Top 5 Grip Tape Brands You Need To Try Out

One of the most important parts of your skateboard is the grip tape. Now, it’s not sand paper. Do not make the mistake of putting sand paper on your board, it doesn’t work. That is too hard and it’s going to eat through your shoes, and will not give you better pop or control. I cannot stress this enough. DO NOT USE SAND PAPER!

Now, there are a lot of companies right now that are promoting grip tape and not all of them are that good. Some are actually made by the same factories, and truth be told, they are all pretty good. But if you’re going to get the best, and you want to know my opinion on the matter, here are my top 5 grip tape options that you can purchase right now.

I tested each one of these, and can say that they all have their upsides, although branding plays a role across skateboarding. These are my thoughts on the top 5 grip tape brands you need to use today.

5. Grizzly Grip Tape

Grizzly Grip is one of the most promoted brands that you may find today. I see their ads all over the place, including skateboarding magazines and videos. They are good, they are a bit pricey at times, but they put out quality product, alongside Primitive skateboards.

4. Black Magic Grip Tape

I’ve been using Black Magic for a long time, and they put out strong grip tape. If you keep yours without sand and water getting on it, this will last a great while. It’s strong, it grips tight, and it is a bit harder than a lot of other options. I like it.

3. Jessup Grip Tape

Another great choice, Jessup grip tape is usually the standard that many skate shops put on their boards. It’s a strong overall brand, and I can’t really complain. It is cheap, it’s easy to apply, and it works. It’s not too coarse, but it works. I don’t think it lasts as long as the top 2, but it still is functional and most often, free.

2. Mob Grip Tape

I like Mob Grip a lot, but I haven’t used it in about 6 months. It’s a good overall piece of grip, and really does well for flip tricks. I haven’t tested it on vert, but then again, I’m not a vert skater. Mob Grip has upside, but again, it very well may be another brand being made in this one.

1. AM Grip Tape

My top pick right now is Am Grip. You can buy this grip tape from theshredquarters.com. This is some of the best grip that you can pick up, and it’s not that expensive. If you like supporting the little guy, and don’t want to give your money to corporate entities, then here you go, AM Grip is solid, strong, and it’s all over Revive Skateboards. If you’re a fan of independent skateboarding, AM Grip is your best bet, if you ask me.

Dogtown Loose Trucks Eric Dressen Photo Deck Review

Dogtown Loose Trucks Eric Dressen Skateboard Deck

The Dogtown Loose Trucks Eric Dressen Photo Deck is a new deck I just spotted. This is a skateboard deck is 8.25 x 32.5 and is a perfect size for street boarding. It’s interesting to me, because I know Eric Dressen. He would come to this bowl my friends and I put up in Santa Monica. He broke our bowl. We had a complete bowl, he whipped around the thing and launched himself onto a brick wall nearby, then threw himself back in. Our jaws dropped, but so did our bowl.

With the release of the Dogtown Loose Trucks Eric Dressen Photo Deck, this is a classic skateboard deck that features a picture of Dressen doing a killer wall ride, most likely at Stoner or some other school. As for the pop, and concave, this is a great overall deck, made for speed and made for street. I love it. If you’re a fan of Dogtown skateboards, then this is a great one to consider.

Skateboards are released on a limited time, limited quantity basis. These won’t last. If you’re interested in this skateboard or any of the options mentioned, check out these links:

Click here to order skateboards from small skate shops selling on amazon.com by clicking here.

Or

Click here to order from Tactics.com, which is a Northwest skate shop that features the biggest selection of skateboard decks and gear.

Zoo York Skateboards Daniel Scales Genesis Part HD Skateboarding Video

Daniel Scales just made me a believer with his part for Zoo York skateboards. This is Scales' "Genesis" part. He has put on a showcase of pure talent, and dedication to the sport with this clip. Don't sleep on Zoo York's skateboarding right now, the team is killing it, and they keep putting out quality boards and clothing. This is a great part, check it out and support the company if you'd like.

