Jessup using Nike tech to make rubber griptape.

[friendly dave]

EN NEWS
Introducing ULTRA NBD griptape for skateboards
May 26, 2021 - by - Leave a Comment


Jessup develops skateboard griptape using Nike Grind, recycled rubber scrap from Nike’s footwear manufacturing

We’re thrilled to bring this product to market…the brands share a common vision for developing technologically forward equipment for athletes and for reusing waste at its highest value.”
— Rob Jessup, president and third-generation owner of Jessup Manufacturing
MCHENRY, IL, UNITED STATES, May 26, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Jessup Manufacturing Company, the global leader in the skateboard griptape market, today announced the limited release of ULTRA NBD, the world’s first griptape made with Nike Grind, recycled rubber scrap from Nike’s footwear manufacturing.

“We’re thrilled to bring this product to market,” said Rob Jessup, president and third-generation owner of Jessup Manufacturing, adding that the brands share a common vision for developing technologically forward equipment for athletes and for reusing waste at its highest value.

Jessup, which has produced skateboard griptape since the 1970s and is the only griptape manufacturer in the U.S., is the official griptape partner for USA Skateboarding, the governing body responsible for Team USA in the upcoming Olympics, had to rethink the science behind its proprietary griptape manufacturing technology.

“We had engineers, chemists and quality technicians developing, testing and collaborating on this to get just the right mix that would deliver the Jessup ride that our skaters expect,” said Ian Deacon, manager of Jessup’s skate team. “And I believe we got it right.”

Deacon said ULTRA NBD will be available in retail skate shops in limited quantities for the next few weeks, but he expects stores will have full inventory by late June.

Even with ULTRA NBD being made in America, the “limited release” is tied directly to challenges caused by the pandemic. “Like everyone right now, we are working through the issues, Jessup said, adding, “I would encourage skaters to go to their favorite shop and reserve their sheets.”

The name NBD is taken from a common skateboard term used when a skater makes a new trick at a skate spot that has “Never Been Done” there. “It’s a very appropriate name,” said Deacon, “especially when you consider the unique use of recycled Nike Grind content…this is the only griptape of its kind in the world.”

Long known for its unique approach to printing designs on sheets of griptape, Jessup is also introducing a series of four, footwear-inspired Limited-Edition (For digital images, email the contact person listed below). “These are top-quality prints,” Jessup said, adding that these will be available in late June.

ABOUT JESSUP MANUFACTURING
Jessup Manufacturing (www.jessupmfg.com) was founded in 1956. The company is headquartered in McHenry, Illinois with manufacturing plants in Lake Bluff, IL and McHenry. Jessup’s first product was welts for baseball gloves; the company, which manufactures a wide range of anti-slip and safety products that make the world a safer place to work and play, has always had a relationship with sports. And tradition continues as Jessup was chosen as the Official Griptape Partner and sponsor of USA Skateboarding, the governing body responsible for Team USA skateboarders in the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo. In addition, Jessup sponsors more than 200 professional and amateur skaters from around the world, including nine skaters representing eight countries in the Olympics in Tokyo. In addition, Jessup provides a wide range of support to skaters getting started in the sport as well as adaptive skaters for whom skateboarding is as much fun as therapeutic.

ABOUT NIKE GRIND
NIKE Grind (www.nikegrind.com) materials are created from Nike’s recycled surplus manufacturing materials and athletic footwear. Rubber, foam, fiber, leather and textile blends are separated and ground into a wide range of granules. Different Nike Grind materials are incorporated into performance products ranging from new Nike footwear and apparel to sports and play surfaces.



Thoughts? Would you try a non standard griptape?

[mattchew]

I strictly skate core griptape. I make homemade glue and then drop sand on my board.

[goodatmeth]

So it's just normal griptape, but there's some nike waste in it.
I thought it was non-abrasive griptape or something actually new

[friendly dave]

I'm guessing the point would be that the rubber would be less abrasive but still provide grip at the same time. I could be wrong though.

[Painted Baby]

So it's just normal griptape, but there's some nike waste in it.
I thought it was non-abrasive griptape or something actually new

This is how I read it also. Came in thinking DKL but I think they are just using recycled material and put out a press release.

[Red Eyed Swimmer]

I could see it on (a) krooked

[jamersonbass]

Expand Quote

So it's just normal griptape, but there's some nike waste in it.
I thought it was non-abrasive griptape or something actually new

[close]

This is how I read it also. Came in thinking DKL but I think they are just using recycled material and put out a press release.

I read it this way too, but why would Nike want to get in the business of less destructive grip?  Doesn't seem to make business sense, but maybe it's a final troll to the industry before cutting most of their riders.

[FrozenIndustries]

I was psyched for a second, TBQH. If Jessup were to make a non-abrasive grip I would try it for sure.

http://ultranbd.jessupmfg.com

Appears to be Nike Grind combined with the standard Jessup grit. Maybe it is less abrasive?

[Hyliannightmare]

 :'(sounds bizarre

[Theme For A Jackal]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

So it's just normal griptape, but there's some nike waste in it.
I thought it was non-abrasive griptape or something actually new

[close]

This is how I read it also. Came in thinking DKL but I think they are just using recycled material and put out a press release.

