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Where are all the Soapers?
Jan 30, 2008 by RamenRadio

There are no soapers on solidgrind, and no soapers on the SSSoapShop forum.


Where are all you guys?
Replies

Jan 30, 2008Revengasaur

Yeah. I figured this would be like... the last bastion of a dying niche culture, with random dudes still stoked on it no matter how grim things seemed.
(I know there are, I've seen ya.)
But not as many as I would have expected I guess. I think part of it is that HSL is doing a crap job marketing soap, there are so many possibilities and angles they should be working... but they'd rather just use that grind plate patent to further fuel the Heeleys fad. Now I'm not saying that Soaps weren't a fad at one point, but obviously they had some serious staying power and intrigue. I am a 20 year old man. I have a job. But for some reason I was enraptured with the Idea of grinding without my skateboard, and almost ten years after the fact I got my first pair of soaps. I think that HSL should start moving on the marketing of soaps, but also we as soapers (I did my first handrail recently, so I think I can more or less refer to myself as a soaper at this point.) should represent soaps as hard as possible. I want to know... hey HSL where are the stickers? Where are the shirts at? (respect to the guys who have been DIY'in it) Where are the adds in Transworld? (Thrasher is too scared of not seeming "Hardcore" to run soaps adds... even though they ran a sketchers rollerskate add in 2002) Heelys are great for now, but man, once the fad is over, they might turn belly up. Then I guess soap is up for grabs...

Jan 30, 2008Revengasaur

Amendment *Heelys (as in HSL) is doing great monetarily at this point*, but...

Jan 30, 2008RamenRadio

Yeah man.

Jan 30, 2008Soapdreamer

Yeah well we will get another size in a week so but. It seems that heelys is really holding back on the good idea of soaps.
It can hold large demo's and such.
The grinding heely's also probably lose ability to be comfortable and ithink should stick to one thing at at a time.

Jan 31, 2008Megashadow77

Well, there's one big thing most heelers, and some Soapers overlook.

Heeling, is in my opinion, a mediocrity of Aggressive Inline, and is supposed to be the next big Action Sport.

Soaping is less about being the big extreme sport, and more about convenience, and looking slick.

Heelys wants to be in the X-Games, Soaps want to something cool to do in your garage with a few buds and some PVC pipe, or while you're walking somewhere.

They're two completely different approaches....I just don't think Heelys knows how to do Soaps.

Jan 31, 2008Revengasaur

That's a really good point. Soaping is cool because it can be totally laid back when you're just poking around the backyard, but if you feel the urge you can get gnarly on some handrails. But it seems like there's no expectations... you know? Like If I go out skating people are like "Hey, do a 360 flip" or something. But with soaps so far the only thing people have ever said is "What the hell are you DOING?" I'm amazed at how few people have seen soaps. I went to get a burger at Dairy Queen today and there were a bunch of middle schoolers there from the school across the street. As I was eating my fries one of the cool skateboard dudes was like "What's up with those shoes man, you got like... high heels or something" I think he was confused by the high arch that is necessary for the plate. I told em all about soaps, and they were totally confused. They didn't even believe that they could grind till I did a frontside on the curb outside. I asked cool skateboard kid if he wanted to try em' out, but he was over it. I could almost see him thinking "That's not extreme enough dude".

And that's kinda the point right? Soaping for the most part is not EXXXTREEM. It's just fun.

Jan 31, 2008SpiderSoaper

like i said before, soaps are meant for fun, not to be taken seriously, Antho backed me up on that.

Jan 31, 2008RamenRadio

I'm not talking about being serious.

I'm just wondering where all the members have gone. I don't see that many people on solidgrind, no one on the SSSoapshop forum.


Jan 31, 2008AnthoFlex

I'm always here. I just dont post because noone posts anything.

Plus, im always busy putting together next month's soapshoes demo

Jan 31, 2008AnthoFlex

WHICH (may i add) noone is helping me out with.

HSL just let me know this morning that they "can't" and won't be helping us out with the demo.

But thats ok people. For those who are attending, still expect to snag T-shirts, stickers, and other swag at the demo. YOU ALL deserve it.

I make sure i don't come up short ; )

Jan 31, 2008AnthoFlex

I'm not gonna lie though, all this extra pressure has been getting to me. I've had a lot of crap happening to me lately, and HSL's inconvenience doesn't help.

If the people here on solidgrind would do me a favor...If there are any printing shops in your area, please pay em a visit and ask how much would it cost to print:

1. White or Ash colored T-shirts
2. With ONE COLOR print on the front ONLY

For a 100 T-shirts. Give me a total amount, please. All these places around me are ODing on their prices

Feb 1, 2008James

It sucks all the demos are located around NY

Feb 1, 2008RamenRadio

Dude, you know you can arrange for a demo of your own? Renny needs to get the cash together since HSL refuses to pay for anything (they are down to 6 dollars per stock).

However, he MAY be willing to help you out with a soap demo as long as you find a spot. I don't know, I know he offered it to me several times and I just haven't found anywhere besides oil city skate park. If you really wanna make a soap demo of your own, ask Renny.

It would be great to have diversity demos (by that I mean demos in various areas). I mean, don't we all?

Feb 1, 2008AnthoFlex

Travis is right. If you can find a skate park in your area thats cool and willing to do one, i'll do it there.

But the skate park has to be pretty popular and lots of people going to it. Like the sk8 park we're going to in March, THAT place is huge, VERY well known, and always populated.

Feb 1, 2008AnthoFlex

I also need people to look around for places that do VHS to DVD transfers. I need to get my soap videos transfered

Feb 1, 2008RamenRadio

Ummm I can do that at home. I can also do it at school.

Feb 1, 2008AnthoFlex

No thanx dude, i'm still looking around here for places and peopple

Feb 1, 2008AnthoFlex

Travis, go on AIM, i need ur help with something
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