Brr does not sponsor every event, and any event in canada for that matter. Refer to page 3 of the thread xi.

Xi just won the fucking internet.

/Thread.

appleyard14 wrote:

Brr does not sponsor every event, and any event in canada for that matter. Refer to page 3 of the thread xi.

BRR doesn't sponsor every UK event either.

I went to Little Wheels 2, not sponsored by BRR, and I'm about to go to Freestyle Fingerboards Event, not sponsored by BRR either, over in the north-west of England.

Anyway, the point was that you said they didn't do anything for your scene. You have now just said that BRR does not sponsor any event in Canada.

If you look at the videos I posted, it's an event in Canada AND sponsored by BRR.

Jay,reffering to your point I do support the scene,I use a china deck because its just fingerboarding I have other decks like blosoms,pures but I use them on my other set ups.For the democracy part,just listen to pro era

Does anyone remember when blackriver only had one website and like 2 different ramps/rails besides table parks? like 2002/3 era? Look how far they have brought things. They charge that extra little bit to be able bring new stuff to the public. shtuff costs money especially developmental shtuff.
Extra cost also weeds out the people who are going to buy cheap shit and then bash the sport all together on youtube/ebay ect. because they cant do it immediately or "bought the wrong thing."

floppyfingers wrote:

Jay,reffering to your point I do support the scene,I use a china deck because its just fingerboarding I have other decks like blosoms,pures but I use them on my other set ups.For the democracy part,just listen to pro era

Lol, wtf? If you have a Blosom, and you prefer your China over it.... You're messed up hahahahahah. And pics of the Blosom or it didn't happen.... lawl <3

Morrow I don't know where it is and quite a few decks for that matter.I think I may have left them at my dads house and I barely see him anymore.The last time I saw him was like the early December days

floppyfingers wrote:

Morrow I don't know where it is and quite a few decks for that matter.I think I may have left them at my dads house and I barely see him anymore.The last time I saw him was like the early December days

Likely excuse... But find that shit.........

Blosom > China

By like 3,000,000,000,000

<3

I honestly don't want to read all of that. -_- Can someone fill me in on what they're doing?

It can't really be said much shorter than first post.

Alright. So they're laying off people, or what?

^no. I fucking hate the 'tl;dr' attitude. maybe someone else will.

I'm soo bummed thomas is loosing his job, he's one of the nicest dudes over at BRR to be honest.

Being the only person in the Uk who lives from fingerboarding I can tell you the scene is slowing a LOT these days in terms of people buying non china products. Complaining about prices is something I don't get also - no shit all the cheaper companies can offer decks cheaper than berlinwood. Do pure have a massive workshop with like 20 molds, custom made machines, graphics, a heat press, liscences to pay, and packaging to buy? I could make a billion examples but in short:

SELLING SOMETHING ON A FORUM IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN IF YOU WANT YOUR PRODUCT PUT OUT IN SHOPS.

The cost of making a company run properly is miles beyond anything you can imagine, AND exchange rates have an arse load to play in it too. 10 euros might translate to a fair amount in dollars but to a european or british person I don't consider it any money at all really. Say it takes someone just under half an hour to make a box 1. 2 euros labour, maybe 2 euros material cost, and then they're barely left with any profit before the 100% markup which is standard on most products in a retail environment.

If fingerboarding was ruled by small companies who 'support the scene', there wouldn't be a scene. It's companies like BRR, FF and Yellowood who've taken things to a higher level and created shops, parks, massive events, etc, that's paved the way for what there was for soo long. Unfortunately now there's an influx of china companies that the money coming into fingerboarding is spread out throughout a bunch of tiny little companies that a) aren't supporting fingerboarding, and b) even if they were they're not big enough to really give back to events. So at the end of the day unless one china company were to come along and buy out all the others so that money could go back to events and such, the scene is in a very bad position. In a way the internet seems to have done that to many industries though - look at how many small clothing companies pop up all the time? It's gotta have a significant shitty impact on the big companies.

Support your local fingerboard companies. Whilst it's great to support the little companies like you'll find in the banner, don't forget to show some love to the big guys too, be it country wide distributors or global companies

Deleted a few posts that were getting the thread off track.


