Criteria for Sklogs

I do not think that I could have chosen a better subject for my blog. Not only do skateboarding and media go hand in hand, but I also feel like this is a hot time right now for skateboarding blogs in particular. The culture of skateboarding is a cult of authenticity, meaning if you don't skateboard, skateboarders won't listen to you. Recognizing this criteria was easy for me because of skateboarding's "real recognize real" mentality, but could be more difficult to the untrained eye.

Characteristics that I searched for in my blog selection include: author/s that skateboard, aesthetically pleasing/media savy (meaning not a bland look, and offers plenty of videos and pictures to look at), some sense that the blog gives back in some way (like coverage of events, intellectual insight, tips, or insider information), and finally professionalism (keeping in mind that skateboarding professionals are a different breed).

Mostly Skateboarding is what's called a vlog. All of the posts contain an embedded video and little to no text that give some insight to the video. The blog is culturally rich; it contains videos from different areas as well as a diverse selection of music in the videos. Plus the skateboarding is epic.

haveboard.com is a diverse and busy blog/website with skateboarding news, coverage, videos, pictures, and features that are sure to never make you bored. They are also on Twitter.

Shake Junt...Ahhhh Shake Junt. At first glance, one might throw this one out the window, but why? The blog is hilarious, has phenomenal pictures and videos, and is run by skateboarding filmer "Beagle." Because of Beagle's insider status, the blog is a huge hit. Shake Junt is the name of their crew consisiting of most of the Baker and Deathwish skateboard teams, and they are all known for keeping it "G-Code." What's great about Shake Junt is they tell it like it is. This particular group of pro skateboarders push the limits of skateboarding and party like rock stars. Maybe that's why they are so good.

eS Footwear on Twitter - I decided to follow eS because they were one of the first skate companies to jump on the Twitter bandwagon, and it's paying off well for them. They have over 500 followers, daily updates, and links in every post.

Heyday Skateboarding is another great example of the clean-cut no BS type of blog. The site promotes skateboarding with videos, news, and photos - plain and simple. Bonus add ons include: a skate forum, trick tips, and featured articles.

Mike Vallely Dot Com - Mike V. has an interesting story here. If you click on the link, you are redirected to his band myspace, the reason behind this is several weeks ago, Mike made the announcement that the only networking site he would be using is MyBerrics.com, an interesting yet justifiable move. Mike V. is known for being a strong believer in skateboarding and I fully agree with his decision, because why should a skateboarder like himself complicate his life with a cluster of sites to check and update, when things can be kept simple and authentic. Way to keep it real Mike.

Currently TarFilms.com is underconstruction, but the website and blog is the brainchild of local professional wakeboarder, Gabe Lucas. Lucas lives on Lake Placid in Seguin, and is well known for not only his wakeboarding skills, but his wakeskating and skateboarding skills as well. Lucas always promotes local skateboarders and skate spots in his blog, along with some insight and philosophies on life that apply to board riding. Not a 100% skateboarding blog, but Lucas' efforts promoting the local scene have not gone unnoticed.

The Berrics - WOW comes to mind. Not a traditional blog. The Berrics had daily updates that offer a window into the skate dreamland of a warehouse that pro skateboarders Eric Koston and Steve Berra own. This website is hands down the best skateboarding website on the internet. It's new, fresh, creative, and always has a wide variety of skaters feature. See "Get and Edu-skation" post.

Crailtap is one of the oldest blog typle website in the skateboard industry. It's unique because of its multi-author format. The guys at crailtap know how to keep things entertaining with non-skateboarding features, jokes, a store, and the world famous "THE FIVES."

Finally, Epicly Later'd is a television style internet show that chronicles the lifestyles of professional skateboarders. Each show is rich in humor, skateboarding, and behind the scenes information that people like me just eat up. Watch one episode and you will be hooked. See "BROing my Mind."

This collection of skateboarding blogs, or sklogs, may not be the ultimate cream of the crop, but a glance at them will surely give you a good edu-skation.