1960's The New Fad

Between the years 1959 and 1965, skateboarding became more and more popular in the United States. Particularly affected were the states on the east and west coasts. Due to the industrial development, the skateboard's status changed from toy to sports equipment. These boards featured a typical surfboard shape and roller skate trucks and were sold as complete boards. In the years following many companies would begin to mass produce skateboards, the skateboard industry would begin.

Another landmark event in 1963 was the first skate contest in Hermosa Beach, California. Skateboarding was not just cruising anymore. Skateboarders showed their skills in different disciplines like slalom or freestyle and companies started to assemble a team to sponsor the riders. As the popularity of skateboarding began to expand, the first skateboarding magazine "The Quarterly Skateboarder" was published in 1964.

Skateboards became especially popular among surfing enthusiasts, primarily in California. A next big step was the further development of the shape of the boards. Larry Stevenson invented the kicktail, and with it came a lot more possibilities to ride a skateboard and opened up skateboarding to a new level of performance beyond imitating surfing.