Rabu, 28 Mei 2008

Stay Safe and Cool by Tony Hawk



Action sports attract a lot of creative people, so the clothes are as artistic as they are athletic. Here's how to stay safe -- without losing your cool -- when you're going hard.

Save your skin. You don't need to armor up like a goalie to stay safe. I have learned to appreciate longer socks in any situation, because my shins are almost all scar tissue at this point. I also wear long-sleeved shirts when riding the biggest ramps -- it's so easy to get burns from sliding on any exposed part of your body. I need clothes that are flexible, but not anything that's excessively long or baggy and can catch or snag.

Play it safe. You aren't going to climb a ski hill in dress shoes, and you shouldn't try a difficult trick without a helmet. It never hurts to be cautious. My biggest mistake was in 2003 when I went for a loop on a full-circle ramp and I didn't have my helmet on. I was knocked unconscious, fractured my skull, broke my thumb, and fractured my pelvis.

Know when to pack it in. Clothing can't always beat the elements. I had to do an exhibition at an indoor skiing facility in Tokyo. I ended up skating in sweatpants under my kneepads and shorts, a thermal under a sweatshirt, and snowboard gloves. After 30 minutes, my board flew off the ramp and got wet, and the water turned to ice on my grip tape. Skate on a slippery board? The show officially ended then.

Tone it down. Crooked placement of Gothic art and English crests is the next big thing, especially when the stitching is offset or the graphics are purposely tainted. The subtler the better, though -- you definitely don't want to overdo it. These can be placed anywhere (pants legs, pockets, shoulders) and still look good.

Stylish, Yet Functional

Hawk designed this Briggs & Riley bag to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. For more information, visit briggs-riley.com.



source : www.menshealth.com

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