FEATURED CANADIAN BRANDS & ARTISTS: | LANDYACHTZ | FOLK | CALSTREETS | RAYNE | PREDATOR | BOARD KENNEL | CHANCE | GROMINATOR | GRIP GRAPHIQUE | GRUBWEAR | HARFANG | BISHOP BOARDS | CARBONILLA | CONCRETE WAVE | SKULL SKATES | XYLAN | RESTLESS | MONKE |
Canada, the land of beavers and igloos… and also some of the absolute best, highest quality skate brands! From skateboards, longboards, snowboards to fingerboards, Canadians have been putting out phenomenal products for years.
Sadly these companies are usually overshadowed by their American counterparts, and for no good reason.
It’s because of this that we made this page. We want to give a huge shout out to all of the Canadian brands and artists that we support.
This list is going to be growing constantly as we are on a mission to bring all of the best Canadian brands into the spotlight.
Founded in 2007, Board Kennel originally only sold online through sites like Ebay. That all changed when owner, mfg Adam joined the Labs team.
Since the introduction of Board Kennel Fingerboards into the local scene through CalStreets, fingerboarding has exploded! From kids to adults, every seems to be discovering the challenging fun that fingerboarding has to offer. It’s all thanks to Board Kennel!
Adam is dedicated to providing the highest quality decks on the market without the price tags that usually accompany them. That’s because Adam is a skater himself and understands how tight funds can be.
If you don’t own one already you need to grab a Board Kennel Fingerboard ASAP! Canadian to the core, this company is here to stay, and push the boundaries of fingerboarding.
Concrete Wave covers the world of skateboarding in a unique light.
CWMag has been publishing since 1999 and strives to not only cover the who, what and where of longboarding, but also why and how.
“I started the Skategeezer Homepage way back in 1994. Much has changed in skateboarding since that time. But one thing that hasn’t changed: I freakin’ love skateboarding!”
Michael Brooke – Publisher/Editor
Founder – Longboarding for Peace
In tight collaboration with Longboarding for Peace, Concrete Wave and Longboarder Labs are devoted to spreading the stoke of skateboarding in CANADA and worldwide.
PHOTO: Rick Tetz and Michael Brooke Co-publishers AXS Longboarder Retailer Magazine. Longbeach Agenda Show.
CalStreets is the pinnacle of OG skateboarding. They were the biggest skateshop in Canada with 3500 square feet of wicked skate stuff including over 1000 decks on the wall.
CalStreets had 2 skateshops in the lower mainland North Van and Kitsilano, both of which were packed to the brim with the absolute raddest gear on the market. That tradition is carried on today by CalStreets owner and founder Rick Tetz, who also co-owns Longboarder Labs.
Rick decided that CalStreets needed to rise from the vintage past and re-emerge into the world of modern skateboarding. He did this by opening a CalStreets skateshop inside Longboarder Labs, two shops in one stop. The idea was an instant success! Longboarders started buying skateboards and we instantly saw a new crew of street and bowl skaters, the more the merrier around here!
Recently CalStreets has moved into the fingerboarder game, stocking local brand Board Kennel Fingerboards. CalStreets is what Canadian skateboarding is all about, not taking yourself too seriously, and simply having fun.
Founded in 2009, Chance Skateboards is a hard and soft goods company straight out of Vancouver British Columbia!
They describe skateboarding as a labor of love, and are devoted to giving back to the sport all the beautiful things it has given to them.
We got together with Chance in early 2016 and have been so stoked with the local response to their decks and wicked apparel.
On top of that, Chance makes their skateboards in Canada! Normally known for our maple syrup and cold weather, Chance Skateboards gives the world a taste of our more extreme side.
David has been part of the Labs family for years now. He is always in the shop helping out and giving rad skate advice. David has been lowkey feeding the Vancouver Longboard scene with positive vibes for a few years now.
Our most recent project with David was when he tie-dyed our new line of CalStreets x Longboarder Labs t-shirts. Which he did a phenomenal job on.
