My two cents

My two cents.

I get asked for advice on skating and products a million times a day (ok maybe I exaggerated a little, but you get the point), and it’s filled mostly with the same questions.  The biggest one is about my AR-1 boots, and if I would skate on them if I didn’t design them.  Here’s the deal…First off having someone from WHATEVER sport you do designing and making product is a plus, because they’re actually interested in making what they believe is needed to fix the common issues, progress the sport, and make it better for the following athletes.  And two, its not always about turning a buck to profit off the massively growing industry. My boots were designed from the ground up to be comfortable, technical, and stylish. Scuff resistant hard-cap, heat moldable toe, so you can ditch the horrible looking toe guards. Un-countered sides near the pinky toe and ball of the foot, because that’s where most of the stress and pressure is placed. The wedge in the heel reduces a huge amount of shock and vibrations that irritate your feet. And a hypoallergenic, medical grade, foam tongue, that’s comfortable, conforms to the foot, and ACTUALLY STAYS IN PLACE.

Yeah, its all sounds like marketing BS, buts this is the kind of thinking a true lifetime skater thinks of and develops. I didn’t take one boot and go, “I’ll add some fur, and some padding, add some bells and whistles, and change a name…. Oh yeah, now it’s a derby skate”, I started with all of the issues I had and hated growing up skating, and I tried to eliminate them.  No, its not he best boot ever and it not for everyone, but I have to say- its changed the way people look at and select their next pair of skates, and its got all the other skate companies scrambling to do a better job with their product. I was a skater before derby, and I’ll be one after. This is not to say other brands of boots don’t work or that they don’t address the issues, but Antik has come at the issues from an entirely different thought process that others might find a little radical.

 So to answer the original question…Yes, I would still skate an AR-1 because a trusted, lifetime skater designed it with a skaters needs and wants in mind.

Quadzilla L.K.

What makes a ¾ high Antik so special?

Before Antik boots were cool, they were functional.  The basis for the boots was to provide skaters with a comfortable, precise fit and the option of more ankle support. The ¾ design, unlike standard low boots, allows for the boots to truly follow the contours for the ankle and Achilles tendon. This contour creates a ‘hook’ that locks the heel in place, and gives you a secure, natural fit. This fit allows for your foot and boot to react as one, not your foot moving then the boot moving separately, which creates blisters and sore feet. The ¾ height also lets you cinch the boot higher and tighter than any other boot made. No matter how many straps, laces, or fastening systems a low boot has, there is no way to provide more ankle support, unless it covers you ankle.  This is why the ¾ design is special, and it’s only found on Antik Skate Boots.

Learn more about the boots by stopping by the GRN MNSTR booth at events, finding a local Antik dealer, and visiting www.grnmnstr.com


Quadzilla
info@grnmnstr.com

Reckless Wheel Are Coming.... ARE YOU READY!!!!

SNEAK PEEK - ECDX 2011!

Reckless Wheels will hit the derby world Rollercon 2011... ARE YOU READY!!! What are Reckless Wheels you ask... well, they are only the sickest 38mm wheel on the market. What makes Reckless better than everything else? Hmmmm.... you will just have to hit up the GRN MNSTR Roller Sports booth at ECDX 2011 for a Sneak Peek!

ECDX 2011 and Then Some!

Wow, has it been a long time since we posted on here, and man do we have a lot to tell you!. There has been so much going on in these last few months that I do not think that my fingers can handle typing it all. Well, as most of you know ECDX is THIS WEEKEND, and so it starts the road to the Big 5 tournament season. As always, the Philly Roller Girls have gone above and beyond to throw one of the biggest Derby Shindigs together, and from what I hear, this will be the biggest EVER!

Make sure to stop by the booth and say whats up to Quadzilla and Shortbus because you know that GRN MNSTR Roller Sports will be on hand to help fit you in some hot new Antiks, grab the Gumball Toe Stops that everyone has been talking about, PIMP out your skates with Astro Nuts, and as always, help you find that right wheel for you!

Oh , and did I mention we might be sneak peaking some hot new products that will drop at Roller! Stay tuned, because you won't want to miss the bomb we are about to drop!

See you THIS WEEKEND!

Shortbus

Astro Nuts are HERE!

