If you’re planning to acquire a toy line with an established brand that’s been around for almost 25 years, you need to bring something new to the playroom. For Hot Wheels, hoping to take on Tech Deck’s miniature skateboards, that means partnering with Tony Hawk and introducing tiny toe skate shoes. sorry what
Believe it or not, little skateboards can trace their heritage back to the late 1960s, with little skateboard keyrings being sold in shiny cube boxes in dedicated skate shops, while the mid-1980s saw the popularization of the ‘sport of the fingerboard (it’s a real thing! ) and brought small decks designed and built specifically for the competition. One of the most popular lines to date, and one of the first to license art and graphics from actual skateboard brands, was Tech Deck, which still makes fingerboards nearly 25 years after its launch (but is now owned by Canada’s Spin Master). ). Tech Deck is definitely the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions fingerboard, but Mattel and Hot Wheels want to change that.
Image: Mattel
While Tony Hawk and his company Birdhouse have, in the past, partnered with Tech Deck for themed games and finger plays, the iconic skateboarding legend is now working with Mattel to promote their new Hot Wheels Skate line, which looks more or less like the Tech Deck products, with trucks and wheels that work by attaching custom artwork on the bottom and grip tape on top. Also, don’t forget the Hot Wheels logo.
Image: Mattel
What sets Tech Deck’s Hot Wheels Skate line apart is the inclusion of tiny fingertip skate shoes that physically attach to the tiny decks. Learning fingerboard tricks isn’t as hard as learning to do real skateboard tricks, but it’s not easy either, and the tiny shoes that stick to the little decks supposedly make it easier for newbies to learn and perform tricks successfully.
The $12 ($17) Hot Wheels Skate Multi-Pack Assortment. (Image: Mattel)
The basic assortment of Hot Wheels skates that includes a single deck and a pair of toe shoes will sell for US$3 ($4) each, while Hot Wheels Skate Collector Series packs for $6 ($8 $) more expensive add an exclusive matching Hot Wheels vehicle. Also available will be a $12 ($17) Hot Wheels Skate multipack that includes four fully assembled fingerboards (Tech Deck offerings often require assembly) plus two pairs of skate shoes.
The Hot Wheels roller skate sets (left) and the Hot Wheels Skate Park roller set (right). (Image: Mattel)
For those who are completely sold on the idea of little skate shoes that make the fingerboard more accessible and welcoming, Mattel is also releasing companion sets. These include a collection of $15 ($21) a piece Hot Wheels Skate Drop-in Skate Sets that can be collected and combined to create larger skate parks, plus a $30 ($42) Hot Wheels Skate Amusement Park Half-pipe skate set that includes buttons to activate “rad music and sounds” (fingers crossed it includes Motörhead’s Ace Of Spades) and other obstacles such as rails, ramps and grinding surfaces.
Editor’s Note: The release dates for this article are US based, but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.