Slap MessageBoards
Skateboarding => Shoes & Gear => Topic started by: shpongle on September 13, 2021, 09:26:28 AM
-
i feel like we have hit a plateau as far as gear and design. there really isnt going to be much difference from now to 3-5 years or more. if there is something groundbreaking in skateboard design and equipment i wonder what would it be?
-
I wouldn't have agreed with this post before there was always something missing to me but since the release of Big Mamas I don't see skateboarding ever progressing past this point.
It's all downhill from here.
-
i dont think so. even the technologies within skating go through phases, a lot of skateboarding is just rotating fads. cup sole, vulc, small wheels/ big wheels, skinny boards, shaped boards. what a skateboard is has essentially been established, most of what changes throughout the years is inconsequential tweaks for style and expression. thank god those alloy decks never caught on.
-
Honestly, anyone who has skated mag lights will tell you how well they grind. In my utopia there are more options for magnesium trucks
-
shoe with perfect boardfeel but never hurt foot in
deck that skates like a normal wood deck except is always crispy and never razortail
-
I don't think people are looking for any more functionality at this point. Just consistency and durability. If they can make things that preform the same as what we currently have, while feeling the same and lasting longer, im sure that would be welcomed. I'm no engineer though, no idea if that can be done right now.
-
I;m sure it can, I just think skaters are uninterested for the most part.
-
Any major change won't really be marketable. If it doesn't skate close to what people have right now, it's not going to sell well.
That's why trucks largely haven't changed much since Bennett's in 1973; they're pretty much just wider. Decks haven't dramatically either, with concave and a double kick being the only real changes, and they didn't interfere with what you could already do really. Bearings and wheels don't really have a need to develop.
The only real changes I can see are maybe a change in deck material, again as long as it skates close enough to wood, and maybe a change in truck material, but that's pretty tapped out too.
Shoes will keep coming up with gimmicks but short of some new material I don't see those really changing much outside of that either.
Skateboards just aren't that complex of a mechanism, and people really don't want them to change much. Just look at bikes. I would argue that they're more complex, and that market has been pretty stagnant since the 90's, with mainly changes in materials being the "innovation".
I actually think the last real "innovation" in skating was, and will be for some time, if not forever, non-abrasive grip. I haven't tried it so I don't know if it's any good though. Could just be a gimmick, and I'm not willing to spend the money to find out.
-
I wish there was a way of re-purposing/ recycling old wheels. (I know Satori tried at one point...)
-
Seems like there's lots of technological progress to be made regarding shoes, clothes, boards, trucks, etc.
I think the main problem is that not much of that progress will happen while skateboarding exists as, effectively, a marketing ploy to sell gear that fits fashion trends and is non-functional. Forgive me if I sound like I've been reading the liner notes of Crass albums too much, but it feels like the hypercapitalist focus on 'fashion', 'cool', and general brand loyalty/willingly buying into cool guy marketing tactics will prevent any real technological advancement. I'm sure it's not that hard to make shoes, for instance, fit a real human foot rather than being an elaborate foot binding ritual - but here we are, and I'm stuck skating vans old skools, a shoe from the 70s (80s?) with slight alterations, since it's the most functional shoe I can find (even though I think crocketts or copa nationales look cooler).
-
urethane, mostly bushings and pivot cups can be upgraded but it doesnt bring a lot of money so it's not worth the research for developpers but there is a lot to be done and improved actually in this area in my mind.
-
Skateboards just aren't that complex of a mechanism, and people really don't want them to change much. Just look at bikes. I would argue that they're more complex, and that market has been pretty stagnant since the 90's, with mainly changes in materials being the "innovation".
I think this is a good point, especially since most of the technological difference between the new trend, gravel bikes, and 90s stiff mtb (what's the term for no shocks? not hardtail I don't think) is pretty much just geometry and frame material. Though I suppose most of this difference is supported by the real technological upgrade, which was the disc brake, which allowed different geometries and tire sizes, gearing, etc
-
Skate hardgoods simplicity is one of the best things about it. You can pretty much get the best skateboard in the world for $140. If and when some magic innovation comes up that gives a huge performance advantage people will call it cheating anyway.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/3ChfJsq.jpg)
I think it's all been downhill since 95 :)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/3ChfJsq.jpg)
I think it's all been downhill since 95 :)
Wow, hard agree on that one
-
Things COULD be improved in theory, but in practice there is not a ton of demand from the consumers. Since most skaters view the products as essentially disposable there's a real limit to how much people want to spend on a "better" product.
But surfing and snowboarding make for interesting comparisons here. In surfing, there are a lot of new technologies getting released, but they have only mild popularity with "core" surf consumers for the time being. Most surfers are pretty content with traditional poly construction, or with epoxy/eps if they're feeling frisky. It's possible that one of the newer technologies will take off eventually, but as of now those new materials (like Lib Tech's boards for example) are always compared back to the 'gold standard' of traditional PU or Epoxy.
Surfing and skating have something in common: our ideas about 'good' performance have co-evolved with the equipment. A board that "feels good" is one that does the maneuvers we have learned to appreciate in a context that has been historically determined (in part) by the available equipment. This created a self-reinforcing cycle. Change can happen but it will either happen slowly, or it will require a radical new set of maneuvers to necessitate/popularize the new gear. For example, 70s pool skating co-evolved with urethan wheels, and 90s technical skating co-evolved with smaller wheels and more concave.
I wouldn't be surprised if people skating mega ramps eventually start to have gear that is more well-suited to the extreme conditions of that kind of skating... heck, maybe they already do. I know that downhill skateboarding, where people go like 50+ mph, has its own ecosystem of higher-end gear, where there is a bit more emphasis put on the progression of equipment. But for the average kid rolling around a skatepark, does it matter? Maybe not as much.
Snowboarding is on the opposite end of the spectrum. I don't think anyone gets too hung up on the "classic" way of building a snowboard. New designs and materials are brought to the market every year. Now most snowboarders don't rush out to buy the hottest model every season, but they have over time adopted the new camber profiles and composite constructions as more or less the norm. Maybe part of it is a way for manufacturers to justify the high cost of the product. Maybe part of it is the fact that for most consumers, a board is going to last more than one season. But I upgraded from an early-2000s full camber freestyle board to a modern hybrid camber GNU with serrated edges to grip in ice and it was like, wow, damn, this board is literally just easier to ride for an average rider like myself.
Anyway, the TL;DR is "yes things COULD get better but they probably won't"
-
Recently I've been thinking about how when you're tightening your trucks you're changing the geometry of the truck, because as you compress the bushings towards the base plate you're in turn pushing the hangar towards the base plate as well. It would be cool if we could figure out a truck where its geometry stays the same regardless of how tight you want it, although I imagine it may be difficult to do that without adding more parts to a truck and thus make it heavier, more complicated and less cool.
-
I feel like twin nose/tail boards might become the norm. It’s hard for me to imagine why a beginner shouldn’t skate a symmetrical deck, except for a sort of circular argument that you’ll have more choice of decks later if you learn on a regular popsicle.
-
I feel like twin nose/tail boards might become the norm. It’s hard for me to imagine why a beginner shouldn’t skate a symmetrical deck, except for a sort of circular argument that you’ll have more choice of decks later if you learn on a regular popsicle.
i actually think more beginners should start on directional boards with a well-defined nose and tail. it would encourage them to actually choose a stance, and learn to turn. too many kids step on a popsicle and instantly start trying to fling ridiculous flip tricks, and they all look like shit. and then they spend years tick-tacking around on super tight trucks because its easier to fling flip tricks when your weight is distributed all unevenly if the trucks don't move. the fundamentals of skateboarding begin with actually riding the skateboard, not with popping and flipping.
just my two cents
-
Recently I've been thinking about how when you're tightening your trucks you're changing the geometry of the truck, because as you compress the bushings towards the base plate you're in turn pushing the hangar towards the base plate as well. It would be cool if we could figure out a truck where its geometry stays the same regardless of how tight you want it, although I imagine it may be difficult to do that without adding more parts to a truck and thus make it heavier, more complicated and less cool.
