NAKED
SKATEBOARDING PROHIBITED
ALL VIOLATORS
GS
WE ARE THEY
PERFORMANCE E
SKATEBOARD BLAIRS
PRODUCT
PATROL
by Jake Phelps
I've been waiting for this stuff for
a long time. Now that I have it, I'm
more than satisfied. The stuff I'm
talking about is the '89 Santa Cruz
skateboard line. This month I'll be
reviewing the following: a complete
Mini-Kendall with 170mm Thunders
and the new 97 durometer 60mm
Spitfires; a large Kendall; a small
Roskopp: and both S.M.A. Natas
decks. I'll also have some quality
entries in the trinket department.
Santa Cruz has been experiment-
ing with concaves and materials and
they've come up with some strong.
light, durable skate planks. The new
concave is more like a "rocker"-it's
deeper with a noticeable bend about
five inches back from the front truck.
To get a better idea of what I'm talk-
ing about, compare one of these to
an older model. The second Santa
Cruz improvement is the new
Blacktop lamination process. While
most companies stand by the tested
and true 7-ply maple, N.H.S. has
gone one better with an extra-strong
epoxy-glass laminate on top of the
already tough maple. Bottom line:
stronger decks. Blacktop is available
on Kendall, Roskopp, Natas and
Hosoi street boards, but not on the
larger ramp models.
The mini-Kendall is an excellent
deck for a little kid or an average
street skater. It is light and maneu-
verable, the two main prerequisites
for all decks. The numbers are 30"
by 9%, a 34 nose, a 6½" tail and
84" wide at the back truck. If it
seems like the set-ups always have
either Ventures or Thunders, it's
because not many other varieties of
trucks cross my path. Enough said
about trucks.
Spitfire wheels
are new and
this is the first
set I have seen.
They seem to
be a little softer
than a true 97,
but they are
smooth and fast
-the two main
qualities I look
for in a wheel.
60mm is a little
a board than I do. This
Blacktop stuff is strong
and able to take a hell
of a beating. I dropped
in onto concrete from
at least ten feet and
there was minimum
damage. They're riding these babies
into the nineties so don't get left out.
Write to N.H.S. 4401 Soquel Dr. So
quel, CA 95073.
Santa Cruz makes gloves now.
They look a lot like the ever-popular
Rectors, only they have a thumb
covering. They're well made with
super stitching and beefed-up palm
NARS
Still more news from Metiver, the
N.H.S. Wheel King. There are new
graphics on the Team Riders. It's the
same 64mm wheel, but with a multi-
colored screen to end all screens.
Every time I look at these puppies,
I ask myself, "How the hell do they
do it?" Also, be on the look-out for
Coffin Cut vert wheels. They're the
Bullet
shape with a
groove down
the middle for
less weight or
some other
clever reason.
More on these
SKATEBOARDS
Dealer Inquiries
Get Clear On Who And What We Are
About: Integrity In Skating
4747 Pearl St., Boulder, Co. 80301
303-449-8006
NAKED
SNOWBOAR
Call Or Write
Individual Inquiries
Send $1 And S.A.S.E. For Stickers And
How And Where To Get The Genuine
Things
P.O. Box 149 Wittman, MD 21676
301-745-2167
small for me,
but I'm sure
they will have
more sizes and
shapes. Good
slide, reversible
center set-
take a look.
The large
Kendall is 30½"
by 10" with a
3½" nose, a
6% tail and the
same
snap
zone width as the smaller model. The
S.M.A. Natas decks are sure to be
money in the bank for the retail.
stores. With a great shape and bad-
ass graphics, how can you lose? The
mini is 30" by 9" with a 3%" nose
and a 6% tail, while the large is
30% by 10" with 3½" of nose and
a 6½" tail. Remember, these are not
the controversial "SMA" associated
with Rocco, but Santa Monica.
Airlines, a subdivision of N.H.S. Any
correspondence about Natas boards
should be directed to N.H.S. Lastly,
we have the street Roskopp at 30.25"
by 9.75" with 3.25" of nose and 6.25"
of tail. It has the most unorthodox
shape of the bunch, but I'm sure Rob
knows more about what he wants in
padding for extra mileage. The only
complaint I had was that even though
they said XL on the package, the
gloves didn't come all the way to my
wrist. They have a standard velcro
tightener with an all-black color
scheme that makes them perfect for
a Billy Idol video.
Worthy of mention are the new
Hosoi Rocket rails. These rails are
smaller and thinner than other rails
on the market. They also come with
t-bolts, unlike most. If you remember,
Santa Cruz states in their warranty
that if you assemble their ac-
cessories without t-bolts, it will void
your warranty. The Rocket rails come
with a silk-screened inner edge so
you can impress all your friends.
later. Write to
N.H.S. for the
complete story.
Out of the
closet and into
the trinket de-
partment are
Skateairz, mod-
ified Sky-Hooks
I don't know if
many of you out
there remem
ber, but in 1978
Sky Hooks us-
ed to take out
full page ads
showing you
how to "get air
without holding
on." Lonnie
Hiramoto was the king, and I saw him
break his arm in Boston with these
crazy things. The only practical use
for these trinkets would be to buy a
set for someone you don't like and
hope they wind up in the hospital.
Just screw them into the top of your
deck and you're ready to die-I mean
fly. I don't recommend Skateairz to
anyone unless your name is Eveli
Kneivel. This is one idea that should
have stayed in the closet.
Well, that's it for this month. Keep
those questions, comments and pro-
ducts coming. I read and check out
everything. Write to me: Jake Phelps
C/O Product Patrol, THRASHER, PO
Box 884570, San Francisco, CA
94188-4570
95