The 2003 Thrasher magazine Skater of the Year, 2004 TransWorld SKATEboarding Readers’ Choice recipient, and 2007 TransWorld Best Street Skater winner, Apples is admired by every any skater who knows what’s what. With more than a decade’s worth of accolades heaped on him by the skate industry, a stable of iconic video parts and the unwavering respect of his peers, Apples has always kept a cool and humble head about everything. Maybe that’s why he’s on every all-time favorite list.

The prodigal son returned. Nyjah started his relationship with Element when he was 7-years-old. Then a little, phenomenal twig on the branches of the Element tree, Nyjah grew into his own oak. Now a full-fledged powerhouse, Ny has come home to embrace his roots and to stand on an Element pro board with his name on it. The 2010 Overall Street League Champion, looked to repeat in 2011, Ny is the only skater ever to pull out a backside 270 nosebluntslide on a rail in a contest. Still in his teens and just getting warmed up.

The word “style” gets bandied about a lot in skateboarding. But in an era of hyped contests, ultra-tech tricks and more talented skaters than you can shake a stick at, now more than ever, style counts. Levi Brown has style for miles. An ollie, a kickflip, a tré flip or a Smith grind, Levi’s gonna show you the textbook definition of what it means to have truly natural style. Maybe it’s something he finds in nature or out there on the road, living the nomadic life he’s come to love. Whatever it is, Levi’s got it, and the rest of us can only watch with rapt attention. Levi Brown: style defined.

Raised on the east coast, Brian moved to northern California immediately after graduating high school to follow his dream of being forever involved with skateboarding. Now, an international photographer based in Northern California, Brian has spent the last 14 years traveling the world with camera, producing numerous ad campaigns and editorial pieces for every major skateboard publication. Brian got his start as staff photographer for SLAP magazine and continued on to work for many years as Senior Photographer of Skateboarder Magazine. Always paralleling his skateboard work, Brian has put a lot of time into developing a unique personal style, and showing his fine art photography, which leans toward familial and other very personal subject matter. He was the youngest photographer to ever be featured in fine art publication, B&W Magazine. In the past five years, Brian has grown increasingly interested in the quality of food he provides for his family, as well as the manner in which it’s grown. He purchased a small farm property in Sebastopol, California, where he tends large gardens that grow the majority of his family’s produce, raises chickens and ducks for eggs and meat, and is constantly working on transforming the property into a self-sustaining, permaculture landscape. Odds are, if he doesn’t have a camera in his hands, you can be sure they’re covered in dirt.

Some pro skaters grab at the spotlight with gimmicks, gear, nicknames and catchphrases. Others let their skateboarding do the talking. Chad Tim Tim falls into the latter category and the “talking” he’s been doing on board speaks volumes. A versatile technician whose as comfortable skating switch as he is skating regular, Tim Tim continues to push the limits of what we think is possible while casually making it all look effortless in the process.

It’s a rare thing these days, in the age of the internet and all, when you can honestly say an amateur skater paid his dues to earn what he’s got, but for Nick Garcia, there’s nothing truer than that. Skating his ass off, and getting noticed the old fashioned way… Nick caught the eye of Element pro, Chad Tim Tim, skating in his native Long Beach, and put in work on tour and on the streets to earn his rightful spot on the squad.

Young Julian had barely made it on the scene in skateboarding before being thrown to the lions as a sacrificial lamb for the Cons crew on the 2010 Thrasher magazine “King of the Road” tour. Undaunted, Davidson persevered and proved his worth to any team, willing to skate whatever was put in front of him, and to do what it took to get the job done. Real-life cousins with Element teammate Nick Garcia, Julian always has a partner in crime; the two are constantly pushing each other to progress. With a classic style and an adult-like demeanor that exceeds his years, Julian has tons to offer skateboarding in the years to come.

Orlando Florida’s Evan Smith is making a name for himself by taking the road less traveled. While most aspiring skaters spend half their time trying to figure out how to live the California dream, Smith spends his getting busy wherever he’s at. Both on board and in life, Evan has found creative routes to doing things his own way. Currently in Pittsburgh, skating untapped wells of urban spots, he’s also helping his uncle run a music venue. This unorthodox approach transfers to Evan’s skating as well where you’ll catch him pulling out tricks others might not think of, and approaching classic spots with a fresh set of eyes.

The latest addition to the Element family, Tehachapi’s Boo Johnson cut his teeth riding for Powell and putting out a breakout part in their “Fun” video. Boo first hopped in the van with the Element team on a trip to Alaska. Even in that foreign environment, Boo felt right at home and got to work on heavy tricks. Look for a new full part from Boo in Element’s upcoming am team video, “Future Nature” coming soon.

Twelve year old Element team rider Tom Schaar has landed the first ever 1080º. It has been amazing to watch Tom's progression over the past. He first caught our eye when at 7yrs old when he entered the Element am contest series, and his special talent for transition was clear. While we were sure his career would blossom, the rate at which he progressed is alarming. From his quick adaption to vert and the mega ramp, to becoming the youngest ever to do a 900º, he continues to blow minds and set records. We congratulate Tom for his accomplishment, and can't wait to see what he does next.

With a skateboarding legacy that stretches back to the 1980s, Ray Barbee has been doing things right for decades. From the time Barbee broke out on the scene in the ’88 Powell-Peralta classic, “Public Domain” street skating would never be the same. Style matters and Barbee has it to spare. Ray has also been able to translate the creative energy he pours into his skating into other endeavors as well; on a guitar he is as smooth as he is on a board. Pushing into his third decade on board, Barbee is as smooth as ever: a no-comply, a 360 flip or a solid frontside heel, if Ray’s doing it, it’s sure to come out classic.

Chad Muska has been a larger-than-life presence in skateboarding for nearly 15 years. Who else can claim a titled nickname like, “The Muska?” And who but Muska has the clout, the talent and the personality to pull off a handle like that? Nobody else. From his nearly, all in a day video part in TransWorld SKATEboarding’s “Feedback” through his banger era on Shorty’s, Muska has always bucked the trends and lead by example. Today, you couldn’t ask for a more enthusiastic advocate and emissary for skateboarding than The Muska.

Mike Kershnar grew up in the Southern California world of skateboarding, surfing, graffiti, and primitive skills. He has done skateboard graphics for prominent youth subculture brands such as Element, Toy Machine, Volcom, Obey, Baker, and Ecko. Kershnar is also a huge lover of rock poster art and has done posters for bands such as Morrissey, Wilco, Midnite, Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead, and the Beastie Boys. His favorite artists include Pez, Robert Crumb, Keith Haring and Basquiat. He believes art is his spiritual practice and aims to connect with a more awakened state of being through his work.

There’s never a dull moment in the life of Bam. Everything he does is probably worth checking out; it’s guaranteed to be entertaining. Bam’s as-seen-on-TV antics are only outshined by his genuine talent on board. It’s been tough for Bam to casually hit up skate spots in the last few years: when you’re a global celebrity people tend to recognize you and want your attention. But that’s why Bam’s got a private skate Shangri La at his house and gets sessions in on the regular. He may belong to the world at large, but Bam belonged to skateboarding first, and we’re keeping him.

The youngest of the talented McClung brother triad, Trent has gained singular attention in the past few years based on hard work, abundant talent, and flawless style. With a solid stack of sponsors topped by his place in the Element family, Trent is climbing the ranks of skating’s elite. Through a series of quality video parts on the web, an ongoing presence on TheBerrics, and an early adapter of Insta, Trent McClung is already a household name; and his life in skateboarding is just beginning.