I actually did a bit of math on that for the difference to the geometry stepping on your board makes. Long story short, the change is so small you’re likely to never notice it, and as such it’s not worth devising geometry that is less susceptible.
There is potential for better geometry I’m sure, but if it skates too differently from what we’re all used to it’s not likely to catch on. That’s the rub, a technology can be superior but it can lose out if it’s not enough of an improvement to displace the popularity of the incumbent solution.
-
Expand Quote
Skateboards just aren't that complex of a mechanism, and people really don't want them to change much. Just look at bikes. I would argue that they're more complex, and that market has been pretty stagnant since the 90's, with mainly changes in materials being the "innovation".
I think this is a good point, especially since most of the technological difference between the new trend, gravel bikes, and 90s stiff mtb (what's the term for no shocks? not hardtail I don't think) is pretty much just geometry and frame material. Though I suppose most of this difference is supported by the real technological upgrade, which was the disc brake, which allowed different geometries and tire sizes, gearing, etc
The term for no suspension is “rigid”
I’m not trying to be a dick, but after I quit a job I hated and eventually went back to school, I spent 2014-2019 as a bike mechanic/sales guy at a pretty high end shop.
A modern gravel bike is insanely different from a 90’s mountain or road bike. A few of the big differences include, carbon fiber and/or hydro formed aluminum frames, tapered steer tubes, integrated headsets, through axles instead of dropouts, tubeless tires, single ring drivetrains with wide range cassettes, hydraulic disc brakes(you mentioned these), clutch derailleurs, and electronic shifting if you like tech stuff and have money to burn.
The only thing that hasn’t changed is the general shape of the frame, and that’s only because the UCI said it couldn’t. Since racing drives development, the silhouette of a road style bike hasn’t changed much since the 90’s, but pretty much everything else has.
That’s just for gravel/road style bikes. A modern mountain bike is essentially from a different planet than one from even like 2006.
I just don’t think it’s a great comparison because pretty much the entire bike industry is driven by companies saying “here’s the new shit, it’s amazing and your old shit is garbage now.”
When I lived in that world, I was using employee discounts and flipping a $7k retail mountain bike every season, which I found stressful even without much risk of losing money.
Now I have a 3-season old mountain bike that I like and try not to let my brain get poisoned by keeping up with what’s new.
I think the beauty of skating is that it’s affordable and accessible. You can have a tub of old parts and cobble setups together to fuck around with.
You can do the same thing with bikes I guess, but it’s a much, much bigger pain in the ass and nothing ever fucking works like you want it to.
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Skateboards just aren't that complex of a mechanism, and people really don't want them to change much. Just look at bikes. I would argue that they're more complex, and that market has been pretty stagnant since the 90's, with mainly changes in materials being the "innovation".
I think this is a good point, especially since most of the technological difference between the new trend, gravel bikes, and 90s stiff mtb (what's the term for no shocks? not hardtail I don't think) is pretty much just geometry and frame material. Though I suppose most of this difference is supported by the real technological upgrade, which was the disc brake, which allowed different geometries and tire sizes, gearing, etc
The term for no suspension is “rigid”
I’m not trying to be a dick, but after I quit a job I hated and eventually went back to school, I spent 2014-2019 as a bike mechanic/sales guy at a pretty high end shop.
A modern gravel bike is insanely different from a 90’s mountain or road bike. A few of the big differences include, carbon fiber and/or hydro formed aluminum frames, tapered steer tubes, integrated headsets, through axles instead of dropouts, tubeless tires, single ring drivetrains with wide range cassettes, hydraulic disc brakes(you mentioned these), clutch derailleurs, and electronic shifting if you like tech stuff and have money to burn.
The only thing that hasn’t changed is the general shape of the frame, and that’s only because the UCI said it couldn’t. Since racing drives development, the silhouette of a road style bike hasn’t changed much since the 90’s, but pretty much everything else has.
That’s just for gravel/road style bikes. A modern mountain bike is essentially from a different planet than one from even like 2006.
I just don’t think it’s a great comparison because pretty much the entire bike industry is driven by companies saying “here’s the new shit, it’s amazing and your old shit is garbage now.”
When I lived in that world, I was using employee discounts and flipping a $7k retail mountain bike every season, which I found stressful even without much risk of losing money.
Now I have a 3-season old mountain bike that I like and try not to let my brain get poisoned by keeping up with what’s new.
I think the beauty of skating is that it’s affordable and accessible. You can have a tub of old parts and cobble setups together to fuck around with.
You can do the same thing with bikes I guess, but it’s a much, much bigger pain in the ass and nothing ever fucking works like you want it to.
I imagine it wouldn't surprise you at all then if I told you my bike is a cyclocross bike with gravelkings that I pretend is a gravel bike - however, it does ride nearly identical to a friend's actual gravel bike.
I was definitely not thinking about modern mountain bikes though, that's fair. My exposure to mountain bikes ended probably before 2006 🤣
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Skateboards just aren't that complex of a mechanism, and people really don't want them to change much. Just look at bikes. I would argue that they're more complex, and that market has been pretty stagnant since the 90's, with mainly changes in materials being the "innovation".
I think this is a good point, especially since most of the technological difference between the new trend, gravel bikes, and 90s stiff mtb (what's the term for no shocks? not hardtail I don't think) is pretty much just geometry and frame material. Though I suppose most of this difference is supported by the real technological upgrade, which was the disc brake, which allowed different geometries and tire sizes, gearing, etc
The term for no suspension is “rigid”
I’m not trying to be a dick, but after I quit a job I hated and eventually went back to school, I spent 2014-2019 as a bike mechanic/sales guy at a pretty high end shop.
A modern gravel bike is insanely different from a 90’s mountain or road bike. A few of the big differences include, carbon fiber and/or hydro formed aluminum frames, tapered steer tubes, integrated headsets, through axles instead of dropouts, tubeless tires, single ring drivetrains with wide range cassettes, hydraulic disc brakes(you mentioned these), clutch derailleurs, and electronic shifting if you like tech stuff and have money to burn.
The only thing that hasn’t changed is the general shape of the frame, and that’s only because the UCI said it couldn’t. Since racing drives development, the silhouette of a road style bike hasn’t changed much since the 90’s, but pretty much everything else has.
That’s just for gravel/road style bikes. A modern mountain bike is essentially from a different planet than one from even like 2006.
I just don’t think it’s a great comparison because pretty much the entire bike industry is driven by companies saying “here’s the new shit, it’s amazing and your old shit is garbage now.”
When I lived in that world, I was using employee discounts and flipping a $7k retail mountain bike every season, which I found stressful even without much risk of losing money.
Now I have a 3-season old mountain bike that I like and try not to let my brain get poisoned by keeping up with what’s new.
I think the beauty of skating is that it’s affordable and accessible. You can have a tub of old parts and cobble setups together to fuck around with.
You can do the same thing with bikes I guess, but it’s a much, much bigger pain in the ass and nothing ever fucking works like you want it to.
I imagine it wouldn't surprise you at all then if I told you my bike is a cyclocross bike with gravelkings that I pretend is a gravel bike - however, it does ride nearly identical to a friend's actual gravel bike.
I was definitely not thinking about modern mountain bikes though, that's fair. My exposure to mountain bikes ended probably before 2006 🤣
This is the important part. A lot of the innovation in biking makes bikes better on paper, but often not in a way that’s necessarily perceptible to human riders of said bikes (mountain bikes are legitimately a zillion times better than they used to be, but let’s not get into that because it will screw up my analogy).
If skating were like biking, there would be $300 carbon fiber decks, and competing companies would have different bolt patterns for trucks that they claimed made the deck more torsionally stiff.
When you bought a new deck, your $400 Thunders with titanium base plates and CNC’d hangers wouldn’t fit, so you’d have to sell them at a loss.
There would be 12 bearing sizes and the shop would have to order the replacement that you needed.
It’s really special that pretty much all skate gear works together: one bolt pattern and one bearing size. That’s it.
If Yuto and Shane can do what they do on the same complete I can buy for $160, then nothing really needs to change, and that’s a good thing.
