More Name Brands

There are many different skateboard manufacturers out there on the market today, and each one creates high-quality, well-crafted skateboard decks that exceed the expectations of both novice riders and of skateboarding professionals. This article is going to introduce you to some of the more popular and well-known skateboard makers who are in business today.

PLAN B SKATEBOARDS

Located in Vista, California, Plan B Skateboards started out in the early 1990's as a professional skateboarding team, which quickly grew into one of the world's leading skateboarding companies. As a team, they were considered groundbreaking, as they developed new techniques for actual skateboarding and for the way they filmed skateboarding videos. Today, they still remain one of the more legendary teams in the skateboarding community, and they are now also developing and retailing high-end skateboard decks which are also extremely affordable - thus allowing just about anyone the opportunity to take up skateboarding for themselves.

BAKER SKATEBOARDS

Andrew Reynolds is one of the world's leading skateboarders, and in 2000, he founded Baker Skateboards. Much like other skateboarding companies, Baker Skateboards also feature a team of professional and world-class skateboarders. In addition to manufacturing skateboard decks, Baker Skateboards also produce skateboard wheels as well. When it comes to design, Baker Skateboard decks stand out from the competition, as their deck designs are bright, bold and big. Simply put, when you're riding on a Baker Skateboard, everyone will instantly know about it when they first see you roll up on the scene.

ALMOST SKATEBOARDS

Launched in 2003 out of El Segundo in California, Almost Skateboards (which is one of the cooler skateboarding names) is known for their innovation when it comes to deck development, creation and manufacturing. While traditional skateboard decks are made from wood, Almost Skateboards uses an interesting resin epoxy when building their boards. Because of this unique approach, Almost Skateboard decks are ultra-light, thus allowing for the possibility of greater speeds when in motion and of higher elevation when performing tricks. And, like pretty much other skateboarding companies, Almost Skateboards also feature a professional team.

BLIND SKATEBOARDS

Founded way back in 1989 by Mark Gonzales, Blind Skateboards is still going strong and still providing top-end skateboard decks. Recently, Blind Skateboards have also branched out into wheel development, accessories and even clothing featuring Blind Skateboards' logo, the Grim Reaper. And while Blind Skateboards does feature a professional riding team, they are somewhat unique in that they also sponsor an amateur team featuring young up and coming skateboarders. When it comes to the actual design of their decks, Blind Skateboard decks are usually quite elaborate and detailed in the artwork featured on their skateboards.

BIRDHOUSE SKATEBOARDS

Tony Hawk is considered to be the Godfather of skateboarding, and his company, Birdhouse Skateboards, aims to carry on the legacy that he built for himself as a rider. Formed in 1992, Birdhouse Skateboards, in addition to making decks, also manufactures wheels, clothing, apparel, accessories and skating videos as well. What gives Birdhouse Skateboards a competitive advantage is its high visibility in the super-popular line of Tony Hawk Pro Skater video games. Birdhouse Skateboards also feature two separate skateboarding teams, both professional and amateur.

Duke McCallister has one philosophy when it comes to Birdhouse Skateboards: and that's to go skate or go home! A skateboarding fan, Duke wants to share his experiences and passion for skateboards with expert boarders and those new to skateboarding. In addition to writing about skateboards, he also visits GoSkateorGoHome.com for all his boarding needs.

Whether talking about skateboard decks, trucks, Almost Skateboards, grip tape or anything else about skateboarding, Duke is more than happy to talk about it, write about it and share stories about it!

And remember, if you want to check out a fantastic online destination for all your skateboarding needs, just roll on over to one of Duke's favorite sites at GoSkateorGoHome.com!

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Name Brands

The last few years, say over the last 10, the business revolving around the "skate culture" has exploded. A couple years ago I attended an ASR conference in San Diego and was blown away by the sheer volume of industry that has built itself up around the remains of the 80's skateboard revival. It's the third coming of the skate industry as the phoenix has indeed risen and there is no stopping this juggernaut. Hard goods, soft goods, you name it, there were hundreds of exhibitors, many with giant brand recognition all vying for a slice of this huge lucrative skate culture market.

The whole conference was just dripping with "hipness" I was beginning to get self-conscious that I wasn't cool enough as it was dawning on me the huge opportunity available to so many different segments. Lots of stash is definitely being made. Skateboarding is not just for kids, it's a major cultural movement with a huge periphery. It's not just about selling skateboard hardware; decks wheels etc. It's selling an entire culture now...and it's selling like hotcakes.

