Get Laced with Skate Strings

The primary purpose of your shoe lace is to fasten your shoe in order to hold it tight to your foot. When it comes to skateboarding, your feet are in control. So it is essential to have your shoes laced securely (unless you are doing this).
As skateboarders we know that our favorite pastime destroys shoe laces. And if your shoe laces are destroyed, you risk the destabilization of your shoe and loss of control. Period. So, unless you are one of those talented shredders who can manage with a 14 inch piece of shoe lace tied in six knots and running through only the middle three of your shoes seven eyelets, you may want to check these out. SKATE STRINGS High Tech Abrasion Resistant laces are ready for shipping NOW and I am lucky enough to have a pair on the way to me. I will be posting photos and a review in the coming weeks so stay tuned!

Photo sources.

This Machine Destroys Curbs

No Comply Variations

The no comply impossible, or 360 foot wrap, is one of my favorite "go-to" flatland tricks. And while the no-comply itself, the no hands boneless one, either executed on flat ground or bonked over a curb, can be credited to one Mr. Neil Martin Blender, the whole step-hop, or step-off, style of skating that exploded between 1988 and 1990 can be credited to the creativity of such skaters as Ray Barbee, Matt Hensley, Mark Gonzales, Natas Kaupas, and so many more that I could fill the rest of this post with names. Here at home, we were initially trying to do this trick as a sort of bastardized version of a step-hop shove-it by stepping off of the board and sweeping it 180 degrees. That is until one day our friend Joey said, "Try it 360, it's easier than the 180. Just scoop it with your foot!"

The Return of the 10 x 33 and Other eBay Finds

Regular readers of this blog may recognize the above shape as something I have written about plenty of times before. These decks are available from a handful of sellers on eBay and range in price from $15.99 USD up to $24.99 USD. The stained bottom veneer and the wheel wells are a new edition that I've not seen before and make these cheap decks even more visually appealing. So, what's the deal with them? Are they worth buying? That depends on you. Are you a skater on a tight budget like myself? Can you live with the fact that the 16" wheelbase may leave a small gap between your risers and your deck? If you answered yes to either of these questions then these decks are not a bad deal at all.

Next up is the "Seven Sins" 7 ply retro square tail slick bottom skateboard deck, made in U.S.A. and reasonably priced at $27.99 USD. This one caught my eye as I was browsing for 9" skateboard decks and stands out because of its simplicity. It's simply RAD.

Top view of the tapered square tail. This seller also has an 8 ply "Big Boy Board" as well, made for, you know, big boys. If you are in the market for a slick, or for a thicker deck with less flex, then check these guys out.

Assault Skateboards Video Trailer

Greg Harbour, Wildman, Demarcus James, Casey Meyer, Donger, Chris Livingston, Ace Pelka , Ricky Winsor, Mario Rubalcaba, and Ned Hadden are about to turn shit upside down with this release!

The Return of LUCHASKATE

I am STOKED to have added LUCHASKATE to the blog roll today. I can only imagine the work that D.T. put into the online magazine in order to keep it going while keeping up with this thing we call LIFE. Glad to see you back on the block.

Don Pendleton at Huntington Museum of Art

May 17th, 2014 from 2pm-5pm, the Huntington Museum of Art (located at 2033 McCoy Road, Huntington, WV 25701) will be hosting Skate Day as a part of the Fine Lines: The Artwork of Don Pendleton exhibit. Meet and skate with the artist and browse around. Trace from Gnarleston will be there with product as well! The exhibit runs through June 1, 2014.