Customer Reviews

Built to Grind: 25 Years of Hardcore Skateboarding

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is chock full of excellent photos from the beginning of company to now. It does an excellent job of explaining the mystique and fanatical devotion to Independent Trucks. "Bikers have Harleys, Skateboarders have Independent Trucks" pretty much sums it up. More than just a product, Independent Trucks and their iron cross logo have become an icon for more than 2 generations of skateborders. The book details the development of the product and the fanatical devotion that followed. This is the ultimate coffee table book for any skater or skate fan.

There are a bunch of "retrospective" skate books that have been published in the last several years (Legacy of Warren Bolster, Bulldog's Art, Dogtown & Z-Boys, Skate Legends, Concrete Wave, Insane Terrain, etc.). Most focus on one particular facet/era/person. While for the most part they are all really good, Built to Grind is one of the best...and by *far* the biggest (weighing in at nearly 5 pounds!). Of course it portrays Indy trucks as being the center of the skateboard universe from the earliest old school all the way to the present (um, like, um, wasn't there a little company called "Tracker" that made trucks that *most* of the pro's rode for like a decade? And Gullwing? And dozens of others? etc.). But aside from the blatant self-promotional "pro-Indy" propoganda, the book really is an *excellent* document of all types of skating from early roots to backyard pools to ramps to new school street/stairs/rails. TONS of killer pics, and not too many stoopid captions. Buy it now.

I got this for my husband. He couldn't put the book down!

I was blown away by the images alone in this book and it is well worth the money for the pictures you see. I have been an indy rider and fan for a long time and it is fantastic to actually read the story about how this great company was formed. It is amazing to hear about the history of this great sport in the bad times and through the good times.

This was a pretty neat find as it discussed the birth of the best skate truck ever designed, and redesigned, over skateboardings evolution. Spoiler alert: there is a lot of repetition regarding what the precieved image and meaning of the independent brand means to people that support it/endorse it. There is also gritty profanity that reduces the overall nalstalgic quality of this otherwise great compilation of both skateboarding artistry, and industry. Last note, Independent produced the best truck ever made for skateboards. If you dont mind a little grit, get it.. There are some great pics in here also.

The book came quickly but the binding is not good so the glue holding the first 20 or so pages has let go. The more I open it, the more pages fall out...

This book is not for the tech kids! If you're into hip hop, Todd Falcon, and lots of non-turning type tricks don't buy this book. If you're into Transworld and all of the fashion that it contains, this book is not for you! This book is only for real skaters - those that are keeping skating punk and illegal!

Great book, ahhhh the memories... good times ,great friends

and a pic of me......San Jo pride

The photographs and rider profiles of this book are significant to skateboarding history on their own. But this book is mainly about the company Ermico and Independant truck company, so you get a very good history peppered with historical figures in skateboading giving their amuseing memeories of the the beginings of the company. I think this book helps a new skater understand the rich and legit history of our sport. This book is thouroghly interesting, and even more so if you have some familiarity of the people documneted in it. I would suggest a veiwing of Dogtown and Z-boys the documnetary, as well as the Duane Peter's story "who cares" in addition to this book. If you still want more you can rent "Stoked" the rise and fall of gator for more introspective on the waxing and waneing of skateboarding.
This book is a must for any skateboarder's coffee table.

Nice package it comes in, and it's so big, but I was expecting this book to be so much better, a few good shots, but really missing some of the greatest classic stuff. I guess it's from the manufacture's perspective. They have been an incredible story in the annals of skate history, and everyone who skates knows that Indy's turn like no others, but just becuse they also have a good logo known around the world by skaters and non-skaters alike, did we need to have this basicly boring book to be put out? I don't think it add's much.