Famous skate spot: Wallenberg

This spot is considered to be one of the most well known and hardest gaps in the skateboard community. Wallenberg is a giant 4 stair that measures 6 feet in height and 18 feet in length requiring a great deal of speed in order to clear it. It was first seen in Mark Gonzales' part in Blind's video "video days" where he ollied the gap. Since then it has had a few tricks performed down it, but due to it's massive size and the runway being cut shorter it has been only gapped by a select few. So few people infact that Thrasher hosted a contest at this spot with cash prizes for whomever could pull off some new tricks there. Chris Cole almost landed a tre flip that day, but later pulled it off in his video part for zero. Lindsey Robertson, Andrew Reynolds, and Darrell Stanton all pulled off new tricks down the set that day and Mark Gonzales ollied it again. Elissa Steamer attempted to ollie it, if landed she would have been the first female to do so.
Thrasher recently held a second contest, due to the fact that it would be demolished soon. Chris Cole stepped up the game and pulled off both a switch frontside flip and a backside 360. A lot of people stepped up that day including Cody Mcentire with a backside bigspin, Lindsey Robertson with a Backside Heelflip as well as much much more.


Famous tricks here:
Mark Gonzales- Ollie
Frank Gerwer- Kickflip
Diego Buccheri- Backside 180
Steve Nesser- Pop shove-it
Tony Manfre- Switch ollie, Switch frontside 180
Jeremy Reeves- Pop shove-it melon grab
Chris Cole- 360 flip, Backside 360 (2nd contest) Switch frontside flip (2nd contest)
Andrew Reynolds- Frontside flip (thrasher contest), Backside flip
Darrell Stanton- Switch Backside 180 (thrasher contest)
Lindsey Robertson- Heelflip (thrasher contest) Backside Heelflip (2nd contest)
Cody Mcentire- Backside bigspin (2nd contest)
Jordan Hoffart- Varial heelflip (2nd contest)
Lizard King- Back 180 1 foot (2nd contest), Airwalk (2nd contest) Disaster last step (2nd contest)
Andrew Pott- Hardflip (2nd contest)
Nick Merlino- Switch heelflip (2nd contest)

Skateboard deck companies

A
AKA http://www.akaskateboards.com/
AIRO Usa http://www.airousa.com/
Alliance http://www.allianceskateboards.com/
Alien Workshop http://www.alienworkshop.com/
Almost http://www.almostawebsite.com/
Alva http://www.alvaskates.com/
Anonymous http://www.anonymouskateboards.it/
Apache http://www.apacheskateboards.com/
Arizona Punx http://www.azpx.com/
ATX http://www.atxskateboards.com/

B
Baker http://www.bakerskateboards.com/
Beer City http://www.beercity.com/
Bella Girl http://www.bellagirlboards.com/
Birdhouse http://www.birdhouseskateboards.com/
Black Label http://www.blacklabelskates.com/
Blackout www.blackoutskateboards.com/
Blind http://www.blindreaper.com/
Blockhead http://www.blockheadskateboards.com/
Blunt http://www.bluntskateboards.ch/
Bonafide http://www.bonafideskateboards.com/
Boo http://www.booskateboards.com/
Bootleg http://www.bootlegskateboards.com/
Brooklyn Board co. http://www.brooklynboardco.bravehost.com/
Buccaneer http://www.buccaneerboards.com/
Bulldog http://www.bulldogskates.com/

C
Casual http://www.casualskateboarding.com/
Casual http://www.casualdecks.com/ (maryland)
Canyon Roller http://www.canyonroller.com/
Change http://www.changeskateboards.com/
Character http://www.charactersk8boards.com/
Chocolate http://www.chocolateskateboards.com/
Cliche' http://www.clicheskate.com/
Cohort http://www.cohortusa.com/
Cold War http://www.coldwarskateboards.com/
Coment http://www.cometskateboards.com/
Consolidated http://www.consolidatedskateboard.com/
Conspiracy http://www.conspiracyboards.com/
Control Skateboards http://controlsk8.com/ (French language, based in Canada)
Corporate Imposter http://www.ciskateboards.com/
Cool Girls http://www.coolgirldecks.com/
Coz www.cozskateboards.com/home.htm
Creme http://www.cremeskateboards.com/
Create http://www.createinkskateboards.com/
Creepshow http://www.creepshowskates.com/
Cuckoo http://www.cuckoo.cz/
Curly Girls http://www.curlygrrlz.com/

