1)Skateparks – There are a lot of skateparks out there that charge money. You know why these skateparks charge money? Well, its because parents think that they are paying to have their kids babysat all day like it’s a daycare or something.

2)Fashionable Skateboarders – Skateboarders are all about fashion these days. They have to get their Sunday best on to go out and skate. Why would you put on your new kicks and clothing to just go and get all dirty and sweaty and damage all of the above. Personally, I have the same gear to skate in when I go skateboarding. I might change shirts but I have the same old holy shorts, and the same old beat up shoes with duct tape on the laces from knee-sliding out of bails.

3)No Union – Skateboarders don’t have a union! Skateboarders wreck themselves, become popular, and sign their rights away and their likeness when they enter the X- Games. When they get hurt (and they will for sure) there is no health care, and the veterans that got this sport going have no pension or retirement for helping make the sport as big as it is. Chris Gentry is working on forming a union called the Pro Riders Association, but it is very hard to start a union when everybody is just looking out for themselves. This goes for the skaters and the corporate sponsors alike.

4)Shop Decks – Skate shops found out years ago that they could print their own boards for cheaper than that of the pro skaters that keep their shops open. To make it even worse, they are getting these shop decks made in china for cheap, and importing them in by the thousands and its all about profit not about supporting the sport.

5)Security Officers and Cops

Cops and Security guards hate skateboarders! Their whole mission in life is to ruin your day. Next time one of them comes up to you with an attitude and asks you to leave, just be polite and do it. They are expecting you to make some kind of smart ass comment and then they can escalate the situation. Now there are exceptions to this rule. There are security guards that will creep up and grab you, I guess it’s because they think you are going to run. I remember one time I was filming and a security guard came up and started harassing the skater I was filming. We were on a 12 set and I was lying low on the bottom to get a good angle, so the security guard didn’t see me at first. After a little harassment to the skater I walked up and asked him what the problem was. The 150 pound 21 year old Security Guard wasn’t so froggy when I walked straight up to him with all 230 pounds and explained to him that all he has to do is be polite and we will leave. If you want respect in this world you have to gain it, you don’t automatically get it because of a uniform. Especially a Security Guard uniform

Skateboarding first begun in the nineteen fifties, which was when surfers all across California got the bright idea that they were going to try and surf the streets. Even though no one actually knows exactly who made the very first skateboard, it appears that several different people came up with a lot of similar ideas all at the exact same time. There have been several people that have claimed that they have invented the very first skateboard, however nothing can really be proven and the skateboarding still remains being a very spontaneous and strange creation.

The very first skateboarders began with wooden boards or boxes with some roller skate wheels slapped onto the bottom. Just like you would imagine, there were a lot of people that got hurt during the early years of skateboarding. Skateboarding was just a sport that was being discovered and born, so just about anything went. All of the boxes eventually turned into planks, and the companies eventually were producing decks that were created with pressed wood layers which are very similar to the skateboard decks we use today.

It was during this time that skateboarding was viewed as something that could be done for fun after having gone surfing. During nineteen sixty three, skateboarding was at the very peak of its popularity and some companies such as Hobie and Makaha, and Jack all began holding competitions for skateboarding. At this particular time, skateboarding was mainly freestyle or downhill slalom. Woody Woodward, Torger Johnson as well as Danny Berer all were some very respectable skateboarders at this particular time; however they looked completely different than what skateboarding appears as today. Freestyle, which was their particular style of skateboarding, was a lot more similar to ice skating or dancing ballet with a skateboard.

In nineteen sixty five, the popularity of skateboarding suddenly crashed and most people just assumed that skateboarding was a fad that had faded out, just like the hoola hoop. All of the skateboarding companies had no choice but to fold and all of the people that still possessed the desire to skate all had to make their very own skateboards again right from scratch.

However, there were still some people that skated, even though all of the parts that were needed for their skateboards were very hard to find and the boards were all home made. The skaters were using boards that were made out of clay wheels, which was very hard to control and very dangerous. However later on in nineteen seventy two, Frank Nasworthy invented the urethane skateboard wheels, these are very similar to the wheels that are most commonly used by skateboarders today. Cadillac Wheels was the name of his company and his invention was what sparked a brand new interested among young people and surfers in skateboarding.

During the spring months of nineteen seventy five, skateboarding was able to take an evolutionary boost forward into the sport that we are currently seeing today.

In all actuality, Vans No Skools in the past has gone through thousands of incarnations. However, the greatest and latest are the skateboarding shoes known as Vans No Skools 2s, these are professional signature shoes by Dustin Dollin, and they are very great to wear. Reinforced toe and heel caps, strong side panels, double stitching, mainly the works plus a very sweet degree of style, all of these things are what makes these really awesome skate shoes.