I was down at the conference with a good friend who owns a small skateboard manufacturing company and I was along to help a bit on the marketing and to try to raise the company's profile a bit. Like a lot of other industries, the skateboard business has evolved into a distribution pipeline that is rather strictly controlled by a few established companies that supply all the major product. If you're a retailer, you need these guys bad because they've got the gear the buying public wants. If you're an upstart retailer it can be almost impossible to get the key products because another more established retailer in your area has the deal with the distributor. So a good deal of smaller retailers languish trying to flog unknown product, and the sad thing is that in many cases, this unknown product may be just as good or exceed the quality of the name brands.

This is where my friend's dilemma comes in; he's a manufacturer trying to get distribution. Up until now, he's been flogging his own stuff the best he can by dealing direct with smaller retailers in his home territory. But with North American manufacturing costs being what they are and being forced to compete with cheaper made chinese product that the dominant distributors flood the market with he's seeing his profits dwindle. At this point now, in order for him to succeed he needs wider distribution. He needs to be in stores all over North America and most importantly, he needs Internet distribution.

When I look around at the retailers on the Internet, there are some very cool sites, some with brick and mortar realities, but more that are strictly online ventures. Nevertheless, they almost all fall prey to the distributors. Not every shop has every big name product. For example, if distributor A has big name X & Y, and he's your supplier, if your customer wants product Z, which just happens to be distributor B's major line, that customer is going to another shop and there's not much you as the retailer can do because you're never going to get product Z as long as you sell X & Y from your guy. In some industries this is not such a problem because one product can be just as good quality-wise as the next and the customer base is not so brand fixated. But in the skate biz brand and image are kings and they come a dime a dozen. With slews of competing products, highly geared for brand recognition, quality is almost a secondary concern with most of the kids consuming these products. The skateboard consumer wants the latest and the greatest and who lets them know what these products are? Enter the skateboard pro. The professionals in the sport today are truly amazing athletes, defying fear and gravity to perform sometimes unbelievably complex and technical maneuvers. Look for skateboarding coming to an Olympics near you very soon, no joke.

This sport has gained major credibility over the last decade. Read credibility as 'ka ching' factor. Flip through the pages of one of the many mainstream skateboard magazines and you'll have a hard time finding the articles hidden beneath all the advertising. And just like many other tournament based sports, these young pros are making their money with endorsements. Younguns like Ryan Sheckler, Paul Rodriguez, Terry Kennedy, and Rob Dyrdek are hoovering up large dollars wearing their sponsor's clothes, and riding their sponsor's equipment. These skateboard pros are living, breathing billboards for the clamoring skateboard consumer base, which is now almost a world wide market.

With so many "name" products out there and companies changing skate pros like underwear there seems to be a couple of interesting opportunities here. Enter Skateboarderpro.com, a new site I recently stumbled upon that features a rotating top ten of hot pro skaters. There's some Youtube links to some videos but there's also a complete list of the skateboard gear these guys are sponsors for with direct links to buy the stuff online at a claimed "researched" cheapest price. I've seen some online retailers who organize their inventory by pro skater but because they don't get all the big names due to their supplier deals some of the breakdowns of what they can get are pretty lame. Skateboarderpro has it all. Pick your favorite pro from the top ten and instantly see links to EVERYTHING that rider uses, from deck to trucks, wheels, bearings, even the shoes. Skateboarderpro researches a variety of online retailers and puts it all together on one site. If you want to buy the exact setup say, Danny Way is riding, you don't have to search around and order form 3 different sites. Skateboarderpro utilizes an Amazon aStore to combine the entire transaction into one shopping cart so it really is a skateboard enthusiast shopper's dream.

The second opportunity I eluded to earlier is, with the skate culture endlessly gaining momentum, and sponsor companies eagerly searching for the next "pro" to exploit, the career choice of "professional skateboarder" is quickly becoming a reality for every pimply faced kid down at the local skatepark. Skateboarderpro.com has an offering for this as well with a new book, "GO PRO, The Definitive Guide On How To Become A Professional Skateboarder". A quick check around the interweb and you'll see there's not much in-depth info available on the actual mechanics involved in becoming a pro skater, so I'd be eager to see what this book had to offer if I was dreaming of one day winning the X Games on a vert ramp. Unfortunately, I'm definitely over forty and my trips to the skatepark these days are fettered with fits of panic interspersed with fleeting moments of glee as I valiantly attempt to find some flow without eating some concrete. I think my dreams of going pro are long gone but I might check the book for my son, and hip my skateboard manufacturing friend to Skateboarderpro.com

http://www.skateboarderpro.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Schultz

Skate Records

There have been many world records over the years in the area of skateboarding. As you learn about them you will be amazed at some of the accomplishments that have been made. Some of them are quite entertaining too. For example in 2005 three young boys were credited with creating the world's longest skateboard. It was just over 30 feet in length and almost 10 inches wide. It took all three of them to ride it in order to control it due to the overall length.

