Until recently, freestyle skateboarder Josh Dunstone preferred riding skidless, choosing razor tail over fussy installations that required drill bits and a mallet. We thought it would be fun helpful for the rest of us to quiz him about his ambivalence towards skid plates.
What skid plates have you tried in the past? How did you find them?
I think the first skids I had were a pair from Decomposed. Not sure if they were made for a popsicle shape or not and I didn’t drill them in; I used self-tappers so they weren’t stable at all. At the time, I disliked using them but I think that stems from my own ignorance.
And then you didn’t use them for a while. Why?
It was accessibility (or lack thereof). I did manage to wrangle up a pair once, but they just didn’t work well.
I’ve ridden popsicles most of my skating life and it was tricky to find skids that fit and felt right. I was skating hybrid street/freestyle at the time and found they dampened my pop and got in the way of tail/nose slides.
Then I got comfortable skating without them and didn’t want to change things up.
Why have you started using skid plates now?
I decided to try a freestyle board again after coming back from Worlds in Germany last year. I had previously tried out freestyle shapes with no skids, then went back to what I thought was the old reliable popsicle shape up until going to Germany. Over there I was inspired to try again seeing the versatility and benefits of not just a freestyle board but one with skids. Carolyn also pushed me to give skids another go and I haven’t looked back since.
How has it changed the way you skate?
Durability has been the biggest change in general. I’m not as worried when it comes to the tail scraping that is a big part of my style in footwork. It’s saving a bunch of boards turning into kitchen knives from razor tail.
And I’m now venturing into trying more truck-based tricks thanks to the stability that skids provide.
How long do your boards last a) without skids and b) with skids?
Without skids? I would go through roughly a board every two months if not every month. I was blessed to be sponsored by Maple Roads and Glen Billwiller gave me a new, free-of-charge popsicle board whenever I needed one.
Now, with skids, I’ve been riding the same board for about four months: the Moonshine Nick Beaulieu shape.
The first skids I’ve tried with the Nick Beaulieu were the Decomposed Crystal Skids 5.5″: a really good all-round skid plate that accommodates most shapes and I liked how they’re clear so they blend with the graphic a bit more (until once they get all scratched up).
The second skids, the ones I’m using now, are the Decomposed Thin Blistered Skids 5.5″: I love the low profile to these. After a small break-in period, they feel pretty unnoticeable. To me, the durability is holding up a bit better than the Crystal Skid as well and will probably be my go-to pair from now on. But I’m always happy to experiment with more.
What was using 3D-printed skids like?
That was an interesting experiment. It was fun having our friend Cass knock out a bunch of different shapes and sizes with a 3D printer. The fun aspect of playing around with those also influenced my interest in riding skids again.
In conclusion I have been converted. Skid plates are a worthy investment, especially if you have a freestyle board and care about your wallet. I’d recommend doing a bit of research on how to install skids and making sure you’re getting the right shape for the board you are riding.