Pros

• Very durable construction with triple and double stitching.
• An extremely cool style.
• Vans No Skool 2’s are the most recent incarnation in the very long time of signature model shoes by Dustin Dollin that are well built.

Cons

• Just like all of the other lightweight skate shoes, eventually aggressive skating is going to destroy them, but that is only natural.

Description of Vans No Skool 2

• Vans No Skool 2’s are Dustin Dollin’s most recent pro model skateboarding shoes.
• Durable canvas and double stitched suede upper.
• The tongue and the heel collar have extra padding in them.
• The tongue is attached along the sides with some elastic, which is an upgrade to the normal tongue straps.

The Pro Signature Model by Dustin Dollin

To put this in prospective for you, the original skateboarding shoes, Vans No Skools were actually a redesigned version of the skateboarding shoes Vans Old Schools. So now, we have the No Skool 2’s and they’re basically a remake of the old remake. By now you are probably wondering what these new shoes are like. Well, the Vans No Skool 2’s are very awesome and they possess a punk style. However, you have to keep in mind that show skateboarding shoes look is only the half of it. These skateboarding shoes are also built extremely well. With the toes and heels having reinforced double layers, it will help the shoes to last a little longer through heavy skating. The shoe’s strong side panels will help to keep your skateboarding shoes from blowing out.

The Vans No Skool 2’s also have a gum sole of waffle grip which is very similar to the sole that is in most of Vans skateboarding shoes, even though its northing new, it works. The tongue on the shoe also has some very good padding, not to mention that the heel collar is padded to, which adds some stability and comfort. Last but not least, the shoe is very light and it isn’t going to pull you down. As you probably already know, everyone has opinions, there are some skateboarders out there that may not like this particular type of skateboarding shoe and then there are some skateboarders out there that love skateboarding shoes that are lightweight, and in the event that you fall into this category, you aren’t going to be disappointed with the new Vans No Skool 2’s.

Just remember to show them off to all of your skateboarding friends when you get them.

Generally speaking, skateboarding has its very own culture. In general, skateboarders, mostly have their very own style. The clothing that skateboarders wear is individualized. There are some skateboarders that may have piercings and sport tattoos. Skateboarders are well known for practicing their craft on their most favorite skateboard within shopping malls, within their driveways and on stairs.

There are several places that have some skateboarding parks where all of the people that are passionate about skateboarding can practice all of their tricks and socialize with all of their friends as well. There are several people that are intrigued by the culture and really want to join along but they just don’t know how to go about doing it.

In any situation where you have the desire to get involved in skateboarding, the very first thing that you should do is purchase a skateboard. When selecting your skateboard, make sure that the board matches your personality and style, because these two things are a very important factor in what skateboarding is really all about. You are going to want to locate a skateboard that you are going to be proud to own because it is a symbol of you as an individual and it represents who you are.

It would also be a very wise idea to pick up a couple of pieces of safety gear while you are purchasing your skateboard, at first you are more than likely going to need it a lot. For skateboarding, there isn’t any dress code. All you have to do is wear something that is comfortable. In the event that you want to become a part of skateboarding, you shouldn’t feel as if you need to dress like all of the typical skaters if that really isn’t who your cup of tea.

The main objective is to find a very unique way to express who you are; it shouldn’t be to fit into a group. Most people are going to respect you more because of your individuality. The very next thing you are going to want to do is take your very first ride on the skateboard. Make sure that you get someone that has some experience to help you out.

Keep in mind that it is going to take some time to learn how to balance yourself when you are on the skateboard and to be able to maintain your balance as you ride. Once you have master that, you will be able to being learning some tricks, you may learn by simple trail and error or you may get someone experienced to show you how. After all of this, you are well on your way to becoming a professional.

At first, skateboarding may just be a hobby, something to keep you busy when you are bored. However, there are times that skateboarding becomes the love of your life and you want to take it farther. In the event that you dream of being a professional skateboarder, never give up on your dreams because you can achieve anything when you set your mind to it.

The Asian Xgames take place in these countries Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Chinese Taipei, China, Hong Kong, Japan,Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates. The Asian Xgames keeps growing every year and has over 200 of the best action sports athletes from throughout the Asia Pacific region. The skateboarders will be competing for prize money, sponsorships from skateshops and a qualifying spot at the X Games in the United States.

Here is a video clip from the Asian Xgames Vert Skateboarding Contest