Concrete Wave Articles

IGSA's report on the 2008 Niorth American Championships and the Hot Heels Africa races, as featured in Concrete Wave Magazine.

Well, with the terror of one of the most damaging economic downturns almost behind us, longboarding is taking off. Manufacturers that were running lean to make it through the crisis are finding stock flying out the door. Small shops that have been forever losing money on shop decks are putting more and more orders into manufacturers and distributors of “longskates”. Some shops are ordering 20 decks at a time and word’s getting around the retailer networks, more or less crediting longboarding with helping keep the numbers high during the slow period. Except now, it’s not just “beer run boards” of any ilk proffered by clueless popsicle stick hawkers looking to cash in, but shop owners realizing the world of options and stoke you’re out there skating in… and Summer is here! With momentum building, companies are starting to take effort to make it into new technologies and materials. While Big Corporate is preparing to roll out a “Fall Line” of soft goods and image products that will bring a new meaning to “mallboarder”, the hardcore board companies see the next wave of recognition coming for longboarding, old-school fun and new decks, wheels and trucks using innovative materials and design. The question is, however, is there really a market for all of the new gear?

O N E R O A D , M A N Y S T O R I E S , 100% SKATEBOARDING There’s a lot of talk these days about “divisions” within skateboarding. There are some who believe that if you’re not sliding down a rail or grinding coping, then you’re not really a part of skateboarding. In my opinion, exclusion and intolerance are absolutely everything that skateboarding should NOT be. At Concrete Wave, we’ve chosen a path to tell a variety of different skate stories. While I am quite aware that not every vert skater wants to see photos of freestyle or slalom, and not every speedboarder is interested in street skating, the fact is ALL these types of skateboarding exist and are thriving

The dream seemed easy enough! Get a cool bus, travel to races and have support from advertisers and sponsors. The Loco Express is a 1965 Dodge Travco. I received it for free, but free really means a big, fat, expensive bill. With a great amount of help from Stumanchu, friends and the guys at Auto Friends, the Loco Express was given the ability to go and stop safely. The interior was put together over three days, with everyone coming together to help get us on the road for our USA tour. The Loco Express would never have left the garage without the financial support and labor of friends and sponsors.