It was very refreshing to receive the news a few months ago that Voodoo Jam was going down again this year, especially after Scott Obrien announced a while back that he was retiring the event.  The excitement and anticipation built up for weeks and this past weekend we all finally got to come together to experience one of the best Flatland BMX events in the country.

The entire event had such a positive vibe this year, from people throwing money over the balcony to help fellow flatlander Andrew Guerrero and his family with Hurricane Harvey expenses, to Dub aka Jean William Prevost’s emotional speech after being awarded NORA Cup’s Flatlander of the Year.  Let’s not forget Toon’s epic best trick win, which caused him to want to explode after pulling a trick that he says took him 7 months to master.

One of my favorite parts of this event is not the actual contest itself, but the pre-jam the day before, which is where everyone comes together to chill, ride, and catch up with one another.  The relaxed vibe that comes with most jams or pre-jams feels like a backyard BBQ or party and it’s where many close friendships are made or revisited.

While a full review of the event will come later today or tomorrow, I wanted to first share some photos that I took at the pre-jam that isn’t full of riding or smiling faces, but rather of shoes.  Haha, yes, that’s right, shoes.  As I was taking photos on Friday I noticed that pro French rider Alex Jumelin was wearing a cool pair of Lacoste sneakers and I couldn’t help but take a photo of these sweet kicks.  I’ve never seen anyone riding with this brand of sneakers, and I was then led to take photos of all of the different shoes worn by each rider in an effort to show what each rider puts on their feet, which if you think about it, is the most important part of every flatlander’s body.  The clothing we wear says a lot about our personalities, but what a flatlander puts on their feet can say even more.

One of the most popular pair of kicks seems to be Vans as well as Nikes.  Uchie and his whole Japanese crew are sporting his Puma sponsor’s suede classic shoe while Terry Adams sponsor Etnies is always on his flat feet.

Enjoy the photo gallery below and see what each rider is saying with their choice of kicks.  (click on any photo to open up the gallery slider)

Photos & story by Hector Garcia