Zoo York Water Color Liberty Skate Deck Review

Of all the skateboarding companies that have made it big, I feel that Zoo York still maintains a lot of their graphic design elements. They still push modern skateboarding, even if the team is not like it once was, and there are a lot of people rocking their clothing, etc. Whatever the case may be, they have a new series of decks that feature different New York staples done in water colors. This is the Zoo York Water Color Liberty Skate Deck, for instance, and it’s 8.5 x 31.875 and it’s an instant classic if you’re from New York City.

The Zoo York Water Color Liberty Skate Deck is a good overall shape, with the classic Zoo York concave and hard wood pressing. I’ve always liked the rounder edge that comes with the Zoo York decks, but that’s just a subtle taste element that you may not even notice. Once gripped, this board rocks, and it’s easy to work with if you’re usually skateboarding on a 8.5 deck.

The Zoo York Water Color Liberty Skate Deck is out now, and it’s a good board for the art, and the streets, if you know what I mean.

Purchase Zoo York Water Color Liberty Skate Decks and more by clicking HERE.

Zoo York Water Color Freedom Skateboard Deck Review

Zoo York skateboards is one of those companies that I’ve always wanted to emulate. They have made it big in a lot of ways, and they still push out core skateboarding products. Not a lot of shops that I know carry them, but when you see them in the wild, they are quite good. With the release of the Zoo York Water Color Freedom Skateboard Deck, you get some stellar artwork that represents New York very well.

This water color artwork is not just great for the board, it can be placed on your wall with ease. I have 4 on my wall right now, not all Zoo York, but boards in general. The Zoo York Water Color Freedom Skateboard Deck features 8.25 x 31.875 sizing, and the concave that’s great for the streets. This isn’t much for pools or anything like that, but it’s a good versatile skateboard deck for street skateboarding.

If you’re used to the Zoo York skateboards shape, then the Zoo York Water Color Freedom Skateboard Deck is going to fit right into your collection. I like it, and it’s just the right size for flips and board slides. Although, not good for vert, if you ask me.

You can purchase Zoo York gear and skateboards by clicking here.

Deathwish Skateboards Ellington The Dancer Pee Wee Herman Skateboard Deck Review

The Deathwish Skateboards Ellington The Dancer Pee Wee Herman Skateboard has a very unique painting on it. It’s from an artist named The Dancer, but the image is of the man, the myth, the legend, Pee Wee Herman! Not only that, He’s flipping you off, sucka! It’s so subtle, you’re going to miss it if you don’t look closely. Whatever the case is, this is a great art piece from Deathwish.

Now, in regards to the deck size, this is 8.125 x 31.5 which isn’t that large, and isn’t going to really feel too far away from 8. I like the 8.25 – 8.5 options more often than not, and this is a street classic. There’s a lot of pop on this, with good concave, but it’s more for flip tricks and catching shove-its.

Deathwish puts out quality boards, and this is a combination of art and design. It’s not as high tech as some of the Almost or Black Label ones, but it’s definitely a good option. I like the Deathwish Skateboards Ellington The Dancer Pee Wee Herman Skateboard because of Pee Wee more than anything else. It’s really cool.

You can pick up Deathwish Skateboard Decks by clicking here.

Chocolate Skateboards Selena Skateboard Deck Review

There are a lot of skateboards that come and go, and lots of artwork has come through from Chocolate skateboards, but nothing quite like this. The Chocolate Skateboards Selena Skateboard Deck is 8.25 x 32 and it’s the Perez pro deck, with a picture tribute to the lost singer Selena. She was gunned down by the president of her fan club, and well, if you’re a Latino, you know how much her music and life impacted you.

But does it ride well? Well, the Chocolate Skateboards Selena Skateboard is good overall, no doubt. The Chocolate skateboards shape hasn’t changed since the inception of the brand. It’s nice, has firm pop, and will last you a few months of hard wear and tear. At 8.25 x 32, it really is a wider deck than what I’m used to, but not by much. It’s a good overall board, but because of the artwork, you may not want to ride this one. You may want to put the Chocolate Skateboards Selena Skateboard on your wall.

This deck has great artwork, and the classic Chocolate Skateboards pop, simple as that. I’d recommend it, but then again, it’s hard to negatively review a skateboard sometimes. What can I say?

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