Many people seem to move extremely fast on a skateboard. That lead to the world record of how far one can be ridden in the course of a 24 hour period. The record was set in 2008 by Ted McDonald. He was likely extremely tired after he was done as he covered 242 miles in that one day span of time. The fastest individual clocked on a skateboard comes in at 63 miles per hour. There are some reports that this same individual has done it at 73 miles per hour but such reports are unconfirmed.

Another young man that amazed many by not becoming dizzy in 2000 is Richie Carrasco. He completed 142 360 degree spins without stopping. So far no one has come close to beating his record. The well known professional Tony Hawk is famous for many things including the 900 he created. He was the first to successfully spin a skateboard 900 degrees. He holds the record for doing it 2 ½ times as that is extremely difficult. It is believed that many professional skateboarders have a goal of beating this record.

The Great Wall of China definitely has a significant meaning in history. For Danny Way, it proved to be something of a challenge in 2005. Still, he is recorded as the first person in history to successfully jump over it on a skateboard. This particular individual holds quite a few records when it comes to skateboarding. Another one worth mentioning is that he is known for the greatest distance with a jump at 70 feet.

The Ollie is one of the most popular skateboarding tricks out there. While many people can do it, how many can you do in a row? That record is held by Rob Dyrdek since 2007 with a total of 46 of them in a row. They record for the highest Ollie is 44.5 inches, but rumor has it that many individuals on videos around the internet have done it successfully at 50 inches. The problem though is that there are certain types of criteria that have to be met in order to make such claims credible.

You can watch many of these skateboarding world records online as there are plenty of great videos out there. Should you feel you can beat such records, you can also find the information online about how you do so. There are strict guidelines that have to be followed in order for your event to be recorded and to be considered factual. Many of these records have been in place for a very long time. While it will be a challenge to beat them it can be done.

There is certainly plenty to be proud of in the world of skateboarding. When you take these world records into consideration, you can see how far many of these individuals have pushed the bar. Their goal has been to achieve more in the sport that others as well as to satisfy their own desires relating to skateboarding. If you set your own sights high enough, you may one day find yourself among the listings of skateboarding world records.

Recently, longboard skateboard as a new kind of skateboards become more and more popular in skateboarding world. As a result, there are increasingly manufacturers become produce longboards. Loaded is one of the big brands which provided longboards. You can find loaded longboards in SkateboardsPro.com

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Trick Tips

If we actually took the time to totally cover all the nifty moves you could make with a skateboard, this article would be about as thick as a city newspaper. No seriously, skateboard tricks could easily take up a whole encyclopedia of their own, not to mention you can also find hints, tips and tactics on You Tube as well. Ahhh, yes, the wonderful world of skateboarding; a world that has survived since the 1900s and has come out the other side with some pretty interesting moves and an attitude all of its own.

There are actually about 71 tricks you can do flatland, ranging from the Ollie Higher to the Frontside 360 and from the Caballero to the Nollie Kickflip. Many of these fancy names for moves executed on a skateboard may sound like new bands (like Helipops for instance) but they're not. They're downright interesting street smart and savvy maneuvers that make flying while on the ground not only look possible, but easy.

There are also 12 grabs featuring the Roast Beef (non-edible) to the Melon Grab, all with even more intriguing names and spectacular feats of co-ordination to accomplish them. But, we're not done yet, you will also learn 43 grinds and slides (Backside Nose Grind which sounds painful to the Darkslide), 10 stalls (from the Nollie Nose Stall to the Varila Flip Nose Stall), 37 mini pipes (from the Crazy Rock and Roll to the Pivot Fakie), 12 really super cool moves you only get to learn when you have mastered all the rest (like the Powerslide Stop or the Wallride) and 13 old school moves. Old school may not be that cool, but some of the moves you'll learn are kind of interesting.

Exhausted yet? Well if you aren't now, you may be by the time you get a handle on all the moves that are possible in skateboarding. Skateboarding tricks do take some time to learn, but more importantly, they require a good sense of balance and timing.

Make sure you also have decent equipment to get started. While cutting corners is ok for some things, make sure your board is safe and well constructed. Doing some of these skateboard tricks means using a sturdy and reliable board that won't let you down. And, when you are first starting out, take all the help you can get from others who have paved the way for you to be able to start this sport. Skateboard tricks, while fun to learn and do, must still be done with safety in mind.

