Ladera Skateboards

In 2000, Ladera Skateboards began as an experiment in a high school wood shop class. With nothing more than a rusty jigsaw, a sheet of plywood and a passion for skating, they developed a skateboard that was vastly different from the cookie-cutter decks available at the local skate shops. Adorned with hand-painted art and a shape that merged style with function, the first Ladera skateboard captured an element of individuality and expressiveness that would eventually define the company in its entirety.

Ladera Skateboards is much more than a brand. It’s a tight-knit crew of local skaters from Santa Cruz, California who’ve formed an alliance based on countless skate sessions and endless good times. Over the years, the Ladera Skateboard crew’s grassroots efforts, guerrilla marketing tactics and unique image have helped to build name and increase brand awareness.

Nine years later, Ladera Skateboards is still at the forefront of creating quality products, progressing the sport and staying involved with the culture and lifestyle of skateboarding.

By optimizing control, feel, and performance for all ability levels, Ladera Skateboards continues to stand apart from the rest with its high performance set-ups, innovative board designs and premium skateboard components. All skateboards are, and continue to be tested and approved to meet the highest standards.

Armed with a progressive team of athletes and a shared passion for skating, Ladera Skateboards has evolved into a community focused on redefining the capabilities of every single rider.  After all, performance can only be as high as the board you ride. Raise your standards.

NCS: Who was involved from the beginning?
LS: In the very beginning it was Ryan Roberts and Parker Weiss who started Ladera Longboards.  Since then many things have changed and people have come and gone. Ryan Roberts has never lost tract of his vision and its his passion for Ladera that has kept him going through the years.

NCS: The art work on the boards are looking nice.  Who’s is doing your art designs?
Kevin Walsh is doing the art work… Living in Santa Cruz, CA doesn’t come without it’s consequences.  Perfect, cold water surf, a deep-rooted skate culture and an endless variety of creative inspiration helped shape Kevin into a unique and successful artist, and one that shares in our goals and visions perfectly.  Kevin’s distinct, bold style has graced Metallica posters and the bottom of professional surfer’s boards, and now they’re right at home on the latest batch of Ladera Skateboards.

NCS: When you were making longboards in your wood shop class in high school, did you ever dream that you would have your own successful longboard company?
LS: No, we were just doing what we love, not thinking about success or having a company.  It wast all about making something you liked and going out and skating with your friends.  The success and growth of Ladera came naturally just through passion and are drive to make a higher quality skateboard.

NCS: What influences the shapes and designs?
LS: Friends, skating, and what we feel like making influences the designs.  Basically just getting feed back on what people would like to skate.  Going to the skate park and asking people what shapes they would be stoked to ride.  Also just going out and skating ourselves and finding shapes we would like to skate.

NCS: Do you guys have a team?
LS: Ladera is currently in the process of rebuilding our skate and surf team. We are always looking for new riders that are stoked on Ladera… Hopefully in the future we will have a full Ladera team.

NCS: Do you guys get kids constantly asking if you guys can sponsor them?
LS: Yes, we have a group of groms in Santa Cruz on the east side, who are stoked on Ladera.  They are constantly asking about getting sponsored.

NCS: Ladera recently got some financial backing right?  Has that helped in doing certain things that were not attainable before?
LS: Yes that has helped, it has allowed us to expand in ways that we couldn’t before.  We are now able to push the brand more and in different ways.

NCS: Didn’t Ladera collaborate with The Expendables on a tour?
LS: Ladera and The Expendables hit the road for a winter Blackout tour. At Ladera, we love us some good rock ‘n roll (and reggae, punk, metal, and hip-hop) so when the Expendables were looking for tour sponsors, we said sign us up! The tour hit 46 stops across the nation, and special guests include Iration, Passafire, Pour Habit, and Roots Down Below.  Ladera helped promote the entire tour, the band drove all across the United States, playing back to back shows.  Some of the other bands that were apart of the tour were Iration, Passafire, Pour Habit, and Roots Down Below.  Ladera was really stoked to be apart of the tour and everyone had a great time.

NCS: Where would you like to see Ladera Skateboards 5 years from now?
LS: In Five years we would like to capture 15 to 20% of the domestic longboard market as well as international sells.  In addition we would have a well established sales and marketing structure promoting are evolving hard good line and soft goods. I hope Ladera develops a solid skate and surf team.  That is first on our list for what we would like to see happen next. I hope to see Ladera still enjoying what we do, and that is making high quality skateboards.  I would like to see us always pushing to improve our shapes and designs on our product and keeping our friends and customers stoked.

NCS: Is there anyone that you would like to thank?
LS: I would like to thank Madrid Skateboards, Joey at Paris Trucks, Ruse entertainment, the Stanley Family,  Skate Works, and all the friends and family that have contributed over the past 10 years, thank you for getting us to where we are today.

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