LATE 80s skateboarding

SIGNS YOU SKATED IN THE LATE 80s

There's something truly nostalgic thinking back about when my brother and I started skating back in 1987. Not all of you will relate to this, but those that skated during this period will understand what I mean when I say how incredible and life changing that era was.

Skateboarding in the late 80s was a lifestyle, much like today, but something more raw and dynamic consumed skaters' lives. 

Pioneers were born, tricks were being learned for the first time, clothes were insane, every skater was your friend and skate comps were goose bump inspiring events where actual heroes attended. To see Hosoi or Gonz or Hawk or Gator or Chris Miller or any of the Bones Brigade in 1988 was tantamount to the holy grail of skateboarding. 

The 80s.

---

JUMP RAMPS

There's just nothing cooler. Jesse Martinez, Gonz, Blender, Kaupus, Guerrero, Dressen all killed the jump ramp. To watch giant methods at Venice Beach or to see Hosoi boost a judo air at a Demo in London was fucking awesome. 

FASHION

Some look back with embarrassment at this era to how we dressed. To me, i'm really proud of my bright pink tees, double swatches, Life's a Beach trousers and multi-coloured Vans. To get a new Life's a Beach Jetson's painters cap was a dream and anything from Ocean Pacific, Gotcha, or towards the end of the 80s Vision Street Wear was a mandatory part of the uniform. I can happily say I owned and donned this attire daily.

Clearly Gonz fit into this era effortlessly

THE PIONEERS

If you were lucky enough to start skating when we did, you'd witness first-hand tricks being invented. Never before tricks done on obstacles yet to be skated. To see Natas do a handrail in 1986 would have been madness. Or to watch Julian Stranger frontside board slide a rail in the following year. Or to see Hensley kick flip melon a bin? Or Gonz and Natas taking Mullen's kick flip from freestyle to street. And then in 1989 witnessing the likes of Hensley, Klein, Lotti, Barbee, Vallely, Templeton and Hill take all these freshly invented tricks to new heights and push them further than you can imagine. 

THE BONES BRIGADE

There's not much I can say about the Bones Brigade that hasn't been said before. But this picture probably sums it up pretty well.

Nike Jordans, quad handplants, the best videos ever and personalities we still know till this day. Word.

What an excellent period of time. Thank you to all involved.