Astro-Nuts by GRN MNSTR are finally here! Astro-Nuts are constructed of Compression Molded Nylon, which makes them half the weight of standard axle nuts, ensure longer thread life, and creates higher tolerances for a more secure fit.  Astro-Nuts come in seven different astronomical colors to give you a personalized custom look for all of your skates!

Red

Blue

Green

Purple

Pink

Turquoise 

Black

Astro Nuts are like jewelry, there is a color for everyday of the week!

Astro Nuts... It' like skating on the moon!

Astro Nuts can be found at your local or online authorized GRNMNSTR dealer! For more more information on Astro Nuts, please contact us at info@GRNMNSTR.com or call us toll free at 888-360-4523

Why you should be on Gumball toe stops and nothing else.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bilbc_DaVbM

WWS 2011 = INSANE!

Holy Smokes!!!! If you didn't make it to the Wild West Showdown, you missed out! The 3 day event covered the entire spectrum of derby from jr.'s to mens, co-ed bouts to 'majors only' test bouts, challenges and open scrimmages, and finally nationally ranked teams and local unranked teams. Hell, the only thing missing was a banked track (possibly next year?) Friday saw some of the lesser known teams and the mens mini tourney which consisted of 4 30 min bouts and one regulation championship bout, captured by the Puget Sound Outcasts. The womens bouts featured some big names mainly Rat City, Rose City, Denver and Philly, which did not disappoint. The tourney was hosted by Slaughter Co. Roller Vixens and was attended by teams from up and down the West coast. The bouts were full of big hits, big falls, and big scores. We got to see total blowouts, close calls,  nail biters, sudden death overtimes, and come from behind victories, and none better than the all to familiar 'Rat City hustle', in which they find a way to battle back from a 50 point (give or take)  halftime deficit, to come back and win by 30 or so. Regardless of the outcomes, the event was insane, and as if you didn't know, the Antik booth was packed with skaters waiting for a chance to try out the new Antik AR-1's, and buy Gumball toe stops. This is just the begining to the 2011 tourney season, and all indications are that it's gonna get even better. See ya at the Dust Bowl in Bakersfield March 25-27, followed by the Dust Devil in Tucson April 3 & 4.

3/4" Technology is here to stay!

What is Antik 3/4" Technology you might ask? 

Some people are still skeptical about a ¾ boot, well here’s the scoop. The higher ankle provides the skater with added support and also helps the boots form around the heel of your foot, giving you a secure fit to limit heel lift. The ¾ upper allows the skater to get the added support but doesn’t restrict your lateral movement. In fact, the added support even makes the boot more responsive by joining the upper ankle and foot together. The material is strong, yet supple, which allows the skater to bend side to side for a full range of motion.  There is no way to get added support from a standard low boot (no matter how many straps are on it), but with the Antik ¾ configuration you have the OPTION of lacing it low to get the same feel as a low boot, and if the skater chooses, more support by lacing it to the top. In essence, the skater gets the best of both worlds in one boot.  Hit up your favorite Antik dealer and try out the boot that’s revolutionizing derby! 

Quadzilla LK

The answer to all your Toe Stop needs.... GUMBALL Toe Stops!

The answer to all your toe stop needs has arrived. Gumball Toe Stops are by far the HOTTEST toe stop on the market. This toe stop has insane grip which assists the skater with stoping and starting, and does not pull off the stem unlike other toe stops out there on the market. You might ask why we used this color, well..... we used the "cream" color because this is the natural color of the actual rubber when it is poured. Using any type of rubber in its natural state will make it superior to any other product that uses colored pigment. Don't be fooled by the imitation BITERS out there. They can try and use the same name BUT will never come close to the quality.

THIS JUST IN, Gumball Toe Stops are BACK IN STOCK! Our new shipment will not last so hit up your local dealer TODAY!

Antik SOCAL Fitting Trip!

Recently Shortbus and Quadzilla made a trip to Southern California to plant the seeds of the new Antik Skate Boots. What started out as small demo/fitting clinic at Fast Girl Skates in Seattle, has now grown into possibly a nationwide tour that kicked off in San Diego. Team "ShortZilla" began the trip in Huntington Beach, where the likes of Wicked Skatewear, OC Roller Skates, and Fountain Valley Skating Center reside, and with a full size run of complete Antik AR-1 skate packages in tow, they began fitting and educating all of the dealers and potential customers on the features, benefits, and options of the highly anticipated boots. 

