In Conversation with Elissa Steamer –

We’ve all heard the age-old saying, “Sometimes skateboarding involves not skateboarding.” In a way, Elissa Steamer’s brand, Gnarhunters, was born from the act of not skateboarding. Shortly after discovering surfing, Nike SB skater Elissa became obsessed with the pastime that is so common along the California coastline. With time and other life events, skateboarding became less of a priority as she spent more time in the ocean.

Skateboarders and surfers view their respective passions in completely different ways. Skateboarding thrives on inclusion and its ease of accessibility. Alternatively, surfing is more competitive because there are only a certain number of quality waves at a particular coastal break. To better understand surfing as a skateboarder, in addition to seeking an avenue for her creative energy, Elissa started Gnarhunters in 2011.

Eleven years later, she has earned the opportunity to collaborate with her current shoe sponsor to create the Gnarhunters x Nike SB Dunk Low. We were beyond thrilled to get on a Zoom call with Elissa and Nike SB Marketing Manager Colin Kennedy to discuss not only the shoe, but also the roles of skateboarding and surfing in Elissa’s life.