History Of Skateboarding

We’ve come a long way in the world of longboarding, haven’t we? From rudimentary boards and clay wheels to high-tech decks and urethane wheels, the gear stages for skateboarding is truly remarkable. Street longboarding is fun and exciting. The skate industry will surprise you with the people who are into skateboarding nowadays. Well, street skating hardware are nothing new to the skate scene, with skaters continuously seeking innovation in the skate deck. After people learned to roller skate in the past, people eventually adopted many other skating types such as street league and vert longboarding, ice skating, and many more. Many skate videos now include different longboarding tricks and exhibitions, which make the skate industry a whole lot of fun. It’s not just about the thrill of riding anymore; it’s also about ensuring safety and performance for all those who step on a board, a reflection of how the transformation of gear has completely revolutionized skateboarding. As passionate advocates for serving others, we at FamilyHype believe in celebrating every step that has been taken toward making skateboarding more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

skaters at the park
Source: istockphoto.com

Skateboarding Gear And Top Secrets To Skatboarding Gracefully

In this article, we’ll take you through the fascinating progression of skate decks and skateboarding gear from humble beginnings to modern marvels, exploring how each era brought its own skateboarding advancements, enhancing the  skateboarding experience for skaters worldwide while maintaining an unwavering commitment to quality and safety. As we look back on the evolution of gear for skateboarding, including the rise of skate parks, we can see a clear trajectory of progression that has brought us to where we are today, with a special focus on the impact of modern skateboarding. From the early days of clay wheels to the modern marvels of urethane wheels, skateboarders have seen incredible improvements in terms of speed, stability, and safety, thanks to advancements in sports gear.  With these advances, skateboarding has become an even more accessible and popular form of recreation.

The Early Days: Wood And Clay Skate

  • Skateboarding started in Southern California, with the roots deeply embedded in the punk rock culture, giving rise to diverse styles like roller derby skateboarding. Back in the skateboarding’s early days, there was something special about the skateboarding evolution, rolling around on wooden boards with clay wheels. There was the Bones Brigade Video Show and skateboarding competitions, which provide excitement to the youth. The early skateboarding’s days were a far cry from the high-tech skateboarding industry we know today, characterized by wooden decks and clay wheels. As the skateboarding history unfolded, skateboarding began to gain traction. It was the polyurethane wheels that marked a pivotal moment in the skateboarding evolution, transforming the riding experience and inspiring skate shops. With the professional skateboarders, including luminaries like Lance Mountain, and innovative companies like Cadillac Wheels, the skateboarding landscape started to shift. The revolutionary jump to high-quality skateboards and the construction of wooden ramps, including the iconic vertical ramps of Southern California, propelled skateboarding and the four wheels toward mainstream attention, providing skaters with better grip and control. This four-wheeled revolution paved the way for milestones like the X Games, solidifying skateboarding’s place as not just a hobby, but a thrilling and dynamic sport.

The 1960s: Skate Wheels And The Transformation In Street Skateboarding

  • The 1960s marked a major shift in the skateboarding world as steel wheels were first introduced to the game, giving rise to the first skateboard and sparking a cultural revolution, paving the way for influential skate companies and contributing to the skateboarding’s global recognition as a potential Olympic sport and contributing to the first skate park culture. This revolutionary gear offered a smoother ride than ever before, and its unmatched durability made it a game-changer for skateboarding. Wheel innovation began escalating rapidly, allowing skaters to go faster and farther, while tricks became more dynamic. Boarding culture started to boom, and FamilyHype encourages readers to share their experiences on the impact this shift had on skateboarding.

The 1970s Evolution In Street Skateboarding: Urethane Unleashed

  • As we delve into the 1970s, we’re met with a significant shift in the skateboarding history: the urethane wheels. This innovation didn’t just change the way skateboards rolled; it revolutionized how and where we could engage in skateboarding, paving the way for a thrilling new style—vert skateboarding. The 1970s marked a transformative era for the evolution of skateboarding, shaping the skateboard industry with the urethane wheels advancement, revolutionizing the way skaters approached skate decks and contributing to the skate park culture, ushering more innovations and creativity where skateboarders showed their skills on new terrains. This period witnessed new tricks and styles that pushed the boundaries in the skateboarding industry. The quarterly Skateboarder magazine and influential releases like the Bones Brigade video helped crystallize the evolving skateboarding culture. As skateboarding companies proliferated, the skateboarding industry started to take shape, with professional skateboarders gaining recognition and brands like Company Cadillac Wheels leading the charge in producing high-quality skateboarding gear. The 1970s laid the groundwork for the continuous evolution of skateboarding, setting the stage for the dynamic and diverse skateboarding sport we know today.

Evolution Of Urethane: Shaping Street Roller Skates

  • You’ve probably never thought about it, but urethane wheels had a game-changing impact on longboarding culture and longboarding performance. Urethane’s durability made skateboards faster and smoother, transforming how we ride. The urethane manufacturing process also allowed for better control and stability in longboarding. This longboarding revolution not only changed our experience on the streets, but it allowed skateboarders to explore new styles like vert longboarding, street skateboarding, and dirt longboarding. These changes allowed skateboarding to evolve into the activity we know and love today.
evolution of skating - every skaters skateboard with back background and strong wheels
Source: istockphoto.com

Birth Of Vert Riding

  • The vert longboarding’s birth completely revolutionized the longboading industry, leading to professional skateboards’ development and inspiring a new wave of creativity in the sport, shaping the way skaters interacted with their skate decks and paving the way for innovative longboading maintenance practices, just like roller derby. It’s quite a thrill to delve into vert longboading , a style that took longboading to new heights and introduced daredevil stunts we couldn’t have dreamt before. Here at FamilyHype, we highly value the family unit and are excited to share this historical look into longboarding. This era brought innovative vert ramp construction, enhanced skaters’ safety gear, a surge in longboading popularity, the televised longboarding events, and the rise of professional skateboarders. The adrenaline rush these changes brought us leads naturally to our next discussion: how high-quality skateboard decks evolved over time. Skateboarding is important in extreme sports industry, including skateboard brands, skateboard manufacturers, skateboarders, skate parks, and skateboard competitions.

