New Downhill Longboard Skate Footstop innovation?

[@jackpiki]

Always great to see you Scott ❤ been following since the Apex 40 dropped

[@originalskateboards]

Thanks Jack, it’s been a little wonky the last few years but making moves and trying to focus on what makes me happy and just so good work… and make stuff. It’s been a seriously stressful few years so I’m trying to find a way to still have fun with the videos even if it’s not all rainbows. Moved to south Jersey and realized I absolutely must surf to stay sane. Been happier and feeling more myself than I have… maybe ever. Thanks for the support dude, it’s been a bit.

[@masonherron5190]

Hey, sorry to hear about the moving! I’m wondering if there’s any way to get my hands on an arbiter DK deck still?

[@originalskateboards]

Hey Mason! Yes and no. Or rather no, but eventually yes. The big thing I’m doing here is restructuring the way our line up is constructed to focus on production methods I have more control over. I’ve spent the last 5 years (since 2019) trying to work with partners who made way more money than I’ve ever seen to make the things they previously agreed to produce… with what I would call poor results (to say the least). So basically the DK is caught in the middle of that, even though we have been able to order (and get) DKs I dont just need DKs and Pintails (though the 46 have also been refused there) I need Baffles and Arbiters and the whole line, or not. So a good way to look at that is: the DK is temporarily discontinued for reasons that are complicated but amount to: brands in a decline in a declining (up until recently) industry have no ability to get anything that is even a little bit complicated (and unique-ish to them) pressed by essentially anyone in the industry. So after three or four years of trying I said fuck it I’m going to find a new way to make skateboards. The first piece of that is the footstops in this video. That said I am going downhill first because those decks take the least beating) unlike DKs. I may also get a small production setup going to run DKs but that’s going to be at least months from now. It kills me to not have this stuff but if I keep doing things the same way I will essentially always be chasing the same tail, not traveling, not filming, and instead trying to forecast when or if the boards I ordered (or new ones I designed) will come in. It’s pretty soul crushing, particularly when they come in wrong … Arbiter KTs with no logo!?! Sorry man, I know that’s the furthest thing from what you want to hear but I had to either shit or get off the pot on these ideas. That might be one reason it feels shitty to break this particular news.

[@bobaf.5448]

Bummed to hear this chapter is closing, but super stoked to see you putting that incredible mind to further pushing the sport that YOU not only got ME into (with the western sessions vids) but completely evolved the way we skate & approach the art. It's been a wild ride for everybody & I know it's hella corny to correlate "brands" with identity but this Original longboard community is something that has made myself look at the world in a totally better way than I could have on my own lol Can't wait to continue to support your work Scott, much love dude 🤙

[@originalskateboards]

Thanks dude! I know I got into it for one reason: I liked doing art and skateboards need art on them. I think I did all board art up to 2009 at which point I was just too slow. Which is sort of a microcosm of the problem. There really isn’t art that is too slow, there are only projects that need more art (or love) than you can produce in a given time. That’s such a stress that I think a lot of people feel in a lot of different ways but it’s so counterproductive if you are trying to push yourself creatively that sometimes you just can’t do it and have to deliberately choose what to give up to try to get the space (mentally) to make it happen. Portland is a place I would have happily lived and saw my self spending so much time, but if the choice is a trip (even to see good friends and do good work) or trying to sort out how to get boards back in stock, that’s where it’s just work, it’s not really a decision, and that just sucks. I’ve done that so so much for 20 years I just need to try to do it some other way (ie. Make shit myself) or maybe die trying haha I also found a place that feels like home, even if the best waves are breaking in 42 degree water. That home feeling makes a lot of hard stuff just a little easier, I’m hoping it will stay that way. Thanks for the good word dude, seems like it’s never too late to do something a little different.

