Loaded:

It all started in 1995. The feeling of snowboarding on asphalt, that was what the guys at Loaded wanted to achieve. Testing every conceivable axle, axle spacing and every available deck material had a significant influence on the development of the boards. Everything was beaten down the local downhill mountain and tested extensively.

In the search for an active flex and controlled, precise steering behavior, old snowboards were soon transformed into longboards, trucks and wheels were fitted and the first flexible longboards were ready. These boards were tested and test ridden for a long time. The owners of Loaded took courses in materials science and trained in the processing of composite materials in order to promote the idea of their own boards and their quality.

Between September 2000 and June 2002, Loaded exclusively tested boards and, with the support of the best snowboard and skateboard developers, further developed the shapes and materials of the decks. Testing the materials became a full-time job. The boys were told from all sides that the processing of wood and fiberglass in one product was unfeasible. This made them sick, but also drove them straight into the direction Loaded is in today. Processing the finest materials with fiberglass. Loaded produces the most popular boards today and is still driving development forward.

Concretewave & Loaded boards:

We have been selling Loaded in the Concretewave skateshop in Cologne and in our online store since day 1. The guys from Loaded visited us back in 2006 and since then a deep connection and friendship has developed. Since then, they have visited us in Cologne several times. In return, we have of course not missed the opportunity to visit the Loaded Boards headquarters in Culver City / Los Angeles California several times. Here is our last visit in 2019.

Loaded X Concretewave crew 2019: Danny, Ethan, Mirelle, Heiko, Pablo & Don.

Loaded designs:

Loaded likes to work with up-and-coming artists on their board graphics. Skating is an art, and Loaded boards are works of art in their own right. We are happy to introduce you to some of the artists Loaded has worked with so far, some of the graphics were also realized by Loaded themselves and are mostly influenced by their Californian environment.

Ballona: Tomás Güereña (also known as "screw") is influenced by Robert Delaunay, cosmological geometry, Native American art, contemporary urban art and the marine environment. He created the prints Willy and Moby Ballona with abstract and figurative approaches respectively.

Mata Hari: Harking back to an era of significant progress in music and dance, Loaded has opted for an Art Deco-influenced design to inspire you to get your swing on. The griptape design picks up on the Art Deco graphic on the bottom, providing traction where it's needed while facilitating spins and turns on the laser-etched top logo.

Tarab 2: Loaded designed the original graphics of the Tarab in collaboration with artist Will Scobie to convey the fluidity of longboard dancing and the euphoric experience inherent in its namesake. Loaded ambassador and DockSession founder Lotfi Lamaali was instrumental in the design and development of both versions of the Tarab. For the Tarab II, they built on the original graphic while further exploring the influence of Lotfi's Moroccan cultural background.

Bhangra V2: The Bhangra V2 features original graphics by Mexican artist Tomas Guereña (also known as "Screw"), who also designed the Poke graphic. The lines of the graphic are intended to symbolize the movement and flow of longboard dancers.

Coyote Hola Lou: The graphic is from the pen of artist, designer and muralist Lou from Yucatán, México, holalou.com. Curious about contrasts and bold simplicity, Lou explores the intersection of abstract memories, feelings and music in her artwork. All of this is influenced by a minimal and modern approach rooted in the diversity of her Latin American heritage.

Which Loaded Longboards & Cruisers are actually available?

Loaded is very well positioned with its range of decks for many longboard disciplines. Here is a small overview:

The classic first: The Vanguard longboard brings lightweight, snowboard-inspired construction and performance to the tarmac. Camber, sidecuts and high-energy flex enable responsive carving, pumping and commuting. And all this since 2002 - let's carve!

Drop through boards:

Droptrough decks have a lower center of gravity due to their construction and are therefore very easy to push. The Tan Tien and the Dervish offer carve-oriented longboarding and with its kicks, one or two tricks are also possible. Combining wheel flares, cork, a balanced flex pattern and a new type of manufacturing, the Icarus longboard is the culmination of Loaded's quest for the ultimate carving experience.

Dancer:

Loaded has been at the forefront of longboard dancing since 2008. The dancers are called Tarab2, Bhangra V2 and Mata Hari. The length makes boardwalks possible and the nose and tail kicks invite all kinds of tricks. The Tarab II deepens Loaded's roots and attempts to advance modern longboard dancing through well thought-out design and material development. Compact dimensions, a lightweight construction, poppy kicktails and a range of wheelbase options make the Mata Hari the most technically proficient board for those who like to explore and challenge what's possible on a dancer skateboard. The new Bhangra V2 features an updated basalt and bio-epoxy construction for lighter weight, increased strength, a new flex and further environmental friendliness.

Minicruiser:

Mini cruisers are becoming increasingly popular and Loaded has also recognized this trend. Agile, compact and lightweight - the Loaded Ballona is a mini cruiser in a class of its own. Meticulously shaped curves result in a unique mini "longboard" with tuned steering and responsive handling. Perfect for urban commuting, driveway slashing, pump tracks and skatepark flow. Small in stature, colossal in character. The Coyote is a lightweight, compact city slasher that's perfect for freeride, freestyle and street cruising (not to mention easy on the wallet). Poke: With its highly functional kicktails and comfortable platform and rocker, the Poke is a versatile urban explorer that follows your every whim and turns every outing into a creative, dynamic adventure.

Downhill & Freeride:

Downhill and freeride skating is all about controlled speed and fun on slopes. This is where Loaded scores with the Tesseract versions. The Basalt Tesseract combines dual kicktails, rocker, wheelwell flares, W-concave and multiple wheelbase options in a lightweight package designed for hilly descents, snappy slides, breezy ollies, technical manual combos and cross-steps galore. Pack away your other boards, clear your head and let the Cantellated Tesseract be your versatile companion in your quest for enlightenment on four wheels. The Truncated Tesseract longboard integrates rocker, wheel well flares, W concave and multiple wheelbase options into a lightweight, compact, race-inspired package designed for big mountain roads, high speeds and rapid slides.

Loaded Youtube videos:

Loadedboards became famous in the beginning mainly through their videos. The 3 most viewed videos from the beginning are: Longboarding: Whirling Dervish: This video inspired a whole generation of longboarders, Adam Colton and Adam Stokowski show in this video what is possible with the Dervish...dance moves, freestyle, pumping, cruising and freeriding and all with a grin on your face.

Longboarding: Let Go: Kyle Chin skates down a beautiful hill in Outerspace. He wanted to get some freeriding, downhill, slow motion shots and capture the scenery. This video captures the beauty of skating. With over 2 million views, it's one of Loaded's most popular videos.

Loaded Boards Release | Tim Tam TAN TIEN from 2010: With this video Loaded celebrated the launch of their latest longboard, the Tan Tien. Progressive longboard riding from Adam Colton, Kyle Chin, P-Below Castro and the Bandyman. They had a lot of fun shooting this video, and yes, the first part is the same place as Flipping the Switch, they were just too much fun to skate. We are happy that Loaded riders and collaborators Pablo and Marcus came to skate.

With the video Loaded Boards | Awake with Tristan Morvan from 2012, a former team rider from concretewave.de has also managed to show what hard tricks are possible with Loaded boards. And we are proud to have contributed to the still extremely popular LoadedBoards videos. Thanks for that Tristan!