Surfing, Skateboarding, Music, Photography, Travel, Culture and general antics of the youth on the run.

Come Spread the Gospel with us “Join, or die” with us, Former, Need Essentials and Vans at the Ace Hotel in LA

what youth issue 18 lauch party
What Youth

In 1754 Benjamin Franklin made the political cartoon you see on our flyer and he published it in the Pennsylvania Gazette, an editorial piece about a “disunited state” that existed between the founding colonies of America. And before I get too deep on that — because the fact of the matter is we’re all just gonna check out our new mag, drink some drinks, listen to LA Witch and DANCE — there is some significance to us and that poster.

Surfing, skating and it’s subsequent cultures and industries are in a strange place — and while many run for the hills in panic, well, we kinda like it this way. We also like to think that instead of distancing ourselves from each other, we should hunker down and hang the fuck out. Together. Preferably in a room, with loud music and a bar nearby, so we can get to the bottom of this.

So for Issue 18 we partnered with similar-minded dudes who “Don’t Wanna Work for Scum Anymore” either to show that we can all dance together. The boys at Former are gonna come out and sell some tees the old fashioned way, Need Essentials — the no frills wetsuit maker — is going to help us decorate things in neoprene, and our favorite babes from LA Witch are gonna rock out. It’s going to be a collision of noise and humanity in the Segovia Room at the Ace Hotel in Downtown LA and we hope you’ll come stir the pot with us. We’d have it not other way.

What Youth Issue Release Party

thurston moore what youth

Thurston Moore made our ears bleed Live from the LA Art Book Fair

Thurston Moore continues his reign as the king of dissonance at the LAABF

I still haven’t seen Cluster either And it’s being made in the room next to me

I didn’t think I’d have to write that. But there it is. The morning of the premiere and I still haven’t seen the damn thing. After a week in the desert, followed by an even more dehydrated stint in the lizard den known as the What Youth editing bay, Kai and Blake are still the…

Seven missions, 16 sessions A dispatch from your guide to good waves

Hints from a good-wave magnet

Creed McTaggart what youth cluster

Dear Youth What Youth HQ during the making of Cluster

This is us on deadline.

quinn matthews what youth surfing photography

A rookie’s year on the run Dear Youth with Quinn Matthews

Quinn Matthews recaps his 2014 year on the road as a rookie.

dear youth quinn matthews what youth hawaii

Dear Youth One more Aloha from Hawaii (with Quinn Matthews)

We just had to say aloha one more time. This time Quinn Matthews says farewell to the island. It’s been exactly a year now since Quinn Matthews caught our eye with his photos from Hawaii, and this year was a stellar sophomore campaign. Always fresh, and always rad angles.

john john florence surfing hawaii what youth

Dear Youth: See Ya Hawaii 12 Photos from the North Shore

Nate Lawrence photos from the North Shore.

Quinn Matthews pipeline what youth surfing

Dear Youth Swimming at Pipe: Quinn Matthews

Editor’s Note: Every time Quinn does something (anything), it’s probably his first time. And while I think he’d swam and shot at Pipe before, these were definitely the biggest waves he’d ever swam in. Which lends for good reading, especially when you line it up with the results you see below. Quinn wrote this and…

dear youth quinn matthews what youth surfing

Dear Youth 15 photos from North Shore: Quinn Matthews

Last year it was his fresh approach in Hawaii that caught our eye. And throughout the year he’s continued to amaze and baffle us simultaneously with his awe of the world around him and ability to get the wildest shots at the least likely of times. Quinn Matthews is a shy, unassuming, extremely green but…

dear youth hawaii kenny hurtado what youth surfing

Dear Youth 15 Photos from Hawaii: Kenny Hurtado

Kenny Hurtado has always been one of our favorite photographers. Both for the purity of his photography and for his humble demeanor. He’s been over on the North Shore the past few weeks and took a very unique approach to his coverage of the most photographed place in the surf world.

dear youth hawii nate lawrence what youth

Dear Youth 15 Photos from the North Shore: Nate Lawrence

Photographing the North Shore is an interesting skill if you wanna do it right. Nate Lawrence has been on the North Shore for a few weeks now, and prior to that he’s logged well over a decade of pilgrimages each year. And somehow, each trip back he manages to surprise us with the unique and…

nate zoller what youth dear youth fiji

Dear Youth Right Place, Right Time.

I just had the best month of my life.

Sign up for letters from What Youth


By enabling this page, you are acknowledging and accepting our privacy terms and conditions.