earlygrabshop
Early Grab
Early Grab's shop blog: the blog about clothes and products for anyone with a passion for skateboarding. You can also follow our features and behind the scenes on: instagram.com/le_petit_lupin
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Earlygrab blog review: Microstep MX Trixx
Hello Hello!
The sun is starting to come out again, and that means more outdoor activities. Nowadays kids are all about Extreme sports like skateboarding, surfing and the newest addition to these activities: Extreme scootering. In the Netherlands we call this a ‘ step’ and in other countries a ‘mo-ped’. We’ll refer to it as a scooter from here on.
So we here at the blog had the honor to review an Extreme scooter from topbrand Micro-Step: the MX Trixx (green). The website advises this scooter for ages 5-12. We had certain criteria the scooter had to suffice to. Namely: design and durability. Here are our findings:
Design
The design of the Micro Xtreme scooter is superb. The handlebar is lightweight and removable for custom design and personal preferences. The deck has got holes in it what makes it even lighter but keeps his strength. When comparing the MX Trixx scooter with random scooters owned by kids in our neighborhood you can tell the design is top notch and professional. Even kids who own scooters themselves (usually bought at toy stores) ask our son if they can testdrive the MX Trixx, because it has so much appeal. We were able to receive a green coloured one which I think is a nice unisex and not aggressive color. As you can see on their website they have way more designs and colors to pick from.
Durability
We tested the scooter for several weeks and must say it holds up very good. The wheels are of premium quality urethane and show no signs of slowing down. The deck holds up after grinding and sliding over coping and needs no wax under the deck. This is a professional piece of sporting goods. What surprised us the most is that the handlebars are made of a sturdy material and have a nice grip. They have been dropped on the sides a couple of times during testing, and the handlebars still look as new. We can see this scooter last so much longer than some of the wooden skateboards we own.
We make him wear a helmet if he’s doing stunts in the skate bowl.
Ever since being sent the scooter for testing, it seems to most of the time end up coming with us on outings. Being a skateboard family and used to bringing our decks along (which can be easily tucked inside between your back and the straps of your backpack) our son is responsible for carrying it around. It is a little heavy for him to carry as an adult would pick it up, but we feel it’s easy for him to hold the handles to just roll it around and he never complains. (That’s love!)
We think it’s fun to see him get used to his scooter, and seeing vast improvement in his extreme scooting skills.
When asked by people if I can recommend this scooter to other girls and boys, I’d say definitely. If she or he is aged 5 and up I can certainly see them having fun on this one. Please have a look at the Micro-Step website for more designs and types of scooters. Also, please invest in a solid professional helmet and knee pads (and or elbow pads). With these safety precautions its so cool seeing your child have great fun this summer!
Micro-Step website: www.micro-step.nl
- Joe & Stephanie
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Pop Kids USA
from left to right: Six Hugs and Rock & Roll, Young Soles, Pop Kids USA.
Whenever we receive a blogsample for the Early Grab skateblog, we ask our target audience (of one person!) his opinion. He can’t read yet, so usually he asks us what it says. ‘This black t-shirt says: ‘Rock’,’ I explain to him. ‘Which is coincidentally your favourite type of music genre!’
‘And the other t-shirt has an alphabet on it.’ He notices. ‘But with a pacman! How cool!’ After a full ten minutes he decides to wear the alphabet/pacman t-shirt today, and the ‘Rock’ t-shirt tomorrow.
His hand is blocking the print: but the pacman has a speechbubble floating over his head which says hi! Such a fun print.
One thing we noticed is that the clothes are very sturdy, meaning we feel confident these will hold up when Lupin decides to skate in them or plays in the woods in them. We are fans! I especially love their idealogy on their website (about us):
“POP KIDS is an eclectic and exuberant collection of graphic tees for babies and kids. With a style that is bold and colorful, and a focus on playful typography, our designs run the gamut from whimsical and sweet ... to clever and cool. For us, the little blank t-shirt is nothing less than the perfect artist's canvas. Of course, as canvases go, they'll never hang in a museum, be put up for auction, or placed inside a frame. Yet tee shirts are ART that takes itself not too seriously -- art that is FUN, and can be worn by kids the world over. Thanks to the tee shirt, we can indulge our passion for DESIGN and for all that visually delights -- from color and typography to children's books and vintage graphics (with a dab of pop culture in between). Our inspirations are everywhere and they fill our eclectic source book. It is to this (and our imaginations) that we turn when designing our tees. In the end, we most love tee shirts because they allow us to play ... to have fun with WORDS and IDEAS and IMAGES, and the challenge of visual thinking.”
