By Michael van Vliet | February 22, 2012
Greetings from San Francisco! After the long winter months on the East Coast we’re excited to finally be getting back to some Californian weather – albeit the notoriously unpredictable Bay Area. Our new home for the next eight weeks will be in Hayes Valley at The Proxy and to kick things off we’ll be throwing a little shindig on Wednesday Feb. 22nd at 4:30 PM. Come join us for free hors d’oeuvre and drinks.
RSVP: laren @paulandwilliams.com
If you can’t make the party, don’t worry. We’ll be around for a little bit, but make sure to stop by later to check out our new Spring 2012 Collection.
HOURS
Tues-Thurs 12-6
Fri-Sun 11-7
LOCATION – MAP
Proxy in Hayes Valley
432 Octavia Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
By Michael van Vliet | February 21, 2012
After three decades of success it’s easy for a person to lose their sense of perspective, which is why Shawn Stussy has decided to take things back to the workshop. As he describes in this short film, the origins of Stussy began with board shaping – the clothing aspect was just a peripheral side project at the time. Over the years the roles the were slowly reversed and boards became less of fundamental element and more of a contextual aesthetic for the brand. But with the launch of a new shop in Tokyo dedicated to exclusively selling boards, Stussy wants to revisit the company’s initial impetus. There is nothing more mentally invigorating then being able to rediscover why you got into something in the first place. And from the looks of this video, standing over a board and covered in sawdust is exactly where Shawn wants to be.
Shot & edited by Seth Epstein
By Michael van Vliet | February 17, 2012
With Honda’s redux of the gas-powered Motor Compo and the upcoming electric MotoCompo, it looks like the compact micro scooter industry is back in full swing! And jumping into the mix is Portland-based BOXX with their new suitcase-sized electric scooter. About 1 meter in length, the Boxx scooter looks like a giant Lytro camera on wheels. Designed for urban dwellers, the Boxx is small and stylish enough to be stored in a living room or office.
In terms of performance, the company says the Boxx can get up to 80 miles on a single charge and has a top speed around 35 mph with a power to weight ratio of 2 : 1. Using a proprietary hub motor, the Boxx can handle 40 degree inclines and carry up to 300 lbs in weight. Its price tag is a hefty $4000, which is way above any GoPed or even a mid-level Vespa. Although those two don’t offer 2-wheel drive, ABS brakes, traction control, and an optional heated seat like the Boxx does.
As for the somewhat dorky design, the company founder, Eric Vaughn, said it was done so intentionally to make the Boxx “non-intimidating” to novice riders. The company wishes to expand their appeal to women and seniors, but it remains to be seen whether city-goers will find the idea of riding on piece of retro-looking luggage to be cute and endearing or just irritatingly eccentric. Either way look out for these little box-mobiles to hit the streets soon.
Boxx is now taking orders on their website: www.boxxcorp.com
[via Design Boom]
By Michael van Vliet | February 16, 2012
Paragliding is not something you normally associate with the urban environment, but French paraglider Jean Baptiste Chandelier is looking to change that with his new film Urban Side. Incorporating elements of parkour and freestyle skating Jean takes to the skies (and streets) of Lima, Peru, Iquique, Chile, and Mont Dauphin, France. Sliding across roof tops and grinding down railings is impressive enough, but being able to pull up and soar off into the sky makes it all the more spectacular. Certainly some of the stunts he’s pulling in this video are illegal, but good luck trying to catch him.
Check out more of Jean’s videos on www.jeanbaptistechandelier.com
By Michael van Vliet | February 15, 2012
Without a doubt, the most popular form of transportation in Ho Chi Minh City is the motorbike. The streets are literally thronged with them. From dads driving their children to school to farmers bringing their goods to market, the entire city seems to run on two wheels. And when a person’s only mode of transportation is a 125 cc Belarusian-built Minsk, creative “off-label” uses become inevitable. Many of them would put even the most loaded-down GS Adventure to shame.
A couple of years ago when Dutch photographer Hans Kemp was traveling through South East Asia, he was struck by the versatility of these little two-stroke work horses and documented the more imaginative uses he saw in his series Bikes of Burden. He later turned these images into a fantastic 160 page book that can be purchased from the publisher at Visionary World.
By Michael van Vliet | February 14, 2012
There are not many ways you can make a Land Rover Defender look any more rugged – they’re pretty much the text book definition as is. But for people looking to take their vehicles to the outer extremes of the earth, especially the non-firma parts of terra firma, then a Mattrack conversion kit will do just the trick.