D
Dagger http://www.daggerskates.com/
Dogtown http://www.dogtownskateboards.com/
Deckcrafters http://www.deckcrafters.tv/
Deviant Mind http://www.deviantmind.com/
Deadwood http://www.deadwoodskateboards.com/
Death Grip http://www.death-grip.com/
Decomposed http://www.decomposedsk8.com/ (freestyle)
Deckade http://www.deckade.tk/
Defyn http://www.defynskateboards.com/
Dirty Butt www.taylorsports.com/dirtybutt.htm
Dumb http://www.dumbskateboards.it/
Draven http://www.draven.com/
Drater http://www.draterskateboards.com/
Dometic http://www.dometicskateboards.tk/

E
Earthwing http://www.earthwingskateboards.com/
Eina http://www.einaskateco.com/
Enjoi http://www.enjoico.com/
Enormity http://www.enormityskateboards.com/

F
Fiberflex http://www.fiberflex.com/
Fight http://www.fightskateboards.com/
Fiveboro http://www.fiveboro.com/
Five Points http://www.fivepointsskates.com/
FM http://www.fmskateboards.com/
Flatline http://www.flatlineskateboards.com/
FlexDecks http://www.flexdex.com/
Flip http://www.flipskateboards.com/
Freedom http://www.freedomskateboards.com/
Freaki Tiki http://www.freaki-tiki.com/
Fuct http://www.fuct.com/

G
Ghost http://www.ghostriderx.com/
Girl http://www.girlskateboards.com/
Ghetto Skateboards http://www.ghettoskateboards.com/
Glory http://www.gloryskateboards.com/
Gordon and Smith http://www.gordonandsmith.com/
Grandprix http://www.grandprixskateboards.com/
Gringo www.gringoskateboards.com/

H
Hoodlum http://www.hoodlumskateboardcompany.com/
Hookups http://www.hookupsskateboards.com/
Hooligan http://www.hooliganskate.com/
Habitat http://www.habitatskateboards.com/
Half Pint http://www.halfpintskateboards.com/
Hatchet Wound http://www.hatchetwoundheroes.com/
Hessenmob http://www.hessenmob.de/
Hijinx http://www.hijinxskateboarding.com/
Hybrid http://www.hybridskateboards.com/

I
Indiana http://www.indiana.ch/
IMOC http://www.imocskate.com/

J
Jart http://www.jartskateboards.com/
Juicebox www.juiceboxskateboards.com

K
Karma http://www.karmaskateboards.com/
Katortcho http://www.katortcho.com/
Kaz http://www.kazskateboards.com/
Kean http://www.keanskateboards.com/
Kewday http://www.kewday.com/
Kinetik http://www.kinetikskateboards.com/
Kingtide http://www.kingtide.de/
Krass http://www.krass.ca/
Krooked http://www.krookedskateboarding.com/

L
Lake http://www.lakeskateboards.com/
Levelthirtn http://www.levelthirtn.com/
Libtech http://www.libskates.com/
Listen http://www.listenskateboards.com/
Liquor World http://www.liquorworld.com/
Local http://www.localskateboards.com/

M
Muerto www.muertoskateboards.com
Manik http://www.manikskateboards.com/
Manna http://www.mannaskateboards.com/
Makaha http://www.makahaskateboards.com/
Maverick http://www.maverickskateboards.com/
Maya http://www.mayaskates.com/
Manticore http://www.manticoreskateboards.com/
Maraschino http://www.maraschinomunitions.com/
Miscif http://www.mischif.co.za/
Medic http://www.medicskateboards.com/
Melodical http://www.melodicaskateboards.com/
Mentality http://www.mentalityskateboards.com/
Memetic http://www.memeticskateboards.com/
Metal http://www.metalskateboards.com/
Metric http://www.metricskateboards.com/
Mini Logo http://www.minilogoskateboards.com/
Monkdeth http://www.monkdeth.com/
Monke http://www.monke.com/
Mystery http://www.mysteryskateboards.com/

N
Nervous http://www.nervous.com.pl/
Null http://www.nullskateboards.com/
Nomad http://www.nomadskateboards.com/