Yes I copied the whole text, haha, because I wholeheartedly agree.
Thank you Pop Kids USA, thanks Ellen!!
http://www.popkidsusa.bigcartel.com/
- Stephanie
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Hi everyone!
This time we have a wear test up on the blog for you to start your week. We had the honour to test some shoes from British company Young Soles. They are a company that stands for luxury and they represent their British heritage with classic models and an undisputed style.
Copyright:Young soles
The model we received for testing was the Hugo monkey boot in cherry (shown above) and we looked for three key features: fit, sturdiness, durability. We tested them for over a month to get a good insight on the pros and cons and these are our findings:
The fit
Maybe the most important aspect of children footwear is the the fit. Many questions arise when looking for shoes for children. Are the shoes true to size and do they hurt after wearing for a while. We all know that children often don’t complain about these issues and it can cause serious damage in the long run. We can reassure you they are true to (UK) size and fit like a glove right out of the beautifully designed shoebox. Our mini model Lupin says they are as comfortable as his trainers/sneakers, and he often chooses the Hugo boots over his many other pairs of shoes.
Sturdiness
As expected from desert boots they are made from fine leather with a good sturdy sole underneath it. We noticed that the sole is very flexibel and keeps up with extensive outdoor mischief, and are fine to skate in if you’re not worried about marks on the leather. The first thing Lupin said he liked about the shoes were the wavy pattern underneath the soles. The stitching is top notch and keeps the shoe together well. This may sound like a no brainer but there are some big skate brands that have released shoes that had bad stitching.
Durability
This is maybe the most important feature, because we all hate it when you just bought a fresh pair, and you basically turn around and your little one wrecked them on the first day. It can’t be helped: kids are kids. We can tell you that after a month of intensive wearing the shoes show no sign of cracks or cuts (even after a few skate sessions) and that is a big plus!
Copyright:Youngsoles Their look books and styling are amazing
We recommend you that you give these terrific shoes a chance, because spring is coming and there is a model and type for EVERYONE. Have a look at their website for some amazing styling ideas. We were surprised by how many choices they have. Also a little fun fact is that the production is right here in Europe so you know you you will buy an honest product made from the heart. Big thanks to Young Soles for giving us the oppurtinity to review these beauties!
website:
http://www.youngsoles.co.uk
Instagram:
https://instagram.com/youngsoleslondon
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/youngsoleslondon
-Stephanie & Joe
And a blurry Lupin:
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BCN to Rotterdam
We’re back with another product review all the way from Spain. The brand we are gonna discuss today is none other than Garabatisse. They are situated in Barcelona and bring you kids clothing with a artsy twist.
Copyright:garabatisse
Their collection contains a wide variety of T-shirts,Longsleeve shirts and leggings. The quality of their items is high and the designs are rocking! Our personal favorite is the Nightowl Longsleeve and the beanies they have.
They are also very active on Instagram and love their customer feedback. They keep it small and fun and that’s the way we like it!
Website: http://www.garabatisse.com
instagram: Garabatisse
Facebook: Garabatisse
Stephanie & Joe
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Do you know Corby?
Our recent brand obsession is one you might've seen on our Instagram before: Corby Tindersticks. This brand from the UK features many kid friendly illustrations, with great unisex designs and creative characters. The characters have a bit of a retro feel, but are modern enough for young hipsters to appreciate.
We at the Early Grab skateblog all have our own favorites, meaning there's something in her collections for everyone.
The boy's favorite.
Joe's favorite.
