Since skateboarder Greg Lutzka left Milwaukee to turn pro at 17, the Southern California-based athlete has added some new tricks to his bag.
Today he films full-length videos worldwide, designs motorcycle accessories for and fills up the days in between snowboarding at some of his favorite spots like Mammoth and Copper mountains.
“In the ‘old days’ you used to have to shoot video and send in your films to get attention,” Lutzka, 32, says. “Now it’s much easier to put yourself out there with social media, tagging sponsors and building followers.”
Traveling for skate films is one of the biggest perks of his profession. Lutzka’s projects have taken him to Estonia, Dubai and China, plus back to his hometown to share some love among up-and-coming skaters in the Midwest.
Outside of skateboarding, he’s squeezed in some cool adventures, from exploring ancient Chinese temples and European architecture to playing with dune buggies, paint balls and bonfires in the desert.
Back in SoCal, Lutzka is partnering with sponsor Harley Davidson on signature exhaust pipes for the brand’s Dyna line, as well as a whole line of custom motorcycle seats with Saddlemen. “I just got into the motorcycle world out of a passion of mine,” he says of blazing into the new ventures.
His sunglasses choice for such an adventurous lifestyle? The Wayfarer-inspired Coltic, now a cult classic at Nectar. “They’re lightweight, inexpensive and don’t break. Nectars are just fun, cool sunglasses that have a good vibe,” he says. “I wear sunglasses every time I snowboard up at Big Bear, go cruising on my board by the beach and riding my motorcycle.”
Lutzka finds inspiration for all his crafts in music—some reggae in the morning over an acai bowl, to Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix for kicks and skate tricks, to hip hop for chilling with buddies. “I’m very open-minded when it comes to music,” he says. “Music, design, art and just living life: people doing what they love to do is all inspiring to me.”
For Lutzka, living the sweet life means finding and chasing your own dream. “For me I just did what I loved,” he says. “Skateboard because you love it and apply yourself. There’s a lot of opportunity, but you have to have a passion for it.”
