After securing my trucks with one last skeptical turn of the socket wrench, I sat for a moment and pondered the logo screened across the bottom of the new deck I had received. The Rollin Skateboards logo stared back at me innocently enough.
A Rolling Skateboard
Though I had never put one foot onto a board manufactured by this company based in Wilmette, Illinois, the shabbily screened logo made the prospect less than exciting. Not that I judge a book by its cover, but if skateboards were books, most would not be worth reading these days. Just as most people think they can write, many think they can also make a quality skateboard deck.
I may not have put my best foot onto the deck, but it was soon dragged forward by the skateboard’s performance. This unassuming piece of maple that I had looked over like the scrawny kid when picking a football team took everything I could throw at it and asked me for another, sir.
The Rollin deck felt solid under my feet without feeling bulky or clumsy. Looking at it from above, I could immediately discern the nose from the tail. Also, the nose and the tail gave a quick and sharp response to the whims of my feet, following their led explicitly, even if their wishes sometimes landed me on my face.
As far as the paint job went, this plain-Jane logo board would never end up in a gallery. Since most graphics last one or two slides, though, that should hardly be of concern. Consider this board like some sexual partners: love it for the ride, not its looks.
The ride is all that should matter if you love skating for the right reasons, anyway. Rollin Skateboards will satisfy those skaters that forego the flashy, good-looking skateboards for those with substance. Rolling with Rollin means one is rolling for the right reasons, and that makes this one a high roller.