Remember Santa Cruz’s ill-fated foam core decks? After they sat on the shelf for months, our local shop basically sold them for the cost of Naked Decks to get rid of them. Let’s go back to the future. Somehow I ended up on the CCS email list. I don’t know how or why. I’ve never bought anything from them. I save all the catalogs becasue I like the pretty pictures of all the skateboard graphics. They even got me on email. The newest email is all about Hi-Tech Decks. Since I’m still waiting for that scan of the Wheelieboard I need to amuse myself with current wacky skateboard technology instead of retro chic. Besides, I’m gunning for a Gizmodo.com comments invite. They have a skateboard category for crying out loud.
Element has something called the Helium series. Hmm.. sounds light, but not too strong. Better go back to the focus group on that. Anyway, it’s got a five chamber air-frame it, basically corrugated ply that is supposed to reduce weight while adding strength. Element also has something called Fiberlight construction that is somehow not a trademark infringement on the old G&S Fiberlite, who was still in business or at least a brand name last time I checked. Fiberlight adds a fiberglass beam down the middle to reduce weight and provide unparalleled response to the Ollie. This is an old idea with a new marketing twist. The Rodney Mullen Conglomeration (Almost, Enjoi, Darkstar and Blind) offers Resin construction which near as I can tell, just replaces the water based glue with resin. Sounds toxic. Darkstar’s Armorlight construction has extra thin plys with a carbon composite fiber in the middle to increase stiffness, pop and durability. Err… If it looks like Bonite and smells like Bonite… Maybe it tastes like Bonite.
Mostly these processes seem to add to the costs and that’s about it. There’s a company making a deck from a 100% carbon fiber or some other composite material, but they have not even acknowledged my requests for a review board, so I’m not going to dignify them with a link. So let’s hear it. Does anyone out there use these alternative technology decks? Does anyone out there read this?
Last but not least, do any of you Skate and Annoy readers have a comments invite for Gizmodo.com that you want to pass on? Do I sound desperate? Do these pants make me look fat?
4 comments
masterochicken
Late comment! My friend had an Adam Dyet Armorlight. On the last day of the 30 day warranty, we went to see the X games and skate around LA. After the competition, we ran into, who else but, Adam Dyet. My friend, with his 30 day board looking absolutley trashed (It was actually cracked a bit) yells out in the crowd of children surrounding him, “I have your armorlight and it’s on the last day of warranty. Can you break it so they send me a new one?” After saying something about how it would probably bruise his heel, he kindly obliged.
I believe that he heelflipped to focus it, and it broke every layer of that deck accept for that damn carbon. In the end they wouldn’t give him a new deck anyway, because this deck was the deck he recieved because he already claimed warranty on the same deck.
masterochicken
Also, this year was the first year that Ryan Sheckler won the street comp. After that we vowed never to return to the street comp again.
Dusty
I read your stuff all of the time!
I don’t think you will ever see me riding on one of those plastic boards or anything close to Bonite. Unless these materials are used in the up and comming hoverboard
Day Reah
They dont make you look fat, we are all beautifull in our own special way.
All of those alternative boards are interesting, I wouldn’t mind trying one, just never have. Nothing wrong with good old natural plywood. That is what I always wind up with.