-
Nothing to contribute here other than I loved reading the last few exchanges in this thread. Great read.
-
Has equipment really improved much in the last ten years?
I remember from 2005-2010 everytime I'd skate with friends at least one person (often more) would explode a bearing, break a kingpin, break a truck (either skating or when trying to replace a kingpin) or flatspot wheels beyond being able to ride them again.
Boards breaking were also pretty common and we all rode over 8.5s. but I feel like after 2010 (maybe 2012-13) something changed and this basically stopped happening.
-
I've ridden a bunch of techy boards - marginally better than a regular 7-ply maple but not worth a 20% premium (VX vs regular Santa Cruz deck). Loads of brands like NHS, DSM and Powell are doing birch / birch-maple hybrid boards for price point boards, I wonder what's the extent to which you could mix both materials to get a deck that feels close enough to 100% maple, get us closer to $45 hybrid boards that you only lose 5-10% of board performance but at a lower price point. Maybe compensate for less maple with a sheet of carbon fiber? Could be more R&D effort than it's actually worth.
I wonder if metal 3D printing could become more of a prevalent - imagine being able to get a truck that combines all your favorite parts of different trucks into 1, at the desired WB, height and weight. I'm sure there's lots more that goes into truck design than just hollowing out kingpins and axles, making the axles longer. The has to be R&D done to balancing them for different truck sizes and proportions which is why different size trucks from the same brand shift WB out different (i.e. a 147 shifts WB out less than a 151).
Truck quality has improved loads in the past 20 years, I've met older guys who feel nostalgic about old Gullwings or Trackers and find their trucks suck by modern standards. I'm happy that snapped kingpins, shitty turns and axle slips are a thing of the past.
-
I wish there was a way of re-purposing/ recycling old wheels. (I know Satori tried at one point...)
This. If skateboarding is looking to innovate, it should be on the waste side. It'd be awesome if there was a way to make a more sustainable cycle for skate gear. I'd love to see more sustainable packaging, decks, trucks, wheels, and shoes.
-
Shoes that hold up longer than 2-3 months would be tight. Bushings.
That said, Formula Fours might be peak performance.
-
Expand Quote
I wish there was a way of re-purposing/ recycling old wheels. (I know Satori tried at one point...)
This. If skateboarding is looking to innovate, it should be on the waste side. It'd be awesome if there was a way to make a more sustainable cycle for skate gear. I'd love to see more sustainable packaging, decks, trucks, wheels, and shoes.
For real...decks outpaced timber use for hardwood floors a few years back, that's insane...
Trucks could be melted down for something for sure, but that's up to us to properly recycle the gear rather than throwing it in the trash.
Where are wheels down even smaller? Just where does all that stray urethane go ;) onto to road, rain sweeps it away into the drains and off to the ocean to feed the fishies more micro plastics whoop whoop!
Deck-wise until there is another material that is as strong as maple and cheaper to produce we're stuck; bamboo hybrids, bonite, VX/FLight/P2/Carbon fibre/flight, etc., all work but not as effectively and usually not cost-effective for the bonus they give...which is a longer lasting pop and better strength..but unless you are a constant board breaked, I don't see the point (and I'm a fan of VX/P2 because they are stiff, but an R7 can do that as well).
-
I remember chapman did the board inserts, Schmitt had the bumper board. I think they could make decks more durable and potentially pop better.....resins and hybrids im sure could improve....
-
I remember chapman did the board inserts, Schmitt had the bumper board. I think they could make decks more durable and potentially pop better.....resins and hybrids im sure could improve....
Dwindles Resin-7s are the best you can get if you like stiff/strong boards without the cost of a P2/VX/Flight/PopSecret/WhateverTheFuck + you can get the R7 Impact lights at pretty much standard prices.
-
we need a bigger bearing size and maybe smaller baseplate mounts. (3 holes?) triangle shape for strength
- more symmetrical decks not a twin tail or nose but a hybrid kick
- bearings with built-in spacers becoming the norm
- deck tech: one plastic bottom ply for strength/slide/razortail/pop
- decent gear getting cheaper, especially decks since a pro model board now cost more then a hollow forged indy, there is also no way 4 pieces of rubber cost 50 bucks, same thing for bearings too.
i think a lot of the problems in the skate industry are caused by middle-men and not being able to sell direct-to-consumer
-
- decent gear getting cheaper, especially decks since a pro model board now cost more then a hollow forged indy, there is also no way 4 pieces of rubber cost 50 bucks, same thing for bearings too.
Board companies are releasing logo models of their boards, no pro name and minimal graphics on them. BBS / PS Stix quality wood at a lower price point. There's value stuff out there for sure.
Deathwish, DLX, WKND, Pizza, Magenta and Carpet Company all do "blank" boards. Even Tactics shop boards are BBS quality wood at $35 with grip when on sale.
Expand Quote
I remember chapman did the board inserts, Schmitt had the bumper board. I think they could make decks more durable and potentially pop better.....resins and hybrids im sure could improve....
Dwindles Resin-7s are the best you can get if you like stiff/strong boards without the cost of a P2/VX/Flight/PopSecret/WhateverTheFuck + you can get the R7 Impact lights at pretty much standard prices.
Skatewarehouse had these on clearance with the 15% discount, Impact boards for $40? That was a good day.
-
Formula Four 98's maybe?
thunder 147 highs. as in same height as 148.
ricta clouds with slick insides.
-
Expand Quote
Recently I've been thinking about how when you're tightening your trucks you're changing the geometry of the truck, because as you compress the bushings towards the base plate you're in turn pushing the hangar towards the base plate as well. It would be cool if we could figure out a truck where its geometry stays the same regardless of how tight you want it, although I imagine it may be difficult to do that without adding more parts to a truck and thus make it heavier, more complicated and less cool.
I actually did a bit of math on that for the difference to the geometry stepping on your board makes. Long story short, the change is so small you’re likely to never notice it, and as such it’s not worth devising geometry that is less susceptible.
There is potential for better geometry I’m sure, but if it skates too differently from what we’re all used to it’s not likely to catch on. That’s the rub, a technology can be superior but it can lose out if it’s not enough of an improvement to displace the popularity of the incumbent solution.
Old trucks had a nut under the bottom bushing. The easiest solution is to swap bushings.
-
I think there's a convergence in gear quality, and I haven't seen real "innovation leap" in a long time except maybe in shoes. Actually, when did the last leap happen? Adjusted baseplate holes, inverted kingpin? Titanium/hollow axels? Sure, things have improved slowly, but for example all new skateboard trucks seem to imitate something Bennett or Indy has already done long time ago. Not to judge, it could still work if implemented with modern tech.
I would hope improvements in geometry/measurements, just open the geometry like bike manufacturers have done. Also, recycle used trucks. Neither of these are affecting the skateability of gear, though.
-
Expand Quote
I remember chapman did the board inserts, Schmitt had the bumper board. I think they could make decks more durable and potentially pop better.....resins and hybrids im sure could improve....
Dwindles Resin-7s are the best you can get if you like stiff/strong boards without the cost of a P2/VX/Flight/PopSecret/WhateverTheFuck + you can get the R7 Impact lights at pretty much standard prices.
I just finished skating a Resin-7 deck and honestly I haven't really liked a skateboard this much in a long while. It stayed stiffer longer than anything else I've ever owned, and I only replaced it because I really smashed up the nose doing wallrides and it was getting razor tailed.
-
we need a bigger bearing size and maybe smaller baseplate mounts. (3 holes?) triangle shape for strength
- more symmetrical decks not a twin tail or nose but a hybrid kick
- bearings with built-in spacers becoming the norm
- deck tech: one plastic bottom ply for strength/slide/razortail/pop
- decent gear getting cheaper, especially decks since a pro model board now cost more then a hollow forged indy, there is also no way 4 pieces of rubber cost 50 bucks, same thing for bearings too.
i think a lot of the problems in the skate industry are caused by middle-men and not being able to sell direct-to-consumer
Check these guys out, they implement a larger bearing. I've tried them and like them a lot, in my opinion the bearing construction needs a little work but I think they're onto something cool. At the price point they're asking I doubt it'll catch on though.
https://sm00thie.com/
-
I think there's a convergence in gear quality, and I haven't seen real "innovation leap" in a long time except maybe in shoes. Actually, when did the last leap happen? Adjusted baseplate holes, inverted kingpin? Titanium/hollow axels? Sure, things have improved slowly, but for example all new skateboard trucks seem to imitate something Bennett or Indy has already done long time ago. Not to judge, it could still work if implemented with modern tech.
