Description
Z-Flex Skateboards – OVER THIRTY YEARS OF MAKING LEGENDS “Generations Strong” are the best words to describe Z Flex. The Company was founded in 1976 as a home for the original Z-Boys. Through unique innovations (the fiberglass board and the first patented truck) and famous teams of riders, Z Flex evolved as the pioneer in the industry. Z Flex first generation riders were known as the original “Z Boyz”. Generation II and III riders were also among the best of their era. The current Generation IV riders are following in those footsteps. Generation I (1976-77): Z-Flex was one of a handful of skate companies finding its way during the skateboarding industry’s infancy. Several events and products made this time special. The Z Boyz skate team (some better known for surfing than skateboarding) morphed a surf style into what is known today as “Old School” pool skating. One of the reasons Z-Flex’s founder Kent Sherwood started Z-Flex was to make a board that Jay Adams couldn’t break. Sherwood was lucky that his school pal Chris Pasques had time to focus on such a project and had a desire to create a transition from surfing waves to surfing concrete. With that the Jay Adams Uni-directional fiberglass board was born. The board incorporated built-in rails–another Z Flex first and was universally acknowledged as the highest performing board of its time. Not able to find a factory capable of mass producing a quality fiberglass board, Z Flex began its own production with one mold, 45 employees working 24 hours a day and a three month back order demand. The Jay Adams deck is a top selling Old School board to this day. The famous Del Mar contest was a ground breaking event for the skateboarding world. The Z Boyz, with their aggressive yet fluid style, placed high in the contest and left a dominating impression for the skateboard industry to follow and capitalize on. Z Flex was a pioneer in testing new urethane wheel designs in this era. The clay wheels from the roller skating industry did not provide a smooth, fast ride, since they lacked retaining and grip qualities. Pasques developed the abrasion resistant Z Smooth wheel specifically for boardwalk skating. Then came the Z Grooves, a one-of-a-kind, faster, smoother wheel with a formula which most of today’s wheels are based upon. Z-Boyz of this era included Jay Adams, not only one of the best known Z Boy, but one of the best skateboarders ever, due in large part to his carefree aggressive style of attacking pools and streets with his skateboard. Other great Z Flex skaters of this era were Marty Grimes, known for his cruizin’ style and attitude, and Shogo Kubo for his ripping fluid style. Generation II (1978-80): An economic downturn and outlawing of skateboarding sent the riders underground and the sport’s popularity took a deep drop in this era. Many skateboard companies came and went. Z-Flex was one of the few original companies to ride-out and survive the storm. Z Flex Generation II riders and product innovations continued to think outside the box, maintaining Z Flex as an industry leader.