Eric Koston of numbers

[heritage]

Unpopular opinion I’m sure, but I will always be a fan of Koston and I’ve always wanted Numbers to succeed. JMO, but when you’re a new company it’s hard to establish any consistent identity or personality when you do too many guest artist collabs. You’re just an art collective at that point. All that said, any clip of Koston, Guy, and Durao gets me hyped to skate and I’d still like to see them do something with Numbers.

[Crap]

Completely forgot this brand existed. If you had asked me Koston's current board sponsor earlier today, I would have said he doesn't have one.

[Commercial D]

It's all over the place, they started as this super sleek and minimalistic company and now hey have decks that look like FA or Quasi, but 10 times uglier. No personality whatsoever.

It was also an opportunity to put out a little footage here and there of Koston and Mariano and people would be definitely be psyched (look at Chico!).

But they really didn't do anything with it...

They started out OK, bringing a fresh Eames Chair aesthetic to a culture that had frankly become cluttery, videos with no music, just skating from spot to spot in DTLA, but somewhere along the way the momentum fizzled out and so did the brand identity.

How can a board company that sells almost no product afford to pay a veteran pro like TX? This isn't 1992... if you aren't pulling at least $100k in LA you're riding the struggle bus. Especially at 40.

[Mike Oxwelling]

Unpopular opinion I’m sure, but I will always be a fan of Koston and I’ve always wanted Numbers to succeed. JMO, but when you’re a new company it’s hard to establish any consistent identity or personality when you do too many guest artist collabs. You’re just an art collective at that point. All that said, any clip of Koston, Guy, and Durao gets me hyped to skate and I’d still like to see them do something with Numbers.

Love the team.  But I didn't have high hopes for it lasting with the first graphic release (supposedly Gonz's idea) of the iphone screen.   Then all the super horrible collabs and graphics in general.   I felt really bad for them to be honest.  Because like you I'd like to see them succeed.   I'm huge Rodrigo fan as well.

[Pete]

scientology gave him some fucked up amount of money to legitimize Braille.


free max b

[waffle]

For those looking for numbers on Koston  :

http://4plymag.com/koston/

[fucking, joy]

Numbers is proof that good board graphics are still vital to success.  Insane roster, early videos that kids and old heads liked, major shoe brand visibility- but the graphics suck and the drops are uninspired so they're not doing nearly as well as they could have.  Antonio Durao is a generational talent and needs to be on a company that champions him properly.

[DaGOAT]

Numbers sucks donkey dick, but Koston will always have a pass for that noseslide in philly.

[DannyDee]

Numbers is proof that good board graphics are still vital to success.  Insane roster, early videos that kids and old heads liked, major shoe brand visibility- but the graphics suck and the drops are uninspired so they're not doing nearly as well as they could have.  Antonio Durao is a generational talent and needs to be on a company that champions him properly.

Real's graphics have never been great or even good, but they've lasted almost 30 years and are near the top of the industry at the moment. Mainly, because they are great at marketing the talent they have and DLX makes a high-quality product.

[Swithflip]

Guy Mariano on primitive is the next chapter.

[Commercial D]

Real's graphics have never been great or even good,

Imma let you finish, but this is one of the greatest skateboard graphics of all time.



Of. All. Time.

[Ok]

Expand Quote

Real's graphics have never been great or even good,

[close]

Imma let you finish, but this is one of the greatest skateboard graphics of all time.



Of. All. Time.

Just when I’m sure you’ve been sent to only annoy me.

[DarkPools]

I've owned and skated about 7 Numbers boards and they were all great! This was during the first 2 editions when the graphics weren't complete Quasi knockoffs and then a couple of the Boys of Summer collabs they did.

A shame that the brand started out with a good concept and approach but didn't/couldn't keep up and find their niche with us skaters.

[DannyDee]

Expand Quote

Real's graphics have never been great or even good,

[close]

Imma let you finish, but this is one of the greatest skateboard graphics of all time.



Of. All. Time.

A great one-off. But, Real's art direction has rarely been particularly inspired.

[Big Baby Jesus]

I've owned and skated about 7 Numbers boards and they were all great! This was during the first 2 editions when the graphics weren't complete Quasi knockoffs and then a couple of the Boys of Summer collabs they did.

A shame that the brand started out with a good concept and approach but didn't/couldn't keep up and find their niche with us skaters.

Master Yoda?

[Style Police]

[fs1/2cab]

Well I actually wanted to try one of their boards, the shape and size looked promising but the only numbers board I EVER saw was at that one 5 stair spot. It was shattered in 100 pieces. It was incredible.

[rosemaryBB]

Durao on Polar if they got the budget.

Also people roasting Koston's contest runs or goofy footage -I'd rather watch Koston do Chomp level goof-off tricks than 90% of the homogenous bullshit that people are coming out with today.

[drunk guy]

Also never have seen a numbers in the wild.

[Atiba Applebum]

I think they started off on the wrong foot going with a “first thought best thought” idea from Gonz.   I don’t think Krooked would have worked as well if it was called Stance as he originally wanted (magazine already had that name, socks didn’t exist yet)

[weon]

its cus berrics is starting a board brand



berricose skateboards

[pbj]

what makes people so sure Koston and Mariano will end up anywhere?
obviously legends but seems like both have taken steps back from being pro skateboarders

[givecigstosurfgroms]

I think they started off on the wrong foot going with a “first thought best thought” idea from Gonz.   I don’t think Krooked would have worked as well if it was called Stance as he originally wanted (magazine already had that name, socks didn’t exist yet)

  He would have made "stance' work cause "krooked" sucks and he made me like that, so.

