INTRODUCTION & INTERVIEW: KEVIN LITTLE, @kevinmlittle
PHOTOS: LOGAN OLESON, @big.arugala
The Windy City of Chicago has a long history of producing skating talent, and Gabriel Talamantes is an individual who has been consistently skating for longer than we can remember. He is a certified OG of his skate scene and a pillar of the community in the Chi, so it was only right that we touched base with Gabe to see what he has been cooking up.
Recently Gabriel got himself a slick pair of the newly released Roces Nils Jansons’ Deep Purple Fifth Element skates and we picked his brain about how he likes his boots hooked up. He linked up with fellow blader and photographer Logan Oleson, who shot these incredible photos of Gabe getting used to his new Purps! Check it out.
• Boots | Roces Nils Jansons Deep Purple Fifth Element | Boot Size 6-7
• Liners | Intuition
• Wheels | Orange Wheel Co. Charles Nantel 59mm/92a
• Frames | Kizer Superfluid V | Size small
Tell us about your current skate setup?
Gabriel: I started skating the Fifth Elements around 3 years ago. Once I got my foot in it I knew I was going to be sticking around for awhile cause I was having issues finding a skate that fit my foot without having to compromise with extra length. The boot has a low cuff and the flex can be a little much for me but the intuition fixed that for me and adds more support through out the entire boot. The dual density lacing system makes pressure points almost non existent. The souls are fat which I love cause I do a lot of cess slides and it really helps when on top of ledges for me while skating flat. The Kizers allow me to get boot-down easier with the thickness of the sidewalls along with the profile of the OWC wheels they compliment each other well. I can’t thank OWC enough for their support. The profile and hardness of these wheels allow them to last a long time (with rotating). Overall the boot has a nice bottom heavy feel which helps me feel centered and overall I’m happy with my setup and won’t be making any drastic changes soon.
What parts do you wear through the quickest?
Gabriel: I worry most about my soul frames but I like them broken in. I’ve had issue with the plates breaking but I do high impact grinds and all good things come to an end. Since riding flat I will change my frames to new frames with 58-60mm flat and when they wear I’ll use smaller wheels around 55-57mm once those wear down and continue in that cycle.
What part do you break most often?
Gabriel: Soulplates for sure.
Which parts are you paranoid about breaking?
Gabriel: Soulplates simply cause the frames mount directly to them and not the boot so once those are done or break it’s risky.
What spare parts and tools do you keep in your backpack?
Gabriel: Wax, 4m long/short, bearing popper.
Where do your parts go once you are done with them?
Gabriel: I try to get the most use I can out of everything so I’ll rather throw them out or give/sell them to someone depending on condition.
Do you skate different setups for different terrains?
Gabriel: I skate softer wheels at parks 88-90a.
Which do you prefer, rolling Flat, Anti-rocker or Freestyle?
Gabriel: Flat for me.
FOLLOW GABRIEL TALAMANTES ON IG HERE