We had to limit our choices to clothes, but if you take a couple of minutes to look at the Corby instagram and website, she designs cuddly toys and educational toys too. And prints!
My favorite.
We were a bit sad about all the precipitation this winter. Rain and hail does not equal skateboarding time. So keep a look out for another post with more photos of these wonderful Corby Tindersticks designs when it's sunny and bright out!
Website: http://www.corbytindersticks.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/corbytindersticks
-Stephanie
#corbytindersticks#youngsoles#earlygrab#skateblog#skatestore#skatebrands#skateboarding#skate#kidsfashion#boysfashion#vsco
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Mainio
When you are thinking of cool design, immediately Finland comes to mind. (If it doesn't shame on you!) And when you've been paying attention to the cool hip clothing brands that Finland is putting forward, Mainio is sure to be in the lead.
We were lucky enough to obtain some clothes by Mainio. I'm no fan of regular flat-lays but these garments were so much fun to photograph: both on the floor and on our fashion model.
The geometrical 'Darth Vader'/skeleton shirt is Lupins favorite. Good to skate in, you ask? Great to skate in, we say! None of the designs have traded cool for comfort, so we think this is a brand ALL boys will love. And please check out their very cool website for items for women and home too!
-Stephanie
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We here at the blog are constantly searching the interwebs for the latest and greatest brands for skatekids. Recently we came across Amsterdam basedBoys like us. And boy do we like them! They opened up shop in 2013 when founder Vincent Karelz became a rad dad, and was inspired by it to start a clothing brand.
Copyright: Boyslikeus
With their influences drawn out of the hip hop culture they come with an original edge and some classic designs. With a variety of T-shirts, sweaters and Varsity jackets the big boys should be a bit jealous, because it would look cool on them too. Even this daddy would rock their line.
As the name predicts they are all about boys and that is a welcoming change in this day and age. We also love that they are based out of the Netherlands and are keeping the DIY spirit alive. Take a look on their website or Instagram and give them a like and a follow.
Website: http://www.boyslikeus.nl
instagram: Boyslikeusclothing
Copyright:boyslikeus
-Joe & Stephanie
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ooh-so happy with Ooh-noo
Since we started this skateblog, we started to ask ourselves: what does the room of a little skateboarder, or little grom, look like? We made a couple of assumptions (if you can prove us wrong please let us know in the comments!)
1. A skateboarders room is messy
2. A skateboarders room has one or a couple of boards in it
3. A skateboarders room has a couple of posters or magazines of their favourite pastime
4. A skateboarders room is FUN and COSY
When Ooh-Noo from Slovenia suggested this beautiful Wicked Owl bedding to us, we were sure they understand the hearts of little skateboarders! Ooh-Noo isn't a typical skatebrand, but they are very creative and fun to work with. Also good to know: their bedding is super soft, they are made by hand and aren't harmful for the environment. That put our old bedding to shame!
I keep talking about their bedding, but Ooh-Noo has lots more to offer. Please check them out.
www.ooh-noo.com
Have a great weekend!
-Stephanie
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REVIEW: The future is ours
Goodmorning everyone.We got a review to start your work week with, and hopefully spice up your day with!
Copyright:The future is ours
Straight out of Eindhoven Rock City comes skatebrand The future is ours. This brand focuses on kids in the age range 2 to 16 year old and they have something fore everyone. Their spring/Summer collection is all about prints and cool designs that are unconventional and the clothing is of high quality, something what comes in handy when wore in the skatepark or on the streets.
The kind people over at the brand were kind enough to send some pieces for us to review and we can say we straight up love everything about them. The clothing looks cool, edgy, and is worn by the new generation of rippers out of Eindhoven. Fun fact is that their lookbook is partly shot in the indoor skatepark of eindhoven Area51. One of the premium skateparks in Holland who caters the younger and older generation of skaters and is worth a visit by everyone.