Kerry sums it up beautifully. It is expensive to invent new products. Expensiver than most small companies can afford. That is why we need BRR.

closeup is in shops, and have even done collaborations with 5boro, magenta, heroin and a few other popular skate companies and they still remain their integrity by keeping a low price. Also yellowood and ytrucks are both cheaper then brr (not by much). And Woodywood is carried in many shops in indonesia along with hosting events as well. I think its kind of offensive to say without brr and big companies there would be no scene? Uh, I would think the products dont make the scene, the people do. Everyone who is on this forum everyday makes the scene. A certain brand of guitars doesnt make or break the metal scene right? The people playing the music on what they do make that scene. If brr closed everything tommorow we wouldnt all just stop fingerboarding and hq would die days later would it? The "scene" everyone keeps reffering to is buying and selling products. WE ARE THE SCENE.

Also kerry, since we are talking about all of the crazy equipment brr has and how they have heat presses and all that jazz. No comply can do the exact same thing with great real wears for cheaper. Brr has a laser engraver and thats great, but im never gonna order a lazer engraved deck so we have to eat up the cost of that machine in the markup of 15 doller bushings for example? Real Businesses invest in that equipment so everything is not handmade which does cost more. When you buy a machine to help produce on a larger scale it is suposed to HELP cut costs for the consumer in turn selling more volume at smaller markup. You think techdecks machines cost only a few bucks to do everythign they do? No they were expensive, very expensive and they have more employees. They move volume to be able to do this. And to do volume you need to be able to be affordable. Its no wonder every distributor or brr only buys 30 pieces and has them for 3 months. Walmart buys a few hundred techdeck pieces and they are gone in two weeks. THATS how you run a business. Brr is basically saying if we go out and get a coffee we will add another doller to our next product because the customer should eat that cost not us.

To use a box as an example is a great play on examples to prove your point but lets do the same thing with a set of trucks, Let me know how much labour goes into it, not counting waiting for things to set, I mean actual working on the trucks. Then tell me 75 dollers is a fair price? Good for you that 10 euros is not much to you, it must be great. But in a normal workday in canada where my minimum wage is 10 dollers an hour I have to work nearly two hours for that 10 euros.

Dude, just don't buy it then? Don't see why you have to be such a whiney sod about the fact that stuff costs more then you can afford? I managed to continue buying top dollar product from Kerry while earning £100 a week and supporting a wife. I dunno why you're so hurt by BRR, but I'm kinda getting sick of you hijacking every thread to do with them by bitching and moaning that you can't afford BRTs. And for the record, I bought one set of Woodywoods and the axle snapped because I tried putting the axle nut back on. My five sets of BRTs haven't had a SINGLE problem.

i have two sets of brts both had problems that brr never responded to. eat shit if your sick of it its a forum and i can speak on whatever i want. Sick of it? dont read.

appleyard14 wrote:

i have two sets of brts both had problems that brr never responded to. eat shit if your sick of it its a forum and i can speak on whatever i want. Sick of it? dont read.

By the way I never once said I cant afford brts I simply stated minimum wage in canada. Never said I made that either. Read carefully and realize I have been nothing but respectful to everyones opinions in the thread. Seems like everytime I state my position on this every gets mad, any sort of discussion or argument/debate is frowned upon here. Do any of you pieces of shit understand what a forum is? This is what makes a forum and forum, discussion. Suck my dick seamus you were rude to me first for no reason, all my posts were not hostile just normal discussion.

Nathan, pretty sure that this ^^^ is overly aggressive and hostile. Maybe proof read before you post?

Anyway, I feel this thread has often totally off topic. It's sad that Thomas has lost his job, but glad that he's not taken it personally. Getting laid off isn't any fun, especially by friends.

I agree that the ramps are relatively in proportion to what you buy. its brr trucks and winklers that really get me though. I ca't imagine them costing anywhere near as much to produce as they do to sell.

Xi wrote:

appleyard14 wrote:

Brr does not sponsor every event, and any event in canada for that matter. Refer to page 3 of the thread xi.

I went to Little Wheels 2, not sponsored by BRR, and I'm about to go to Freestyle Fingerboards Event, not sponsored by BRR either, over in the north-west of England.
.

I'm sponsoring the Freestyle Fingerboards Event!! I couldn't afford to send much but this was my first time sponsoring it so I want to see how it goes, then in the future I can send more.

About the OP I am very sad that Thomas is in this position I met him in person and conversed with him for several hours and he's just such a nice genuine person. And his English is so damn impressive he knows more words than the average American does lol.

About the whole debate about the prices, I do agree with appleyard (Nathan? I am bad with names sorry) but I also agree with Kerry. And Xi is definitely right on the money lol. The thing you all need to realize is, that on topics like this there is never one point of view that's 100% right and the other that's 0% right. Both sides can be right!!!! Btw apple you did say you work for min wage in your post. At least that's how I read it.

