Cohort: 8.25″ Chase Ehrlich
Who is Chase Ehrlich? I don’t know but apparently he has his own model, and is a ripper – see the photo below. (Update: Now i know… see the update at the end of the review.) The model we tested was an 8.25 incher with a 14.5″ wheelbase. It also comes in an 8″ model with a 14.25″ wheelbase. This one came with a blue stain on top. I have a feeling it might have been a misprint because it was 2 colors and not three like the ones that show up on the Cohort web site. Beggars can’t be choosers though, so I’m not complaining.
Graphics: Hey that’s what it’s all about, right? Chase’s graphics feature a favorite staple, the ghost pirate. You can’t go wrong with that, so let me take this opportunity to add a gratuitous “Aaaarrrgh!” But seriously folks, the Chas Ehrlich deck uses one of my favorite devices in skateboard design, which is when you have a graphic that has a break in the solid color background to let the wood grain show through. It’s different than just printing on the wood grain. In this case it’s got the added bonus of the wood grain being wood grain for the wooden planks on the deck of the ship. It’s real Trompe l’oeil stuff here folks. Look it up. Also the reason why I chose to photograph it on the exquisitely crappy wood grain linoleum floor in my kitchen. The top graphic carries on the theme with a pirate Cohort logo.
The Wood: Hey, that’s what it’s all about, right? Err… This deck has what I would describe as a medium to mild concave. It’s stiff as hell and surprisingly light. Durable? Yes! I’ve ridden more than one deck from this supplier and they are a high quality. It should feel good under your feet, and stay that way for a good amount of time. This board was made in the U.S.A..
Chase has a smoking fixation, and if you don’t buy his decks he’ll end up in an iron lung or dead like the pirate on the bottom of his deck. Ok, I’m making this up based on the ads featuring lots of cigarette butts and the fact that the first 100 decks come with limited edition pack of matches and a smoke, which I believe is a first in skateboard marketing.
Update: This just in from Cohort – “Chase is a former Birdhouse/151/Bones Wheels/DVS/ Dragon etc, etc. sponsored rider who did the the whole mumbo jumbo for years and managed to blow out his knees in the process. He’s now back w/a vengence and out for the kill. Yeah, he smokes and drinks like he’s Evel Knievel or something and I suppose it just ads to the allure… All around ripper and local hero.”
