My Kids have recently started collecting and playing with these miniature skateboards called Tech Decks.They “ride” the skateboards up and down ramps USING THEIR FINGERS!!! Supposedly you can do tricks with them.Anyone else familiar with these things?
Just make sure they are wearing a thumb helmet, you wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt 
Of course,they even have knuckle pads…
Hey Rich G7subs!!
They’re the current Happy Meal toys from McDonald’s. Granted they may be sold in other places, but that’s where they’re giving them out.
We used to make them, in middle school, out of balsa wood and actual grip tape. This was the 80s, in San Diego, of course… 
I… um… well… I have one, well not the mcdonalds one… the real techdecks blushes. Or did. I havn’t seen it in awhile. I think someone at work stole it.
It gave me something to do while taking tech calls and waiting for computers to reboot. And it WAS COOL DAMNIT! People were jealous of it and wanted to play with it!
I’m a toy guy… what can I say… RC cars, planes… well… pretty much everything.
I worked in a hobby shop for years and years. A professional hobbiest!!! BEAT THAT for a cool job.
I thought you meant the finger-sized skateboard toys they’re giving away at McDonald’s. DUH.
My younger brother had one, but I wanted to see how well it withstood the impact of a hammer. It didn’t fare too well.
Democritus wrote
Hey, I was in middle school in San Diego in the 80s as well. Where did you go to school? Not Mann jr high and/or Hoover high by any chance?
Oh, and back on the subject. I’ve played with those things when I get 'em at McDonalds. I like toys, but I can’t figure out how to actually make them do anything resembling a real skateboard. Does anybody know any techniques or web sites? How’s this “ollie” thing supposed to work?
I actually have one, but have not gotten very good at it. My friend rides skateboards, and has had one for a long time. He is very good and now can do pretty much any trick on the board that you see the pros do. I have also seen bike versions of these (Tech Bikes, I believe). They are basically mini-bikes with spokes coming out of the wheels. They’re apparently for doing the flat-land stuff you see at the X-Games.
I picked one up at my local Hastings Books And Records for a whopping $1.99! I thought it would be cool to have. I was disappointed. I can’t do tricks, and it came with wheels and tools so you could change them, but they are sooooo small. I haven’t changed them, but they are really small. I found out after playing Tony Hawks Pro Skater that Tech Decks is actually a company that makes real boards. Alas, I have not a thumb helmet or knuckle pads.
I think it’s a cool idea, but I need to do tricks, like the 360 boardflip to nosegrind to 180 switch nollie to 50-50 grind to front foot impossible and things like that.
Bill, actually, I was in Escondido. I say san Diego, because no one knows where Escondido is.
I went to Hidden Valley MS and Orange Glen HS.
Also, Tony Hawk used to make regular appearances at my middle school for shows during the two years I was there.
Also, I cracked a wedge out of my two front teeth while skateboarding when I was a kid.
Is Tom from escondido? Thought he lived in Poway ?
Anyways one of my friends at work used to be a pro-skater back in the 80ies and actully did some stuff with Tom too… so he might actually have been at your school… damn what a small world!!! (I live in Denmark btw…)
Anywho, San Diego musta been the coolest place growing up… I love that place… Especially Ocean Beach and that whole community… u know?
Tom ofcourse was supposed to be Tony! as in Tony Hawk…
Why cant you edit msgs?
Skummet, all I could find from a quick search was that Tony was a senior at Torrey Pines High School in Del Mar. Not sure if he was always there, or not.
Thanks Guys…My son just learned how to do an “ollie” on the tech deck,but we’ve had a tragedy.It seems he came down off the half pipe too hard and fractured his pinky finger.We have his finger in traction with his hand in a little hospital bed.