O
Old Man Army http://www.oldmanarmy.com/
Outlook http://www.outlookskates.com/
Olive http://www.oliveskateboards.com/
One Love http://www.oneloveboards.com/
One Percent http://www.onepercentskateboards.com/
Omni www.omnisk8.com.au

P
People's Mooseboard Skateboards http://www.mooseboard.s5.com/
Performance http://www.performancesk8.com/
Phobic http://www.phobicskateboards.com/
Plan B http://www.planbskateboarding.com/
Plug http://www.plugskateboards.com/
Pocket Pistols http://www.pocketpistolskates.com/
Pool King http://www.poolkingskateboards.com/
Poolside http://www.poolsideskateboards.com/
Powell http://www.powellskateboards.com/
Premium http://www.premiumskateboards.com/


R
Redneck www.redneckskateboards.com
Relic http://www.relicskateboards.com/
Republica http://www.republicaskateboards.com/
Rev Decks http://www.revdeck.com/
Riverfarm Family www.riverfarmfamily.com
Roman http://www.romanskateboards.com/
Rookie http://www.rookieskateboards.com/
Rum Monkey www.rummonkey.com

S
Sacrifice http://www.sacrificeskateboards.com/
Santa Cruz http://www.scskate.com/
Scum http://www.scumskates.com/
Shit http://www.shittm.com/
Skaterbuilt http://www.skaterbuilt.com/
Skatermade http://www.skatermade.com/
Skidrow http://www.skidrowskate.com/
Snot http://www.snotboards.com/
Snot Nose http://www.snotnose.tk/
Soul Trip http://www.soultripskateboards.com/
Spartak http://www.spartakboards.com/
Stimulus http://www.stimulusskateboards.com/
Struggle http://www.struggleskateboards.com/
Sudden http://www.suddendeathskateboards.com/
Sugar http://www.sugarsports.com/
Suicide http://www.skatesuicide.com/

T
Termite http://www.termiteskateboards.com/
Third Choice http://www.thirdchoice.com/
Toy Machine http://www.toymachine.com/
Traffic http://www.trafficskateboards.com/
Tribe custom http://www.tribedecks.netfirms.com/
Triple 7 http://www.777skateboards.com/
Truancy http://www.truancyco.com/
TSN industries http://www.tnsindustries.com/
Tunnell http://www.tunnelskateboards.com/
Two http://www.2sk8usa.com/

U
Unity http://www.unityskateboard.com/

V
Vagrant http://www.vagrantskateboards.com/
Virus http://www.virusskateboards.com/
Ville http://www.vileskateboards.com/
Villian www.villainskateboards.com/
Volume http://www.volumeskateboards.com/

W
Weekend http://www.weekendskateboards.ch/
Woodoo http://www.woodoo.com.ar/
World Industries http://www.worldindustries.com/
Worship http://www.worshipskateboards.com/

Y
Yama http://www.yamaskateboards.com/
Yocaher www.yocaher.com

Z
Z-Boy http://www.z-boy.com/
Zero http://www.zeroskateboards.com/
Zerstorer http://www.zerstoererskateboards.de/
Zion http://www.zionskate.com/
Zoo York http://www.zooyork.com/
Zorlac www.zorlacskates.com/stuff

Review: Railslide.com Micro Mini Ramp

Last year I was flipping through the pages of thrasher and noticed an ad for a 2 foot tall, 6 foot wide, 12 foot long micro mini ramp with a steel frame. I decided to check out the ramp for myself on the website. It mentioned a ton of great things- easy to assemble, easy to learn tricks, how much better it is than a homemade one etc etc. They also had an offer at the time of "being sponsored" which is actually a program where you recomend the ramp to other people. If they buy it using your name they get a $100 discount and you continue recieving products from railslide.com. To date I recieved only 1 package, however it was pretty reasonable. I got some 49mm wheels, 2 decks (very nice actually), and some stickers.

Now for the real review:
The product comes over seas (to us U.S. customers). I had to wait 3 months before it even got to the warehouse in California, then from there I had to wait another month before it arrived to my house. I was actually very disapointed with it when it arrived because of the following:
-It did NOT come in it's originally package as described on the site and had been damaged.
-It was missing most of it's parts including the bottom pieces to level the QPs to the flat section.

