All the folks involved with éS Footwear and Apparel get asked a lot of questions, all the time, about éS. Here we bring you answers to some of the more popular questions.
How do you pronounce “éS?”
Well, we pronounce it like the letter “S”
or “ess,” which rhymes with guess, but we've heard some funny
pronunciations over the years, and we like them all. “E-S”
and “ease” are two of the most popular that we hear a lot.
What's P.J. Ladd really like?
P.J.'s a nice kid who doesn't follow the normal trends of
skateboarding. Sometimes he's pretty shy, and might skate off the
opposite direction, but he's just looking for a place to skate by
himself. P.J. wears a size 9 shoe.
How tall is Eric Koston?
He's 6'2” tall and wears a size 11.5 shoe. Koston is
a hell of a basketball player, too. He even plays on a celebrity basketball
team with Ashton Kutcher! He's not all that good at golf, though.
Where is Rick McCrank's skate shop?
Rick's shop is called AntiSocial and is at Main and Broadway in
Vancouver, British Columbia. That's in Canada. Rick wears a size
9 shoe.
Why is Rodrigo's last name TX.?
Is he from Texas?
No, Rodrigo's last name is Teixeira, and when he came here from
Brazil a few years ago, Lance Mountain shortened his name to make it easier
for us yanks to say. His last name is pronounced “Tuh-share-uh.”
Where is Tom Penny?
Tom is off somewhere skateboarding right now, in his size 10.5 éS
Penny shoes, that's all we can tell you.
Was Justin Eldridge's dislocated
finger in Girl's “Yeah Right” video just another special effect?
Nope, he really dislocated his finger. He just pulled it out, put it in
place, and kept skateboarding! All in a size 10 shoe.
Where did Cale Nuske come from, and
how do you say his name?
Cale is from Adelaide, South Australia. That's way down under, and
yes, they have kangaroos there. His first name is pronounced just like
it is spelled: Cale rhymes with Dale. Nuske rhymes with Suski, and Cale
wears a size 10 shoe.
What is the Sole Technology Institute (STI)?
STI is a scientific research organization dedicated to the study of the
biomechanics of skateboarding. STI records and measures all of the stress
your body goes through while jumping off huge objects during everyday
skateboarding. Why? To test and develop new technologies to make the highest
performing skateboarding footwear around--shoes that improve the performance
of, reduce the risk of injury to, and increase the longevity and enjoyment
of skateboarders everywhere. Scope the STI
web site.
How can I get on the éS Team? A.K.A. How can I get sponsored?
So you want to ride for éS, eh? If you're good, you'll
get noticed—we've all heard this, right? Well, it's
true! Getting noticed by éS means you might get a free pair of
shoes or two, and can lead to free boards and clothes and trips around
the world to ride your skateboard with Eric, P.J., Rick, Rodrigo, and
everyone on the éS team. Of course, being a kid and being impatient,
you want this to happen right now! So we've come up with a little
guide on how we choose who skates for éS.
Be realistic and reasonable about your skateboarding skills. Just because you can do a few tricks, and you've been skating for two years doesn't mean you're ready. A good way to measure yourself against others is to watch skateboarding videos and compare. It's not all about tricks—style and attitude help a lot. There are no rules, we're really looking for people who stand out and do their own thing, and have confidence that what they're doing is cool.
If you ever get a chance to skate with any of the éS team guys, that's a great way to get recognized. If you're at a demo and you're skating well, of course you'll be noticed. Don't approach the team or Tony E., the éS team manager, all amped out about how good you are—nobody wants to deal with that. Let your skating do your talking for you. Self-confidence is good, but cockiness isn't. If you talk to one of the skaters, leave out all the stuff like “Oh my god, I'm actually talking to Eric Koston!" Putting most skaters on a pedestal just makes them uncomfortable. Leave the "You're my favorite skateboarder!" and the "Can I have your autograph twenty times?" to the little kids and the kooks. An autograph is OK, but again, be respectful about it.
When skating at a demo, one thing you don't want to do is to try to one-up somebody. One-upping is the name for trying to out-do the pros (or anyone) at a demo. A one-upper will watch to see what tricks the pros are trying, then, before the pro makes the trick, the local, who usually has skated the park before, lands the trick. All of a sudden, all the locals' friends are slapping him on the back, telling him, "Yeah, you're better than (insert pro's name here), dude!" This usually ends up in the pros turning away—it doesn't do any good--and isn't a respectful move. Nobody wants kooks on their team, so one-upping isn't a good thing.
Another way to get hooked up, especially if the éS team doesn't have plans to come to your town soon, is the "Sponsor Me" video. This works pretty well if you've got what it takes, and lots of people, especially those from outside California, have started with a good video. Here are some things to keep in mind when making a video:
Make sure your video is up to par. It should at least fit in as if it were a small part in Menikmati. Also, if you're wearing shoes from every other company, it kind of makes us wonder if you're looking for a free ride or if you're really down for éS. You don't necessarily have to worry about the filming quality, (although it wouldn't hurt), but the skating is what counts. When you watch skateboarding videos, notice how the cuts are short and there's not a lot of long rollups and rollaways before and after each trick. Edit your video the same way. Music is a nice touch, but won't help your skating, just like a poor editing job and bad filming can't hide a skaters' natural talent. And that's the thing to remember: the video is just a tool for showing skateboarding ability, not a substitute for it.
If you send a video in and don't hear back, send a new video six months or a year later. We try to get back to most people, but we get a lot of Sponsor Me tapes, so it's tough to get back to everyone. But if you send us one, and then another, we'll probably remember your name and if you've gotten a lot better, we'll definitely notice that, too. When you send your video, include a letter with it telling us about who you are, how old you are, where you live, and maybe some other things, like what your goals are, or if you're really funny-looking and will promise to provide hours of comic relief in the tour van. Make sure your video is clearly labeled.
Also, go out and spend $2.99 on new videotape. We like to use them to
tape HBO movies and we don't want crummy old tapes! (Only kidding!)
Send your videos, letters, pictures or anything else to:
éS Footwear
25422 Trabuco Rd Suite 105
#441, Lake Forest
CA 92609 USA
Lastly, remember that it's skateboarding, there are no
rules, and that's the best part! Have fun!
*All submissions to us will become our property, and by submitting your materials, you agree to such assignment and to execute the necessary documents to confirm such assignment.