I would hope improvements in geometry/measurements, just open the geometry like bike manufacturers have done. Also, recycle used trucks. Neither of these are affecting the skateability of gear, though.
I think the last "leap" was shoe technology, and the one before that was either inverted kingpins or the popsicle shape. Does anyone know what the first truck that sold with a stock inverted kingpin was?
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I remember chapman did the board inserts, Schmitt had the bumper board. I think they could make decks more durable and potentially pop better.....resins and hybrids im sure could improve....
Dwindles Resin-7s are the best you can get if you like stiff/strong boards without the cost of a P2/VX/Flight/PopSecret/WhateverTheFuck + you can get the R7 Impact lights at pretty much standard prices.
I just finished skating a Resin-7 deck and honestly I haven't really liked a skateboard this much in a long while. It stayed stiffer longer than anything else I've ever owned, and I only replaced it because I really smashed up the nose doing wallrides and it was getting razor tailed.
Painfully stiff for the first few sessions and the steep concave decks are aggressive to the point I'm feeling propped off my board. But they mellow out after 2 days and they remain snappy and keep their shape for way longer than your standard BBS.
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I remember chapman did the board inserts, Schmitt had the bumper board. I think they could make decks more durable and potentially pop better.....resins and hybrids im sure could improve....
Dwindles Resin-7s are the best you can get if you like stiff/strong boards without the cost of a P2/VX/Flight/PopSecret/WhateverTheFuck + you can get the R7 Impact lights at pretty much standard prices.
I just finished skating a Resin-7 deck and honestly I haven't really liked a skateboard this much in a long while. It stayed stiffer longer than anything else I've ever owned, and I only replaced it because I really smashed up the nose doing wallrides and it was getting razor tailed.
Painfully stiff for the first few sessions and the steep concave decks are aggressive to the point I'm feeling propped off my board. But they mellow out after 2 days and they remain snappy and keep their shape for way longer than your standard BBS.
Yup, I completely hated it the first session. Thought I couldn't even skate it, that I would have to give it away. I kept at it and now, three months later, I'm shopping for new R7 decks.
-
venture lows in 5.6
-
Yes
-
maybe some composite bamboo banana trunk maple deck..
-
Manufacturing tolerances/materials/designs will get better as the largest generation of skaters find themselves getting older and having more disposable income. I wouldn’t be surprised if in ten years time there’s completely machined precision trucks similar to the ones longboarders have but they’re ridden exclusively by old farts doing no complys and slappies
-
I will say, kingpins have gotten stronger over the years. I’ve been back on the board for about 3 years now and haven’t broken one. I used to break one a week back in the day, and I am much heavier now. Also, I just jinxed myself and will snap one next session.
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Skateboards just aren't that complex of a mechanism, and people really don't want them to change much. Just look at bikes. I would argue that they're more complex, and that market has been pretty stagnant since the 90's, with mainly changes in materials being the "innovation".
I think this is a good point, especially since most of the technological difference between the new trend, gravel bikes, and 90s stiff mtb (what's the term for no shocks? not hardtail I don't think) is pretty much just geometry and frame material. Though I suppose most of this difference is supported by the real technological upgrade, which was the disc brake, which allowed different geometries and tire sizes, gearing, etc
The term for no suspension is “rigid”
I’m not trying to be a dick, but after I quit a job I hated and eventually went back to school, I spent 2014-2019 as a bike mechanic/sales guy at a pretty high end shop.
A modern gravel bike is insanely different from a 90’s mountain or road bike. A few of the big differences include, carbon fiber and/or hydro formed aluminum frames, tapered steer tubes, integrated headsets, through axles instead of dropouts, tubeless tires, single ring drivetrains with wide range cassettes, hydraulic disc brakes(you mentioned these), clutch derailleurs, and electronic shifting if you like tech stuff and have money to burn.
The only thing that hasn’t changed is the general shape of the frame, and that’s only because the UCI said it couldn’t. Since racing drives development, the silhouette of a road style bike hasn’t changed much since the 90’s, but pretty much everything else has.
That’s just for gravel/road style bikes. A modern mountain bike is essentially from a different planet than one from even like 2006.
I just don’t think it’s a great comparison because pretty much the entire bike industry is driven by companies saying “here’s the new shit, it’s amazing and your old shit is garbage now.”
When I lived in that world, I was using employee discounts and flipping a $7k retail mountain bike every season, which I found stressful even without much risk of losing money.
Now I have a 3-season old mountain bike that I like and try not to let my brain get poisoned by keeping up with what’s new.
I think the beauty of skating is that it’s affordable and accessible. You can have a tub of old parts and cobble setups together to fuck around with.
You can do the same thing with bikes I guess, but it’s a much, much bigger pain in the ass and nothing ever fucking works like you want it to.
I imagine it wouldn't surprise you at all then if I told you my bike is a cyclocross bike with gravelkings that I pretend is a gravel bike - however, it does ride nearly identical to a friend's actual gravel bike.
I was definitely not thinking about modern mountain bikes though, that's fair. My exposure to mountain bikes ended probably before 2006 🤣
This is the important part. A lot of the innovation in biking makes bikes better on paper, but often not in a way that’s necessarily perceptible to human riders of said bikes (mountain bikes are legitimately a zillion times better than they used to be, but let’s not get into that because it will screw up my analogy).
If skating were like biking, there would be $300 carbon fiber decks, and competing companies would have different bolt patterns for trucks that they claimed made the deck more torsionally stiff.
When you bought a new deck, your $400 Thunders with titanium base plates and CNC’d hangers wouldn’t fit, so you’d have to sell them at a loss.
There would be 12 bearing sizes and the shop would have to order the replacement that you needed.
It’s really special that pretty much all skate gear works together: one bolt pattern and one bearing size. That’s it.
If Yuto and Shane can do what they do on the same complete I can buy for $160, then nothing really needs to change, and that’s a good thing.
Anyone remember those almost Rodney Mullen uber completes? The axles (and possibly kingpins) were thicker. Had much larger bearings and I think the wheels had big aluminium cores so the actual urethane on the wheel was only 10mm or something.
It's funny skateboard part sizes are the size they are just cos that's what size they are. There's no real scientific reason it's just what the toy companies randomly chosen for rollerskates or whatever.
But yeah obviously having a range of different sizes is probably somehow better for specific types of skating but I doubt the skate industry is going to change anything. Especially when pros sponsors are all mix n match. Maybe if in the future pros just ride for NHS or Deluxe etc companies will start changing things up
-
I think there's still a lot of room for improvement. Maybe not real revolutions like the double kicktail or pu wheels, but there's a lot that can be done for more durability and sustainability.
I, for example, really like my flight deck and don't really get why not more people buy them. Maybe I'm just more focussed on deck technology because I'm a tall, heavy guy and would have to buy decks in bulk if I rode 7 ply maples. The only drawback for me is that they razor tail as fast as a regular board, but since they don't break, you have to ride a heavily razor-tailed board. So that's one problem to fix with advanced technology for example.
On the other hand there's the question if companies really want to make their products more durable. One flight or vx deck costs less than 2 maple boards but will last you longer, making you spend less money in the long run. So why would they wanna fix the durability issue? This is probably one reason why bike and snowboard companies focus so hard on marketing their innovations, so those who have the money will spend it on new gear and not use their bikes until they really are no good any more.
-
BMXs tech in construction from the 90s till now is night and day. They weigh half the weight and are way stronger. Geometry is more refined, but that’s subtle, it’s more in the build tech. Even a cheap bmx now is a solid, dialled thing.
Skateboards still are basically identical besides flight decks.
