[videocaption]Rip Zinger’s part from Pathology: A movie about snowboarding and humans[/videocaption]
Rip shot a series of photographs related to skate life on this couch surfing tour. “I put photos together, made a mock-up and I came back to the States and showed it to people,” Rip says. “Stüssy told me they wanted to make this book so we published it in 2008.” Rip’s friend, Ty Evans, kept telling him, “Do whatever you want” — a notion not as widely accepted in Japan. “This whole idea gave me a reason to dream and it was actually an American company who made it happen. I wanted to call it Americanized Tour but it was almost all west side, so I called it West Americanized Tour,” Rip says.
Rip went on to make a second book titled New York City. He also created the VICE Japan series Skatality, a self-shot YouTube show that featured skateboarders who applied skate perspective to their next careers. Artist Thomas Campbell, fashion designer Yoppi, and musician Tommy Guerrero were among the visionaries featured.
“When people like Wolle (Nyvelt) or Terje (Haakonsen) come to Japan I’m taking care of them,” Rip says. Other icons like Jamie Lynn, Tony Hawk, Rick Howard, Erik Koston, Gerry Lopez, Kassia Meador and Danny Kass are among the unusual suspects you’ll see with cameos in Rip’s multicultural Instagram feed — the locations varying from Mexico, Bali, New Zealand, United States, Canada and Brazil to Madagascar, Senegal and Africa. “These are definitely game changing trips,” Rip reflects. “You see the most primitive lifestyles and people.”
Now 40 years old with no plan of settling down, or any plan at all, the ultimate nomad is taking care of his body by eating right and making sure he can snowboard, surf and skate for a lifetime while pushing himself to learn new skills and techniques. “Terje started teaching me about being health conscious and that helps me a lot. Something I couldn’t do yesterday I want to do today — expand the skills one-step higher. Eating better, being better and doing something I’ve never done,” Rip says. “I try to keep my body functional and now it’s all connected — skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing.”
“I’m more like a frog guy, using the legs and I have to be like a gecko,” Rip says of his snowboarding and surfing style. “The gecko is walking by hands more than back legs,” he explains. “I learned snowboarding through Taro Tamai (Gentemstick’s owner),” Rip continues. “Taro taught me how to enjoy and maximize the sensation about the powder and powder riding. I think I’m not even at the door! I’m at the first step compared to Taro because my body’s still not gecko style yet.”
“The best thing about traveling is that you wake up in a different place every day,” Rip laughs. “It’s about doing everything different, you know? It’s the isolation of our egos, negativity, traits or attachments. You cannot carry these things around because you’re always around friends and your life is always being in new places. Traveling has taught me how to stay positive. I think it’s better than sitting around.”
Join Rip Zinger on his adventures, follow him on Instagram
