Evolution of Skateboard Design from Barnyard to Popsicle

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Skateboard design evolved from various shapes and sizes to a more fixed design after the introduction of the barnyard prototype. Designers made minor adjustments to create the popsicle skateboard which is now the staple design. The popsicle design is considered the offspring of the double kick design, and the evolution reflects a pure design story driven by the needs, pushing the tool, and what people can do, which in turn feeds back into what is created. The addition of a second kicktail to create the popsicle design raises the question of the possibility of other potential designs.

Watch a skate video today, and you'll notice how similarly shaped the boards are. It’s called the “popsicle” design, because the deck is narrow in the middle and rounded off at both ends, like a popsicle stick. This may seem stupid simple, but that basic, clean popsicle shape is actually the product of a lot of experimentation and iteration. In 1989, one particular board would cement skateboard design as we know it. But to understand it, we have to go back over a decade to the mid-70s, as more and more money poured into the growing sport.

The Double Kick