-
I wouldn’t be surprised if in ten years time there’s completely machined precision trucks similar to the ones longboarders have but they’re ridden exclusively by old farts doing no complys and slappies
This made me laugh so hard.
-
To some degree they can, just look at Formula 4s. But unless it's a necessary innovation, it won't catch on. Skaters are creatures of habit and are always weary of kooky trends and gimmicks.
-
Does it even really need to?
I mean the popsicle is great and I love skating it, but going back and fuckin around on some 80s style shaped shit is fun. It’s not really conducive to “performance” but who really cares about that shit anyway.
It’s kinda like, I’m sure there are some shoes that would be really technically good for skating but I’ll buy slip ons just for the look down.
-
Does it even really need to?
I mean the popsicle is great and I love skating it, but going back and fuckin around on some 80s style shaped shit is fun. It’s not really conducive to “performance” but who really cares about that shit anyway.
It’s kinda like, I’m sure there are some shoes that would be really technically good for skating but I’ll buy slip ons just for the look down.
This is a good question - there are so many dimensions in "better". Performance sure, but also identity/values (people avoiding or prefering certain brands/mgs), then economical and for sure just marketing or beliefs.
I think average human body sets some kind of reasonable frame where performance can or has gone; wheelbase probably is at its best around 14-16", popsicle is all-around winner shape. Same for trucks, there are probably physiological reasons why height is around 50-55mm. and width for both decks and trucks is linked to foot size. Then there are the performance details like turn, pinch, grind, which to me seems to be pretty well covered nowadays by market offering.
Before something will break through it must solve an existing problem, and I'm not sure if there are many left. Think about Ace 3/8 nuts, Tracker E-clips or Avenue trucks, for example. All tried to solve something that's not really a problem, hence no gained market.
In my opinion the existing problems are ecological, ethical/political (by who and where your gear is made), QC and maybe some fringe perf stuff like shaving 10 grams of weight at some part of complete.
Most of the gear is "good enough" already, and chasing perfection would be too big effort (80/20 rule).
-
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
-
The answer is pretty simple. Yes, it certainly can even though a skateboard is a very simple machine. The truth is that everyone and their fucking mother will complain whenever someone tries to innovate.
The most obvious one that has already been tried and decried is that board materials could be optimized to be lighter, stronger, and more durable.
PS OP - Shpongle is the shit. Was going to see him live at Backwoods @ Mulberry Mountain last month but he cancelled 😭
-
Skateboards just aren't that complex of a mechanism, and people really don't want them to change much. Just look at bikes. I would argue that they're more complex, and that market has been pretty stagnant since the 90's, with mainly changes in materials being the "innovation".
Hmm I'm going to have to hard disagree with that one. Mountain bikes have evolved massively since the 90s. Full suspension trail shred sleds are unrecognizable compared to their rigid 90s counterparts. And even road bikes have come a long way.
-
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Skateboards just aren't that complex of a mechanism, and people really don't want them to change much. Just look at bikes. I would argue that they're more complex, and that market has been pretty stagnant since the 90's, with mainly changes in materials being the "innovation".
I think this is a good point, especially since most of the technological difference between the new trend, gravel bikes, and 90s stiff mtb (what's the term for no shocks? not hardtail I don't think) is pretty much just geometry and frame material. Though I suppose most of this difference is supported by the real technological upgrade, which was the disc brake, which allowed different geometries and tire sizes, gearing, etc
The term for no suspension is “rigid”
I’m not trying to be a dick, but after I quit a job I hated and eventually went back to school, I spent 2014-2019 as a bike mechanic/sales guy at a pretty high end shop.
A modern gravel bike is insanely different from a 90’s mountain or road bike. A few of the big differences include, carbon fiber and/or hydro formed aluminum frames, tapered steer tubes, integrated headsets, through axles instead of dropouts, tubeless tires, single ring drivetrains with wide range cassettes, hydraulic disc brakes(you mentioned these), clutch derailleurs, and electronic shifting if you like tech stuff and have money to burn.
The only thing that hasn’t changed is the general shape of the frame, and that’s only because the UCI said it couldn’t. Since racing drives development, the silhouette of a road style bike hasn’t changed much since the 90’s, but pretty much everything else has.
That’s just for gravel/road style bikes. A modern mountain bike is essentially from a different planet than one from even like 2006.
I just don’t think it’s a great comparison because pretty much the entire bike industry is driven by companies saying “here’s the new shit, it’s amazing and your old shit is garbage now.”
When I lived in that world, I was using employee discounts and flipping a $7k retail mountain bike every season, which I found stressful even without much risk of losing money.
Now I have a 3-season old mountain bike that I like and try not to let my brain get poisoned by keeping up with what’s new.
I think the beauty of skating is that it’s affordable and accessible. You can have a tub of old parts and cobble setups together to fuck around with.
You can do the same thing with bikes I guess, but it’s a much, much bigger pain in the ass and nothing ever fucking works like you want it to.
I imagine it wouldn't surprise you at all then if I told you my bike is a cyclocross bike with gravelkings that I pretend is a gravel bike - however, it does ride nearly identical to a friend's actual gravel bike.
I was definitely not thinking about modern mountain bikes though, that's fair. My exposure to mountain bikes ended probably before 2006 🤣
This is the important part. A lot of the innovation in biking makes bikes better on paper, but often not in a way that’s necessarily perceptible to human riders of said bikes (mountain bikes are legitimately a zillion times better than they used to be, but let’s not get into that because it will screw up my analogy).
If skating were like biking, there would be $300 carbon fiber decks, and competing companies would have different bolt patterns for trucks that they claimed made the deck more torsionally stiff.
When you bought a new deck, your $400 Thunders with titanium base plates and CNC’d hangers wouldn’t fit, so you’d have to sell them at a loss.
There would be 12 bearing sizes and the shop would have to order the replacement that you needed.
It’s really special that pretty much all skate gear works together: one bolt pattern and one bearing size. That’s it.
If Yuto and Shane can do what they do on the same complete I can buy for $160, then nothing really needs to change, and that’s a good thing.
I primarily mountain bike, and this is fucking spot on. The beauty of skateboarding is how simple and cheap and cross compatible all the parts are.
-
Merch could be made in-country rather than cheap-ass materials and workmanship for a living wage. that'd be dope.
-
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
The webstore is empty except for a hoodie, anyone know the price of 1 of these decks? Can't be cheap after factoring shipping outside the EU.
If these boards are as good as they say they are, they better last the better part of a year.
-
Here's a thought: Seems like most of us agree that while there's probably room for improvement in several areas, it's not like the skateboard consumers of the world are all clamoring for some big problem to be 'fixed,' and especially not at the higher price point that such a thing would likely entail.
But most of us love trying new stuff, or have some amount of desire to dial in our setups for one particular purpose, feeling, aesthetic, etc.
What if the most meaningful technological advancement is not related to the products themselves, but rather to the was we design and produce them?
I'm thinking about the way that more people are starting to handcraft artisan decks. If it was easier to get the perfect shape and dimension that I wanted from a local guy with a small-scale woodshop, I would probably be happy to pay a few extra bucks that are going to stay in my local community. Again I'm reminded of surfing, and how local shapers can use templates or CAD files or whatever to basically imitate or modify any model you like.
Now imagine if the more manufacturing-intensive stuff like wheels could be made to spec as well. I would definitely be hyped if I could go down to my local urethane dealer and get some F4's custom made in 95a.
This would be more related to advances in small-scale manufacturing technologies, maybe tied to the rise in "makerspaces," 3D printing, and stuff like that. I think 3D printing as it currently exists is basically useless to skateboard gear, but it seems like the general concept of making new kinds of fabrication possible to end consumers could be really interesting.
-
Manufacturing tolerances/materials/designs will get better as the largest generation of skaters find themselves getting older and having more disposable income. I wouldn’t be surprised if in ten years time there’s completely machined precision trucks similar to the ones longboarders have but they’re ridden exclusively by old farts doing no complys and slappies
This is totally going to happen. Small, boutique manufacturing of trucks by a skater/machinist. You see this stuff all over the bike industry, so maybe it’s time skateboarding got their own Paul Components.