[@originalskateboards]

Any questions let me know! -Scott Current moving sale gets you 40% off decks, 30% off completes and 50% off Original Trucks at: originalskateboards.com Follow Scott’s WAVEformd side project at: instagram.com/skateWAVEformd

[@danoyes1]

Dang dude, huge fan of original! I've got a set of s6 on 4President topmount 38" Earthwing Space Coaster and it's the carviest board around, handles any hill with no slides ❤

[@originalskateboards]

@@danoyes1 heck yeah man, get a WAVEformd footstop on that bad boy and let’s ride! Thanks for the good word, not closing just moving and hopefully getting this new S6 design done eventually. Brian at Earthwing has helped me out a bunch of times and I’m stoked to see you supporting the effort!

[@Koda.1312]

Is there a code or something I'm missing for the sale? I've got a deck in my card on the site and it's still full price. 🤔

[@originalskateboards]

@@Koda.1312 hey dude, I believe we took the sale down as the warehouse is currently in a 53 foot container probably waiting to be loaded onto a train to come back east. I’m cutting the first vlog of that process now but won’t be able to ship anything for about two weeks (ish) it takes 9-10 days to get there and then I have to get setup to actually ship this stuff out of a garage for you guys. Hopefully I’ll also get some time to make some new boards in the process. I know the OS trucks are still on sale because we have so freaking much of them, there is a new wavecam design coming as soon as I get through: 1. Unloading 2. Making Baffles in house 3. Making some more footstops 4. Making a lot more videos Should be a piece of cake. If you place an order now it’s basically a pre-order that will get shipped asap when I have everything setup.

[@RamGlez]

I'm feeling kinda sad and nostalgic knowing the Portland warehouse in closing down, is Original also closing down as a whole? Anyways, I thank you and this community for giving me the best teenage years of my life!!

[@originalskateboards]

Dude. No. But not going to lie, riding out a larger than average hill on busted wavecams at the moment. But riding it out haha There is no way to do something really different without sacrificing something. Whether that’s time with family and friends, time surfing or skating, or just a reasonable livelihood. Absolutely everyone who has given it a go in skate has done that. Doing it for 20+ years that has happened more times than I can even count. Plus I’ve had a chronic disease screwing my shit up since (officially 2012 but really 1987). Thanks to fantasy football (hah!) I feel better about things that are probabilities not guarantees. The opportunities to work on stuff that’s not guaranteed are so hard to come by, but I sort of had to keep it in Portland and sacrifice one of those or try to get things smaller (and swap places with Steve and Josh to build boards and whatever else) to get there. No plans to go out of business but also choosing the path less followed at the moment. Thanks for the stoke and support dude! - Scott

[@RamGlez]

@@originalskateboards that’s so good to hear. Best of luck and wishing you all the best!

[@originalskateboards]

@@RamGlez thanks dude! Gotta pick your spots and go for it. Either the boards we make look completely different and kick ass this time next year… or something didn’t work the way I think it will. Could go either way.

[@originalskateboards]

@@RamGlezthanks man! Definitely can use all the help I can get at the moment, having actual people around commenting and not completely talking into the social void also helps.

[@tinybloodywonder]

I really want to buy a 2011 carbon apex or 37 doubleconcave, but I think the throwback version is wayy too expensive. Any thoughts on making a slightly cheaper version like derringer 33?

[@originalskateboards]

