Here we have the second Hard Times board in the series...but it was labeled #1. Don’t ask us because we don’t remember why! (we’re dumb) The first Hard Times board was not numbered and has become known as the Hard Times 0. The #1 shape is real similar to the #0 but it’s a bit longer overall and getting closer to a double kick with a 6” nose.
A little history: Around 1989 Vision came out with the “Basics” series and other companies were also experimenting with a less graphic-lower price approach to team boards...but all their graphics totally sucked! At that time we were hanging out with Nor Cal Blockhead riders JJ Rogers and Jay West and the term “Hard Times” was thrown out often....for example noodles with ketchup packets swiped from the burger joint was “Hard Times Spaghetti”. So that was it! Ron Cameron scribbled a rough drawing on a tiny scrap of paper and then enlarged it on the copy machine and then added the iconic HARD TIMES lettering and banged on a typewriter to get slogan “tiMes TOUgh? DOn’T CARe? nO EXPeNSiVe pAINt JoBS, no pRO RoYALtiES TO pAY. nO FRiLLs, jUSt A tOP qUALitY sKATeboARd FOr not aS Much monEY”. It was just one color screen print on a natural or painted white board, no top graphic. This low-fi scribble xerox art would go on to become Blockhead’s best selling graphic series ever! (Thanks JJ and Jay for the inspiration).
Details:
- 1st batch, 120 produced total
- Deck Colors: Natural, White dip (choose above)
- Bottom: Screen printed graphics: Black/color fade
- Top: Screen printed 30 year logo, hand numbered
- Art: Ron Cameron
- Dimensions: 9.875 x 32.375”, 14.75” wheelbase, 6.75 tail, 6” nose
- Construction: 7-ply maple (old school layup)
- Hole pattern: Old School
- Manufactured by Watson Laminates, San Diego CA
- Original release date 1990, Reissue date 2016