-
Expand Quote
Skateboards just aren't that complex of a mechanism, and people really don't want them to change much. Just look at bikes. I would argue that they're more complex, and that market has been pretty stagnant since the 90's, with mainly changes in materials being the "innovation".
Hmm I'm going to have to hard disagree with that one. Mountain bikes have evolved massively since the 90s. Full suspension trail shred sleds are unrecognizable compared to their rigid 90s counterparts. And even road bikes have come a long way.
I can’t believe I’m just seeing this. Yeah, anyone saying that bikes haven’t changed and that the market has been stagnant since the 90s is living on another planet. I’m a true-blue bike industry vet - spent 12 years wrenching and working in manufacturing. So much changed it would be nearly impossible to list - bottom brackets, 1x drivetrains, brakes, cranks and chainrings, gear clusters, shifters, electronic shifting, dropper posts, derailleurs, wheels, materials, geometry, travel. Bikes are so different now that it can be legitimately hard to find parts for high end full suspension bikes ~5 years after they were made, so much so that small machinists have popped up to reproduce things like discontinued linkages. Things are a little more backwards compatible on the road side, but to say that the bike hasn’t changed since the 90s is just entirely incorrect.
A better discussion would be whether or not we want the skate industry to function like the bike industry, with competing “standards” - we don’t! Goodwill you it never ends up that way.
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
-
Lighter Slicks would be nice - my buddy rode an Everslick and struggled with the weight. If they bottom plastic layer is supposed to give 7x the strength, maybe thin out the maple plys to compensate for the weight.
-
Skateboarding just takes other manufacturing technologies and applies them to skateboarding. I imagine a savvy owner could send someone to a plastics convention for example and find a new urethane polymer and drastically change the skate industry. But is someone going to buy a 15 dollar pivot cup? To take it a step further, this would create a need for quality management within a company's employee pool. With the ups and downs skateboarding has and the fact that the target market isn't working adults is the main reason why akateboard technology doesn't need or can't improve. Personally I think it is cool that these baseline materials can create so much fun and be so amazing to someone who has never seen someone master it before. The bike example is a good one but the customer base may not be a 14 yo kid and that creates a need for product improvement and brand completion. Think golf for example.
-
Make titanium hardware standard, lord knows we need the 4g weight reduction.
-
titanium hardware! great idea!
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
Hey Im Peter, the founder of Kape (or as some people call it: the whackiest shit ever :D)
Just wanted to let you know that I would be happy to answer you all your questions about our brand and new technology.
I strongly believe that there is a better way to make skateboards than just using plywood. The feel of a new 7ply deck is amazing, we all know that. But having it lose its pop in a short period of time or getting it chipped or broken is not cool in my opinion. I have spent the last 8 years of my life figuring out how to make skateboards better. And after around 6 years i figured that the standard veneer pressing technique is limiting the possibilities. we came up with a new technology where we use recycled plastic as the main material and combine it with super strong an snappy fibers. this way we achieved the board feel of a wooden board, but without the downsides. This new board is called the Vanguard. Its literally waterproof, cannot chip, razor tails 20x slower and is 8 times stronger.
I know this might sound like any other board company that is trying to sell you the next gimmicky board technology, but it really isn´t.
Yes, Kape has been a one man show untill 2019. And i was never the born marketing guy. But since we are now having more people working for kape, this will also change.
What I´m asking for is just one thing: try it out before you judge. I figured that usually nobody really believes me when I tell them all of the above but as soon as somebody tries it out, they are amazed of how good our boards feel.
Sorry if this comes off as self praising but making great skateboards is the most important thing in my life so I had to say this here too.
-
M0r3 PlYs1!
https://tenor.com/view/apes-together-strong-apes-apes-alone-weak-gif-16849255
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
Hey Im Peter, the founder of Kape (or as some people call it: the whackiest shit ever :D)
Just wanted to let you know that I would be happy to answer you all your questions about our brand and new technology.
I strongly believe that there is a better way to make skateboards than just using plywood. The feel of a new 7ply deck is amazing, we all know that. But having it lose its pop in a short period of time or getting it chipped or broken is not cool in my opinion. I have spent the last 8 years of my life figuring out how to make skateboards better. And after around 6 years i figured that the standard veneer pressing technique is limiting the possibilities. we came up with a new technology where we use recycled plastic as the main material and combine it with super strong an snappy fibers. this way we achieved the board feel of a wooden board, but without the downsides. This new board is called the Vanguard. Its literally waterproof, cannot chip, razor tails 20x slower and is 8 times stronger.
I know this might sound like any other board company that is trying to sell you the next gimmicky board technology, but it really isn´t.
Yes, Kape has been a one man show untill 2019. And i was never the born marketing guy. But since we are now having more people working for kape, this will also change.
What I´m asking for is just one thing: try it out before you judge. I figured that usually nobody really believes me when I tell them all of the above but as soon as somebody tries it out, they are amazed of how good our boards feel.
Sorry if this comes off as self praising but making great skateboards is the most important thing in my life so I had to say this here too.
if you send me a deck and it's good i will report back to this thread and tell everyone how great it was. dm if you're interested ;D
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
Hey Im Peter, the founder of Kape (or as some people call it: the whackiest shit ever :D)
Just wanted to let you know that I would be happy to answer you all your questions about our brand and new technology.
I strongly believe that there is a better way to make skateboards than just using plywood. The feel of a new 7ply deck is amazing, we all know that. But having it lose its pop in a short period of time or getting it chipped or broken is not cool in my opinion. I have spent the last 8 years of my life figuring out how to make skateboards better. And after around 6 years i figured that the standard veneer pressing technique is limiting the possibilities. we came up with a new technology where we use recycled plastic as the main material and combine it with super strong an snappy fibers. this way we achieved the board feel of a wooden board, but without the downsides. This new board is called the Vanguard. Its literally waterproof, cannot chip, razor tails 20x slower and is 8 times stronger.
I know this might sound like any other board company that is trying to sell you the next gimmicky board technology, but it really isn´t.
Yes, Kape has been a one man show untill 2019. And i was never the born marketing guy. But since we are now having more people working for kape, this will also change.
What I´m asking for is just one thing: try it out before you judge. I figured that usually nobody really believes me when I tell them all of the above but as soon as somebody tries it out, they are amazed of how good our boards feel.
Sorry if this comes off as self praising but making great skateboards is the most important thing in my life so I had to say this here too.
it doesnt sound horrible tbh. i just think eventually the grip will get so dirty and worn out so the board still looks 85% new or something and the grip looks a year old dirty being super frayed far from the edges. then having to regrip it which is always a chore in itself by taking a hair dryer to the plastic or something akin to that. more importantly if all boards lasted as long as yours it would be nice too but the industry would shun that because of their sales if this started being popular. on the other hand wood is nice simple and classy and people like getting new ephemeral boards with different shapes etc
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
Hey Im Peter, the founder of Kape (or as some people call it: the whackiest shit ever :D)
Just wanted to let you know that I would be happy to answer you all your questions about our brand and new technology.
I strongly believe that there is a better way to make skateboards than just using plywood. The feel of a new 7ply deck is amazing, we all know that. But having it lose its pop in a short period of time or getting it chipped or broken is not cool in my opinion. I have spent the last 8 years of my life figuring out how to make skateboards better. And after around 6 years i figured that the standard veneer pressing technique is limiting the possibilities. we came up with a new technology where we use recycled plastic as the main material and combine it with super strong an snappy fibers. this way we achieved the board feel of a wooden board, but without the downsides. This new board is called the Vanguard. Its literally waterproof, cannot chip, razor tails 20x slower and is 8 times stronger.
I know this might sound like any other board company that is trying to sell you the next gimmicky board technology, but it really isn´t.
Yes, Kape has been a one man show untill 2019. And i was never the born marketing guy. But since we are now having more people working for kape, this will also change.
What I´m asking for is just one thing: try it out before you judge. I figured that usually nobody really believes me when I tell them all of the above but as soon as somebody tries it out, they are amazed of how good our boards feel.
