Ben Kadow at a Glance
- Net Worth: $500,000
- Profession: Professional Skateboarder, Model, Artist
- Nationality: American
- Birthplace: Brewster, New York
- Birth Year: 1993
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What is Ben Kadow’s Net Worth?
Ben Kadow has a net worth of $500,000. His fortune is derived primarily from professional skateboarding contracts, royalties from signature products, and commercial modeling work for global fashion brands. Unlike competitive contest skaters who rely on prize money, Kadow’s income stems from his status as a cultural influencer within the skate and fashion industries.
His financial foundation rests on “hard goods” royalties—specifically signature decks with Hockey Skateboards and footwear endorsements with Vans. These long-term partnerships provide a stable base salary supplemented by monthly royalty checks based on sales volume. Additionally, Kadow commands significant fees for his involvement in high-profile video projects, which serve as marketing vehicles for his sponsors.
Supreme & Modeling Earnings
A substantial portion of Kadow’s income comes from his relationship with Supreme, the billion-dollar streetwear brand. As a key member of the Supreme skate team, Kadow appears prominently in the brand’s global marketing campaigns, lookbooks, and full-length films such as BLESSED.
Beyond standard team retainers, Kadow leverages his unique look for modeling contracts. His work extends beyond skating into fashion editorials, where day rates for talent of his caliber range from $1,500 to $3,000. This dual revenue stream—paid as both an athlete and a model—significantly boosts his annual earnings compared to skaters who focus solely on technical performance.
Early Life
Ben Kadow was born in Brewster, New York, a quiet town in Putnam County. Raised in a suburban environment with limited access to skate spots, he developed his skills on rough asphalt and improvised ramps in church parking lots. This lack of perfect terrain influenced his raw, powerful style of skating.
He began skating in his early teens, frequently traveling to skateparks in nearby Connecticut to find better facilities. As he grew older, the pull of New York City became unavoidable. Kadow spent his weekends taking the train into Manhattan, sleeping on friends’ floors, and immersing himself in the city’s downtown skate culture. He eventually moved to the city permanently after high school, a decision that placed him at the center of the East Coast skate scene.
Career
Ben Kadow’s career is defined by a transition from a raw amateur to a polished professional who represents the gritty aesthetic of New York City skateboarding. His professional trajectory began when he caught the attention of major industry players through his unique approach—skating spots that others ignored and landing tricks with intense, often chaotic energy.
Kadow’s first major break came when he was recruited for 3D Skateboards, a company founded by legendary skater Brian Anderson. Although the brand was short-lived, it validated Kadow’s talent on a national level. Following 3D’s dissolution, he found a perfect home at Hockey, a sister brand to Fucking Awesome (FA).
Hockey’s brand identity—dark, aggressive, and horror-movie inspired—mirrored Kadow’s personal style. His video parts for Hockey, particularly in Hockey II and Hockey III, showcased his willingness to take heavy slams and skate difficult, non-standard obstacles. These performances solidified his pro status and made his signature boards consistent best-sellers for the company.
Kadow’s career reached a new stratosphere through his affiliation with Supreme. Under the direction of videographer William Strobeck, Kadow became a star in modern skate cinema. His breakout performance in Supreme’s 2014 video Joyride led to a central role in the 2018 masterpiece BLESSED.
In BLESSED, Kadow’s footage stood out for its raw power and distinctive fashion sense, often skating in spider-web prints and oversized goth-inspired clothing. The video won Thrasher’s Video of the Year award, cementing the cast’s status as industry royalty. This exposure opened doors for mainstream fashion features, allowing Kadow to cross over into modeling for Supreme’s seasonal catalogs and collaborative lookbooks.
In recent years, Kadow has strengthened his position as a veteran pro. He continues to film major video parts and travel on global tours with the Vans team. His longevity is rare in a sport known for physical attrition; he has maintained his relevance by evolving his skating to be smarter while retaining the “do-or-die” commitment that made him famous. His career is now a blueprint for the modern “lifestyle pro”—a skater whose value lies as much in their image and creative output as in their athletic ability.
Personal Life
Ben Kadow lives in New York City, residing in Brooklyn. Known for a personality that contrasts with his intense on-board persona, he is soft-spoken and deeply interested in the culinary arts. He is an avid cook who enjoys exploring New York’s fine dining scene and has expressed a serious interest in food culture outside of skateboarding.
He maintains a low-profile lifestyle despite his public visibility. Kadow is also a dedicated artist, using photography and collage to document the chaotic energy of his travels and the skate scene. His zines and art books offer a glimpse into his worldview, often featuring grainy, high-contrast black-and-white imagery that complements the aesthetic of his sponsors.