The Development Of Skateboarding Decks

  • At FamilyHype, we’re proud to share the history of skateboard decks over time. From graphics to composite materials, the changes in skateboard decks have been very reflective. This is the ever-changing longboading culture, emphasizing how longboading maintained its core values while evolving. We believe in fostering progress together, and we’re excited to see what the future of longboading holds. Let’s dive into how trucks and bearings have developed to take our ride to the next level.

The Development In Skateboarding Trucks And Bearings

  • Having explored the world of skateboard decks, let’s pivot to another vital component – trucks, and bearings, where skaters experiment with self-produced skateboards. Skateboarding trucks have evolved significantly with various materials, such as aluminum, titanium, and magnesium, now used for their construction, providing greater durability and a smoother ride. Bearing lubrication has also made leaps in ensuring better performance and increased safety for skaters. The development of longboading trucks and bearings is essential for a comfortable and safe ride. Recent advancements have allowed for lighter materials, such as aluminum, titanium, and magnesium, to be used for the trucks construction, allowing for greater durability and a smoother ride.

 

Skateboarding
Source: istockphoto.com

Skateboarding Tools And Modern Advances In Safety Gears

From the development of skateboarding trucks and skateboarding bearings to the latest skateboarding helmet innovations and board graphics, modern advances in skateboarding equipment, including the emergence of girl skateboards, are transforming our rides like never before.

Whether you’re a beginner in skateboarding or a pro skateboarding enthuasiast, skateboards are becoming increasingly customizable, allowing you to express yourself through the design of your skateboarding equipment as well as the safety of your skateboarding helmet.

With the skateboard skate deck, skate trucks, skate wheels, skate bearings, and helmet all working together to provide the perfect skateboarding experience, it’s no wonder that skateboarding has become such a popular sport for the whole family.

We are living in a time where the evolution of skateboarding will keep on in a fast phase but we also live in a time where you can do what works best for you. Popular and latest skateboarding is not always for everyone, so stay classic and timeless.

fun skating or skateboarding
Source: istockphoto.com

Conclusion


We’ve journeyed together through the evolution of gear for skateboarding, from crude clay skate wheels to the precision-crafted urethane of today. Along the way, we’ve seen how skateboarding innovation has shaped and improved our boards, making them safer and more enjoyable to ride.
As skateboarding enthuasiasts ourselves, we appreciate these advancements and are excited about what’s next in this ever-evolving skateboarding sport. Let’s keep pushing skateboarding boundaries together!

Real Skateboard History (FAQs):

What Is The History Of Skate Sport?

Skateboarding history traces back to the mid-20th century, evolving from surfers attaching skate wheels to wooden planks for land-based surfing. It has since developed into a global phenomenon, with diverse styles, technology, and a rich cultural impact.

What Was Skate Sport First Known As?

Skateboarding was first known as “sidewalk surfing” due to its initial resemblance to surfing on the pavement rather than water. 

Why Are Skateboards Shaped The Way They Are?

Skateboards are shaped for balance, control, and maneuverability. The double-kick shape, concave design, and width provide stability and the ability to perform tricks. The board shapes are mainly for functionality and balance to help the skaters maneuver in their skateboards easily. 

What Is The Evolution Of The Skating Bones Brigade?

The Bones Brigade was a prominent skate team formed in the early 1980s. Led by Stacy Peralta, it featured legendary skaters like Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Steve Caballero, and Rob Dyrdek contributing to the sport’s growth and innovation.

What Is The Skateboard Design Ever Called?

The design under a skateboard is often referred to as “skate graphic” or “skate deck art.” It’s the artwork that’s applied to the top side of the skateboard deck.

How Does A Longboard Change Direction?

Skateboards change direction through leaning and shifting body weight – that’s evolutionary. By pressing on the toes or heels, riders can pivot the trucks (axle assemblies) and guide the skateboard’s movement.

What Are The Curves On A Skate Deck Called?

The curves on a skateboard are called “transition” or “ramps” including features like bowls, halfpipes, and quarterpipes that enable skaters to perform tricks and gain momentum, as well as providing unique challenges for those with a passion for roller skate trucks. That’s part of the skateboarding is evolutionary!

What Is The Culture Of Skateboards?

Skateboarding culture encompasses the lifestyle, values, fashion, art, music, and community associated with skateboarding. It’s a unique subculture rooted in the evolution of sports and its impact on the lives of people.

How Do They Make Longboards?

Skateboards are typically made from layers of wood veneer pressed together with adhesive and shaped into a skate deck. Trucks of skates, skate wheels, and skate grip tape are then added to create a complete skateboard. Of course, it’s amazing!

What Do Skateboarding Pros Call Themselves?

Boarders often refer to themselves as “riders”. This term reflects their participation in the sport and their identification with culture of skateboarding.

What Are The Different Stages Of Skating That A Rider Can Experience?

Last Updated on April 30, 2024 by Mary Cimeni

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