, and the Phantom and Barrier layers when it gets chilly!
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| Coli at the Season Five booth - Summer Outdoor Retailer 2014 |
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| Mauritius 2013 - rocking the Chalk Sleeveless - Pic by Jade Yang |
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| Lina Augaitis - One of Coli's fave paddlers rocking Season Five |
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| Owner Mike Fischer - the brains behind Season Five |
http://seasonfive.com/
5. Stand Film: by Norm Hann
Coli and I went to the premiere of this film when Norm was down here in Seattle,WA. It is beautifully shot and there is something very powerful about the film. From the locations to the footage - to the message - this one will really inspire you and make you think. You'll just have to see it now! ~ Coli
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| Norm Hann & Coli at the premiere in Seattle |
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| Ernie Brassard - Kristin Thomas - Norm Hann - Coli - Summer Outdoor Retailer 2014 |
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| Coli demoing Norm Hann's "Great Bear 14" board - by Boardworks |
https://www.facebook.com/standfilm
http://standfilm.com/
6. Boreas / Alite: We are huge fans of Boreas and Alite.
From their Technical minimalist packs to portable seating solutions and tents, these guys design their products with the awesome philosophy of "Less is more" in mind....Stoke approved!
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| Coli & Bemhee "Bum" from Boreas |
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| Coli and Tae - the madcreator behind Boreas & Alite |
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| Coli with her fave Boreas pack - the Larkin |
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| Coli taking a break at Summer Outdoor Retailer and chilling in the Alite tent |
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| It's lunch time and there's no place to sit.... The Alite Monarch chair (orange) snapped together in moments |
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| Coli: "I'm gonna build up a seating area for us dad!" | - while she snapped together the Alite Mantis chair |
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| Thanks Coli - Lunch - fully problem solved! |
http://www.boreasgear.com
https://www.facebook.com/boreasgear
http://www.alitedesigns.com/
https://www.facebook.com/alitedesigns
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| Our friend Luke Hopkins riding with his daughter Addison |
7. Longboarding: Who doesn't love the sensation of gliding??? We certainly do!
Ironically, I wasn't really keen on the concept of longboarding when I first tried it out. The idea of being on a long pintail with no nose or tail did not really appeal to me. However, after I saw this pic of our friend Luke Hopkins tandem longboarding with his daughter Addison, it sparked a very different angle to my initial thoughts on longboarding and I decided to look into it further.
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| Coli's Fave Setup: Bustin Ibach 37, Paris Trucks, Bones Super Red Bearings, Bustin Premier wheels |
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| Coli hanging out with local shredders Jon (L) and Daycen (R) |
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| Fave Truck plug: Atlas Truck co. https://atlastruckco.com/ |
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| Bustin Ibach 37 (L) & Boombox Thermocarbon (R) |
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| My Fave setup: Bustin Boombox 42" - Atlas Trucks - Bones Reds Bearings - Bustin Swift wheels |
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8. The Handmade Skateboard Book: by Matt Berger
We love building things, and now that we're hooked on skating - we have an awesome book to recommend! This is by far one of the most unpretentious and inspirational books you can get your hands on! Matt Berger brings you into the world of building a skateboard from scratch, from exploring different styles of boards, techniques, this book will inspire you to make one regardless of whether you skate or not!!!
This book is such a fun read and serious brain food!!!
https://www.facebook.com/sk8makers
sk8makers
9. DIY Balance board: whaaaattt??? More board stuff???
That's right! We needed to work pretty hard on Coli's core strength when she was younger - so I made a bunch of balance boards out of old skateboard decks (or scrap wood), PVC piping (for the roller board) and softballs that I got from the Goodwill store (for the wobbleboard)
9. DIY Changing Poncho : Ever drop your towel while trying to change out of your wet paddling gear, or have an awkward moment trying to change behind a door while getting out of your wetsuit. I have always been impressed by our friends that seem to be able to get in and out of their gear lightning fast!!! I on the other hand - am super slow!! The first time I saw one of these things was when our friend Heidi Caster Henry hopped out of her vehicle after a paddle showing us her sweet Changing Poncho she got as a gift yelling "ya know - I'm totally naked under here!!!!!" - my first response was, "Yes Heidi, I think we're all naked underneath our clothes too!" but with two blinks of an eye, she was out of her gear, and waving goodbye to us all as she drove off!!! - while I was still trying to hold up my towel and change out..... freezing...in the rain!
