Tag Archives: Variflex

Skateboard Museum Update: My First Skateboard Photos

Posted on by
8

IMG_4251My first skate board – new photos

The very first skateboard related post I wrote for the Virtual Hot Tub concerned, quite appropriately, my very first skateboard.  There was only one photo to accompany the article however, and that wasn’t much good.  So, as per the update I did regarding the Variflex Joker, here are a few additional shots of this classic board.

Now in my collection for over thirty five years, this skateboard is the one I learned to skate on.  It was a gift from my Gran; but was neglected for a few years.  Eventually I was bitten by the skateboarding bug, and it was this board that gave me that first taste.

This is a very old, and now faded, plastic board from the 1970’s heyday of skateboarding.  The deck is plastic, like many of the skateboards of the time that served to introduce us to the sport/art.  We called these plastic boards “polyprops” back in the day – as in polypropylene, which the boards were supposedly made out of.  I’m not sure if polyprop is a local term or not.

Plastic skateboards have been given a whole new life recently, with the popularity of Penny skateboards.  The development of this retro trend certainly puts a smile on this old skate dog’s face.

Top view showing brand name
Wheels

On the nose of the deck is what I assume to be the brand name – Albert.  I’ve not seen this company anywhere else – if you know anyhting about them, please leave a comment and let me know.

The trucks are metal, though I have no idea what the wheels are made of.  The wheels are hard, and are sealed with a protector over the bearings.  The wheels have always been like this as far as I remember, so I assume they’re not a softer plastic that’s decayed over time.

Once red, now faded to pink, I still love this old board.  I’m very glad I still have it.

You can read the original blog about My First Skateboard here.

Skateboard Museum Update: Variflex Joker Photos

Posted on by
Reply

Variflex Joker – new photos

You may remember recently that my post about my Variflex Joker skateboard was the fifth most read article of the year.  All well and good, but the photo used to accompany that blog post wasn’t the best.

So I have attempted to make up for that earlier oversight here, with some more pics of the board in question.

Remember this skateboard isn’t the original one I rode in the 80’s – I found this on a site selling old boards and snapped it up.  It was brand new, complete – sealed in plastic and everything.  Nice bit of kit for my collection.

Please take a look at the original post about the Variflex Joker here.

Full view – bottom
Full view – top
Close up of nose/front truck/wheel
Close up of graphic

Happy First Birthday, Virtual Hot Tub!

Posted on by
Reply

The Top 5 Posts on the Virtual Hot Tub

Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub is now one year old!

Actually, the first anniversary was on March 24th.  So I’m late, again.  But I’ve been so busy capturing vital events like Sci-Fi Weekender, Kurt Cobain’s passing, Easter and all the other stuff that I just haven’t had time to get round to celebrating it.

So it was 24th March 2013 when I first welcomed you all to bathe in the soothing waters of the Virtual Hot Tub.  Since then, I’ve posted all manner of weird and wonderful items on the blog.  But which ones have been the most popular?

I checked out the stats; and here, in reverse order, are the most read posts in the first year of the Virtual Hot Tub’s existence:

5. Skateboard Museum: Variflex Joker

There’s obviously loads of people searching the interweb for old school skateboards.  This post about my old Variflex skateboard has been constantly showing in blog results.  Nice post – shame about the photo.  I’ll remedy that soon.  Take another look here.

4. Questions #2: Full English Breakfast Ingredients

All of the “Questions” posts fared well in the rankings, particularly the food related items.  This one was the highest placed.  Read it again here.

3. Hammer Glamour

I went blog crazy in October with my Hallowe’en Horror Fest.  This post, which counted down the top ten Hammer Horror babes, has been incredibly popular.  Lots of people Googling sex and horror, I guess.  Check it out here.

2. The Best Man’s Speech

Over 150 people have read this post, commemorating the wedding of my friends Cathryn and Jarrod.  It’s nice that this article has been read so many times.  Have another look here.

So what’s the most read blog post on the Virtual Hot Tub, in the first year?  It is:

1. A Letter to the New York Post

This piece, which recounted my experiences in New York on September 11th, caught people’s attention much more than I thought it would.  I suppose it went “viral” – more than 475 views.  It certainly received an amazing, and heart warming, response.  Thanks to all who shared it.  Read it again here.

There you go: the top 5 blog posts on Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub.  Thanks for reading, thanks for sharing, thanks for being a part of it.  Your contribution – and interest – has helped make this worthwhile.

Plenty more to come, so stay tuned.

Skateboard Museum: Variflex Joker

Posted on by
5

After the red plastic skateboard, I “graduated” to what was commonly known as a Turbo Two. These were larger, wider boards in the contemporary style, but cheap Far East versions. It was another step up, but I soon learned that the board wasn’t going to last long.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Variflex Joker. Camera strap in view AGAIN.

My next skateboard was a slight step up again – a Variflex Joker. This was a complete board sold with higher grade components. Aluminium trucks, polyurethane wheels and the deck itself had a much nicer shape and feel.

The graphics were also a really good job and very much in the style of the time. A skull wearing a jester’s hat, with a playing card design. Not exactly Powell Peralta but still very cool. It actually looked like someone at Variflex had taken a sneak peak at VCJ’s sketchbook and stolen the idea. Powell must have been mad.

However Variflex were not in the best shape in the late 80’s – they’d fallen to being a purveyor of intro level complete boards and were not in the same league as Powell, Santa Cruz or Vision. A nice board for a starter, the Joker would also be superseded by a higher quality deck.

I kept the trucks and wheels though for a while, and put them on my next set up. This was a Zorlac deck which I rode for a while with the Variflex under carriage, until I was able to afford Indy’s and Santa Cruz wheels.

I don’t remember what happened to my original Variflex Joker. Around 2006 I found a website selling new Variflex skateboards – apparently old stock rather than re-issues – and picked this sample up for a very reasonable price. It was in perfect condition and came complete with all the plastics, everything. I’ve only ever ridden it a couple of times as this skateboard is really just a memento. It’s a great item to have in my Skateboard Museum.

Technical Specifications:

  • Length: 30.5″
  • Width: 10.25″
  • Wheelbase: 15.75″
  • Wooden deck with concave and kicktail (complete with griptape)
  • Metal Variflex trucks
  • Variflex Street Rage II wheels (polyurethane, estimated 90a)
  • Plastic rails, nose saver, tail saver, copers and lapper

Purchased from Skate Pool

Soundtrack: Metallica, Anthrax, The Stupids