Sorry if this comes off as self praising but making great skateboards is the most important thing in my life so I had to say this here too.
Thanks man!
We are still in the process of finishing the serial manufacturing so we don´t have any boards from the new model yet. (just prototypes)
As soon as they are ready for sale we will do testing days though. Where we go from town to town so people can try it out for free.
We will only send out free boards to selected people due to budget reasons.
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
Hey Im Peter, the founder of Kape (or as some people call it: the whackiest shit ever :D)
Just wanted to let you know that I would be happy to answer you all your questions about our brand and new technology.
I strongly believe that there is a better way to make skateboards than just using plywood. The feel of a new 7ply deck is amazing, we all know that. But having it lose its pop in a short period of time or getting it chipped or broken is not cool in my opinion. I have spent the last 8 years of my life figuring out how to make skateboards better. And after around 6 years i figured that the standard veneer pressing technique is limiting the possibilities. we came up with a new technology where we use recycled plastic as the main material and combine it with super strong an snappy fibers. this way we achieved the board feel of a wooden board, but without the downsides. This new board is called the Vanguard. Its literally waterproof, cannot chip, razor tails 20x slower and is 8 times stronger.
I know this might sound like any other board company that is trying to sell you the next gimmicky board technology, but it really isn´t.
Yes, Kape has been a one man show untill 2019. And i was never the born marketing guy. But since we are now having more people working for kape, this will also change.
What I´m asking for is just one thing: try it out before you judge. I figured that usually nobody really believes me when I tell them all of the above but as soon as somebody tries it out, they are amazed of how good our boards feel.
Sorry if this comes off as self praising but making great skateboards is the most important thing in my life so I had to say this here too.
You are right. The griptape is a problem.
That is why we will send at least 2 griptapes with every board order.
The thing with the long lasting boards resulting in less sales is true as well. But to be honest, making money by selling boards that constantly need to be replaced was never the reason I started making boards. If we can make a board that lasts a lifetime we would lose a customer but I´m good with that as long as the skater is happy with his deck.
The reality may be different though. Even if you skate a board for 6 months and its technically still good, you probably might buy a new one and give the old one to a homie in need. - we will see.
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
Hey Im Peter, the founder of Kape (or as some people call it: the whackiest shit ever :D)
Just wanted to let you know that I would be happy to answer you all your questions about our brand and new technology.
I strongly believe that there is a better way to make skateboards than just using plywood. The feel of a new 7ply deck is amazing, we all know that. But having it lose its pop in a short period of time or getting it chipped or broken is not cool in my opinion. I have spent the last 8 years of my life figuring out how to make skateboards better. And after around 6 years i figured that the standard veneer pressing technique is limiting the possibilities. we came up with a new technology where we use recycled plastic as the main material and combine it with super strong an snappy fibers. this way we achieved the board feel of a wooden board, but without the downsides. This new board is called the Vanguard. Its literally waterproof, cannot chip, razor tails 20x slower and is 8 times stronger.
I know this might sound like any other board company that is trying to sell you the next gimmicky board technology, but it really isn´t.
Yes, Kape has been a one man show untill 2019. And i was never the born marketing guy. But since we are now having more people working for kape, this will also change.
What I´m asking for is just one thing: try it out before you judge. I figured that usually nobody really believes me when I tell them all of the above but as soon as somebody tries it out, they are amazed of how good our boards feel.
Sorry if this comes off as self praising but making great skateboards is the most important thing in my life so I had to say this here too.
Hi Peter,
We're glad you reached out for marketing advice.
Skateboarders are by nature are fickle bunch. It's hard to corner the market on cutting-edge graphics and brand imaging. Pizza famously capitalized off the pizzeria aesthetic and reaped the benefits. Strong brand image is everything in this game, you really have to stand out. World Industries changed the whole narrative of what a skate company should be when Steve Rocco discovered all skateboarders are socially inept pimple-faced prepubescent boys. Enter Fire and Water boy. We all know how that tail ended; with Bitch skateboards.
I'm proposing a cowboy... no a cowman image featuring equestrian deification. Ping me back with thoughts.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZsBIkuzh.png)
Thank you,
PuffinMuffin
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
Hey Im Peter, the founder of Kape (or as some people call it: the whackiest shit ever :D)
Just wanted to let you know that I would be happy to answer you all your questions about our brand and new technology.
I strongly believe that there is a better way to make skateboards than just using plywood. The feel of a new 7ply deck is amazing, we all know that. But having it lose its pop in a short period of time or getting it chipped or broken is not cool in my opinion. I have spent the last 8 years of my life figuring out how to make skateboards better. And after around 6 years i figured that the standard veneer pressing technique is limiting the possibilities. we came up with a new technology where we use recycled plastic as the main material and combine it with super strong an snappy fibers. this way we achieved the board feel of a wooden board, but without the downsides. This new board is called the Vanguard. Its literally waterproof, cannot chip, razor tails 20x slower and is 8 times stronger.
I know this might sound like any other board company that is trying to sell you the next gimmicky board technology, but it really isn´t.
Yes, Kape has been a one man show untill 2019. And i was never the born marketing guy. But since we are now having more people working for kape, this will also change.
What I´m asking for is just one thing: try it out before you judge. I figured that usually nobody really believes me when I tell them all of the above but as soon as somebody tries it out, they are amazed of how good our boards feel.
Sorry if this comes off as self praising but making great skateboards is the most important thing in my life so I had to say this here too.
Hi Peter,
We're glad you reached out for marketing advice.
Skateboarders are by nature are fickle bunch. It's hard to corner the market on cutting-edge graphics and brand imaging. Pizza famously capitalized off the pizzeria aesthetic and reaped the benefits. Strong brand image is everything in this game, you really have to stand out. World Industries changed the whole narrative of what a skate company should be when Steve Rocco discovered all skateboarders are socially inept pimple-faced prepubescent boys. Enter Fire and Water boy. We all know how that tail ended; with Bitch skateboards.
I'm proposing a cowboy... no a cowman image featuring equestrian deification. Ping me back with thoughts.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZsBIkuzh.png)
Thank you,
PuffinMuffin
Hey PuffinMuffin,
I can´t believe you put in the time to make this graphic. I had a good laugh thanks! ;D
We will stick to a blank board. The shape itself is noticeable enough, no need for flashy images. (it has built in rails for instance)
I am aware that this board is polarizing. the people who don't like it can always fall back on the tried and tested maple.
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
Hey Im Peter, the founder of Kape (or as some people call it: the whackiest shit ever :D)
Just wanted to let you know that I would be happy to answer you all your questions about our brand and new technology.
I strongly believe that there is a better way to make skateboards than just using plywood. The feel of a new 7ply deck is amazing, we all know that. But having it lose its pop in a short period of time or getting it chipped or broken is not cool in my opinion. I have spent the last 8 years of my life figuring out how to make skateboards better. And after around 6 years i figured that the standard veneer pressing technique is limiting the possibilities. we came up with a new technology where we use recycled plastic as the main material and combine it with super strong an snappy fibers. this way we achieved the board feel of a wooden board, but without the downsides. This new board is called the Vanguard. Its literally waterproof, cannot chip, razor tails 20x slower and is 8 times stronger.
I know this might sound like any other board company that is trying to sell you the next gimmicky board technology, but it really isn´t.
Yes, Kape has been a one man show untill 2019. And i was never the born marketing guy. But since we are now having more people working for kape, this will also change.
What I´m asking for is just one thing: try it out before you judge. I figured that usually nobody really believes me when I tell them all of the above but as soon as somebody tries it out, they are amazed of how good our boards feel.
Sorry if this comes off as self praising but making great skateboards is the most important thing in my life so I had to say this here too.
Hi Peter,
We're glad you reached out for marketing advice.
Skateboarders are by nature are fickle bunch. It's hard to corner the market on cutting-edge graphics and brand imaging. Pizza famously capitalized off the pizzeria aesthetic and reaped the benefits. Strong brand image is everything in this game, you really have to stand out. World Industries changed the whole narrative of what a skate company should be when Steve Rocco discovered all skateboarders are socially inept pimple-faced prepubescent boys. Enter Fire and Water boy. We all know how that tail ended; with Bitch skateboards.
