GX Skate gyro thingy

Man, that kid looks stoked. This is called the GX Skate. I stared at these things in the store for about ten minutes trying to figure out how they worked and what they would do. Then I saw the video and all made sense, until it didn’t make sense after all. Turns out these things are an offshoot of automobile-based toy. Someone thought to themselves, “Hey, skateboards are hot with the kids, lets turn those car toys into skateboards.” The movement is fun to watch, but it doesn’t really corollate physically to a skateboard.

– Thanks to Hung Chang for the tip.

So check out the video. The toys look fun, but again, they give the impression of a skateboard stapled over an existing concept. The hilarious thing about the commercial is that it encourages kids to bring these things to actual skateparks and fling them around. I can’t wait until that trend picks up. I can’t wait to have to start dodging small plastic toys. What park is that, anyone?

They are really doing this thing right from a marketing standpoint. You can buy multiple shaped boards and swap out the gyros. It kind of reminds me of those spinning tops with crazy decorations. You could rev them up by rubbing the tip on th ground and s weight on the inside would spin. They had little attachments for making them balance at angles. Anyway… here’s the obligatory quarterpipe, but with a spine.

Following the spine ramp is the SK8 bench, which, you know, makes sense. Comes with garbage cans and possibly even toy garbage.

Well here’s a close up of the skateboard, of sorts. OK.

More street terrain. Here’s the “Rail Grind” which could possibly be classified as a “grind” in the classic sense of the Z-Roller truck, but what’s up with the little chute thing? It almost looks like a slide.

Well, darn it all if it isn’t an actual slide. One of the most beloved skateboarding obstacles of all time for sure!

Check out the “Trick Tip” videos, which are really thinly disguised, product demonstrations orchestrated by what looks like middle aged dudes in the conference room of the toy company. That ought to stoke the little kids!