One of the great things about the world of longboarding is the way people in it continually develop new ideas; innovation drives things forward. This is evident at Moonshine Manufacturing, a manufacturer of skate decks which I recently visited. Their product line-up is generating an enormous amount of interest from skaters worldwide. As Greg sees it, the longboarding market is ready for a new category of highend products for the dedicated rider. “We are offering a product that is not simply stacked maple ply or bamboo. Moonshine represents a fundamental and dramatic shift in deck con
struction.”
Jeff’s brother Tony was another founding member of the company. “The passion Jeff and Tony Logosz have for producing innovative products that lead to rider progression means that they are never happy with the status quo,” explains Greg. “It’s really cool to see standard lumber pieces magically transformed into a high quality product.”
Another important part of Moonshine’s manufacturing process is their commitment to continual improvement. This is based on the Japanese term kaizen, which literally means “change for better.” As Greg explains, “we took the feedback that we received from riders and shops; by the third iteration, we were hearing that we had made some serious improvements.” Max Watson, a Hood River local, was brought in to test the product. He’s proud of what the company has achieved. “Many people tell me that these decks have the best construction for the price,” adding, “riders are very stoked; they love the clean look of the decks.” Max says the waterproof feature is critical. “People who ride in soggy conditions during the winter need to know their deck will be durable. I’ve thrown a ton of abuse at the product and seen that it can take a serious beating.” 
Over the next few months, Moonshine will be adding more decks to their line-up. A Dancer model was being tested at the factory during my visit. A long distance push board is also under development. As with everything Moonshine does, practicing continuous improvement by listening to their production staff and team riders leads to further enhancements. Greg was enthusiastic about the future:“I feel this season is going to be very good for the longboard skate category in almost every market. Moonshine is already getting sponsorship requests for many grassroots events and the overall enthusiasm is strong.”
As the interest in Moonshine begins to rise and shops start to place orders, the company is gearing up its production. While I was there, they received confirmation of a significant order from one of their overseas distributors. “It’s important to grow production with demand,” says Greg. “There’s not a glut of product; a high demand with a tight supply benefits the specialty retailer.” The company has a deep background in action sports and distributes to over sixty countries. “We understand that reliable delivery is extremely important, but we’re in this for the long run – look for us at many upcoming events!” By Michael Brooke