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

Scandinavian Wanderlust Getting closer to the Gods with Chippa Wilson, Keegan Valaika, Jake Blauvelt and Louif Paradis in Norway and Sweden

Traveling through Norway and Sweden with Chippa Wilson, Keegan Valaika, Jake Blauvelt and Louif Paradis

Drinking gets you closer to the Gods in Norway. Or so they say. And we just got up close and personal with them. Because we continue to be like Ozzie and just say yes. And our most recent “yes” led us to Norway and Sweden with Adidas. To surf and skate and even ride snow. In what is easily being called “the most beautiful place we’ve been.” Breathtaking pisses and epiphany-filled 2 a.m. strolls and surfs in broad daylight made up most of our days. And we met a whole new cast of characters.

A052_C010_01014W

Like Keegan Valaika, the trend setter of snow.  He’s extremely creative, able to illustrate any situation in very funny simple interesting ways. Very in his own head called What Youth gossip girl. Instead of skating one day he went to go check out a museum in Stockholm. Love that about him.

A052_C035_0101QO

Then there was Jake Blauvelt. You always feel safe around Jake. He’s the neutralizer in every situation. Very honest and informative. He’s been around for quite some time, won the US Open of Snowboarding at age 17. Stars in and produces multi-million dollar films…most recent one was called “Naturally.”

Jake

We also got to hang with Louif Paradis from Quebec. His first language is French, but he speaks great English. While we were there on the trip he won video part of the year. Definitely the most motivated and fastest driver of the trip.  He gets shit done on all fronts.

A052_C007_0101UG

And there’s Chippa. He was the star of the trip really. Everyone looked up to him and asked him about his surfing and complimented him on his “front fives” AKA air reverses (Btw we still dont know why its called an air reverse. Can we look into changing this somehow?).

Stay tuned for more on our trip to Scandinavia coming soon.

Also big thank you to our friends at  Story Hotel, and Hotel Rival in Stockholm. Also, Unstad Arctic Surf, check them out if you make it to the Lofoten Islands to rip. 

A049_C001_0101EUA049_C021_0101SS A051_C001_0101HSA051_C029_0101ZM A051_C058_0101DEA051_C062_0101B2 A051_C121_0101NHA051_C123_01018H A051_C141_010158A052_C001_0101AI A052_C010_01014WA052_C021_0101QU A052_C022_0101NYA052_C045_0101ZB A052_C062_0101MP

Noa Deane for cluster what youth

Dear Youth We back at it, again

After a pretty good sleep on the ferry (thanks NyQuil!), we drove through streets filled with cows and goats and made it to our destination. We were greeted with light winds and fun ramps on the end section. Noa Deane arrived a day late, but did not waste anytime catching up to the other guys….

Jack Freestone Mitch Coleborn Noa Deane Surfing Indonesia Dear Youth What Youth

Dear Youth Part 1: Thanks for the Cheeseburgers (Day 3 of a 10 day trip)

Back in Indo filming. It’s too productive not to come back and fry yourself. The team is Coleborn, Noa Deane, Jack Freestone with myself, Blake, Nate and Hamish on the tools. The basic Indo camp is empty which is unreal. Our own bar, pool table and dartboard. There is another camp with 10 dudes from…

Dayne Reynolds Marine Layer Surfing Dear Youth What Youth

Dear Youth Dane Reynolds gets nostalgic on Marine Layer

Dane Reynolds posted a little trip down memory lane on his website Marine Layer Productions today. He details our first trip to Japan for Dear Suburbia with Yadin Nicol, Kolohe Andino, Conner Coffin, Kai Neville and Courtney (AKA Napkin Apocalypse). And he even mentions “The Claim.” The trip didn’t make the final cut for the film, but has always…

Mitch Coleborn surfing cluster what youth

Dear Youth Nate Lawrence on photo breathing exercises at Macaronis

This is Mitch Coleborn photographed in the afternoon at Macaronis. This was as good as a trip gets (you can tell by the full feature and two days worth of galleries we’ve given it). Waves for 12 days straight. One of the best lefts in the world. And Mitch, Noa, Jack and Chippa would let…

Chippa Wilson what youth bali travel surfing

Dear Youth Nate Lawrence and the subtleties of a life on the move

Editor’s note: We spend a lot of time in transit. Kuala Lumpur. Taipei. Singapore. Jakarta. Padang. We go through some odd, waveless middle earth’s on your way to ride waves. And it’s not always beers in the Sky Miles lounge (although sometimes you luck out and it is). Mostly it’s a bed between a chicken…

Mega Semadhi what youth

Dear Youth Mega Semadhi, Bali

Nate Lawrence: “After a few months in California [Nate is originally from Santa Cruz and still spends about 5 months a year there], it’s so good to be back in Bali. The crowds aren’t too bad and there are waves all over the island. But it’s hot. Really hot. It’s the kind of heat you…

Reading dear youth what youth surfing

Dear Youth Buy books

I just got a new magazine in the mail yesterday. Forgot I even ordered it actually. That’s the best. Search the Internet for rad shit, put 16 numbers on a dotted line and forget all about it. Two weeks later, a book shows up at your doorstep. The joy that comes with tearing into a…

Mikala Jones nate lawrence what youth

Dear Youth Mikala Jones in sunglasses

No offense to Mikala Jones, but this is the worst photo I’ve ever taken in my life. Mikala is a great guy. And I probably should have listened to his the subtle complaints he made and shot this differently. First I had his sunglasses off, but the gold reflector was shining his eyes so bad…

Volcom Surfing what youth dear youth

Dear Youth Not a sponsored message

Since tending to the neoprene department at the local surf shop I worked at as a kid, a Volcom party has been the pinnacle of after hours culture and folklore around here. Rumors of Pennywise playing…or Bad Religion…or the fact that that hot girl in the other department was attending and this was your shot….

Illustration scuba woman scott chenoweth dear youth what youth

Dear Youth If a woman does not love the sea, then she is no woman for me

I have nothing to report. I sit behind a computer all day and get drinks with girls at night. Occasionally, I draw                         missing the water.

Nate Lawrence photography surf waves what youth

Dear Youth Nate Lawrence on photography

Editor’s Note: There just aren’t enough things in life like Nate Lawrence. Which is unfortunate, because he fucking rules..at everything. Especially photography. It’s a big reason he was our first choice when deciding who we were bringing into this mess of indie creation. He knew what was in store. And we needed his enthusiasm. There…

Kai Neville Dear Youth What Youth Surfing Traveling

Dear Youth A night in London with Kai Neville

Camden Town. Following our recent film trip to the Canary Islands, I stopped off in London for a night. For whatever reason I’ve always been drawn to London. I am a descendent from the U.K. I like the culture. I like drinking pints in foggy London Town. I like cities. I need to be in…

Sign up for letters from What Youth


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