Hey dude! The crazy part is that the way things are structured now as far as board pricing the COST (prior to spray finishing / paint, art application, delivery from the factory) on those two boards is about $90. Add the delivery, spray finish, and 5 minutes (amortized) art application and those decks would get made right now for about $105-110. That also would require a brand new $15,000 mold to recreate each of those decks (which I’ll discuss in a video article some point soon). Pretty much the least you can possibly try to “make” as a brand on a deck is 30%. However / whoever you sell to, you have to make AT LEAST that on the majority of your boards. If you watch restaurant impossible (woo cooking and business at the same time!) Robert is always talking about 30% food costs. He’s talking about a similar issue which is basically that if you buy something expensive you have to sell it for more… or not sell it at all. So what you can’t do is sell something more expensive for less because that doesn’t leave you enough money to pay overhead, pay your people, or pay yourself. 30% will leave exactly zero dollars for video budget, travel, the team, et al. That’s why you see boards on Amazon going cheap but where those companies aren’t putting up videos or traveling (beyond maybe paying an influencer a few hundred bucks who is going to travel ANYWAY and therefore can shoot at a reduced cost by spreading the cost of the trip to multiple supporters/ brands. So that’s basically the problem, and the main reason I’m closing the Portland warehouse. The economics of a huge number of our boards changed, while my perspective on the relationship with that manufacture also changed. More over a lot of brands are in a position where they very much need to decide whether to charge more than 30% (Amazon type pricing) in order to leave enough margin for shops to stay in business, to travel, etc. Another way to look at it is that the cost on any board is directly related to the flexibility that brand owner has to try cool (or untested shit). But I don’t know that there is necessarily a place for that without something else that is innovative enough to reduce the price and add enough value to be able to charge a price that seems fair (and less than competing products). The other option is to make decks ourselves and THEN sell direct to the customer (which won’t let me use an 8 million dollar robotic layup machine to be sure). So that’s what I’ve been trying to find, and at the moment do, but also why a cheaper Apex isn’t really on the horizon right now (as much as I want it to be): none of it’s done yet.

[@ithought_so6438]

@@originalskateboards No need to explain, o.p can just save up for another month. Quality craftsmanship can be sold at quality price.

[@RatBürgerSk8]

Glad to see you still innovating in this industry, the passion speaks volumes alone. Just a bit of a suggestion, but maybe pucks could be something to consider selling? Puck options are super scarce right now, could be a hole in the market worth filling.

[@originalskateboards]

Noted! I trying to focus on stuff I can actually make. I haven’t tried much with HDPE and the like and I’m surprised there aren’t more options out there. Which part of pucks is hard to get right now? I’ve seen a lot of sick work done on puck risers etc is it the pucks the themselves that are in short supply?

[@RatBürgerSk8]

​@@originalskateboardsYeah pucks themselves are what's lacking imo. It's mostly availability, there's a few boutique brands making pucks but they're almost always sold out. Seismic pucks are the most consistently available, but the formulas which actually last long usually aren't in stock. I used to be able to go into a local skate shop and they'd have S9 or Triple 8 pucks, but nowadays they don't even carry gloves themselves because the distributors they buy from don't work with these boutique brands. Mostly frustrating since I've been in the DH scene since 2012 and gear felt way more plentiful and varied back then. It's like the super niche high performance DH stuff has gotten more available, but products for more casual freeriders aren't there like they used to be.

[@originalskateboards]

@@RatBürgerSk8this is sort of what is killing OS at the moment also I think. As the industry is expanding all sorts of manufacturers look at it and say “hey shit there is some serious volume here “. Maybe it is as much as they think, maybe not. It’s about “upside”. BUT the response is usually to go find someone with a brand, or wait until someone with a brand comes and asks them, before trying it. This has the advantage of hiring a free R&D team (the brand and their team riders) and then letting that brand pay for all the molding. Way cheaper than starting the thing yourself as a manufacturer. The downside for brands is that the upward trend, and specifically the upside for manufacturers, doesn’t last forever. When the volume goes down (which always happens eventually in skate) the mfgs who were so stoked on the possible pay day just drop the project. Or sideline it and deliver late, or make shit wrong, until the brands give up, eat the loss and move on (or go out of business). That probably happened with slide pucks and my bet is it has more to do with it than distribution etc (otherwise the shit would be on Amazon etc). If there is a puck material that doesn’t leave microplastics on the road I would consider trying to make something with that on this end!

[@nonyobussiness3440]

You dah man yo. I hope you get to surf a lot this summer.

[@originalskateboards]

That’s it dude, me too. I’ll get some when I get this move done for sure and miss a couple of good days prepping for it. That’s life though. No one skates or surfs every day even though “being a professional means doing the things you love to do on the days you don’t want to do them.” Always room to try to do better though!