Kape Skateboards is the latest in the long line of alternative skateboard manufacturing techniques. These boards are a combination of fiberglass and recycled ocean plastic, which is super cool. How much of the materials are recycled ocean plastic is hard to tell because the closest the web site comes to being specific is to say that they are “largely” made of recycled plastic sourced from the sea. These things are supposed to feel like wood for the life of the deck without getting spongey. Waterproof too… They only make one size because they are molded and not laminated, so each deck would require a different mold. Curiously, the size they came up with is an 8.25″ wide deck with a 14.13″ wheelbase that is supposed to “fit most skaters just right.” That’s an odd claim for a board that is likely wider than most kids are riding and probably has a shorter wheelbase. What do I know, I’m still riding the new old stock from my mostly dead skateboard company. You might expect to pay a premium for a long lasting deck that can’t delam and slides like everslick, and you will. It’s about $120 USD, which is the price…

Sustainability in skateboard manufacturing has to be tackled by the skateboard industry at some point. Bamboo, hemp, whatever… There’s a Kickstarter campaign running right now for a process to make skateboards out of 100% recycled plastic. It’s a little different than most kickstarters, this entire project is open source, and the campaign is essentially just trying to raise money to prepare proper documentation to release in the public domain, allowing anybody the chance to replicate what Jason Knight has done.

Ernest Packaging has produced a great series of marketing videos called Cardboard Chaos in which they make unusual things out of cardboard, including snowboards, surfboards, and of course, skateboards. Professor Schmitt and Tony Hawk were brought in to help with the skateboard edition. The first try worked pretty well until they got to the frontside disaster. After they worked out the kinks they let Tony have a go at it. His verdict: It’s essentially as good as any other skateboard, but it’s too heavy. They left out some footage that would have made it more interesting, but perhaps diluted their message. I would have liked to get the details on which construction methods worked well and which ones didn’t. Between the initial testing they went from a board that felt light to one whose heavy weight was practically the first thing that Tony commented on. All this proves really, is that with enough fiberglass and epoxy, you can probably make a skateboard out of anything. Beanies off to Ernest Packaging for finding a way to get exposure through Extreme!™ sports in way that doesn’t turn skateboarder’s collective stomaches. Just think, you could make a skateboard out of recycled issues of…