[close]

I read it this way too, but why would Nike want to get in the business of less destructive grip?  Doesn't seem to make business sense, but maybe it's a final troll to the industry before cutting most of their riders.

Gives them an easy way to profit off all their rubber scraps and Jessup is probably going to do most if not all of the work

[artskool]

Graphic griptape is a non-starter for me.

[TwisT]

I appreciate that nike has branding and marketing for it's scrape by product

[Cool Ceith]

Do you remember Duckle grip (the rubber griptape)?

https://dklskateboarding.com

[Painted Baby]

Nollie inward heel fly out in some slides is a certain vibe

[Easy Slider]

I am against non-abrasive griptape. How would you separate real skaters from hypebeasts if not for the mangled shoes?

[Madam, I'm Adam]

This is even bigger than seedless watermelon.

[FROTHY]

(Realistic, not-too-distant-future scenario).... You're buying a deck at your local and your grip options are nike or gEt BuCk. What do you do?

[goodatmeth]

(Realistic, not-too-distant-future scenario).... You're buying a deck at your local and your grip options are nike or gEt BuCk. What do you do?

Is there a monster logo on one of them? That's the one

[newspaperparty]

It seems like its probably still abrasive, but less so. I'm kind of a hater of new skate technologies and think stuff like DKL or fancy board plies are stupid but I'm honestly kinda stoked to try some of this

Edit: Didn't realize only graphic versions are available...and they are disgusting. That's gonna make it a no go for me for sure unless they take off those atrocious graphics

Second edit: Seems as though there is plain black, the graphics are limited edition though i don't know what idiot would buy them anyways

[Murge]

Man no. Just no. I want to like jessup. I really do. I don’t want to support NHS but damn jessup grip sucks. I even got the ultra and felt the same as reg and weirdly tore after a
While. Be better jessup. Team mob til something better comes along.

[manysnakes]

Add me to the list of people disappointed to find out that Jessup isn't making a new non-abrasive griptape. Would be interesting to see a major player trying this out.

I was skeptical of it, since I've usually only seen it on Andy Anderson decks with Tensor mag trucks and whatever other weird shit you can think of, but there's a local ripper who skates it. He let my futz around on his board and honestly it was fine. I could ollie and flip it basically the same, even without taking the time to get used to it. For his part, he was working on and eventually landed a noseblunt on the ~10' extension of the quarter pipe.

[KGB]

Yeah wack. Nike just trying to help someone else get the blame for their toxic waste. How does this help the environment in any way? What happens to all that rubber scrap that gets left all over the ground after wearing off or when it gets thrown in the trash. Nike should just go back to their jock roots and stop trying to turn skateboarding into basketball.

[ColorWheelsGraphicsOut]

I'm still lmfao at the dude in the Champion slides

[stets]

Yeah wack. Nike just trying to help someone else get the blame for their toxic waste. How does this help the environment in any way? What happens to all that rubber scrap that gets left all over the ground after wearing off or when it gets thrown in the trash. Nike should just go back to their jock roots and stop trying to turn skateboarding into basketball.

Coming in HOT there champ. Nike has been doing "regrind" programs for probably 20 years now.

They use the re-grind rubber and foam to use in some of their product, like that recent Flyleather Janoski had regrind content in its rubber, or they use it for soft playground surfaces or running track surfaces, usually provided as a donation or at cost. My high school got a Nike Regrind track when I was 16... the town couldn't have afforded one without that program.

They gather excess rubber that would be thrown away at the factory (mold fuck ups, cut off flashing, etc.) so that's better than throwing it away, and they also have bins at their stores to gather used shoes from all kinds of brands to grind those up and give them a second life as well. I don't see how that's a bad thing? The only bummer is they can't do anything with the uppers of the shoes when they gather used ones, they cut them off and just use the foam and rubber in track and such.

Anyways, back to the griptape... really not sure how it's going to be utilized. Maybe in the backer material, the black part with adhesive, that is usually like a vinyl? I can't tell from the pics included with the press release here, looks like normal carbide sparkly grip: https://s-k-a-t-e-r.com/introducing-ultra-nbd-griptape-for-skateboards/

Non graphic option though, so that's a plus I guess?

[layzieyez]

Ultra No Big Deal grip.

I, too, would have liked to see a revolutionary new product and not just repurposed nike trash.

[Sloppy Krooks]

I don't have a problem with recycling waste into something else, but I was hoping this would be a true rubber grip, which would not only reduce shoe waste, it would make shoes last 10x longer,  making a very, very big reduction in show waste.

It’s just leftover shoe rubber made into regular grip tape.

The title of this thread is misleading

[friendly dave]

I don't have a problem with recycling waste into something else, but I was hoping this would be a true rubber grip, which would not only reduce shoe waste, it would make shoes last 10x longer,  making a very, very big reduction in show waste.

It’s just leftover shoe rubber made into regular grip tape.

The title of this thread is misleading

When I posted the article, the jessup site hadn't been updated yet, so I was only going on what I thought based on what I read.

[layzieyez]

No harm, no foul.

[kenjiro]

I fuck with it

[Johnny Lawrence]

Nike grind