Willis Kimbel’s SOUNDBOKS Story

Axel Fredstorp
2024-10-24T10:37:00+02:00

Pro skater Willis Kimbel took us on a trip around his hometown of Portland. Here’s why his Soundboks joined us for every stop along the way.

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Skateboarder Willis Kimbel first discovered SOUNDBOKS during a trip to Copenhagen’s Meatpacking District. As he walked past a building, he heard the walls vibrating. Intrigued, he followed the sound to see one standing in the corner of the room blasting bangers.

Fast forward to today and the SOUNDBOKS never leaves Willis’ side. We spent the day hanging out around Portland and saw this firsthand. Whether exploring Oregon’s insane nature, shredding at the skatepark, or hanging with the homies, he always has his trusty Bluetooth speaker there.

Bringing People Together

Willis has always been known as the guy responsible for the music. Carrying a speaker with him wherever he went wasn’t just because of his love of music, it was a way of bringing people together and creating a common denominator. After spending years touring the world on his board, experiencing new cultures, and shredding with the Portland skate community, music was a constant way of connecting and having fun with people.

At any time, you can get closer to and laugh with the person next to you.

Willis’ SOUNDBOKS 4 has allowed him to create thousands of moments alongside other people. He gets to witness awesome connections, lifelong friendships, and core memories every time he turns his favorite Bluetooth speaker on.

This is one of the big reasons he chose a SOUNDBOKS over other speakers. Having experienced firsthand how they draw people in and shock them, Willis knew he could be responsible for countless good times.

Firing Up The Crew

Willis’ has just opened his new skateshop Rip’s Co in Portland. Creating this space was just another way for Willis to bring members of Portland’s skate community together. You’ll find a SOUNDBOKS there blasting bangers during the day and powering in-store concerts at night.

SOUNDBOKS is not just for fun. It’s a tool to keep the session going and get people fired up.

Having a loud, durable, and simple speaker makes sure the energy is always high when the crew are in session. It heightens these experiences and, in his words, “makes things fu*king rad.” When you’re dropping into the bowl and shredding at top speed, you need sound that carries. And when you pull off a sick trick, there’s nothing better than riding out to cheers from the homies and your fave tunes blasting in the background.

Willis’ SOUNDBOKS gets him fired up wherever he goes, whoever he’s with. He’s cheered on youngsters in the Portland skate community and soundtracked some of their most memorable sessions. Passersby in Portland have seen the energy of his Burnside sessions, coming over and asking where the music was coming from. When Willis and his SOUNDBOKS team up, the vibe is contagious.

Spontaneity Unlocked

There’s a reason Willis is known amongst his friends as ‘Camping Dad.’ Whatever the situation, he always makes sure he and his crew have everything they need. That’s where his SOUNDBOKS comes in.

The spontaneity is something that’s insanely strong. It makes pinnacle memorable moments.

For Willis, this is arguably the biggest reason for owning a SOUNDBOKS. For someone who’s on the road as much as he is, having a speaker that can stand up to countless situations is critical. After all, you never know what’s round the corner.

Whether in nature, shredding on his board, at the skateshop, or hanging out with the homies, Willis had the vibes going all day long. The tunes were bumping. The energy was electric. Seeing smiles on everyone’s faces, we knew that was a day well spent.