The Setting
- The 70s were about building something from scratch
- The 90s were about survival, then explosion
Both decades saved skateboarding in their own way. One with innovation, one with attitude.
The Big Breakthrough
70s:
- Urethane wheels replaced metal ones in 1972, making riding actually enjoyable
- The first proper skate parks opened in 1976
- Alan Gelfand invented the Ollie in 1978, the single most important trick in history
- Street skating was born
90s:
- Skateboarding nearly died early in the decade, killed off by BMX and inline skating
- It went back to its roots and came back harder
- The internet kept it alive and spread it globally
- The X-Games launched and put skating on TV for the first time
The Culture
70s:
- Heavily influenced by surf culture
- Downhill, slalom and freestyle dominated
- Skate parks were the main scene
- Hardware was evolving fast, boards getting wider and more shaped
90s:
- Street skating took full control
- Thrasher and Transworld defined the look and attitude
- VHS skate videos spread new tricks worldwide before the internet took over
- Brands like Girl, Chocolate and Flip pushed the hardware forward
Bottom Line
The 70s gave skateboarding its foundation. The Ollie, the parks, the wheels that actually worked. The 90s gave it its soul. The underground roots, the global spread, and the attitude that made skating what it is today.