The trip then went south on I-405 to San Diego, Home of the San Diego Derby Dolls, Sin City Skates and Skateworld. It's quite odd to imagine a roller rink in San Diego (constant sunny weather, beaches, Mexico, etc), and even more odd to see it packed full of 400 screaming kids at 10:45 a.m., but there it was. Speaking with the general manager Brett Stang, he assured us that this was no anomaly, and that it's generally this way all the time. Roller skating has sky-rocketed in popularity, a lot due to roller derby and the interest to do stuff that's now deemed "cool". After spending some time with the guys at Skateworld, we moved to Sin City Skates to hang with Team Awesome skaters extraordinare Isabelle Ringer and Dahmer Natrix. The two girls help run the day-to-day operations and are the 'go-to' for any and all skating gear related questions. After a few hours of Antik fitting and sizing education, we were on our way back north (with lunchtime stop off for some tasty Mexican eatin').

The next 3 days put us in Long Beach, North Hills, and Los Angeles, with visits to Moxi Skates, Valley Surf and Skate, and Wicked L.A. There were HUGE turnouts for the Antik 'fitting/demo parties, with everyone in attendance getting a chance to try on and skate the new AR-1. The first was at a friday night 'gathering' at Wicked L.A., which turned into a 'support Team Legit, and paint your finger/toenails purple', then finished off with a fitting/demo with Team Antik skater Estro Jen, and her league the Long Beach Roller Gals, who by the way, practice and play in one of the sickest venues around. It's some dome that Howard Hughes had built to house his world famous "Spruce Goose" airplane, and to top that, there's this GI-NORMOUS Queen Mary steam liner ship (looks like the Titanic) that's docked next to it, crazy!

Thanks to all the skaters who came out to support Antik at the local skate shops and rinks, and if this is any indication as to how Antik is being received, then we gotta plan a lot more trips. If yo want us at your local skate shop or rink, drop us a line at info@grnmnstr.com.  Keep an eye out, we may be in a city near you soon.

Quadzilla and Shortbus

Antik Production photos

Check out these awesome photos that I took while I was at the factory on Friday. The Antik boots look amazing! Let me just make it clear that I am NOT a professional photographer! It was pretty rad to get to walk around the factory and check things out. Everyone was SUPER friendly and had no problem with me getting in their bubble and taking pictures.

Colored Customs and Sized Customs have already begun to ship out and the standard black will begin shipping in the week to come. Hope everyone enjoys!

We cannot wait to get some pictures of the MG2 to show you as well. We are not scared to show how our stuff is made and wow, am I glad I do not have to travel to China to take pictures :)

let us know what you think

Shortbus

This is a photo of the boots right before they were stiched

This is a photo of some of the tongues after they had been stitched to the Anti Microbial fiber

This photo was taken right before the worker lasted them. Before he lasted them he put it in a steamer. PRETTY COOL!

r

Here is a picture of just some of the colored leathers that we use

 

These Skates REALLY caught my eye. Whom ever these are, you put together some AWESOME colors!

Blue and Grey looks super rad!

This is a picture of my finished skate! (YES, I had to wait just as long as everyone else!)

ANTIK IS HERE!!

Yes, you read this title right... ANTIK IS HERE. Antik Skate boots have begun to ship to customers all over the world this week. GRN MNSTR Roller Sports has been working hard to bring you... the skate, the best in skate boot innovation and it is finally here! We know that you have been waiting a while, some since Rollercon, in which we appreciate your loyalty and hope that you appreciate them just as much as we do. Hit up your local derby shop today and make sure you are not "that skater" with out the most innovative skate boot on the market!

Antik Skate boots... Define YOUR Sport!!

For any questions about Antik Skate Boots or any other brands under the GRN MNSTR Roller Sports umbrella feel free to hit us up anytime!

Both Quadzilla and I look forward to an AMAZING Derby season this year. Find GRN MNSTR Roller Sports at your local derby shop throughout the year to get that perfect fit!


Quadzilla and Shortbus
GRNMNSTR Roller Sports
grnmnstr.com
info@grnmnstr.com
TOLL FREE - 888-360-4534