Monday, March 18, 2024

Omar Hassan #11.



Promar.

Out of curiosity stemming from last week's Salman Agah post, this week will be a look at what pro shoes Vans was selling from 1997 to 1999. Omar was holding it down on Formula One and generally ripping up everything in 1998. He had been on Vans for a while so a pro shoe was warranted. The designs were more in line with what other shoe companies were doing at the time and featured cupsoles with well padded uppers. It's interesting to note the classic Vans wave has been toned down and moved to the tongue. There has also been the borrowing of elements from DC and DVS with the heel tab and lace loops. Van was still making their classics, but they were also pushing a more technical line of skate shoes.

Chris Ortiz snapped the photograph.

Thrasher - January 1998 Volume 18 Number 1

Friday, March 15, 2024

Aesthetics Team 1999.



Model Race Cars.

This was the Aesthetics team in 1999. Sal, Kevin, and Clyde were the pros and Rob was the amateur. Rob actually might have been pro or would be turning pro shortly. I'm not really positive on the timeline for him. Anyway, the graphic design is top shelf work and as the years zip by, Aesthetics keeps on looking better and better.

Check the sizes on the boards:
KT - 8" x 32"
Clyde - 7.75" x 31.75"
Sal - 7.5" x 31.75"
Team - 7.5" x 31.5"

The photo is by Eric Coleman.

Transworld - June 1999 Volume 17 Number 6

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Ronnie Sandoval #4.



The Anchor.

Ron was ripping around San Pedro in Lakais a decade ago. He's on Vans these days.

I took a half day yesterday to take another trip to the Food Court Skatepark in the McKinley Mall. My friend from Rochester was able to meet up with me. It was a really fun time. You can't beat playing skateboard in a mall to the sounds of 1990s alt rock hits. Food Court is worth checking out if you're ever in the greater Buffalo metropolitan area.

The photo is by Ben Colen.

Thrasher - October 2014 Volume 35 Number 10

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Nevada #6.



Made of air.

Apparently my friend Alan and I are about the only two people wondering whatever happened to Gustavo Vargas. I'm a little amazed that I'm the lone soul who has scanned a bunch of Nevada episodes for the internet, too. These things had to have registered with other folks over the years.

Slap - December 1997 Volume 6 Number 12

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Salman Agah #8.



Large pizza with all the toppings.

Vans hosted a demo recently with a huge orange vert wall and gigantic pyramid. They had some bands playing a stage built like a window into the vert wall, too. The setup looked strangely unimpressive and minimal. It didn't really look fun to skate at all, even if you were really good at riding a skateboard. I imagine the end result of edited photos and video will look cool. It's marketing, I guess.

Check out how bulky and padded those Vans were back in 1998.

Lance Mountain was the photographer.

Slap - December 1998 Volume 7 Number 12

Monday, March 11, 2024

Matt Bennett #5.



Supreme Machine.

Ed keeps posting funny stories about the early days of Toy Machine on the company Facebook page. I'd do another celebration week for their 30th anniversary, but I've scanned most of their ads in already over the last 15 years. I did pick up all three reissue t-shirts for Brian Anderson, Mike Maldonado, and Elissa Steamer. They've also got Lincoln Ueda's son riding for them now. He flies around the vert ramps just like his dad.

I ran out of time over the weekend to scan new stuff, but I did get my taxes done. I browsed around the hard drive and there were enough unused scans to fill up two weeks. Think of it as spring cleaning. It's going to be very random. I'm stoked I don't have to take a break while I figure out what to post next.

Eric "Rodent" Cheslak was the photographer.

Thrasher - September 2009 Volume 29 Number 9

Friday, March 8, 2024

Mario Rubalcaba #3.



Mirror Imagery.

Mario got in on the big wheel craze of the late 1990s with a 59 mm shape. He was pro for Alva, New School, and ATM Click. Mario also plays drums in a lot of bands, including Earthless, OFF!, and Clikatat Ikatowi to name a few.

Thomas Campbell was the photographer.

Transworld - January 1998 Volume 16 Number 1