Our favorite piece is this sweater (as seen above). The colours are bright, the fabrics are top notch and the sizing is great! So don't wait and give their website and Instagram a look and give them a follow, because we think that this brand could blow up anytime soon!
website:http://www.thefutureisourskids.com
Instagram:thefutureisourskids
Facebook:Thefutureisourskids
-Joe
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Made of Sundays: the Helsinki Ninjas
What could be better on a sunday than getting started on an easy creative project and having such cute results? Our package sent by husband and wife duo Made of Sundays from Helsinki, Finland included a giant sheet of vinyl stickers and luckily for me: instructions. It wasn't hard sticking the decals on, it seriously took me a longer time removing the paint spatters that the previous owners of our house had left on the door.
Meet Aaron the dragon! What a cute idea, this doorfriend. It added a whole new level of cool kawaii to this little grom's room. Please have a look at their website for more ideas, these Helsinki ninjas are constantly expanding. Thank you so much for all the help Made of Sundays! We're super stoked about the result!
-Stephanie
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There is a new park in town
Recently Real-X skatepark in Apeldoorn (in the east of Holland) has opened up their doors again. Owners David and Jolien started the skatepark in 2005 after they saw that there was a growing need for a skatepark/youth center in their region. After overcoming many hardships such as moving numerous times across town, they opened up shop at their new location.
Copyright:Flatspot magazine
As seen on the pictures they have a great course with marble ledges, real handrails and other street oriented obstacles. They also brought their bowl from the old location and expanded it with a cool bank in the middle what brings more creativity to your lines.
What's maybe the most important fact about the organisation of Real-X that next to the skatepark they have a small skateshop where you can buy all the equipment you need,there are skateboard clinics throughout the year, they have an indoor recording and studio for the local bands and are host to numerous festivals and contests such as Powerpunks and the back to school party. Things like this are important in small communities so that they motivate the youth to be creative and involved.
For more information check out their website or go pay them a visit. Support your local scene!
web: http://www.real-x.org
Twitter: @RealXskatepark
Facebook: Real-x Skatepark
Instagram: realx_skatepark
Copyright:Real-X.org
-Joe
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Skateland (4FF+Barts)
We took Lupin for a skate date to Skateland, an indoor skatepark in Rotterdam.
He was a bit reluctant as he felt his skateboarding wasn't up to par. Dude, you're just 5. Chill! So we gave him a District stunt scooter, which he LOVED.
All our photos are blurry, because he wouldn't pose...sorry for that!
He dressed himself in his 4 Funky Flavours sports jacket and Barts hat. Looks cool paired together, no? We're a big fan of 4 Funky Flavours as most of their clothing has a retro vibe, and is so well made. We'd normally not be so relaxed about him skating in new clothes but we can rely on 4FF to be sturdy.
Lupins orange bobble hat from Barts came in handy when we lost him in the park a couple of times.
How cool is this Barts hat? The colors are gorgeous. We are definitely on the look out for more of their hats!
Where's Lupin> just look for an orange bobble hat.
He wore his Yporque t-shirt backwards to let everybody know he wasn't too keen on going to the skatepark before we went. Afterwards he obviously didn't want to leave.
After an hour of playing on his scooter he was willing to try and stand on Joe's board for a second.
We ought to mention 4 Funky Flavours helped us incredibly well with sizing issues, their service is excellent! And thank you Barts for thinking creatively outside the box!
-Stephanie
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Remember when growing up you always thought how sick it would be to have your old man riding the wooden toy, and how you were always bragging about how you're going to push your lil one down the hill at the first moment you get. Well, it made me think about those days, and now with a son of 5 who is heavily physically active, how to get him to fall in love with skating.
I mean all the vert guys from the 80’s had to grow up eventually and had to start to raise a family and the guys who were the big dogs when I was just starting are starting to dip in parenthood, I asked several of them what to do. Most came up with the answer that is: “let them figure it out”. It made kind of sense because that was the thing what gave most of us the bug, the absolute freedom of doing what you want, how you want.
After some online research regarding the subject I found this episode of the Vans.tv show calles: Loveletters to skateboarding. In this show 80’s superstar Jeff Grosso discusses various topics and gives the viewer a little history 101. As stated above all our childhood heroes has got the same q&a and generally say the same. Let them have fun and eventually they will figure it out.
Have fun watching!