After taking much time making my own repairs using duct tape and buying extra parts, I noticed the surface started chipping! I just keep taping over it but this is very disapointing in a company who prides itself in quality.

In good news however- it was quick to assemble (despite no instructions). I am currently filing suit against the delivery company for it's negligence in taking the ramp out of it's original package. Although it is helpful to me, it still doesn't excuse railslide for it's ramps surface to start chipping so soon- especially since I keep it indoors away from the elements.

As for the actual ride of the ramp- I love it. It is small and tight, but great for learning tricks. The coping doesn't stick out much so it's harder to lock in grinds, however it is very forgiving when learning tricks like back disasters ;) . It's ramp is mellow, however the flat bottom is very short so going from coping to coping is very fast so you should have your trick in mind real quick or else you may end up falling down.

Brief overview of the ramp-

Pros:
-Fun and easy to learn on
-Can fit in your basement most likely
-Easy to assemble/disassemble
-Steel frame
-Some free products come with it (not sure if the sponsorship is still going or not as of this writing)

Cons:
-Delivery took WAY too long for my liking
-Costs a pretty penny (over $1000 for delivery to your house)
-Surface chipped within days of use
-Customer service was delayed for good periods of time
-The coping being so hard to lock into compared to most ramps

All in all, I strongly recomend making your own ramp over buying this. It can cost half the price and adjust it to your liking. Unless Railslide can improve their product then I recomend refraining from purchasing from them.

Trick tip: Ollie

This is probably the most useful trick in the book (besides learning to push of course). The ollie is basically where the skater snaps the tail off the ground and drags his/her front foot up towards the nose and levels out the board making both the board and the skater above it get off the ground.

History: Originally this trick was invented by Alan Gelfland. It was first done as an air out of a transition without using hands, something remarkable at the time. This was later done by freestyle extraodinaire Rodney Mullen on the flatground. When Alan Gelfland came up with this trick it was named after his nick name "Ollie" and kids at skateparks would steal his shoes thinking that they were the secret to pulling off this maneuver.

How it's done:
First off, many people set up their feet differently for this trick but in general the idea is to have the back foot in the middle of the tail/near the tip and the front foot 1/2 to 3/4 up the board.
1. Put your feet in position mentioned above. Keep your shoulders in line with the board and bend down.
2. The part which makes the trick happen is all about timing. You need to snap the backfoot off the ground but jump up as soon as you do this. It will take some effort, but the trick here is timing- snaping the tail off the ground and jumping up at the same time. If you can get backwheels/tail off the ground then you have figured out the key to this trick.
3. While your backwheels are off the ground and rising with your backfoot, your board will not be level with the front. Here you give a nudge and a slight slide up the grip tape with your front foot. Be sure to level up and out- not downwards. If you push down you will not receive as much height. Be sure to be sucking both knees up towards the chest for more height as well
4. Once your board is at the apex your board should be level. From there keep your form and fall with the board. Stomping down will make it difficult to ollie over and down objects later on so try to keep good form and keep your knees bent
5. Here you are touching the ground. As you land bend down to absorb the impact so it will keep less pressure on your legs and add stability when you land.
6. Keep practicing and have fun!!! Skateboarding in general is harder to learn than most activities, but more rewarding. Keep at it and you will land it.

Some notes on this trick:
-Be sure to keep even pressure among both feet. If you are stumbling on your front foot or your kicking the board away it is probably because your weight distribution is uneven.
-Don't be scared of this trick. It takes getting used to but is very rewarding. I recomend knowing how to ride the board and be comfortable before attempting this. I also suggest learning it rolling, but stationary works too- just remember it will feel a little different.
-Timing timing timing. That's the biggest key to this. Timing and commitment. Be confident- you can do it :)
-Most importantly have fun!!! If you get frustrated just take a break and try again later. Learning to ollie isn't the easiest thing ever and it takes time to perfect this technique. Having a fellow skater help you or watching videos will help tremendously in learning this.

Here are some videos of people doing trick tips for this trick if you prefer a visual aid. Have fun! this trick will open up a TON of new tricks for you later on :)

Chad Muska showing how it's done:

Tony Hawk and Kris Markovich explaining it (with slow mo!)