STRINGE
PRODUCT
PATRO
by Jake Phelps
MBU
65-36
98-95-92
ZORLUC
SKOTORDS
7945 DUNBROOK RD SUITE E SAN DIEGO CO 92129 #619 578 4722
SEND $4.00 FOR POSTER STICKER COTOLOG INFO
A
s we near the close of the 80's.
I often ask myself, what will the
next decade bring? Skate
board technology has had its share
of ups and downs, and anything is
possible. I think that wood will con-
tinue to be the main deck material,
but specialty boards will be available
to those in the know. You won't see
all of this month's deck assortment
in every store, but checking them out
will make you more aware of the "lit-
the people" out there who are design-
ing and creating the future.
At first glance, the Bad Moon Ris
ing deck set up with Tracker Extracks
and the new Madrid Blox looks like
something from the not too distant
future. The deck itself is definitely
one of a kind. It is designed as a
speed sled, nothing more and
nothing less. Concave in front, a
good deal of weight and a spoiler tail
make it ready for the ultimate test:
stand-up speed. Where a wood
board would not hold to the ground
as well at super high speeds, the Bad
Moon clings to the asphalt like a
cheap suit. Each
board is custom
made with 10 layers
of pressure lami-
nated fiberglass,
V plywood core
and polyurethane
coating. Materials
alone cost over $40.
Simply stated, it is
not a trick-oriented
everyday tool. It is
meant for the rush
that only downhill
madness can sup
ply. The shape is
similar to present
standards in that it
has concave and a
kicktail (with a 2"
spoiler at the end).
The warranty on this space age plank
states that cosmetics are not covered
but that the board is structurally guar
anteed for life to the original owner-
tough to beat that.
For those of you out
there who march to
the beat of a dif-
ferent drum, check
into the Bad Moon
Rising. Bad Moon
Boards, 8407 Ban-
dera Road, Suite
133-193, San An
tonio, TX 78250.
The Tracker Ex-
tracks were stable
and held their line
at the brink of dis
aster where other
trucks might have
blown out under
the intense ever-
present wobs pres-
sure. The Madrid
Blox surprised me.
Madrid has made some really terri-
ble wheels in the past and, to be
honest, I thought these would suck
hard. In fact, they held up admirably
under the riding conditions. I found
them tast and grippy. Maybe they
need to look into the durometer; the
95s felt a little on the soft side. Hey,
worth a look. Tracker: PO. Box 217,
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007.
Madrid: PO Box 2845, Santa Fe
Springs, CA 90670.
Naked Skateboards supplied
some wood for review, and I picked
the most normal for closer inspec
tion. It is called the PH.D. Naked
takes the money that they would nor
mally spend on graphics and gives
you quality shapes and designs al
more reasonable prices. It is a great
idea if you have a quality product.
The Naked decks feature a deep con-
cave and a tri-tail, as well as a whop-
per of a nose for a great combina-
tion of design and construction. Hey,
for thirty-five clams, it's worth it. The
PH.D. measures 30% long. 10"
wide, with a 6" tail
and 3% of nose
(the front holes are
in the nose for a
"rocker" effect).
Write to Naked
Skateboards, PO.
Box 149 Wittman,
MD 21676
Another com-
pany that is at the
forefront of con-
cave development
is H-Street. I have
wanted to check
out these tops for a
long time and I
finally got my
hands on the new
Matt Hensley mod-
el. H-Street was the
first company to do
whole body concave, and their new
decks are excellent. In fact, they
make so many shapes and sizes that
I'm sure there is something for
everyone. Hell, I wish they sent one
of each so I could try them all. While
the Hensley looks rather small, it ac-
tually feels larger. Sources say that
this is one of the most popular boards
in the shops. The stats are: 30%"
long, 9" wide, with 6% of tail, a
4" nose and a 15%" wheelbase.
Hopefully. I will be looking into more
of these later. H-Street, 10971 Iron-
wood, San Diego, CA 92131.
I often get stuff from people I have
never heard of. Such is the case with
the next two companies. Firstly, Bad
Okole sent the Street Cat, and if this
is any indication of what is to come,
the future looks bright. Nice concave
and nose kick, as well as a tri-tail with
an extra bump at the end. As a pet
owner I find the roadkill graphics a
bit much, but hey, if it catches your
eye, it works. It is 30% long. 10°
wide, has 6½" of tail, a 4" nose and
a 15% wheelbase (sound familiar?).
Their decks are available in both
7-ply maple and 6-ply maple with two
imbedded layers of aluminum. Con-
tact Bad Okole, 19 Shepard Place,
Nutley, NJ, 07110.
Secondly, we have the N-Men
slalom deck, designed by Mike
McGee. In my opinion, this deck
looks more like an eighth grade shop
project than a deck you would find
in a retail store. It is small and flat and
doesn't have a single good feature:
I can see. I've had this thing (and two
more like it) for a while, and I still can't
figure it out. The screen job on the
bottom is worth more than the
materials and workmanship. Come
on, guys, is this a joke or what?
N.H.S. sent in their new street rail,
and this is one hella slider bar. They
are designed to slide where you don't
think you can-and that's just what
they do. They wear out pretty fast, but
that is better than going for a slide
and having your board stop while you
keep going. Contact
N.H.S. and the truth
shall be yours. NHS
4401 Soquel Drive,
Soquel, CA, 95073.
Thanks for the
time and letters. A
note to manufac-
turers sending pro-
ducts: send UPS to
Product Patrol, 1303
Underwood Avenue,
S.F., CA 94124.
Kids: send letters to
Jake Phelps, c/o
Thrasher, PO Box
884570, San Fran
cisco, California
94188-4570
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