jim gray
9ark partath
cunningha
COMPANY
KATES
COMPANY
RELITES
PRODUCT
PATROL
by Jake Phelps
Well, it's time for another look
into the ever changing world of
skate paraphernalia. I have receiv
ed some interesting letters in the
last month, and I think that the
overall response to the "new"
Product Patrol is good. Some of
you wrote that the action photos
are "bogus" and some wrote that
they are "killer" My opinion is that
if they catch your eye, they might
make you read, so in that respect
they're all right by me.
Right on schedule, the new
Steadham Industries shipment
landed in my lap. I like a name with
Industries in it because it sounds
like a car company or something.
Anyway, they never let me down
with their cool shapes and hell-
acious concave. It must be hard
owning a company with your name
on it because if it sucks it makes
you look bad and if it's great every-
one wants one for free. Steadham
has come a long way with his prod-
ucts and I commend him for "keep-
ing up with the Joneses" in this
hyped-out magazine-oriented
market. He sent two tops worthy of
closer inspection.
The first up is the Citizen X. It is
a good larger board with no blunt
edges, just a classic, smooth-all-
the-way-around shape. It comes in
at 31" long, 10%" wide, with a
7" tail, 4½" of nose and a 15"
wheelbase. The Ragerz street
model measures 30%" long, 10"
wide, with a 6%" tail, 4" of nose
and a 15" wheelbase. Both decks
la
have quality wood, steep tails and
total board concaves. Write
Steadham Industries, 1605 Falcon
Hill Ct, Cardiff, CA 92007.
Dogtown continues to expand
their board selection. While many
companies rest on their laurels,
Dogtown is not afraid to try new
things. Their '89 line reflects that.
The mini Micke Alba is
Dogtown's issue for the
urban terrorist. It is a
good little shape with
smooth concave and a
semi-steep tail. The
mini-Malba is 29%"
long, 9%" wide, with a
64" tail, 3½" of nose
and a 14" wheel-
base. Look for more
ideas from Dogtown,
including the old-
new/new-old K9 wheel,
in stores soon. Dogtown, PO Box
5512, Venice, CA 90296.
My complete set up is the Dog-
town Ben Schroeder with Venture
trucks and 95A Spitfire // wheels.
XXXX
XXXXX
XXXX
CITIZEN
XXXXXX
XXXXX
XXXX
XXX
As I stated before, the
Dogtown line is going
through changes. The
new Big Ben is at the
crest of that wave in
that it features a fat
nose and a wide tail
that make revert tricks
and backward riding
easier without loss of
foot placement or
maneuverability. This
Big Ben is 31½" long.
10" wide, with a 6½"
tail, 414" of nose and a rather small
(for a larger board) 15" wheelbase.
The set-up also features the
Venture truck system. As you may
know, Ventures take a while to get
used to if you don't usually ride
them. I think I've solved that prob-
lem by using the angled riser
system from Tracker to enhance
the turning ability-it really works.
They turn like Indy's, but they're
less expensive. And they have the
"made in the U.S.A." quality. Ven-
ture Trucks, PO Box 883942, San
Francisco, CA 94188-3942.
The Spitfire II is an excellent
street wheel. They're fast, smooth,
and when they cut loose on a slide,
look out man, they bark like hell.
I think the shape is a little on the
small side (61mm), but the com-
pound is excellent. They have
great bounce and they wear
evenly. One thing that I did notice
was that both sets I tried had air
bubbles that eventually wore to the
surface and disappeared. I.
wouldn't be surprised to see more
shapes and sizes from Spitfire in
the future. They come in two sizes
(1-60mm, 11-61mm), three
durometers (92, 95, 97) and three
colors (yellow, pink, white). Check
them out; the streets may never be
the same. Spitfire Wheels, PO Box
884234 San Francisco, CA 94188
Well, that's all she wrote, folks.
No trinkets, no namedrops, just the
facts. Thanks for all the letters, and
be patient-I will reply (if you send
a self-adressed, stamped enve-
lope). Next month: a slalom set-up
and liquor store wheels. Hey, who
loves ya baby? Jake Phelps, co
Thrasher, PO Box 884570, San
Francisco, CA 94188-4570.
BLOCK
HEAD
SKATEBOARD
P.O. BOX 57
OCEANSIDE, CA. 92054
(619) 433-0312
send $ for stickers/zine.
NO LIES
NO GIMMICKS
89