I used to think hard goods and construction techniques were the reasons behind the excelling of the physical act of skateboarding but board construction and shoe designs don’t appear to have made massive changes for several years now.
However, watching modern skate videos I do feel the methods employed to render ledges skateable has had a strong effect on the tricks we see done. Spots are unlocked snd skaters have the time to set up or shift about, far more than in previous decades.
Maybe I’m digging for good waxing stories..?
These are the sort of threads you get from me when I’m off the na beers and self chatisisibg over watching traitors episodes. @nav will have a field day when he wakes up tomorrow morning…
I think this is a spot on observation. I look back at late 1980s and early 1990s videos, and a key theme seems to be discovery. It’s like skaters have just worked out what you can achieve skating street architecture and there’s this explosion of creativity. Everything is NBD, everything is up for grabs.
Now, in contrast, new spots seem to be at a premium. Architecture is more hostile and cities more commercialised/privatised. Skaters have got to get inventive, so more grate popping, bondoing, and brick rubbing. All those DIY skills learnt in guerrilla builds now taken to the streets more broadly.
Although not sure skating is at its zenith. Undeniably someone like Nyjah or Foy is peak skateboarding. But a lot of the younger skaters skate in a very flowy, intuitive way which sort of ignores out and out stuntman shit. They’re not bothered about jumping on the biggest handrails, but have a more unique, expressive style to their skating. Less Joe Hinson and more Bear Myles.
I think kids/younger skaters give less of a shot about ‘pro skating’ these days and therefore don’t aspire to get good like that any more. What’s the point really?