Giving each shirt its own flare and identity, David is passionate about handmade and unique products. Beyond his involvement with the Labs David is an active member of the longboard and skateboard community here in Vancouver.
Ask anyone and they will tell you about what an outstanding guy he is. Canadian skate life is personified in David Carbonilla.
Originally appearing in Scotland in the summer of 2006 and now based in Vancouver, Canada. Folk Skateboards manufactures the finest quality skateboard decks out of 100% Canadian maple.
Guided by over 27 years of on-board testing and research in the field of skateboard manufacturing, Folk makes some of the best decks around while nurturing skateboarding’s creative spirit and offering boards in a variety of traditional and innovative shapes. Banana, whale tail, watermelon, popsicle stick, diamond nose, shovel nose, no nose, tapered cruiser, square shaped, no shape whatsoever… it goes on.
If you struggle to find a board that speaks to you, if you lose sleep thinking about where on earth your next deck will come from, then look no further, Folk Skateboards is here. And if you don’t see your dream shape on their website, drop them an email, they almost always can work something out. After all, they know where you’re coming from… Canada!
Grip Graphique is a team of longboarding enthusiasts who enjoy customizing their boards. Founded in 2015 and based in Vancouver, BC.
Longboards and skateboards have amazing artwork on their decks, but we normally only see the top of the boards, which is covered in, plain old, boring, black grip tape. Handcutting their own custom grip tape was a disappointing mess. It was difficult and limited. To solve this problem, Grip Graphique turned to a high end laser cutter. Laser cutters are extremely precise and can cut complex designs with much ease.
They created this business to provide custom grip tape art at affordable prices. We are good friends with Gordon at Grip Graphique, so much so that our last fingerboard competition Gordon came down and handed out free custom made fingerboard grip! What a guy!
Grip Graphique are genuine and are in it for the love of the sport. Another great Canadian skate enterprise that deserves way more attention. Spread the word, Grip Graphique is the new wave of grip design.
Grominate, aka The Grominator is a local artist who does work on everything from trains to canvases and everything in-between.
In the long list of projects by Grominate you will find the work he has done for us here at the Labs. Grominate took what was once a plain, clean, simple shop and turned into a paradise of eye candy.
On our walls in-store and out front Grominate’s artwork brings the shop to life, and its just freaking amazing!
Grominate has also done board designs for us which can be seen to the right. If you are walking around Vancouver keep an eye out for Grominate stickers, tags, and spray paint pieces, because they are virtually everywhere.
Always fresh, always fun, always Canadian, we are proud to support and work with an artist as talented as Grominate.
In 1988, Grubwear Brand clothing was born out of the back of a Honda Civic hatchback in London Ontario as Mike Jackson attended the University of Western Ontario.
With an admitted passion for smart, bold graphic t’s and a thirst for the action sport lifestyle of beach, surf, skateboard and snowboarding, Mike was driven to bring these passions together with cutting-edge design and unique merchandise to launch his own independent brand.
Grubwear grew to more than 50 retail stockists in Canada by 1995 and solidified their brand amongst the best in Canada for 10 years. In 1996, their flagship location, Thriller Shop, opened up in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood. It became the brick & mortar head office behind Grubwear and Jackson Snowboards for the next 12 years. In 2010, after a long and adventure filled decade Grubwear decided to re-focus on their own brand of Grubwear.
In 2015 we started carrying Grubwear here at the Labs, and what a great response we’ve had! People have been loving their apparel and overall slick style. Grubwear is a mainstay in the Canadian skate industry, they ain’t goin’ anywhere except to your closet.
Harfang Wheels headquarters are located in Montréal, Québec, where the weather can turn bad and the roads even worse. This is what inspired them to cut grip patterns into already amazing wheels, taking them to a new level of performance and grip.
Longboarder Labs worked in conjunction with Harfang to help develop some of their first wheels. We did this by sending them wheels from companies such as Rayne and Landyachtz that they then cut up and created the grippiest wheels on the market. Perfect for life here in Vancouver. Through working so closely with Harfang we have come to know that they don’t just make great wheels, they are amazing people all around.
