Well, there are two other residual “gear madness” things kicking off 2023…but I don’t really put these in the same category as the “acute madness” I wrote about in later 2022. What’s “different” about these? Well, let’s just jump in and you’ll see. The two items are:
(1) An “old school” set up (circa 1990)
(2) Killer 187 Fly Knee Pads
187 Fly Knee Pads
Let’s start with the Fly knee pads. These are a “lower end” Killer 187 product. I’ve actually had these before—and I got rid of them for better knee pads. So, why am I revisiting them now? When I previously had them, I was mostly wearing knee pads when skating transition. I upgraded to 187 Pros, because the Fly version wasn’t padded enough for some of the harder (and higher) falls on mini ramps.
Well, a few things have changed since then. Namely, I now wear pads a lot more, and often even when “street” skating. My existing 187 Pro knee pads are great—I love them. But I am curious to see if there is anything a little less bulky for street skating, and that’s where the 187 Fly knee pads come (back) in. They should be arriving tomorrow. We’ll see how these work-out. They may be great. I may hate them. Time will tell. More updates as the situation develops.
1990 Blind Danny Way “Nuke Baby” Reissue
Second, is an “old school” set-up. I have 1986-ish Tommy Guerrero (flaming dagger) complete that sits in the corner of my bedroom. It’s more for decoration than anything else. I take it out for a ride, about once a year, for 5 minutes, to remind myself how much I hate riding old-school decks (or at least mid-‘80s decks). I also have a Dogtown Eric Dressen “Hands” deck that I occasionally set-up, for the same reason as the Tommy G. The “Hands” deck came out in 1987, and is only slightly more “functional” (I use that word loosely) than the Tommy G. deck. Neither of these decks are very “fun” for me to ride, at all.
That said, something in me still wants to have some kind of an old-ish, shaped, directional board for “fun” (well, all skateboarding is “fun,” so that is kind of an evasive reason). I guess I want it for a little variety, and for something out-side my standard popsicle comfort zone, and causes me to skate a bit differently. However, it has to be a deck that is more functional than the stuff produced in the mid to late 1980s (e.g. the Tommy G. and the Dressen). By 1992, decks were in that football shape/proto-popsicle stage. I hate those shapes, and they are too close to popsicles to be different enough to fulfill what I am looking for here. So, I decided to go something around 1990-1991. I found basically what I am looking for with the Blind Danny Way “Nuke Baby” reissue. This deck, I have also had before (both the OG and a reissue). It was absolutely better/more functional than the Tommy G. or Dressen, but of course, not as functional as my popsicles. I can’t remember the circumstances under which I got rid of the last (reissue) one I had. In any event, I’ve been missing the occasional cruise-around on that deck, so I ordered another one last week. That, also, should be here tomorrow.
I’m setting this up with 99a Spitfire 54mm Radial wheels. The radials are good half-way point between the Spitfire Classic shape, and the more clunky-squared-off Conical shape. I think the Radials will be a good compliment to this deck. I’ll also be putting Indys on it. And if I recall, you can set this deck up with 149s or 159s. I have a set of both, so I can play around with it a bit. I might try a small riser 1/8” riser, but that’s down the road for now. I certainly don’t see riding this set-up on the regular, but it will absolutely be fun to toy around with from time to time.
Last, I would be lying if I said there was not also a touch (just a touch) of nostalgia going on here, too. As much of a turboclown as D. Way has been over the years, he was a favorite skater during that period, and if you’ve read my other blog, you’ll know that in some ways, for better or worse, I am mystically bound to him. Hints of nostalgia aside, this deck checks off all the other boxes I was lookoing for, too. So, it’s a “two birds with one stone” situation, and I am totally fine with a shade of nostalgia creeping in.
