By Es Footwear back in 2005
Friday, Feb 11, 2005
You asked, and Eric Koston has answered! He’s responded to a bunch of your favorite questions, so what are you waiting for? Check ‘em out right now! It’s pretty much like a brand-new interview with Eric conducted by all of you loyal éS heads.
P.S. For those of you who asked basic biographical-style questions like, “How old were you when you started skating?” etc., please read Erik’s bio.
Garry from Lake Forest, California: All right! Let’s talk about your new éS K6 shoe. What was your inspiration for the design?
I wanted to get away from the type of designs I normally do, which look so tech and advanced. The K6 is kind of the opposite. I kept it simpler. I also tried to keep the price of the shoe down, which is important in this day and age. I kind of just wanted something simple.
Andy from Greenville, South Carolina: At the start of your part in Yeah Right when your window was broken and you were yelling at that guy, did he really break into your car, or was it a skit?
(Laughs) Yeah, he really broke in. It wasn’t my car, though. It was a rental.
Leo from Brookfield, Illinois: Do you still like the Lakers even though Shaq left?
Yeah, I do. I’m still a Laker fan. You don’t sell out your team if somebody bails.
Daniel from Roberts, Wisconsin: Have you ever landed a switch kickflip to Smith grind?
Probably not. No, I don’t think I have. I don’t think I’ve ever even attempted it. That’s a lot of effort right there. If I ever got into that position (in the past), it would have been purely by accident.
Nater from Bloomington, Minnesota: Does your éS Team Manager make you guys answer these questions? Does it get annoying?
Yes, and yes.
Denzel from Allentown, Pennsylvania: Dude, I was wondering if it’s easy to get showed up by Ryan Sheckler.
(Laughs) It’s very easy to get showed up by Sheckler. It happens to me all the time.
Leo from Brookfield, Illinois: Where can you get a good pair of old éS shoes besides eBay?
I have no idea. Where do you?
Eric from Houston, Texas: Is it true you dropped out of high school in the 10th grade?
Yeah, that was it. But, I got my GED when I was, like, 19.
Nick from Calabasas, Washington: What does éS stand for?
Eric’s Shoes.
Jared from Lakewood, Colorado: How good of a skater do you think you are?
(Laughs) How old is this kid? I’m awesome! No, I’m moderate to fair. Or would it be fair to moderate? Which do you think is better? Yeah, fair to moderate.
Georgey from La Grange Park, Illinois: Do you wear pants a lot, or a diaper? I like diapers.
(Laughs) Pants. Diapers would definitely chafe me if I skated in them.
Jon from Tampa, Florida: Is it true that you have anger problems and complain about everything? What is your relationship with your team?
I’m very, very sensitive, so leave me alone at demos. I get along with the éS team, except for McCrank. We’ve got in a fist fight four times.
Jayson from Oak Harbor, Washington: You are, like, the best skateboarder. Do you think you can beat Bam Margera in a skating contest?
Maybe.
Nikita from St.Petersburg, Russia: Why has the éS team never visited Russia? When will you? Many pros have been in Russia! Please, we are waiting for the éS team!
We almost did on the European Capitals Tour. I thought Russia was going to be one of the stops. I don’t know why we didn’t go there. But, I’d like to, for sure.
Sam from Newcastle, England: Hi. Most of my mates say I have a stiff, dead style. I was wondering if you could offer any tips on developing a decent style?
Just keep the knuckles low to the ground.
Travis from Davenport, Iowa: In the Yeah Right video, did you ever get your wallet back from that guy?
Yeah, I did get it back.
Big Punt from San Antonio, Texas: Who was your first professional sponsor?
H-Street.
Alan from Burlington, New Jersey: What was the biggest set that you’ve ever done a trick down, and which trick?
Good question. I never really thought about that. An ollie down 49 stairs (laughs).
Bostwick from Philly, Pennsylvania: Have your ever ruptured your spleen? I did trying to 5-0 El Toro last year.
(Laughs) You did, too? That’s weird. Everybody ruptures their spleen on El Toro! No, I have never ruptured my spleen.
Justin from Portland, Oregon: You’re my favorite skater, and I’m half Thai just like you. Anyway, why don’t you do many lines in your videos, instead of a lot of handrails?
That’s a good question. None of the spots facilitate lines. That’s the problem. I promise you that I’ll try to do more lines in the next éS video. “30% more lines!” We’ll put that on the box.
Raul from Chihuahua, Mexico: Why are U.S. skaters better than Mexican skaters?
(Laughs) Oh my gosh! Isn’t Leo Romero Mexican? Paul Rodriguez? If those two guys are Mexican–maybe we should get the facts straight–I don’t see what the problem is with their skating ability whatsoever.
Alex from Electric City, Washington: When you started skating, did you ever think about quitting, because where I live, there are only four skaters and we have to drive 100 miles to get a deck.