A perfect example of a great Canadian company, always putting the customer first and their own needs second. Harfang is a group of individuals who are dedicated to innovating and advancing longboarding to higher plateaus than anyone could have ever imagined. Also, being as Canadian as they are, they just couldn’t ignore the snow. Beyond their amazing wheels they have expanded into brilliantly made snowskates as well. If you are just learning about Harfang right now, you need to go check them out!
Home grown and bred in Vancouver, BC.
Landyachtz is all skater owned, where all their gear is designed and ridden by the guys and gals at Landyachtz for thousands of hours before being approved and sent off to your lovely home. Landyachtz has been supporting Longboarder Labs even before we opened. Landyachtz was a major sponsor for our Vancouver Longboarding Expo 2011. Being in the business since 1997, Landyachtz is one of the oldest and most popular longboarding companies in the world.
Longboarder labs has been tight with the founders of Landyachtz ever since we opened and they never disappoint in original and cutting edge board designs. They don’t make gear they wouldn’t skate! We absolutely love this company. We have been running events (KITSILANO DAYS JAM) together since our grand opening and are always looking for ways to work in tandem for the benefit of the local longboarding community. Here in store, Landyachtz decks and completes just fly off our shelves.
One of the best selling companies in Canada, and now worldwide, Landyachtz is a great example of a Canadian company that is standing tall in the global market. Always putting out new designs and graphics, stay tuned for this years line!
Ben Chibber is the founder of Monké Skateboards and the Dryspot Indoor Sk8 Park located in Vancouver, BC. Sponsored by some of the most predominant skateboard brands of the ’80s; Vision Skateboards, A-1 Meats Wheels and Gullwing Trucks, Ben has appeared in magazines like Transworld and Thrasher Magazine, and the international skateboard video ‘Alphabet Soup’ in 1991.
Ben’s history with skateboarding coupled with his creative and business acumen has allowed him to build a positive Monké brand since 1998 with the company mantra “Keep Skating Fun”.
Adam from Board Kennel Fingerboards works at both Longboarder Labs, and Dryspot, which helps keep us all connected. We had our staff Christmas party at Dryspot this year which was beyond a good time, it was phenomenal! Ben really knows how to set up a park! If you are ever in Vancouver you absolutely have to hit up Dryspot for a day of dry riding here in rain country.
Nathan has been in the family even before our grand opening! In fact he helped build the shop with his own bare hands and elbow grease!
Nathan is a shop favourite and is hands down one of the silliest and badass homies our shop has seen. Longtime skater and renowned grip tape artist.
Longtime skater and renowned grip tape artist, Nathan executes his designs with precision and passion all while impressing audiences with his unique style and composition.
When not shredding around East Vancouver he creates unique one-off griptape designs for both skateboards and longboards.
Loved by both our shop and the community of Vancouver, Nathan is a local artist that compliments Vancouver’s unique skateboard culture.
Predator Helmets is a Vancouver Canada based company focused on designing and manufacturing helmets for skateboarding and other action sports.
Their design philosophy is to create the safest, most comfortable helmets with clean, simple and aesthetically pleasing design.
Predator has collaborated with Longboarder Labs for some time now to provide skate demos and events with the proper safety equipment to make sure everyone can enjoy the benefits of skateboarding.
Predator integrates feedback from both recreational and pro skateboarders making Predator one of the most trusted choices worldwide when it comes to skateboarding safety!
Predator’s very own skate celeb Mike Fitter shares some awesome headgear swag for the Wheel of Gnar with Lab’s Aaron Green and Rick Tetz!
Rayne Longboards is committed to a single goal: to be the premium longboard maker, exceeding every expectation. They have been the golden standard for professionals & amateurs worldwide since 2004.
The business was founded in 2004 and is situated at the base of the beautiful North Shore mountains in North Vancouver. Their products are wholly designed and manufactured in Canada based on cornerstones of quality, progression & authenticity.
