Apart from the enduring desire of man to defeat gravity and rise into the air like a bird, there’s another phenomenon that the skateboarder “species” holds in high regard. Slides and grinds are one of the greatest sensations you can experience on a skateboard! Where the average person sees concrete, skateboarders see endless possibilities of fun. Such fun can even be found in a simple parking lot!
Created by T. Gentsch |
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Slappy Sessions | Slappy Curbs 4 Life!
400 pounds of concrete - deep feelings!
Now, parking lots, curbs and even sidewalks can look a lot different in the USA than Europe. Where you’ll find many instructive signs in our European regions, people in the States often simply mark things with paint. Bright red parking curbs cast from fine concrete are commonly found in the U.S., letting you know you should avoid parking there. Luckily, as a skateboarder, these red curbs usually grind and slide pretty good – meaning a good time for everyone!
It's difficult to know exactly who did the first slappy grind and when it occurred. However, the story goes that John Lucero, pro skater from the eighties and founder of Black Label Skateboards, was kicked out of the skate park one day. So, he had to make do with the parking lot. Since Ollies were still in their infancy, he simply rode at a red curb with a little "wallride technique" and eureka! He grinded the top of the curb. The slappy grind was born.
With the increasing progression of ollies, slappies fell by the wayside a bit in the early nineties. Fortunately, they’ve experienced something of a renaissance in the last ten years or so. Nowadays, they’ve become a beloved part of street skating and "real" slappies sometimes even truly challenge experienced skaters. This was noticed by four skaters who test skated our "Titus Slappy Curbs" (freshly cast with new mold shells). Even if you need a little ollie up to skate these 200 kilo jewels, they're a blast to skate! Slappies 4 Life!
