What Tony Hawk Can’t Live Without

I sign a lot. In fact, I just signed about 500 eight-by-tens yesterday. So I’m always going through Sharpies. They’re usually either black or silver, depending on the color of the thing I’m signing. Sometimes I use the thicker ones. They’re just reliable on most surfaces. There are somemarkersyou get that say they’re permanent for anything, and they end up staying wet and wiping off. These never streak. I can honestly say there’s always a black Sharpie within 30 feet of my reach at home.

I like fine whiskey so much so that I have a wall of them. It’s nice to pair it with a clear ice cube, so I started going through different ice molds and different methods. Then I found this stand-alone unit about three years ago. I bought it right when it came out because it looked like the best solution. You basically just fill it with water, and it makes four clear ice cubes overnight. I drink my whiskey with the ice cubes, but it’s fun for all drinks. The brand also makes a mini-unit that only makes two cubes — I have one of those for our mountain home.

I love iced green tea. When I went to actually buy them in cans and bottles, there was no consistency. It was really hard to find one that just tasted like true green tea. Some are too sweet and some have this taste where the tea almost tastes sour. I can’t explain it. I went through a lot of tea. Then I ordered this while I was out at a sushi restaurant in San Diego. It tastes just like real brewed green tea. No flavors, nothing sweet. I went home and found a way to buy it directly. Now, I buy them by the 24-case. You know how some websites tell you how many times you’ve ordered something? Mine literally says, “Purchased over one hundred times.”

I always have sort of a collection of medical products that are more akin to a hospital just because of what I do. I use alcohol wipes to clean an area in preparation. If I get more of an open wound, I use steri-strips. It’s funny, I actually gave you this list before this happened, but just last week I had to use these. I happened to have ripped my elbow open, and this is holding it together.

I put Band-Aids over the steri-strips to prevent any leakage. I also use them more than the steri-strips on their own, since my shins get dinged all the time. I get the tough strips because they’re the best option for being active. They actually stay on in the water and stay put if you’re sweating. Just yesterday, I dressed my wound, then skated, and everything stayed on perfectly. Then this morning, I realized I’d had it on for 24 hours, so I took it all off, showered, and redressed it. With what I do, especially wearing elbow pads, I can’t worry about my Band-Aid slipping off. That is just a recipe for disaster.

This was agift from my wife, actually. She got it for me years ago for Valentine’s Day, so it’s very special. I wear it all the time, which is why I’m having a hard time taking it off right now. It’s aTfor Tiffany, but I love that it’s kind of low-key.

We brought Hawk skate shoes back as a brand. You can find them at Big 5 among other places, but I’m really excited because it’s the one IP that I kept from the apparel lines. I’ve always been proud of our line of shoes, and they’re affordable for anyone. They literally are the shoes that I skate in, so I’m not selling something and then doing something else. I’m walking the walk in my shoes. There’s sort of a retro aspect to it, but it’s also something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. It’s not like I was trying to jump on some nostalgia bandwagon.

I came upon Qunol as a brand through its CoQ10 because I was taking a statin for elevated cholesterol, and that was balancing it out. Then I found all their other products. I’ve been taking the turmeric for about four years now mostly for inflammation, which I tend to have a lot more of in my older age, especially with what I do. It’s the most effective at keeping the inflammation and swelling down and keeping my joints in motion. I notice a difference when I don’t take it. It’s harder to get warmed up, and I feel the aches more when I’m not skating if I’m not taking it. Trying to stay in the routine is the best thing for me.