Changing Poncho's start around $50 ...and can get quite pricey....but if you look closely, the pattern really does not require more than 4 stitching lines for the basic cover up (without the hood) I made one of these out of 2 of Coli's old beach towels. Although they don't match, are brightly colored, and give quite the visual vomit experience..I was able to make one in a very short amount of time. I would recommend that you make one out of solid matching colored towels to prevent any of your friends getting visual epilepsy!
10. Some awesome and notable craftsmanship - we have always appreciated all forms of craftsmanship so we thought we'd include some suggestions that are not necessarily related to boardsports, snow, wind, glides, or water, but are inspirational and noteworthy.
Forest Life Creations: Dean Robertson
Dean has a very unique way in how he sees patterns in wood. He creates jewelry out of reclaimed and exotic woods and comes out with some of the most inspiring earrings & pendants we have ever seen.
https://www.facebook.com/ForestlifeCreations
https://www.etsy.com/shop/forestlifecreations
Ocean Junky Art: Ashley Sparkin Clarkin
Ashley has a way with Posca pens and paint that brings inanimate objects to life! Whether she's illustrating a ukelele, surf board, working on a mural, or Christmas tree decorations - her artwork inspires us!!!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oceanjunky-Art
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Oceanjunky
11. Echo Composites: Not every gift has to be a thing!
Doc Echo aka Sean Thomas is the king of board repairs, Custom board designs, and seriously badass furniture! He is an industry role model and someone that really cares about the outcome of the product, process, life cycle, and how much waste results from it all. He constantly strives to problem solve in an Eco-Technical manner - Not only has he brought many of our boards back to life (*like Dr. Sup-kenstein) but he also helped create the Village of Stoke Custom Tandem Tornado! So for a Christmas gift, hit him up for a board repair gift card, or a session on getting your own board designed - you won't be disappointed!
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| Coli and Doc Echo (Sean Thomas) |
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Echo-Composites
12. Key Log Rolling: No - you really can't put this one in your stocking!
One simply cannot put words into how awesome this experience is. The Hoeschler family brings you a way to enjoy log rolling as an accessible activity in the form of a synthetic log with removable brakes (that help reduce the speed at which the log spins) - this allows everyone to get a chance to sucessfully roll the log and have a blast while doing it. The Key Logs can be easily transported and used anywhere from indoor pools, to beaches, and lakes. Coli had the opportunity to meet the Hoeschler family at Summer Outdoor Retailer 2014 and absolutely fell in love with it! It is highly addicting and you will get many laughs from this experience. Hit them up and find out where the nearest facility for Key Log Rolling is to you - guaranteed you'll be smiling ear to ear wanting more!
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| Coli taking a log rolling lesson from Abby (L) and Will (R) |
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| Coli taking some pointers from Will Hoeschler |
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| Coli with Judy Hoeschler |
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| Havin a blast with the Hoeschler family at the Key Log Rolling Booth - Outdoor Retailer 2014 |
http://keylogrolling.com/
12. Athletes for Cancer: This is an amazing program!
This program focuses on helping cancer survivors rebuild their lives through outdoor experiences and we fully support them! Make a donation to the program as a Christmas gift of giving - or donate in the name of someone you love!
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| Coli with the Athletes4Cancer crew at Round the Rock 2014 |
http://www.athletes4cancer.org/
12. Stoke Ceramics: We just had to include this one!
Not only does Maia make some of the most awesome and unique beverage vessels we've had the privilege to use - but she is also one of the most inspiring people to the kids she teaches. She gets their hands dirty, helps them tap into their creative minds, and let's them loose on clay! Coli and I are very lucky to have her in our lives and the Village of Stoke would not be here if it wasn't for her. Whether you get one of her mugs, whacky brain containers, sign up for a private session, or get one of your kids in her classes, Coli and I are on a mission to support her in every which way we can!
Bonus if you sign up for a class - you'll get Coli as your T.A.!! Thank you Mama-Stoke for being the Glue to the Village of Stoke - and keeping us inspired constantly!
https://www.facebook.com/stokeceramics
http://www.schoolofstoke.com/
~We hope you enjoyed the list - and may you all have an excellent Christmas & New Year full of laughter, inspiration, and awesome experiences!
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| Even if you are small - you can always do something big ~ Coli |
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