Blind Skateboards is a renowned brand and a skateboard industry pioneer created in 1989 by Mark Gonzales under the ownership of World Industries, Steve Rocco’s distribution company.
In the late 80s, skateboarding was soaring with two companies, Powell Peralta and Vision Skateboards, leading the industry. Mark Gonzales left Vision, for which he was a pro rider, to start Blind – the name was a wink toward Vision’s name. Gonzales soon was joined by other pro skaters such as Jason Lee (from World Industries, today a famous actor), Guy Marino, Rudy Johnson (from Powell Peralta), Jordan Richter, Danny way, and others.
In the early 90s, Blind Skateboards took on Powell Peralta and became a highly prominent skateboard company – at one point the world’s largest skate brand. Blind released its first skateboarding video, “Video Days”, in 1991, considered one of the most influential of its time.
Gonzalez has since left Blind Skateboards and today the company operates under the Dwindle Distribution company, an undisputed and iconic skateboarding industry and lifestyle leader which evolved from World Industries and is now part of Globe International.
Blind Skateboards decks and trucks, like Globe’s other brands, are manufactured in Globe’s DSM woodshop factory in Shenzhen, China, which imports complete maple logs from Canada.
Blind Skateboards’ pro team is composed of top riders including Micky Papa, Kevin Romar, Cody McEntire, TJ Rogers, Jason Thurtle, Jordan Maxham, and Sora Shirai.
Are Blind Skateboards good?
As mentioned, Blind is an iconic and reputable brand which a lot of skateboarders trust and support. Many skaters swear by Dwindle Distribution’s full shapes and claim they’re the best decks ever, namely as a result of DSM’s single press manufacturing process which guarantees a consistent shape and concave across decks. Some riders felt the old press method had some shortcomings such as an insufficient tail.
Many serious street skaters love the full concave, steep kicks, and full tail Blind Skateboard’s shapes offer – similar to other Dwindle brands including Darkstar, Almost, Enjoi, Globe Skateboards, etc. They feel these decks’ big side concaves and multiple pockets allow for comfortable riding and better board control.
Blind decks are slightly thicker than other brand-name decks, giving them more cushioning for landings and somewhat better resistance for impacts (less easily chipped). Some skaters feel the extra thickness makes flip tricks a bit harder, though.
Blind Skateboards components
While Blind Skateboards decks are well-respected in the hardcore and pro skate community, the Blind completes (like for most Globe brands) are targeted toward newer and intermediate level skateboarders. The trucks and wheels they come assembled with are decent-quality though probably not high-end enough for really advanced and hard-hitting tricks.
That being said, the stock trucks on Blind skateboards are reasonably durable and don’t wear out very fast. Regarding Blind wheels, they are generally larger than comparable brands. They are quiet rolling, have a lot of rebound, and very good traction, which makes them great for skating tight corners but not so easy to break into slides.
Unlike cheaper skateboards, the griptape that comes with Blind’s complete skateboards is grippy enough for tricks but not too aggressive so as to hurt you or rip your clothes if you fall on it.
Next, let’s take a close look at some of Blind’s greatest complete skateboads and decks.
Blind Skateboards OG Logo review
The Blind OG Logo is a solid, 7-ply hard maple wood deck, single deck pressed with strong water-based glue. It comes in several design colors (Amazon links):
- The Matte Black version is 7.875″ wide and 31.7″ long
- The Matte White with yellow, blue, and red is 7.75″ x 31″
- The Foil Gold is 7.62″ x 31.2″
- The Matte Cyan/Yellow is a “mini” size 7″ x 28″
- The Watercolor red/blue is 7.25″ x 29.25″ (also comes with a package which includes a backpack)
The OG Logo completes come with 52mm Blind wheels:
Blind Skateboards Retro Reaper Scout review
The Blind Retro Reaper complete has a cool-looking satin black deck with a graphic featuring a yellow skull with a Beaney on a blue square, with the Blind name in comics-style yellow-colored characters underneath. The mention “@1998 Blind scouts of America” appears under the graphic.
The 52mm wheels also have the cool Blind skeleton printed on them:
Check out the Blind Retro Reaper here on Amazon.