Yikes. No, I never once thought about quitting.
Jess from Tinton Falls, New Jersey: How many sponsors do you have? Do you need a hug?
(Laughs) I don’t know, I have around seven sponsors. I could always use a hug.
Huy from Milpitas, California: Who is the funniest person on the éS team?
Besides me? (Laughs) I’d say Justin Eldridge. Maybe unintentionally, but he’s funny.
Justin from Cornwall, Ontario, Canada: After reading a lot of interviews, it seems you’re not really into skating. You’re very talented, but it seems like you don’t prefer skating over most things. Is skating becoming too routine and boring?
No, it hasn’t become routine and boring. Maybe people always ask questions about other things besides skating.
Terry from Calgary, Alberta, Canada: What do you think about bringing back the Eos? Did you like it at all?
Not really. I think we could bring back a better shoe that was similar. I didn’t like the sole.
John from Hythe, England: My brother says that you can only do hardflips switch. Is this true?
It’s sort of true, but I’ve been working on regular ones. I did one yesterday, as a matter of fact. It wasn’t too bad. Not too shabby (laughs)!
Adam from Atlanta, Georgia: Have you ever got into a fight with another pro skater?
No.
Kevin from Longview, California: Will you ever have a little kid éS skate team like the Termites?
Never. (Laughs) Probably, but maybe not like that. It wouldn’t be marketed as a Termite team. If you’re little and you’re good, you’re just part of the éS team. It wouldn’t matter, really.
Marcus from York, England: Will you bring out another K3 with System G2™? I think it’s such a nice, slick design, and it beats your other shoes by a long way.
That’s up to the higher-ups at éS Footwear. I’d do it. We’d have to remix it a little, but I’d do it.
Ryan from Murphy, Brown: Which is the best way to land 360 flips? My deck keeps hitting my balls.
(Laughs) Not that way. Whichever way you’re doing it is the wrong way. There’s got to be a better way.
Cooper from Newcastle, Australia: Does it worry you that random, drunk 40-year-old dudes who don’t skate know who you are?
(Laughs) At times, yeah. Definitely. It’s a concern.
John from Glenwood Springs, Colorado: How come you didn’t clap for my first backside lipslide at the Carbondale rail? You were sitting right there and you saw it. Wasn’t it good for you?
(Laughs) I don’t know. I was too worried about rolling in on the back of the full pike, so I couldn’t concentrate on what was in front of my face.
Doug from Seattle, Washington: How did you come up with the k grind (krooked grind)?
I saw Dan Paterka do it. It was just an easy way to do a backside nose grind and then come out in the middle of the ledge. You can hop out.
Fici from Lawrence, Kansas: When will you quit making shoes?
Whenever éS stops letting me.
Fernando from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Do you like Chris Cole? I think he is ridiculous.
I think Chris Cole is gnarly.
Fernando from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Do you influence when éS puts a new skater on the team?
Yeah, but so does the rest of the team.
Fernando from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Do you really like your éS teammates, or do you just appear in videos and photos with them to be nice?
I just do it to be nice.
Fernando from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Which is the best city you’ve ever skated in?
Los Angeles.
Mike from Chi-Town, Illinois: When you noseslid that spiral stair case rail in Yeah Right, did you do it for a contest run or out of the blue? That was the coolest-looking trick I’ve ever seen in my life.
I did it because we had a free pass to skate the City Hall rail. That was the only time I could get a clean shot at it, because we had permission to.
Wesley from Okinawa, Japan: What’s your favorite terrain to skate? Would you rather skate a nice set of stairs or a handrail?
A good red painted curb.
Sheldon from Idaho Falls, Idaho: I sit in school doing geometry, and–bam!–I think, “I wanna skate a staircase!” Are you ever just sitting there, and suddenly the thought, “I want to skate!” pops into your head?
Yeah, it does. It still happens.
Axel from London, England: Do you and all of your team members reckon éS should venture into snowboard boot design? I think they would be wicked!
I think they already do that. It’s called ThirtyTwo.
Tony from Buffalo, New York: Do you still get that special feeling when you land your tricks BOLTS and ride off into the sunset?
Yeah, of course. Who wouldn’t?
Kyle from Norman, Oklahoma: I always hear lots of pros saying they like to listen to music to inspire them to skate. Do you do the same? If so, which kind of music do you like listening to?
At times, but not always. I’m all over the shop, though. Punk-hop rap indie.
Matt from Whitman, Slim: What makes you want to design so many shoes?
It’s fun to just create something and have it come to life.
Garry from Lake Forest, California: After you retire from pro skateboarding someday, will you keep designing shoes for éS?
Yeah, I’d like to. I’m sure I would. I’d still want to design shoes, even though I couldn’t skate in them (laughs).