I'm proposing a cowboy... no a cowman image featuring equestrian deification. Ping me back with thoughts.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZsBIkuzh.png)
Thank you,
PuffinMuffin
Hey PuffinMuffin,
I can´t believe you put in the time to make this graphic. I had a good laugh thanks! ;D
We will stick to a blank board. The shape itself is noticeable enough, no need for flashy images. (it has built in rails for instance)
I am aware that this board is polarizing. the people who don't like it can always fall back on the tried and tested maple.
I feel it's an awesome idea for the sake of sustainability and would like to see you guys succeed. I'll definitely try one. Best of you luck to you. :)
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
Hey Im Peter, the founder of Kape (or as some people call it: the whackiest shit ever :D)
Just wanted to let you know that I would be happy to answer you all your questions about our brand and new technology.
I strongly believe that there is a better way to make skateboards than just using plywood. The feel of a new 7ply deck is amazing, we all know that. But having it lose its pop in a short period of time or getting it chipped or broken is not cool in my opinion. I have spent the last 8 years of my life figuring out how to make skateboards better. And after around 6 years i figured that the standard veneer pressing technique is limiting the possibilities. we came up with a new technology where we use recycled plastic as the main material and combine it with super strong an snappy fibers. this way we achieved the board feel of a wooden board, but without the downsides. This new board is called the Vanguard. Its literally waterproof, cannot chip, razor tails 20x slower and is 8 times stronger.
I know this might sound like any other board company that is trying to sell you the next gimmicky board technology, but it really isn´t.
Yes, Kape has been a one man show untill 2019. And i was never the born marketing guy. But since we are now having more people working for kape, this will also change.
What I´m asking for is just one thing: try it out before you judge. I figured that usually nobody really believes me when I tell them all of the above but as soon as somebody tries it out, they are amazed of how good our boards feel.
Sorry if this comes off as self praising but making great skateboards is the most important thing in my life so I had to say this here too.
Hi Peter,
We're glad you reached out for marketing advice.
Skateboarders are by nature are fickle bunch. It's hard to corner the market on cutting-edge graphics and brand imaging. Pizza famously capitalized off the pizzeria aesthetic and reaped the benefits. Strong brand image is everything in this game, you really have to stand out. World Industries changed the whole narrative of what a skate company should be when Steve Rocco discovered all skateboarders are socially inept pimple-faced prepubescent boys. Enter Fire and Water boy. We all know how that tail ended; with Bitch skateboards.
I'm proposing a cowboy... no a cowman image featuring equestrian deification. Ping me back with thoughts.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZsBIkuzh.png)
Thank you,
PuffinMuffin
Hey PuffinMuffin,
I can´t believe you put in the time to make this graphic. I had a good laugh thanks! ;D
We will stick to a blank board. The shape itself is noticeable enough, no need for flashy images. (it has built in rails for instance)
I am aware that this board is polarizing. the people who don't like it can always fall back on the tried and tested maple.
I think you have a really cool product here, the use of recycled plastic is always a plus and it's a neat idea to integrate rails directly into the deck. What do you think is going to be the retail price?
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
This brand is literally the wackiest shit ever, so maybe you guys don't care for them, but I wasn't really aware of them until I ended up in their instagram today and saw that they are trying a new deck construction, also having the sustainability aspect in mind which is cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSB99ypsUHp/ Curious to know how its made and how it would even feel compared to a regular deck (since there's no wood on it supposedly).
They might make the best skateboard ever someday but their marketing is so incredibly bad. They're from my country and almost nobody here knows about it. But I wish them the best, the vision is great
Yeah man, the marketing is really garbage. They make skateboards for guys that think doing a triple flip out of the skatepark launch ramp makes you the best skater in town.
But yeah this actually made me think if skateboarding tech is actually being held back because it’s always pushed by nerds with zero sense of taste.
That’s really the problem - if anyone does innovate, especially from outside the industry, skaters have a hard time taking them seriously, or they market towards the “wrong” type of skater in the sense of sending their product to Revive or Braille to test and show off. Once something ends up in that orbit, “hardcore” skaters take them significantly less seriously.
Even veteran companies like Powell have created what is apparently a demonstrably better skateboard than anything else on the market, and most of us are still clamoring for 7-ply decks with familiar pro names on them.
Hey Im Peter, the founder of Kape (or as some people call it: the whackiest shit ever :D)
Just wanted to let you know that I would be happy to answer you all your questions about our brand and new technology.
I strongly believe that there is a better way to make skateboards than just using plywood. The feel of a new 7ply deck is amazing, we all know that. But having it lose its pop in a short period of time or getting it chipped or broken is not cool in my opinion. I have spent the last 8 years of my life figuring out how to make skateboards better. And after around 6 years i figured that the standard veneer pressing technique is limiting the possibilities. we came up with a new technology where we use recycled plastic as the main material and combine it with super strong an snappy fibers. this way we achieved the board feel of a wooden board, but without the downsides. This new board is called the Vanguard. Its literally waterproof, cannot chip, razor tails 20x slower and is 8 times stronger.
I know this might sound like any other board company that is trying to sell you the next gimmicky board technology, but it really isn´t.
Yes, Kape has been a one man show untill 2019. And i was never the born marketing guy. But since we are now having more people working for kape, this will also change.
What I´m asking for is just one thing: try it out before you judge. I figured that usually nobody really believes me when I tell them all of the above but as soon as somebody tries it out, they are amazed of how good our boards feel.
Sorry if this comes off as self praising but making great skateboards is the most important thing in my life so I had to say this here too.
Hi Peter,
We're glad you reached out for marketing advice.
Skateboarders are by nature are fickle bunch. It's hard to corner the market on cutting-edge graphics and brand imaging. Pizza famously capitalized off the pizzeria aesthetic and reaped the benefits. Strong brand image is everything in this game, you really have to stand out. World Industries changed the whole narrative of what a skate company should be when Steve Rocco discovered all skateboarders are socially inept pimple-faced prepubescent boys. Enter Fire and Water boy. We all know how that tail ended; with Bitch skateboards.
I'm proposing a cowboy... no a cowman image featuring equestrian deification. Ping me back with thoughts.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZsBIkuzh.png)
Thank you,
PuffinMuffin
Hey PuffinMuffin,
I can´t believe you put in the time to make this graphic. I had a good laugh thanks! ;D
We will stick to a blank board. The shape itself is noticeable enough, no need for flashy images. (it has built in rails for instance)
I am aware that this board is polarizing. the people who don't like it can always fall back on the tried and tested maple.
I think you have a really cool product here, the use of recycled plastic is always a plus and it's a neat idea to integrate rails directly into the deck. What do you think is going to be the retail price?
Thanks a lot!
The price is our biggest hurdle at the moment. (due to massively expensive equipment)
It will be 200€ / 225 usd. Which is around 4 times more than traditional decks. But if you take into consideration that it will last probably 8 times longer than wooden boards, its actually much cheaper on the long run.
However, the more we make the more the production costs will sink. In the future we will have more sizes and shapes and we will try to lower our prices as much as we can so it becomes affordable for anybody.
-
Peter, and I’m saying this as a friend, you’re fucking blowing it.
Cowmen are the future of skateboarding and you are refusing to innovate. Give the people what they want. Print the graphic and swim in the millions like Scrooge McDuck.
Shout out to captains.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZsBIkuzh.png)
Original artwork by PuffinMuffin
-
Tensor mag light trucks are being redesigned right now so none of them have magnesium baseplates. but look out for a new mag light coming out sometime.
-
Tensor mag light trucks are being redesigned right now so none of them have magnesium baseplates. but look out for a new mag light coming out sometime.
From what Tensor said, it’s hard to ascertain what they’re considering a redesign. I took as they threw some alloy baseplates on maglight hangers and called it a day.
Those trucks felt amazing though. Hopefully they beef up the axels if they really are resigning them, cuz they bent so easy. :-\