In my honest opinion I will probably say appleyard is 60% right and Kerry 40% right. But having said that they are BOTH RIGHT! I think BRR could afford to maybe lower prices just a bit, and if that means they can't sponsor as many events then maybe that's ok. By the way they do send a TON of free shit to events which is awesome but I'm sure people would be just as happy with maybe 3-5 free items instead of 10-15 free items. BRR sponsored our IFC 2012 event and I felt so bad with how much free stuff they gave me! maybe 4-5 ramps, 3 berlinwood decks, a set of BRR trucks, a ton of magazines, stickers, I mean seriously that was too generous.

About the whole supporting the scene argument.. appleyard is again right in saying WE are the scene. But Kerry and the others are right (in my opinion) that it's good to support companies that are true lovers and supporters of the business they are in. If you don't support those companies and instead buy a People's Republic complete for $14 on some random toy website (I found them randomly that's how I know they are there) or a 4 Corners complete for $20 on Amazon, you are in a sense hurting the true companies because what all these cheap companies are doing is just buying everything mass-produced from China, and reselling them for profit. They could care less about the actual hobby of fingerboarding, they care 99% or 100% about making profit and that's it. To me I'd rather spend $30-$40 on a hand-crafted fingebroard deck from an ACTUAL fingerboarder, someone who loves fingerboarding and isn't making decks just for profit.

So in the end it all comes down to where you stand. Because in a capitalist society (which is almost every society) the consumers are the ones who hold the power. If you want to help the true companies survive, support them and tell others to do the same. If you can't afford BRR products, don't buy them but still try to support other companies who are in it for the love of the hobby (like HOMEWOOD hahaha, or No Comply). Don't support companies like ProWood, 4Corners, People's Republic, Snow or Star fingerboards whatever their name is, and companies who are just buying everything from China and reselling it to you without caring at all about the hobby. BRR will eventually have to adjust their game plan and that very well may involve lowering prices, and when that time comes more of us can help support them again by buying their products. But they should also strive to make their products affordable too through innovation or research. I have never purchased a set of BRTs just because I can't afford $75 for a set of trucks. If they were $40 I would probably buy multiple sets. But that's just me. Sorry for the long post!

*Btw in case anyone doesn't know much about me, I did quit my full-time teaching job to make fingerboards full-time. I have been struggling to make money ever since my last day of school (May 31st 2012). But you know what? I've never been happier. But reality may set in soon and I'll have to find a part-time job or maybe even close down Homewood completely, but I will continue fight the poser companies until I can no longer stand to keep making fingerboards for a living. Because I love fingerboarding DAMMIT!!*

JRskatr wrote:

Xi wrote:

appleyard14 wrote:

Brr does not sponsor every event, and any event in canada for that matter. Refer to page 3 of the thread xi.

I went to Little Wheels 2, not sponsored by BRR, and I'm about to go to Freestyle Fingerboards Event, not sponsored by BRR either, over in the north-west of England.
.

I'm sponsoring the Freestyle Fingerboards Event!! I couldn't afford to send much but this was my first time sponsoring it so I want to see how it goes, then in the future I can send more.

About the OP I am very sad that Thomas is in this position I met him in person and conversed with him for several hours and he's just such a nice genuine person. And his English is so damn impressive he knows more words than the average American does lol.

About the whole debate about the prices, I do agree with appleyard (Nathan? I am bad with names sorry) but I also agree with Kerry. And Xi is definitely right on the money lol. The thing you all need to realize is, that on topics like this there is never one point of view that's 100% right and the other that's 0% right. Both sides can be right!!!! Btw apple you did say you work for min wage in your post. At least that's how I read it.

In my honest opinion I will probably say appleyard is 60% right and Kerry 40% right. But having said that they are BOTH RIGHT! I think BRR could afford to maybe lower prices just a bit, and if that means they can't sponsor as many events then maybe that's ok. By the way they do send a TON of free shit to events which is awesome but I'm sure people would be just as happy with maybe 3-5 free items instead of 10-15 free items. BRR sponsored our IFC 2012 event and I felt so bad with how much free stuff they gave me! maybe 4-5 ramps, 3 berlinwood decks, a set of BRR trucks, a ton of magazines, stickers, I mean seriously that was too generous.

