Of all the decisions we made in designing the world’s best, high-performance, earth-friendly surfskate, using Alpine trucks is the one that, to date, has garnered the most positive feedback from surfskate die-hards. This is because we made a conscious decision early in the R+D process. And along with a million other design decisions (big and small), it leads to what we see as the truest street-surf feel of any surfskate.
We spoke to Marcelo Gagliardi, our founder and CEO, to answer a few questions about Alpine Trucks on our surfskates and how, when they’re combined with Shred surfskate decks, make for one heck of a ride.
How did you first learn about Alpine trucks? Was it before developing the first Shred board?
MG: I learned about Alpine Trucks through the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world. The coach from the top Brazilian team happens to be a distributor. He gave me a board to ride, and I was blown away. The ride was exactly what I was looking for, and I was already working on prototypes for Shred. It was a bit serendipitous, I’d say.
Tell us about the moment you knew you wanted to put these trucks on your boards. What informed that decision?
MG: I knew from the first ride that these trucks were different . . . from the look to the tech to the feel. We’re always open to working with companies that align with our goals, doing things differently.
Why Alpine Trucks over the other options? What do they do that other trucks don’t?
MG: Alpine Trucks are the only surfskate truck that works in unison on the market. Both trucks pivot together to give you a silky-smooth transition from rail to rail.
What are the three coolest / most important features or benefits of these trucks? i.e., what are three things that make these trucks excellent for surf skaters?
MG: The movement of these trucks mimic surf turns very similarly. They teach you how to pump for speed and link your bottom turn and top turn. 2. The fact that you can change the bushing for the riding style you’re looking for is unique. 3. They have a nice balance of looseness to stability. They aren’t super wiggly when you go to push. A beginner could hop on this board and ride it without getting too out of control.
What do the different bushings allow skaters to do? Are those easy to swap out?
MG: They allow the rider to customize the feeling of their ride according to several factors. For instance, if you’re a bigger person with more weight, you would probably want a harder bearing, so you have more stability…or, if you want to practice your surf turns on a reasonably flat surface, then you would want a more loose setup. On the other hand, if you plan to ride something with more steepness, you would want to stiffen up the ride so you don’t get speed wobbles. No matter what, it takes one tool and only a few minutes.
What’s been the general response from people after riding with these trucks on Shred boards? Any specific pieces of feedback come to mind?
MG: The feedback has been super positive. They kind of thread the needle between a loose Carver-style surf truck and regular street trucks. They fit a niche while remaining versatile with the interchangeable bushings.
What does the choice to put Alpine trucks on Shred surfskates say about Shred as a brand?
MG: I think it says that we’re willing to work with like-minded companies who, even if relatively new, share our same passion for working on new technology towards sustainability. Those are the companies we want to collaborate and grow with in the future.
Will Alpine trucks be going on other models?
MG: Yep, Alpine Trucks are our go-to Surfskate Truck. All of our models coming out will be capable of using them on regular street trucks.
Anything else about the brand that’s notable, fun, or interesting?
MG: Well, Alpine Surfskate trucks are made in Brazil…like me. However, their creators are also surfers, and they don’t mind doing things differently.
There you go– now you know why there’s so much stoke surrounding our Alpine Trucks. If you love board tech, stay tuned for future specs-centered blogs. In the meantime, go get on your board! ✌️
Boards mentioned:
]]>This article explains how we put custom graphics on our boards (there are multiple ways), what kinds of graphics we can put on a Shred skateboard (practically anything), and how you can design your own graphics to put on a custom Shred surfskate.
There are no limits to the graphics we can apply. As long as we have a high quality image file, we can have anything printed in HD and put on a board. And we're not just limited to image files, design files, and logos. We can airbrush something by hand, use custom stencils, or dye fiberglass, too.
Logos are a common theme for customs – we've put logos on boards for non-profit organizations, podcasts, and destination retreats. Another common request is to match a determined surfboard aesthetic. That might mean a color combo or even a carbon fiber lay up. Some surfers want their surfboard / surfskate combo to share a visual style, which makes for a pretty sweet on-water / off-water quiver.
Multiple ways.
One method is through printing with a company called Boardlams. Using either rice paper printouts or a machine that prints directly onto fiberglass, we can print any digital image or graphic and integrate it into a skate deck.
Another way is to paint or dye fiberglass. This allows a ton of different looks, often drawing inspiration from designs that started in the surfboard industry. For surfers who want a surfskate aesthetic that looks and feels like it could be in the ocean, this is a great option.