-Joe
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Yporque #teeswithsounds
Sometimes a company e-mails you and you get super excited about working with them. Their response is literally: we love skaters!
Well this company hails from Barcelona and is called Yporqué and from what we can tell so far is that little skaters also love Yporqué. Like a lot.
Tees with sounds specifically. Have you seen this wolf tee on our Instagram? By the way, thank you for every like and follow!
Thank you for our package Yporqué! We had a howlin' good time documenting these 'before' pics. Because the real test is obviously: how are these garments going to hold up in the skatepark and the washing machine? We'll answer that next time ofcourse. In the meantime we'll be working hard on some exciting changes on the blog.......... :-)
-Stephanie
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Seahorses and small wooden toys
Lupin is posing with a finger skateboard in his camo seahorse crewneck by Filemon Kid.
Did you know that there are 47 different species of seahorses and 14 of those were discovered in the last eight years? They have an ability to change color (like a chameleon) and shape to blend in with their environment. They are poor swimmers, and remain faithful to one partner. Seahorse couples greet each other every morning with a dance before separating for the day. Instead of females, male seahorses carry the developing seahorse embryos in a kangaroo-like pouch. Well now you know! Ask your local zoo for more seahorse facts.
Filemon Kid has more great clothing to skate in, ranging from cool baseball jackets to reversible sweatshirts so you can fool your parents you're wearing a clean sweater when really it's the same one. Psyche!
Enjoy your sunday!
-Stephanie
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surviving the winters (spring is sorta kinda coming)
Here in Holland tempratures are going below zero degrees Celcius (for our stateside readers that's below 32 F). That means that there is no skating outside on the streets except for daddy’s occasional beer-run on the cruizerboard. So most skating is done inside in the indoor skateparks. Luckily in a country as The Netherlands we are blessed with a indoor skatepark in almost every major city (except for Amsterdam, whose Skatepark had to close last year, with no sign of new developments regarding a new location).
If it is your first time in the skatepark you will be overwhelmed with sounds and sights. Boards, bikes and scooters are flying right past you, and the clicks from popping boards and the laughter of little children will be what you will be hearing throughout your visit. Most skateparks also cater to your desire for food and beverages in their canteen. In the canteen it’s lively crowded and the skatepark personnel is more happy to help you with your needs. Some skateparks even have a little skateshop in the canteen where kids can buy extra parts if something might happen with their setup (e.g. broken bearings and boards).
After snow comes a dirty skate bowl....
What is also good to know that skateparks in Europe have to follow certain guidelines given by the European parliament concerning Hygiene and first aid. So don’t be afraid if little Suzy or Jimmy catches a little bruise during the day, the staff at the skatepark can handle it and have mostly already seen their fair share of accidents. Don’t worry about other kids (or in the case of most groms, the “older guys”) at the park. There is some sort of unofficial skatepark etiquette among the users and in most cases some of the older guys will tell lil' Jimmy or Suzy about it.
In most cases the skatepark also offer skate classes for your little one. These can range from starter classes to advanced classes (depending on the skatepark) In most cases if you start with a starter class the instructor will teach the simple basics like tic-tacs, kickturning and dropping in. With advanced classes it can differ from sliding rails to learning all those hard flips, but we here at the blog have noticed what is simple for one, isn’t so easy for another, and think that every skater should learn at their own pace and should have fun doing it. And don’t worry: only a few more months until we can skate outside in the sun and do our newly learned tricks at the skatespot!
-Joe
PS: We'd like to thank all the companies that have reacted so kindly to our lil' skateblog and Instagram. It really exceeds our expectations. Some brands have been great in offering compliments, ideas and even packages! Bananas! We're doing our best to make sure everything gets featured in the best possible way. If you, the reader, have some feedback for us, or just have some nice things to say, it would be awesome if you left a comment! Thank you for every like and follow!
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Filemon Kid
We at the skateblog received a really sweet package from Sweden. Thanks Filemon Kid!
Sometimes you have to keep it simple: we are loving this tiger bomber together with the Filemon Kid t-shirt. Can't wait for spring!
-Stephanie
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