Each year, the X Games invites a bunch of professional snowboarding athletes to make a ninety-second street boarding edit, called X Games: Real Snow. This means that the athletes are required to ride solely street spots they find, film different shots of it, and put together an edit that’s only 90 seconds. This year, they switched it up and opened the event up to being able to ride everything. So now, not only are the edits street shots, but also backcountry, and mountain shots as well. Six riders throw down on any snow they can find, and put together the best possible edit they can.
So, here’s my rating from best to worst:
2. Brock Crouch
6. Danny Davis
I thought Stale’s video was amazing. The riding, the editing, the colors, just everything was incredible. I absolutely loved it. I also loved how Spenny (Stale’s filmer/editer, Spencer Whiting, aka Gimbal God) did some editing in it like he did in Stale’s LINES video. In LINES, Stale and Spenny filmed everything for years, and matched shots up to make seamless cuts between videos. They used some of those shots and cuts in the Real Snow edit, and combined it with normal cuts. It was a perfect blend between those types of shots, and a perfect blend between street and backcountry riding.
Brock’s was also pretty awesome. I thought it really gave stale’s a run for his money. It was full of while shots and super sick and smooth cuts. It was another amazing edit and a perfect blend between street and backcountry. In the end, I think Spenny’s editing and Stale’s steez is what outdid Brock.
I actually really liked Kevin’s. Honestly, I didn’t really expect to, he’s never really been one of my favorite riders, but the edit he put together was pretty crazy. I thought a lot of the shot ideas and the editing choices like the slomo were really well done. I just wish some of the slomo had been speed ramped instead of just quick cuts. I also felt some of the colors were just a tad white and bright. I also would’ve added in more street clips, the majority of it was backcountry, and what kept it afloat were the unique shot angles and choices.
I thought Sage’s and Danny’s edit were actually really quite similar, both being way too much backcountry. I thought Sage’s was better edited and better riding, I feel Sage is just an all around better rider than Danny. But, Danny’s I found boring and just too bland. It made me think of every other backcountry video out there. There was one shot in the beginning where it was just a POV shot of him riding between two large rocks in a valley, but he was going super slow. I think that one shot kind of killed the edit for me, it was just too slow and boring. When I watch the Real Snow, I’m expecting to be wowed and blown away. This just gave me a feeling of every other backcountry video on YouTube.
Dusty’s edit was just alright at best. I liked the riding obviously, he’s a seriously talented kid, but I really disliked the editing. A lot. I thought some of the choices were repetitive and took time away from riding that could’ve been put in. I also thought some of the clips were under-corrected, and the colors weren’t bearable. It’s a shame because he’s really skilled and could’ve had better.
Despite a couple letdowns, I really enjoyed this year, and I hope Stale Sandbech takes the crown for the X Games: Real Snow!
Board Chat 