Longboarder Labs sponsored team rider Oliver Lanyon recently added Rayne as another sponsor and held a halloween slide jam at a local hill to celebrate! Oliver not only has a fabulous skating style, he is also a fantabulous dude who cant get enough skateboarding in his life. Oliver’s sponsors include Rayne Longboards, Longboarder Labs, Luxe Trucks, and Holsom Pucks. Oliver’s goal is to be the world’s first skater sponsored for not only longboarding but skateboarding as well. Keep your eye out for him in the future, Oli is going places!
Rayne Longboards leads the industry in product design with consistent technological innovation and a passion to create functionally and aesthetically superior boards. Rayne works hard to exceed every expectation of our global customers. Rayne is obsessed with innovation. Their engineers, shapers, team, and artists work together to explore both the boundaries of longboard design and business improvement.
Rayne‘s products are wholly designed in Canada and every single Rayne deck is manufactured in their North Vancouver facility.
It all began on a legendary night in the spring of 2000. The idea started with a jigsaw, an old snowboard, a beat up set of wheels and a rusty pair of trucks. The board that was created that night would profoundly change lives forever… Restless boards was born.
Since then, many things have changed, but one thing has remained a constant, a passion for the sport of longboarding. This passion runs all the way from the founders, through their team of riders, and can be seen on all their boards. Today, fuelled by this passion, Restless has proudly established itself as one the world’s elite longboard brands.
At Restless boards, they pride themselves in creating decks that allow all riders to live a one of a kind experience, whether they are looking for a smooth city cruise or an adrenaline driven speed rush. To achieve this objective they have put an emphasis on quality, performance and aesthetics of their products. This crew from Montreal knows what they are doing, and beyond that, they always stay true to their Canadian roots. For example, doing a board series based on hockey! How Canadian, eh?
Skull Skates began in April of 1978 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. It’s founders were the Ducommun brothers (Rick- who has skateboarded since the mid sixties and Peter (P.D.)- who began skateboarding in 1972).
The original company was “Great North Country Skateboards” and used a black and white Yin and Yang symbol as it’s logo. Shortly after, the name was abbreviated to “G.N.C. Skates”. This is when P.D. designed the new logo known as Skull Skates. It was then that it was decided to drop the “G.N.C.” and go with Skull.
At the beginning of the 1980’s Skull Skates moved west and relocated in Vancouver, British Columbia. The first retail shop was opened near Stanley Park just in time to take part in the outdoor rollerskating craze. From there they went to South Vancouver and even California.
Back in Vancouver now they have quietly continued along their wayward path producing a large variety of products in small quantities. The brand line currently includes skate decks, wheels, skimboards, BMX frames, guys clothing, girls clothing, caps toques, bags, patches, stickers and other such useless consumer goods. These guys are one of the key Canadian skate companies, easily one of the most classic.
Longtime British Columbia skater Rick Tetz started Xylan Longboards in 2011 as a way to showcase some of the local longboard talent in BC. Pat Montgomery soon came on board as head of sales and team captain. Pat had introduced Rick to longboards when they met 13 years ago. “I was instantly hooked on long-distance pushing, which was much easier on my spine,” Rick says.
They decided to test their first prototype at the 2011 Attack of Danger Bay race. Pat received his prototype Guillotine deck hours before his first World Cup race, which he survived and enjoyed greatly. The response to the Xylan deck was amazing, so the two decided to go forward and promote Xylan Longboards full blast at the AXS/Concrete Wave Longboard Trade Show. “The feedback was excellent, and I knew that we were onto something,” Rick says. The company now produces six different models that run the gamut from speedboard to freeride to cruiser.
So what exactly has Xylan created? The company is the first to use a material called Xylite, a microprism nanotechnology for full-color amplified reflection. In layman’s terms, this means that Xylite is super-reflective, Rick says – beyond any kind of “glow-in-the-dark” or reflective tape that people have seen before. When Xylite is hit with light, graphics and even photos literally light up to an extraordinary brightness.