Eastside Longboards - About Eastside

ABOUT EASTSIDE

Eastside was started in 2003 on the Eastside of Portland, Oregon. A group of local skaters in their early 20's seeked a board that could do it all. Skating downhill in a city park called Mt.Tabor we discovered the joys of rolling smooth on soft wheels to gain speed and grip. As our local hill, this has always been the place for testing out and refining each new model. Back then most boards available on the market were too short to control speeds over 25-30 mph or too long to make sharp inner city turns. Having the feel of a short board combined with the stability of a longboard - the perfect sized board was born with a strong focus on efficient transportation. Portland native and creater Robin McGuirk originally introduced a line of shorter longboards made to be more responsive to manuever quickly through the city. The most famous model from this line is called the Tabor as it is still made and sold nationwide. Next came the need for speed as the Racing Scene exploded in 2005 with major events happening like the Maryhill Loops annual summer race. We then introduced, after many prototypes, the Eastside DropBoard made for high speed downhill. Since then various other downhill and freeride models have been released like the versatile DropKick and the symmetrical Rocky Bomber.

As a huge supporter of longboarding in the NW, we have sponsored most every event in Oregon and Washington. And over time have formed a Riding Team from some of the most talented and dedicated riders from the Portland area. Together we represent Eastside as positive reps for the growth of longboarding worldwide!

Archive of Eastside's History and Involvement in the Community : 2006 - 2010 Forum - Media and Races

Eastside Longboards Media Coverage

Silverfish Longboarding Front Page - 11/17/10 - "The Leg Reports on Adrenalina and the Bomb"
- Article Link

The Oregonian Front Page - 7/2/10 "Utility and thrills put longboarding on the rise in Portland"
- Article Link

AM NorthWest TV Interview with Eastside Longboards - 8/15/08 - Click Link for Video

The Handmade Process

Each board is hand laminated using thin plys of ecologically harvested hard maple with a specially formulated non-toxic water-proof glue. Uniquely designed molds are programmed and cut by CNC for each of its models. The molds are put into hydraulic presses that laminate each board and press the thin plys of wood and glue into shape. Once the blanks are heat cured, they are placed onto the CNC machine programmed to cut out the outside shape and drill the truck holes perfectly. Then each cut blank is routed on the edges and sanded down by hand. Three coats of industrial laquer are sprayed on in between cycles of sanding. Silk screened and heat transfer graphics are applyed for the various models. Decks are sold separate with choice of griptape or complete with all Made in the USA components including Randal Trucks and Abec 11 wheels.

The CNC Machine