Fab
Low22et
Namba
PRODUCT
When constantly bombarded by
magazine advertisements from the
big companies, you begin to feel that
each one is trying to keep up with the
next. You get saturated by ad after ad
and when you get to that point, tend
to steer clear of the hype
Skull Skates is one such manufac-
turer Their ads often feature older
skaters that are in it "for the sake of
skating" and not the usual money-
hungry aspects. Their product line
mainly consists of boards, pure and
simple. They make little boards, big
boards, fish boards and standard
shape boards, with adequate con-
cave and thin, light wood.
The Skull boards in this month's
write up are the Skeletal 2, three dif-
ferent band boards and the Dave
Hackett Street Sickle. First off,
regardless of your choice of band,
whether it's the Vandals, Gang Green
or Social Distortion, these boards are
the same shape, length and width;
not much concave but good solid
planks with a steep tail and rounded
edges. The stats are 30% long x
97" wide, 16%" wheel base, 6" tail,
2½"nose-good street dimensions.
The Skeletal 2 has the same statistics
but a much more drastic spoon nose
and cutaway tail section for both
ramp and pool assaults. The Hackett
Street Sickle is the most unique. The
concave (flared) tail corners and
almost no nose, 2%", make this deck
seem quite unorthodox. At 29½"
long x 9" wide with 6" tail and
16 wheel base, this is definitely a
compact board for the smaller person
in a street situation. Set it up with
159's and some hard wheels and
beat it to death,
The only inconsistancy I've found
with Skull Skates is with their version
of the Hosoi model. The board's con-
cave varies drastically; some have
concave through the tail and some
don't. Some have spoon noses and
some are flat. All in all, good products
for real skaters. Write Skull Skates,
15464 Cabrito Rd., Van Nuys, CA
91406.
It seems I'm always writing about
new Powell whools. To stay on top of
the market, these guys continually
experiment with all kinds of shapes
and formulas. A new edition to the
PATROL
HACKETT
Powell wheel line, the Cross Bone,
measure in at 60mm and feature
shaped inner and outer radii making
these wheels reversible to ac
comodate the harsh wear and tear
from street riding. When the Rat
VANDALS
Bones coned out, the wheel didn't
function as well when reversed, so
the Crossbones seem to be the
answer. The ones that I tried said 95A
on them, but they were definitely
harder. No chips and even wear
when rotated frequently. Keep trying
new stuff manufacturers, so we can
all keep skating strong. Write to
Powel/Peralta, 501 E. Gutierrez St.,
Santa Barbara, CA 93103.
I've also acquired some Pro
Design knee pads that were a gift
from God, with very comfortable pad-
ding, ultra-high density and heavy
duty velcro, not like the little straps
on some other pads. Each pad is
hand sewn and you can tell that the
manufacturer definitely took time,
and lent an ear to the many pro
skaters that offered up ideas, in stoor-
ing clear of the mass-produced pro-
duct that everyone else has. When it
comes time to slam, the P.D. pads are
the ones to count on. Don't worry
about slip-off because the padding
extends about 4 inches above the
knee cap, no masonite burn here.
The caps need to be beefed up a bit
because they tend to wear out quick-
ly, but extra replacements are also
available. So, the price is a little
steep you might say, but like they tell
you when you buy a motorcycle
helmet, get a $10.00 helmet for a
$10.00 head. Think about it, you want
to be walking long after you stop
skating, right? Write this guy a letter,
he sounds really into skating and
keeping skaters healthy. Pro Design
pads come in different sizes and pad-
ding density. Remember, we've all
got to wipe out and it's best to be ful-
ly prepared. For more info write: Pro
Designs, PO 925213, Houston, TX
77292.
A special note to Mr. Greg Aycock
in St. Louis; try riding some 95 or 94
wheels, they slide well and are grip-
py on ramps. Go to a shop and check
out all your choices.
For my warning of the month,
please kids, don't ring up your
parent's phone bills calling and ask-
ing a shop a million miles away if they
have a "yellow Gonzo." Mail order is
cool, but don't abuse it. Most impor-
tantly, don't let it abuse you. Don't let
someone you can't see tell you he
has the "best deal" for you. Go to a
shop, they have people who know
and can tell you. Plus, if you are not
satisfied you can take it back. Once
again kids, keep writing. Hey, what
about those Bennetts, huh?!?
103