If you would like to learn more free skateboard trick tips then our website is where you need to go. You can discover great skateboarding tips for beginners and be on your way to being a very good skateboarder in

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Get Skating

Alright there are a couple things you need to know before you get started skateboarding. You need to know the basic tricks and you need to know how you stand on the board. The first thing you need to know about skateboarding is how to ollie. The ollie is the starting point of almost every skateboarding trick there is. You do an ollie by slamming the tail of your board down onto the ground with your back foot, while at the same time jumping up in the air and sliding your front foot forward to level out your board.

The next thing you need to know is how to a backside trick. Backside is where your back is turned towards the ramp or object that you are doing a trick on. The next thing is the front side. The front side is where your facing the ramp or object that your getting ready to do a trick on. Alright, the next thing you need to know is difference between fakie and switch. Fakie is where you are skating backwards, your skating in your normal stance, but the board is moving backwards. And switch is where your riding opposite the way you would normally skate, like if you skate regular and your riding with your right foot in front.

The next thing is you need to know the difference between stances, there is regular stance, and there is goofy. Regular stance is where you skate with your left foot in front, and goofy is where you skate with your right foot in front. Next you need to know about grinding. Grinding is where your slide either one or both of your trucks on a ramp, rail, or curb, it doesn't matter what the object is. Alright next thing is the nollie, Kind of like an ollie only backwards. With an ollie you use the nose of the board and your front foot, instead of with an ollie and you use the tail and back foot. OK, the next thing you need to know is never do the mongo push, the mongo push is where you take your front foot of the board and use it to push yourself along. This is a bad idea because when you take your front foot of the board you loose balance and it can cause your to wreck.

Next thing is you need to know how to manual. A manual is where you lift either the front truck or the back truck off the ground a little and balance on the other. Next you need to know what a board slide is. A board slide is basically a grind but you don't use your trucks. You use the middle of your board to slide across objects. Alright that is the basics you need to know to get you started. So get out there and have fun!

Dustin Smith - http://www.meteora-skateboards.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dustin_L_Smith

Build Your Own Skate Ramp

Building your own skateboarding ramp doesn't have to be difficult, but you do need some basis knowledge. The type of wood you use is going to determine how long it is going to last you. The way in which you build it will also determine if you are able to skate on it successfully. You have to take the length of the ramp as well as what you want to do with it into consideration. For example building a skateboarding ramp to gain speed is going to look different than one you create to do tricks with.

That is the key to it all really, knowing the different types of skateboarding ramps that exist. That way you can create one that is going to serve your needs the best. Don't assume that a ramp is just a ramp or you will end up disappointed with the results you get from it. The process can be challenging but also quite a reward once it is done and operational.

There are skateboard ramps that you can buy, but they are definitely overpriced. Instead of wasting money on them you should be able to create one on your own. If you can follow simple plans, use a saw, use a hammer and nails, then you will be all set. You can buy plans for a skateboarding ramp online for just a few dollars as well. Make sure you find out if they offer step by step instructions in detail though so you can do the job right the first time.

Of course you can create your own ideas for a skateboarding ramp as well. This is more complicated though. You have to take many things into consideration including the angles that it needs to have to get the desired results. You may have to revamp your idea as you go along to ensure it is going to be successful. If you have scrap wood around that you can use without any investment this is even better. That way if it doesn't work right the first time you can buy more to correct it and not have a huge investment in the project.

If you are good at it, you may find that you can make some money this way too. Other skateboarders will likely want to have such a ramp for them to use at home as well. If you can keep the cost of the materials low then you can make a nice profit at this. For someone that likes working with such materials it can be an enjoyable way to make some extra money. If you want some new skateboarding items then this can offer you a way to pay for them.

Take some time to explore the various types of skateboarding ramp plans that are found online. They can help you to get a solid idea of what you need to accomplish in order to have a ramp that works the way you want it to. There are plenty of complaints online from people that ended up with one that doesn't allow them to perform the way they want to. Don't let that be what happens to you after you put time into the process and pay money for the materials to create one.

Done correctly, building your own skateboarding ramp is a great way to enjoy your skateboard more. Parents will find that this can be a great project for them to do with their child. It shows that you are interested in their desire to skateboard and they will appreciate the effort you put into helping them get a ramp that they can use in the driveway too.

Skateboards are one of the most popular sport equipments among young groups. There are two kinds of skateboards can be chosen when you come to buy one. One is complete skateboards which are good options for beginners. Another one is customized skateboards which are senior level skaters' favourites. You can find both kinds of skateboards in SkateboardsPro.com.au

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Pauls