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Fun and personal choice aside, it's pretty shitty to send a bunch of dudes on a work trip for your business with no food money. Especially when they are risking their asses on no insurance.
If this was nike i would agree, but with foundation I doubt tod swank or sinclair is the one making them go on the road, its probably them wanting to go on a trip and foundation helping out with gas money. In the interviews for oddity they said they were taking trips fully on their own budget, and in the latest glick interview he says him and dakota planned a trip for foundation but they had no money so it became a toy machine trip. Foundation might as well be shep dawgs at this point they just happen to make boards. I hope things turn around with KOTR because they sure as hell have the skill and heart for a brand to thrive, but we all know how hard it is for an old company to come back swinging.
Sometimes a friend helps you dig a hole in your backyard and they say they were glad to help and you thank them and maybe make them some spaghetti (and you don't make them pay for it). When you own a landscaping company and your friend helps you dig holes in other people's backyard, you pay them. Even if your friend is a little soft in the head and says no no, I'm just glad for the opportunity to dig holes, you pay them anyway, and if you don't, you're an asshole.
I've been on van tours for the local shop with a bunch of friends who all split the costs, doing demos for free gear and the occasional pizza, and in those scenarios, there's no team manager making 30-60 grand salary. Foundation is a decades-old company with established international distribution whose brand is currently featured on a popular show on Vice: they can twist it any way they like, but if the tm is making 30-60 then Swank or whoever is making more, and could afford to pay those per diems out of pocket if need be.
I find it very hard to believe that Higher ups at foundation aren't making at least 100gs/annual, but then somebody who knows these things prove me wrong and I 'll gladly shut up.