A third way is to airbrush our honeycomb material. This allows for a solid color or a fade, leaving the rails (outer edges of the board) as a frame for the painted honeycomb interior. This looks great once it's finished – as seen on a handful of our flagship boards, like the Electrical Ninja, and on many of the customs we've showcased on Instagram, like the one shown below that we made for Plastic Free Fridays.
Process-wise, it is exactly the same. Like our approach to shaping deck molds, our approach to adding graphics can trace a direct line back to the surf industry. Just like with the best high-performance surfboards, we print images on fiberglass which then gets inlaid into the board and laminated with resin.
The Tinker board we built was a special one for sure! Tinker Hatfield is an absolute legend, and the custom art we put on his surfskate is one we'll never forget. There's been a lot, though. People can check out a few of the custom deck designs in a gallery on our Custom Boards page.
Lucid Grip is how we put grip on the decks without obscuring the board's graphics. It's made from recycled glass bottles, granulated then used as grip! It's a sustainable material, which we love. And because it's made with clear glass, it keeps the deck of the board visually accessible. Using traditional grip tape this is obviously not possible, since it covers the deck of the skateboard with opaque tape.
Simple: Head to the Custom Boards page on our website where you'll find a form that will allow you to explain your vision, and printable deck blanks that you can draw directly on. If you have a picture of a surfboard you want recreated, or a company logo, there's a file attachment field where you can drop those pieces of visual inspiration. From there, a Shred Builder will contact you to fully develop this idea in to a Shred skateboard.
If you don't want to draw out your vision, you can also just get on the phone with us and explain it. Most of the time we're able to create mockups and samples, to guarantee accuracy, before moving forward with a build.
Every custom board we do is a treat – they are always so unique and one-of-a-kind that they each take on a life of their own by the time they're finished. It's awesome to see someone's vision become a reality.
Just remember: Be creative. Don't limit yourself. And don't hesitate to reach out if you have a question or idea. We're always available to help point you in the right direction.
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]]>This project came about as a gift for Tinker to commemorate his 40th year at Nike. Ryan from Earth Tech is originally from Portland and he and Tinker go way back. For this project, we made a surfskate with custom graphics and Ryan crafted a hybrid wake surf/river surf board for him. Yes, Tinker Surfs!!
Tinker is an athlete who loves surfing. He longboards, stand up paddles, and wake surfs. We wanted to get him on a surfskate as a way for him to cross train while out of the water. A LOT of people think that when you reach a certain age, getting on a skateboard is a bad idea. The truth is that surfskating is way different than hucking down a 12-stair or bombing a hill at 40mph. While you can definitely incorporate plenty of speed, slides, and airs into surfskating, it also lends itself to being technique-focused with very careful speed control. You can actually get on our Electrical Ninja with the Alpine Trucks at a complete standstill and build momentum by just pumping. It’s a great core workout and mimics the body mechanics of surfing. It’s a real win/win.
We wanted to pay homage to Tinker's history with Nike by using some of his shoe design sketches. The art is actually from one of Nike’s jets... yes, jets, which Tinker designed. The jet artwork is based on Tinker's original drawings of the Nike Air Max, one of his most iconic shoe designs, and they're found under the wings on the jet. We saw some parallels between the flow of flying a jet and the flow of rinding our boards, plus the wing shape was already semi-skateboard-ish so it translated well to a skate deck.
It was just too cool not to use.
Tinker has always been about experimenting with alternative technology and fabrics. He was stoked to hear about our mission to turn would-be trash into beautiful, high-performance skateboards. He knows a thing or two about making beautiful, high-performance products that go between your feet and the ground, after all. And it's entirely possible (with the right know-how) to turn upcycled surfboard waste into sustainable shoes, so you never know what kind of Shred collabs the future could hold!
Tinker Hatfield is an iconoclast. He’s a legend in design and his approach is inspiring. Besides the fact that this is literally the only skateboard of its kind in existence, it’s just cool to think that the guy riding it created the Jordan 3s and 11s. We don’t make shoes, but we definitely try to apply Tinker's outside-the-box thinking and pure passion for design when handcrafting our skateboards.
When reflecting on this custom board build, the image of Tinker holding the board with a big ol' smile on his face immediately comes to mind. So stoked!
This custom board is a reminder for us to always get creative, think outside the box, and go the extra mile. Building custom boards for people is such a fun way to collaborate with our customers. We're honored when people trust us to come up with a completely unique design for them (like we did for Tinker) and also when we get to bring someone else's vision to life.
If you're interested in a custom-designed board, check out our Customs page where we have images from some of our favorite custom builds and a form you can fill out if you want your own custom Shred surfskate. We also have links to blank deck outlines that you can print out and sketch directly on, channeling your inner Tinker Hatfield.