Blind Skateboards Pro Rider Yuto Horigome review
This is a Blind pro rider stock complete skateboard originally produced specially for use by Yuto Horigome – a pro skater on the Blind team until he left in January 2019. This 8.0″ x 31.6″ deck is sized specifically for Yuto and has special limited edition graphics featuring the “Blind Papa” Tiles. It’s an Impact Light technology deck with a medium concave and a medium kick.
This pro complete comes with with Venture trucks and Spitfire 52mm Bighead wheels, high-end Bones Reds bearings, and Jessup griptape.
Check out the Blind Yuto Horigome complete here on Amazon.
Blind Skateboards Morgan Smith Reaper deck review
The Blind Morgan Smith Reaper is 8.125″ x 31.8″ with cool bottom graphics featuring Blind’s iconic reaper skeleton dressed in a black rock n roll attire, a red bandana on his head, rings around his bony fingers and a Blind cross hanging from his neck. The reaper is giving watchers the finger(s). The deck is 7-ply, single-pressed with stronger than standard epoxy resin glue.
Check out the Blind Morgan Smith Reaper on Amazon.
Blind Skateboards Sam Beckett Reaper deck review
The Blind Sam Beckett Reaper deck is 8.5″ x 32″ with a similar graphics to the above deck. Here, the Reaper has a different – though just as cool – outfit with several huge necklaces and medallions, a beret hat, and an eye patch.
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Check out the Blind Sam Beckett Reaper on Amazon.
Blind Skateboards Morgan Smith Bonged deck review
The Blind Morgan Bonged deck is Morgan Smith’s own pro model. It’s an 8.25″ x 32.0″ deck with a 14.25″ wheelbase. It has a 7-ply Hardrock maple construction single-pressed with strong epoxy resin glue. The shape features a full concave and a steep kick.
The art on this deck features a red snake blowing out smoke inhaled from a bong the smiling beast is wrapped around. The smoking snake graphic sits on a blue wooden background. The artwork is signed by artist Fos.
See the Blind Morgan Smith Bonged deck with Jessup grip tape on Amazon.
Blind Skateboards Micky Papa Tribute Rosary deck review
The Bling Micky Papa Tribute Rosary is another Resin-7 (7-ply maple + epoxy resin) deck with size 8″ x 31.7″. This is a Micky Papa pro model featuring a reaper looking up and praying with his hands joined while holding a blue rosary around them. The stunning artwork sits on a flashy red background.
Check out the Micky Papa Tribute on Amazon.
Blind Skateboards Horny Henry deck review
The Henry Sanchez Fucked Up Blind Kids is a larger and wider 8.94″ x 32″ deck with a 14.25″ wheelbase. The shape features a mellow concave and a steep kick.
This is a reissue of the Henry Sanchez pro model, featuring a cartoon version of pro rider Henry eagerly looking at a porn magazine underneath a lamp. The cartoon graphics, signed by Mark Mckee, sits inside a white box screen printed on top of the orange veneer background. This deck is part of the Blind Skateboards Heritage Collection.
Check out the Blind Horny Henry Fucked Up Kids skateboard deck here on Amazon.
Blind Skateboards Sam Beckett deck review
The Blind Polymal is a larger (8.5″ x 32.5″) Sam Beckett pro model deck with mind-blowing artwork featuring a growling fox with stunning visual effects and blending into a purple and wooden patchwork background.
See the price for the Blind Polymal deck here on Amazon.
Blind Skateboards Tom Boyle Tribute deck review
This Blind skateboard deck is a tribute to Tom Boyle, a talented technical vert skater who passed away in 2016. The art on the deck bottom features Tom catching big air on a large vert, on a beautiful blue sky and cloud background reminiscent of eternity. The words “beloved father/son/friend/skater” are printed under his name in white color.
See the price for the Blind Tom Boyle Tribute deck on Amazon.
Final words
Blind Skateboards has helped make skateboarding history for decades and continues to do so with high quality decks, performance shapes, and stunning artwork and skateboarding videos. It’s one of the core legendary brands and products that Dwindle Distribution markets and produces. For most skaters, choosing a Blind deck or complete can only be a good decision.
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Photo credits:
Featured image and product shots courtesy of Blind Skateboards
1ignominious
Wednesday 12th of January 2022
1staccato