Growing up in Encinitas, California—surrounded by skateparks and local rippers—Braden Hoban was perfectly positioned to become the powerhouse skater he is today. In this Now/Then interview, he takes us from his first shop board at McGill’s to the two-year process behind his pro model shoe with Emerica. As a grom, Braden’s go-to spot was the Encinitas YMCA, where he honed his skills on rails and hubbas that laid the groundwork for his street style. Now, the same skaters he once watched in videos—like Leo Romero and Jeremy Leabres—are his crew for van tours. Braden has made a smooth progression from hometown sessions to riding with his heroes.
Spot to Spot: Braden Hoban Skateboarding in Portugal with Dakota Servold, Jeremy Leabres, Mike Krok
“Tour guides are probably the most important thing,” says Braden Hoban, but he’s not looking for fancy eats and beautiful vistas… Gritty skating in unknown places, going on a skate-cation to a new country is the dream for most but the key to a successful trip is locking in with a local. Travel to Portugal and go Spot To Spot with Braden Hoban and a heavy squad on an all out mission to stack clips. “We all have the same goal in mind, to film the best video part we possibly can.” Hear about the man, Pedro, that made it all possible for the crew capture a proper edit’s worth of footage without any idea of where to go, and see how many hammers they walked away with. Spoiler: it’s a lot.
Platfrm Portraits: Braden Hoban’s Path to Success, Contest Glory, and Street Priorities
23-year-old instant classic out of San Diego tells his story in this edition of Portrait: Braden Hoban. Braden’s skating speaks for itself. His trick selection is timeless and his power perfectly balances his prowess. Braden explains his origins from skating long hours as part of his daily school routine, to finding himself in the Toy Machine van with his idols calling home to say he’s going to be missing more school than originally planned. Inspired by the video parts of his now peers, Braden talks about his drive to film as many parts to his greatest potential while he can. Although he’s found serious contest success in recent years, his priorities are still in the streets. “There’s a lot that I want to do. There’s a lot that I have to prove…”