In the late 1970s and early 1980s, skateboarding was almost dead. At this time, the title ‘professional skateboarder’ was little more than a formality, and not very many pro’s could make a living through the sport alone. Not surprisingly, all contests, demonstrations, videos, and companies were underground, and far from mainstream. Magazines throughout the 1970s and early 1980s were dominated by vert skating and to a lesser extent freestyle skateboarding. Here are some ads from the golden age of skateboarding.
Powell Peralta: Tony Hawk Face Ad
Sims: Christian Hosoi | Thrasher Mag August 1982
Gullwing Trucks – Mike Williams 1979
ACS Lite II Trucks
CSI Distribution H-Street CSI 1988
Vision Eric Nash – Thrasher Mag December 1988
Kryptonics Skateboarder Magazine Oct 1979
Kryptonics Rock n Roll April 1978
Powell Stacy Peralta Glow Skateboarder Mag March 1979
Sims Comp II Wheels – Sims Snakes March 1979
Energy Trucks: Sims Team; Skateboard Mag April 1978
Powerflex April 1978: Skateboarder Magazine
Tracker Trucks: Rodney Jesse: Skateboarder Mag April 1978
Bennett Decks: Light Years Ahead, Skateboarder Mag April 1979
G & S Airbrush: Our Designs Ride The Spectrum | Skateboarder Mag April 1979
Hobie Gnarly Skate Pads: Skateboarder Mag April 1979
360 Oasis Skate Classic: $10,000 Cash and Prizes : Skateboarder Mag April 1979
Dogtown Skates: Shogo Airbeam, Muir Triplane, Duane Peters Wavelength Skateboarder Mag Dec 1979
Bahne: 1st Unitized All-Steel skateboard trucks : Skateboarder Mag Vol2 Num2
Hang Ten Sportboards: We’re always on top of it. Skateboarder Mag Vol2 Num2
All Images & Text Courtesy calstreets.com
High Yar!!!
Very very nice! Good times!
what a crappy list
Rad to see these old ads.. crazy how things have changed.
Nice roller skate ads, weak.
Man,
This takes me back…used to order all my gear in from California via these ads in Skateboarder Magazine to Canada…it was the only way to get the good stuff.
Had a Sims Superply, Tony Alva board, G&S Pineapple, Gull Wings, Trackers, Sims Snakes and Powell Bones…oh and great bearings from SKF.
Thanks for this post…just awesome for an older guy like me to see this again.
Punchy
these are awesome, Gnarly skate pads, need to get me some of those.
Those were the days!
Ah, good times…love the crazy hair in the Tracker ad…
)
Very cool, I remember almost all of these Ads from when they cam out. Especially the one of Duane Peters and the Futuristic Devo Look! Thanks for posting.
Oh my god this brings back incredible memories..
Pure mind candy for rebellious youth in the late 70′s for sure. I was there and if you weren’t then I’m afraid you really missed out..
Skate parks like Campbell and Winchester in the Bay Area were King.
Hail Dogtown. Hail Tracker and Independent Trucks. Hail Sims Boards. Hail Powell Perellta and Kryptonics Wheels. Hail my German Speed Bearings and my kick tail, skid plate, and side rails..
Long Live the Golden Age of the Skate Ratts!!
In the 360 oasis, they look like bowling players.
Some hokey, some ground breaking advertising but all bring me back. Skating went from hottest sport on the planet to almost dead seemingly within a year. I’m looking forward to freestyle’s comeback.
- Charlie Samuels
I bet Duane Peters wouldn’t even recognize himself in that shot. That guy was the best!!!!
Wow what an amazing collection of ads. Those ACS Roller Skates bring back memories… oh my word!
brings back good memories…
Thanks for posting these here
Very nice collection all together.
I sold 15 Skateboard magazines I had saved from the 70s on eBay year before last containing similar ads. Two of them sold for over $70 dollars! Bet you wish you had saved yours too..!
Some real classics in there. Love seeing the old Bones ads and Powell Peralta. Glad they are not gone for ever!
Where’s any Gator or Vision stuff? Weak list!
awesome post! Cool to see what came before my Element rig.
I still have a set of SIMS SNAKES on TRACKER TRUCKS…. I remember having to save up for months then wait nearly as long for them to arrive after ordering them out of a skateboard mag…. The FLEXI fiberglass deck (I made myself) is a classic…
I also have a BHANE deck and trucks with Red Rider wheels floating around somewhere… another fiberglass deck
Don’t forget skating’s golden revival around 1998-2001, the new school freestyle era. Strangely, it’s almost out of fashion again. Snowboarding has become so dominant that the only interest seems to come from White’s skateboard moonlighting.
It’s all part of a cycle, im happy doing damn unfashionable things.