About the whole supporting the scene argument.. appleyard is again right in saying WE are the scene. But Kerry and the others are right (in my opinion) that it's good to support companies that are true lovers and supporters of the business they are in. If you don't support those companies and instead buy a People's Republic complete for $14 on some random toy website (I found them randomly that's how I know they are there) or a 4 Corners complete for $20 on Amazon, you are in a sense hurting the true companies because what all these cheap companies are doing is just buying everything mass-produced from China, and reselling them for profit. They could care less about the actual hobby of fingerboarding, they care 99% or 100% about making profit and that's it. To me I'd rather spend $30-$40 on a hand-crafted fingebroard deck from an ACTUAL fingerboarder, someone who loves fingerboarding and isn't making decks just for profit.

So in the end it all comes down to where you stand. Because in a capitalist society (which is almost every society) the consumers are the ones who hold the power. If you want to help the true companies survive, support them and tell others to do the same. If you can't afford BRR products, don't buy them but still try to support other companies who are in it for the love of the hobby (like HOMEWOOD hahaha, or No Comply). Don't support companies like ProWood, 4Corners, People's Republic, Snow or Star fingerboards whatever their name is, and companies who are just buying everything from China and reselling it to you without caring at all about the hobby. BRR will eventually have to adjust their game plan and that very well may involve lowering prices, and when that time comes more of us can help support them again by buying their products. But they should also strive to make their products affordable too through innovation or research. I have never purchased a set of BRTs just because I can't afford $75 for a set of trucks. If they were $40 I would probably buy multiple sets. But that's just me. Sorry for the long post!

*Btw in case anyone doesn't know much about me, I did quit my full-time teaching job to make fingerboards full-time. I have been struggling to make money ever since my last day of school (May 31st 2012). But you know what? I've never been happier. But reality may set in soon and I'll have to find a part-time job or maybe even close down Homewood completely, but I will continue fight the poser companies until I can no longer stand to keep making fingerboards for a living. Because I love fingerboarding DAMMIT!!*

All of this. This is how I felt, I just didn't know how to word it.
Also, it must be awesome to be able to be supported by something you love, man.
Mega props, and I hope one day I'll be able to stop selling cars and just work on my music and other projects.

I gotta agree with Justin. Where it's incredibly sad to see Thomas move on, the reality of it is, what I've said all along, is coming to light.

These companies selling china stuff, are slowly affecting the overall integrity of what fingerboarding has become.

Not saying it has directly affected BRR, as I'm thinking as incredibly generous as they are, huge sponsor packs to events they help, may be catching up to them.

But, what could happen, if you think there is nothing wrong with china companies...

They slowly drive the independent guy out. People like Justin, myself, Redemption, Sow, whoever....then you end up with no options but these companies selling china shit.

Then, you have no support of events, no sponsoring, because it's all about profit for them, and then what do you have?

They don't organize events, let alone sponsor hardly any if at all.

Then, when you want a Homewood, or a Redemption or a No Comply, guess what? You're fucked....because you preached the good of the china companies and now it's your only option.

I too gave up a full time business to dedicate all my time to building No Comply. I ran a moderately successful sign/graphics shop for 4 years, and I gave it up, and walked away to completely focus on No Comply.

I have an incredible passion for fingerboarding, both making products, and riding(although I'm not the best at it).

But the value in what fingerboarding has given me in the last 5 years, outweighs ANYTHING monetary. I've gained friends for life, met amazing people, and have traveled to chicago twice! Which traveling for me is a big thing, I never go anywhere...lol

I know my post was off topic, but it relates to the topic in that we may just start finding out how disposable smaller brands are, if the trends continue.

nocomply wrote:

Then, when you want a Homewood, or a Redemption or a No Comply, guess what? You're fucked....because you preached the good of the china companies and now it's your only option.

Not to mention that any of these mentioned decks would cost about 2x-3x as much because they're no longer being made, so with limited supply the prices goes way up...

I completely understand why China is bad, and I'm definitely not for China decks, but I didn't start playing a ukulele with a $200 price tag when I decided I wanted to play uke, I bought a $20 and when I realized it was something I was gonna stick to, THEN I purchased my $200 uke (which is an Ibanez, btw, and I absolutely love it)
I think Chinas serve a great purpose as an introductory setup.
Especially if you can get one for $14 and you're not sure if you're going to stick to fingerboarding, then why not?

My buddy's first deck was a People's Republic and as soon as he knew he was going to stick to fingerboarding he went and got himself a woodnote.
I think people just need to learn that, sure, if you buy yourself a china and like it, you should definitely get a higher quality deck made by someone who loves and cares for the art form of fingerboarding.

1. You're supporting the scene.
2. You've taught someone new about the scene and about China and the negative aspects of it.
3. Higher quality means better performance, they're more likely to appreciate the fact that the real fingerboard is a little more expensive when they see that the quality has made them fingerboard better.