Thrasher Magazine

I’ve been a contributing photographer for Thrasher coming for almost a decade, but I got my start in the skateboard industry working at Furnace skateshop (somehow I’ve still managed to hold on to my Thursday shift). When the owner Randy got the call from Cons inviting him to fly out to New York to celebrate the one year anniversary of Louie’s shoe, he had to politely decline. Partly because the shop is so busy but mostly due to the fact that he has a one-year-old baby at home and couldn’t justify partying for three days in NYC. That’s where I come in. I was on the road for over 100 days last year, mostly with the Tum Yeto guys. I’m normally lucky if I score a couch at a filmer’s house in the Midwest, so having an all-expenses-paid trip to NYC seemed too good to be true. Fun fact: this was the first time in my adult life that I had a hotel room all to myself. —Ben Karpinski

View from the William Vale

First stop of the trip was Max Fish. No NYC blog post would be complete without paying homage

Heard some good hardcore music coming from the basement and it turned out to be Rebelmatic

Gotta find one of those “Fuck your racist Grandma” tees

Rowan was in town for his own shoe party the night before. Maybe this is the new normal?

Rob Collins closing out the “Chuck Taylor” tab with Marc Razo

Ever hear of athletes foot? The key accounts were treated to pedicures

Mike from Atlas wasn’t about to be all basic with clear polish—color is the way to go

Then it was over to the new Cons park for a private session before the party started

In the skate shop owners who rip category, Steve Nesser is the gold standard

Close friends, Steve and Dennis from Familia 

Elias Bingham from No Comply wallies up to nose

Matt Jones—aka Viper—from CCS with a hefty 50-50

Mike from Atlas has a beautiful back tail

That pedicure must have paid off cause Mike was ripping all night

Aaron Herrington taking advantage of the spacious wheel wells with a frontside blunt

Converse’s star, Alexis Sablone catches the perfect kickflip

First time seeing Jake Johnson skate in person was as magical as I’d expect. Thanks for the switch 5-0 180, you unicorn

Then he just flat out spoiled us with one hell of a nollie heelflip!

Brad Cromer blasts his own take on the heelflip

East coast legends, Quim Cardona and Frank Gerwer of Thrasher Radio season two fame

The Southwest skate scene wouldn’t be the same without them. Trent from Cowtown and DJ Chavez from Kingswell

Mike Anderson has one of the most graceful noseblunts ever—no exception on this low-to-high maneuver

What's a New York skate event without some heated debate by the open bar?

The man of the hour taking advantage of the taco truck, celbrating a year well done

That burrito didn’t slow him down at all. FSO with a food baby

Nausea be damned, he goes backside too!

Cyrus Bennett still giving out his phone number when he pivot fakies

Converse’s Scott Mackey and Mike Barker of Popwar and Element fame

Theories family, Jahmal Williams and Josh Stewart, with the best smiles in the house


Nik Stain was hauling ass all over the park and front crooking the whole box

Mike Anderson preps for his Better-Off-Dead-style ski-off every year just hoping someone would race him

Cover boy, Raney Beres, along with the homies Russ and Lee

Raney practically going through the roof

One of the most properly stalled sad plants I have ever seen—maybe I should send the photo to Rattray

The shoes that made my first solo stay in a hotel room possible

Here’s to another good year from one of the best out. Congrats, Louie! Thanks for the epic weekend, Converse!