CLICK HERE FOR BUYERS GUIDE 2012 – It’s spring 2012 and I am sitting here staring down what is shaping up to be our biggest Buyer’s Guide yet. In fact, this is the biggest issue of CW we’ve ever published. The weight of this thing will be perfect protection should you ever find yourself attacked by ninjas or rabid dogs – or rabid ninjas! Just roll it up and start swinging! Seriously, though, I am eternally grateful to all the companies that are responsible for supporting Concrete Wave.

They have stood by me through all kinds of trials and tribulations – even when I drive them nuts with deadlines and urgent phone calls to send up higher-resolution images. I am fortunate to be able to call them not only business associates, but friends.

The first Buyer’s Guide was published back in 2004. In case you haven’t seen it (and it’s tough to find), you’re not alone. We printed 10,000 copies and it has yet to be digitized. The first guide was a collection of all kinds of skateboards, and we scrambled to put it together in a way that made sense. Looking back, I realize that had it not been for my trusty designer, Markintosh, I would have packed in the idea of the Buyer’s Guide years ago. The man keeps it all together and keeps me grounded.

Over the years, we transitioned to a guide that I believe is a unique celebration of both sides of a longboarder’s brain. Unlike other buyer’s guides, we are not enforcing strict guidelines. About the only thing we try to keep strict is the pattern of A thru Z.

So, yes, we list things alphabetically (that’s the left side of our brains) but allow contributors to create their own listing (cue the artistic side). As the years have rolled by, we’ve seen a number of companies get increasingly creative and start to deviate from our established layout. It’s unlikely the CW buyer’s guide will win any publishing awards for following the rules on style. This doesn’t faze me in the least. In fact, I think this lack of conformity is the perfect way to express everything that longboarding represents. I’ve never been comfortable following all the “rules.” But then again, if you’ve picked up this magazine, you already knew that or could somehow relate to it. Enjoy the guide and keep it rollin’! Special thanks to Jilli in Denver, Eldren, JBH, our friends at the Warped Tour and all those who spread the stoke! Holding a longboard event? Email me for swag. mbrooke@interlog.com