In an era where large corporations seem to want to dictate the future of our beloved sport, it’s refreshing to see that the actuel board industry, once considered the center of skateboarding, is currently at the heart of a new and pure movement : It’s the skater owned and operated small companies era.
That said, it’s also important to understand that the major players who have entered our leagues during the past few years do not represent a negative aspect for our industry, it’s actually the opposite. If brands like Nike or Adidas are interested in skateboarding, it is because the sport is becoming more and more accepted on a global level. And we think it’s good.
However, Skateboarding takes root in a unique culture. A culture that can only survive through the pure love of this way of life. And that’s why we are pleased to support several new small companies that, given the situation in which the industry is right now, have managed to create an organic and original craze for their products.
For many skaters, a board is much more than just a wooden toy with trucks and wheels on it. It’s a tool that will literally become the extension of their legs for the weeks following the purchase. Everything is important : the shape, the graphic, the spirit surrounding the brand, the riders, etc. And it’s all these little details that differentiate the new independent brands from the others.
Here are a few brands you have to know about.
WELCOME
With their completely unique shapes, their eclectic team and their artistic graphics, Welcome Skateboards, a company that appeared on the market in 2010, has earned a prominent place among the already established skateboard brands we know today.
According to Jason Celaya, inventor of the brand, a board should make you feel something powerful when you see it. Welcome Skateboards responds perfectly to this statement.
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Coming straight from New York, the new Alltimers brand has been able to catch our attendion us in the last few years. With a team including several Canadian skaters living in Montreal, the brand has a big presence here and it’s not for nothing. Whether for their relaxing attitude, for the crazy graphics or for the brand’s « East Coast » vibe, Alltimers boards and products have been on the market for only a few years and are already in high demand in all of our stores.
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Polar is another heavyweight in the independant board brands field, hailing from Malmö, Sweden and captained by Pontus Alv, founder, art director, illustrator, filmmaker, editor, skater and DIY innovator. The guy is a creative force unlike any other in the contemporary skate scene. And with the help of co-founder and artist Stefan Narancic the brand has quickly become known for their always impressive graphics – each deck could very well be a wall hanger.
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Quasi appeared on the market in 2015 under the name Mother Skateboards, the brand then changed its name to Quasi as a result of legal problems, but this new name fits the company like a glove. Inspired by psychedelic art and everything abstract, the Quasi boards are among the most aesthetically pleasing boards on the market right now. Not to mention the team, including Jake Johnson, Tyler Bledsoe and Gilbert Crockett, among others. Tell yourself that if these legendary riders like Quasi products so much, you will definitely like them too !
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