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In this installment of Behind the Boards we’re getting to know Juliana Salles, a staffer at Shred who plays a key role on our production team. Her passions for crafting things by hand and for staying active collide in her role with Shred, where she puts her creativity to work. We recently caught up with Juliana to talk about her role at Shred, the future of skateboarding, and the ever-pressing question: Point Break or Lords of Dogtown?
Okay, Juliana, let’s warm up with a lightning round. Quick questions. Quick answers.
Shred Skateboard Co. (SSC): Surf or skate?
Juliana Salles (JS): Skate!
SSC: Streaming music or vinyl?
JS: Streaming music.
SSC: Beanie or Ball Cap?
JS: Beanie.
SSC: Rocket Power or SpongeBob?
JS: Rocket power forever.
SSC: Dream Surf Destination?
JS: Costa Rica.
SSC: Boardsport athlete who inspires you?
JS: Tony Hawk.
SSC: One dinner guest, dead or alive. Who are you picking?
JS: My dad.
SSC: Point Break or Lords of Dogtown?
JS: Point Break!
SSC: Now for the basics – What’s your name? What do you do? What’s a day-in-the-life entail?
JS: My name is Juliana Salles. I love art, nature, outdoor activities, and sports! So if I’m not out enjoying the day, I’ll be at home creating some art!
SSC: What’s your relationship with Shred? How did you come in contact? What inspired you to collaborate/stick around?
JS: I’ve been friends with Marcelo for almost ten years now, and I was already very excited about this project even before it started! So I reached out to him to see if he needed any help, and here I am! I love handmade projects and protecting our planet, so working at Shred is like a dream come true to me! I love it!
SSC: Okay, let’s back up a bit. How did you come to do what you do with Shred? What’s your (brief) origin story?
JS: These past three years, I dove into the handmade world! I’ve built lots of wooden furniture for my house and started working with resin and macrame, making house decor and accessories for selling.
SSC: What about your work/collaboration with Shred are you most proud of? What brings a smile to your face when you think about it?
JS: To be honest, all the boards I’ve built! It is such a long and detailed process to make each board that seeing the final product is always priceless! Big smiles every time!
SSC: When not working with Shred, what keeps you busy / entertained?
JS: If I’m not at Shred, I’ll be creating some art at home, or enjoying the beach, having a beer with my friends, working out, camping, hiking, reading!
SSC: What’s your favorite Shred board shape? If you could put any graphics on a Shred board, what would you put on the deck?
JS: I love the Electrical Ninja! I would make a galaxy board with the planets, stars, and all that jazz (I love astrology, lol)
SSC: What’s the next innovation/trend in skateboarding that you’re most excited about? How do you think skateboarding will be different in 5 years?
JS: I love what we are doing at Shred, honestly. The fact that we don’t cut trees down to make our skates and the hundreds of pounds of toxic waste that we take out of the environment is the biggest innovation out there!
SSC: If you could drop any personal effect (memento, souvenir, your cat’s ashes) into the Shred machine and make a skateboard out of it, what would it be?
JS: I don’t think I would. I think I would get too emotionally involved with the skate and wouldn’t wanna ride it/scratch it, lol.
SSC: What’s one book, podcast, show, movie, or other media that you’ve drawn inspiration from recently? Or learned something valuable from?
JS: These two books taught me a lot: The Power of Now and The Law of Success.
SSC: Where can people find you online if they’re so inclined?
JS: On my Instagram page, @juba.life.
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Featured Boards:
Electrical Ninja ( 30”)
These are among the first questions that someone looking at a surfskate skateboard asks. After all, at a fundamental level a skateboard is made of three things: wheels, trucks, and a deck. Trucks are a full 33% of that equation, and arguably the most important in terms of board performance, so it's important to know what's what. Fear not! We have answers.
(Alpine truck, disassembled)
Or, rather, Marcelo has answers. We've tapped Marcelo Gagliardi, our founder and CEO, to answer a few burning questions about surfskate trucks, including the questions mentioned above. Read his insights below and you'll know the basics of how the trucks on your surfskate work, and how they impact your skating experience.
...
(various kinds of surfskate trucks – Yow, Smoothstar, Carver, and Swell Tech)
Shred Skateboard Co (SSC): Marcelo, can you briefly describe your experience riding on different trucks and building boards with different trucks (i.e. why should we trust you)?