Mattrack treads have 26 feet of combined surface area, which offers superior weight distribution compared to traditional off-road tires. The reduced ground pressure allows vehicles to traverse over swampy mud, loose sands, and deep snow drifts without the risk of spinning out and digging in. The increased weight distribution also allows vehicles to drive over relatively thin ice as seen above. And unlike the metal treads normally found on tanks and halftracks, Mattracks are made out of a specially formulated rubber, which means they’re completely street legal.
Designed and manufactured in Karlstad Minnesota, Mattrack has been outfitting all-terrain enthusiasts with track kits since 1994. They sell conversions for a wide variety of off-road vehicles including 4X4 trucks, farm tractors, and ATVs. And for most models, install is as easy can changing a tire. So if you’re looking to take your Defender over the ice fields of the Bering Strait, the loose sand dunes of the Sahara, or LA’s pot-hole strewn secondary streets, then strap on some Mattracks and get going.
By Michael van Vliet | February 13, 2012
Sydney-based photographer Mark Tipple captures a crushing sense of beauty with his new series “The Underwater Project”. It features swimmers as they dive underneath sets of oncoming waves and struggle against the churning water. Despite being such a violent and tumultuous act, the images have a certain stillness and tranquility to them. Divers find a fleeting moment of peace as they sink to the bottom, letting the torrential storm of water rip over their heads, before calmly emerging on the other side. Tipple has turned the series into limited-edition handmade book as well as iPad App.
In a behind the scenes video below, Tipple explains the reason behind the project and show his methods for capturing such remarkable images.
From more visit www.MarkTipple.com
(via Design Boom)
By Michael van Vliet | February 10, 2012
Just in time for the spring season, Aether is excited to announce we will now be offering wetsuits from Matuse. When it comes to combining technical performance with sleek aesthetics, Matuse is in a league of their own. Unlike most wetsuits which use petroleum-based Neoprene, Matuse uses limestone Geoprene, which is 98% water impermeable and offers superior heat retention and buoyancy. Matuse also constructs their suits using state-of-the-art ergonomic paneling for maximum flexibility and range of movement. To put it simply, Matuse is the ichiban – the ultimate, the pinnacle, the best. And we couldn’t be happier to be working together with them.
We are now offering Matuse’s 432 Hoplite full-body suit and Philo 1mm wetsuit top. Check them out under GEAR, and start getting excited about early summer mornings in the surf.
Hoplite 432 Full-Body: The warmth of 4mm suit but with the flexibility of a 2mm.
Philo 1 MM: That extra layer of protection to keep you out in the swells for longer.
By Michael van Vliet | February 10, 2012
Recently our good friend Jon Ward, of ICON 4×4 and TLC fame, sat down with folks over at eGarage to talk about the new series of one-offs he’s been working on called The Derelicts. Unlike the rugged tricked out off-road machines he’s known for making with ICON 4X4, the Derelicts are vintage cars that have been snatched from the grinning teeth of decay and outfitted with brand new modern components. The effect is a reliable around-town vehicle, but with an authentic time-worn patina of a scrap-yard rust bucket. It’s the perfect match of functionality and aesthetics.
By Michael van Vliet | February 9, 2012
It use to be that liquid fuel and gels were the only option when it came to portable back-country stoves, but recently a few companies have been developing innovative new products that burn nothing more then sticks and twigs. The main advantage to using found solid fuels is that it eliminates the need to buy, store, and carry liquid fuel canisters, which invariably run out. For many, creating a well-ventilated solid fuel stove would have been enough, but the company BioLite decided to take the concept to an entirely new level.
Their all-new BioLite Camp Stove incorporates a small generator module that converts heat from the fire into usable electricity. With an output of 20 Watts, the stove can be used to charge most outdoor devices like GPS, cellphones, and flashlights. The electrical charge is also used to power a small fan that draws air into the chamber, increasing the burn rate.
This new technology is also being used for a larger version called the BioLite HomeStove, which is aimed at the 3 billion people that still cook over an open flame fire. Most of these people live in rural communities and cook indoors without a chimney, exposing them to high levels of pollutants and toxic gases. The HomeStove reduces smoke emissions by 90%, reduces wood consumptions by half, and provides electrical power to households that are more often than not, completely off the grid. BioLite isn’t a charity, or a One-For-One program. Instead they are taking a market based approach towards elevating poverty and promoting personal energy independence. By making a product that is both affordable and desirably to the end-user, BioLite plans to work with retailers to improve local economies.
To find out more and get on the reserve list for the portal CampStove being released this summer, head over to Biolite.com