[Lou Strux]

Expand Quote

I think they started off on the wrong foot going with a “first thought best thought” idea from Gonz.   I don’t think Krooked would have worked as well if it was called Stance as he originally wanted (magazine already had that name, socks didn’t exist yet)

[close]

  He would have made "stance' work cause "krooked" sucks and he made me like that, so.

Used to work at Deluxe & recall that I went to an ASR just before gonz’s “new project” was set to drop, back in the early 2000s & we were told to pack shirts w/ the new company name on them so we could hype the brand in the booth. Company was going to be called “FEWTURE” & was aborted shortly after that due to some sort of trademark difficulties if my recall device is working.
I still had that shirt until about a year or so ago, actually.
Maybe Stance was a 2nd abandoned attempt at branding?

[georgethecat]

Expand Quote

I think they started off on the wrong foot going with a “first thought best thought” idea from Gonz.   I don’t think Krooked would have worked as well if it was called Stance as he originally wanted (magazine already had that name, socks didn’t exist yet)

[close]

  He would have made "stance' work cause "krooked" sucks and he made me like that, so.

I don't know if skaters are just really bad at picking names for board brands, of if it's just nearly impossible to pick a good name.  Might be like perfume commercials, which are necessarily terrible because who can create a visual representation of a smell, who can pick a one- or two-word name that represents a skate team?  Off the top of my head, Alien Workshop and Habitat seemed to work, because the skating, videos and advertising was all cohesive with the brand name.  Krooked has kind of achieved this too.  These recent brands by big-name pros- Numbers, Thank You, April, even Primitive- are nowhere close.  I know there's room to disagree, but MJ's Business & Company is at least kind of interesting.

[figureitout]

For those looking for numbers on Koston  :

http://4plymag.com/koston/

What a strange website/article? Plus they're kinda wrong the crooked grind was called the "K grind" in the 90's for a reason, i might also equate the Nollie Heel Nose to Koston as his "signature" trick or whatever that website was debating.

Gottwig will remain on krooked. Weird multiple people in this thread have talked about Koston and Guy going back to Girl or Rick Howard and Carroll joining them at legend division at Krooked. A) there is a ton of love loss/hate between those parties, and B) why would two owners of Girl go to krooked?

[Dark Knight]

Just noticed Guy's insta hasn't been updated since August.

I thought skaters lived on IG?

WTH has he been doing the last 9 months?

Pretty sure he had a kid, but he’s been on the low since he got on Nike.  He’s obviously skating really well though as evidenced by the little bits of footage he’s put out.  Almost reminding me of Mouse Mariano.

[Ok]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

I think they started off on the wrong foot going with a “first thought best thought” idea from Gonz.   I don’t think Krooked would have worked as well if it was called Stance as he originally wanted (magazine already had that name, socks didn’t exist yet)

[close]

  He would have made "stance' work cause "krooked" sucks and he made me like that, so.

[close]

I don't know if skaters are just really bad at picking names for board brands, of if it's just nearly impossible to pick a good name.  Might be like perfume commercials, which are necessarily terrible because who can create a visual representation of a smell, who can pick a one- or two-word name that represents a skate team?  Off the top of my head, Alien Workshop and Habitat seemed to work, because the skating, videos and advertising was all cohesive with the brand name.  Krooked has kind of achieved this too.  These recent brands by big-name pros- Numbers, Thank You, April, even Primitive- are nowhere close.  I know there's room to disagree, but MJ's Business & Company is at least kind of interesting.

Business & Company is a good name, and certainly way way way fucking better than most names in skate currently.
Problem with B&C is both too much mj (talking) and not enough mj (skating)

[veritas]

Expand Quote

For those looking for numbers on Koston  :

http://4plymag.com/koston/

[close]

What a strange website/article? Plus they're kinda wrong the crooked grind was called the "K grind" in the 90's for a reason, i might also equate the Nollie Heel Nose to Koston as his "signature" trick or whatever that website was debating.

Gottwig will remain on krooked. Weird multiple people in this thread have talked about Koston and Guy going back to Girl or Rick Howard and Carroll joining them at legend division at Krooked. A) there is a ton of love loss/hate between those parties, and B) why would two owners of Girl go to krooked?

Krooked would be great. It doesnt seem like anyone would go back to Girl after leaving, there had to be some reason that so many original riders fled Crail like it was a sinking ship. Guy and Koston certainly dont need Girl to stay relevant at this point.

[givecigstosurfgroms]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

I think they started off on the wrong foot going with a “first thought best thought” idea from Gonz.   I don’t think Krooked would have worked as well if it was called Stance as he originally wanted (magazine already had that name, socks didn’t exist yet)

[close]

  He would have made "stance' work cause "krooked" sucks and he made me like that, so.

[close]

I don't know if skaters are just really bad at picking names for board brands, of if it's just nearly impossible to pick a good name.  Might be like perfume commercials, which are necessarily terrible because who can create a visual representation of a smell, who can pick a one- or two-word name that represents a skate team?  Off the top of my head, Alien Workshop and Habitat seemed to work, because the skating, videos and advertising was all cohesive with the brand name.  Krooked has kind of achieved this too.  These recent brands by big-name pros- Numbers, Thank You, April, even Primitive- are nowhere close.  I know there's room to disagree, but MJ's Business & Company is at least kind of interesting.

  I just dont think its the recent brands you mentioned faults that they cant resonate.  Its a tougher crowd/bigger lanscape these days compared to 20 years ago.