Just before last season I wrote an article in response to the dropping of an outerwear company that I judged to be somewhat uninspired. The gist of the thing was that the terms “rider influenced” or “inspired by riders” are excellent for your street cred, but really shitty if you’re looking to make something unique. You see, that particular company seems to have gotten input from riders who wanted nothing more than a Saga suit with a Siver front pocket. Nobody stopped to ask why “the riders” didn’t just buy a Saga kit or go shopping for Siver on Getboards.
I’m revisiting this theme because I just got done reading about a new company that is “bringing something different to the table” by being, you guessed it, “rider driven.” The impressive thing is that “the riders” are so predictable. Every time anybody asks them for input we end up with taller-than-normal length, bright neon colorways, and asymmetrical block designs.