Marcelo Gagliardi (MG): I've been surfing since age 10 and skating since about 5. After falling in love with surfing the goal of my skating became simulating surfing turns and style. As a teenager I was introduced to Sector Nine and Carver. From then on I would disassemble boards and "frankenstein" together different truck combinations on handmade decks built from old furniture, tinkering until I got a surf-style feeling that I liked. Lots of hours in the shop and on the pavement!
SSC: What are the common types of surfskate trucks?
MG: The most common surfskate trucks are Carver's swivel-style trucks, which utilize a swivel-style front truck giving you a tight turning radius and surfy feel. The other common surfskate truck type utilizes a reverse kingpin in the front truck, giving you a surfy feel but with more stability compared to the swivel style.
(Exploded diagram of a swivel-style truck. Credit: Full Kit Skateboards)
SSC: Swivel-Style Trucks – What are the technical differences of this type of truck (weight, size, material, function, integration into the board)? For the rider, how does this truck impact the feeling of riding? Is it better for a certain type of rider or a certain type of riding?
MG: The weight, size and other specs will vary slightly depending on the brand, but in terms of function, these trucks are solid. They've been around for a long time for a reason. They do a good job of simulating the surf feeling, letting the rider pump and transfer their energy through the board. These can work for you whether you're a "cruiser" or a "carver"– solid all-around truck.
SSC: Reverse Kingpin Trucks – What are the technical differences of this type of truck (weight, size, material, function, integration into the board)? For the rider, how does this truck impact the feeling of riding? Is it better for a certain type of rider or a certain type of riding?
(Carver's reverse king pin truck. Credit: mundo surf)
MG: Reverse kingpin trucks have been around for a long time especially in the downhill longboard board world. They are starting to be utilized in an evolved version of the swivel-style trucks. They achieve that same surf feel for the rider – tight turns, the ability to transfer energy through the board to the pavement through pumping – but they add a little more stability. Extra stability allows the rider to do more things like catch air or ride fakie more easily. These are gaining in popularity I'd say.
SSC: Alpine Trucks – What are the technical differences of this type of truck? For the rider, how does this truck impact the feeling of riding? Is it better for a certain type of rider or a certain type of riding?
(Diagram drawing of Alpine trucks)
MG: Alpine trucks are a completely new approach to surfskate trucks than what we normally see. They have integrated a bearing in the kingpin along with a interchangeable bushing that allows the rider to swap out densities in order to fine-tune the feel. The way both front and back trucks work together to generate speed and transfer energy into powerful, tight turns is the closest feeling to surfing that I've felt.
(Exploded diagram of an Alpine truck)
SSC: Why did you decide to use Alpine trucks on Shred skateboards?
MG: When we were searching for trucks and came across Alpine we loved the fact that the technology behind the trucks was unique. No other surfskates we'd seen had these. Not only is the technology one-of-a-kind, but the esthetic is rad. Plus, the ability to customize the feel of the ride by swapping out bushings was a major bonus. This means each board can have customized responsiveness, adapting the feel of the board's performance to the rider's style and purpose. The feel of both trucks working in sync gives a true surf feeling, allowing for proper speed-generating and hip-loading techniques that transfer directly your surfing in the water.
(Alpine trucks on a Shred skateboard)
SSC: What has been the response to the trucks’ performance on Shred board to date?
MG: The feedback has been great. In response to the feel and performance of our Electrical Ninja surf skate model, the most common description we get is “smooth and fun”.
SSC: Are there any common misconceptions about surfskate trucks?
MG: The major one is that surfskate trucks lack stability. This may be the case with some styles of surfskate trucks–making it challenging for a first timer just to hop on and ride away–but not all surfskate trucks. The Alpine trucks provide great stability for pumping or pushing for generating speed.
Fundamentally, surfskate trucks work differently than traditional street trucks. The purpose of surfskate trucks is to provide a tight turning radius to simulate surf-style turns done in the water, along with the ability to generate speed through pumping the board. The trucks are the means of transferring your expended energy into speed by pumping.
(Illustration of the kinds of turns allowed by surfskate trucks)
SSC: For someone buying a surfskate, is there any sage advice you’d give relative to the trucks on their board (or how to think about which board is right for them, generally)?
MG: Regarding trucks, just remember that one benefit of Alpine trucks is that they allow you to switch your bushings depending on if you want a looser or tighter feel. This is super handy.
Regarding boards generally, a deck with more concave is for more aggressive riding while flatter boards are more cruise-y. So keep that in mind.
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There you go– you've officially graduated from Surfskate Trucks 101. We'll dive deeper into the glorious rabbit hole of surfskate parts and performance in future blogs, so stay tuned. In the meantime, get off your screen and get on your board! ✌️
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Boards mentioned:
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