The 50 Greatest Skate Logos

Written by Don Pendleton

Skateboard graphics have been written about endlessly for the past ten years, but the skateboard logo is often overlooked. So, it's ironic that in 2011, the skateboard logo has become the skateboard graphic in many ways. But the two aren't the same.

The logo is the powerful icon that represents the company's legacy, while graphic styles tend to ebb and flow. Just as skateboarding has evolved and changed over the decades, the skateboard logo has as well, for better and for worse. Picking out the top 50 logos in skateboarding isn't an easy task. Do you separate the logo from the company and base it on visual appeal? I think that's impossible given the nature of skating. Ultimately, these are logos from companies that built the landscape of skateboarding from the ground up. So you have to take into consideration the impact of the brand as well as the logo it represents. If a logo has personal importance to you, then that's all that matters. My list is only one opinion and forged from jumping into skateboarding in 1984.

The logos you grow up with always mean more to you than the ones that came before or after. I'm not even going to suggest that I can be unbiased about something that means so much to me; but I also like to think that as a skater who has worked within the industry as an artist and a skate rat that grew up in the Midwest, I can separate my love of the activity from my personal feelings about the industry and companies. These are important logos for many reasons. Some are more powerful and meaningful than others but what I'm addressing are icons that have come to represent skateboarding in a lot of ways... succinctly and graphically.

Click the thumbnails above to check out the 50 Greatest Skate Logos.

50. Gullwing

Gullwing trucks had a kooky little groove notched into them that would keep you on the coping or curb better than your traditional hanger but even with Matt Hensley on their team, the company kind of slid off into obscurity. I know this is tattooed on at least one person, I suspect more than that. So Gullwing will always live on in our hearts and on our skin.

49. Crailtap

Crailtap became a hub of online skateboarding in the era when the internet became more accessible. Kind of like the original Berrics with the Girl family brands. I'm not exaggerating when I say this site has something for everyone and an identity to match. Though I do miss the two-headed goat.

48. Tracker Trucks

Another logo that scores with simplicity and with relevance to the era when it was visible everywhere. Tracker is still around after all these years and that counts for something.

47. Solitary Arts

A young company to be sure but the logo has the feel of a classic brand. Designed by Geoff McFetridge, (an amazing artist who isn't new to skateboarding by any stretch of the imagination) this is one of those logos that doesn't even need the name of the company tied to it. It stands on its own and the company has established itself as a substantial brand in skateboarding with fun shapes and unique products.

46. Krooked

Mark Gonzales did this logo and that's good enough for me. Unique company based around Gonz's art and personality backed by a solid team and original graphics. Krooked is one of the few companies from the past decade that has visually stepped out front of the pack.

45. G&S

G&S was one of the early surf companies that successfully crossed over into skateboarding and brought some surf swag with it. A lot of the credit goes to riders like Neil Blender, Billy Ruff, Jim Gray and Chris Miller for making this logo as important as it is in the history of skateboarding.

44. Slap Magazine Angel

Slap is online only these days, but it still comes in hot and its importance in skateboarding can't be denied. They may have been Thrasher's little brother but they eventually stood on their own and its forum is still a gathering place for shit talkers and lovers of skateboarding alike.

43. Baker Skateboards

About the time Baker came onto the scene, skateboarding needed something to shake things up and the Piss Drunks definitely pulled that off. The reason I like this logo so much is because it's another one that represents the team and the brand so well visually.

42. Sims

Sims kind of had one leg in skateboarding and the other in snowboarding back in the early days. But they also had Jeff Phillips and some other heavy hitters, which made them a major player in skateboarding. The brand is historically relevant if nothing else.

41. Habitat Skateboards

I was able to witness the birth of this logo but the reason I like it is because it captures what the company is about, kind of an urban landscape with an organic edge to it. Like doing a backside tailslide on a low tree branch. Joe Castrucci has done some of the best graphics in skateboarding over the past 10 years and handles logos just as well.

40. Shorty's

Chad Muska led the charge with Shorty's and it ushered in a new generation of street rats who seemed to fear no gap and no rail. At the time, owning a Shorty's t-shirt was almost mandatory. From humble beginnings as a hardware company to world dominance, Shorty's eventually faded into obscurity.

39. Zero

I have to be honest here: This logo didn't break down any walls of design but Zero is an important company so it would be criminal to leave them out. For kids of today, this is the ‘Skull & Sword' of their generation and JT has built a formidable and respectable team and brand from the ground up.

38. Black Label Elephant

Any time a seasoned pro started a new company you had to respect it. Take out the business dude, replace him with someone who has lived it and there's a certain level of instant credit. John Lucero is still the captain of this ship and it's still sailing strong with the original icon.

37. Blockhead Wild Things Wheels

Blockhead was a fun company that always had a solid team and awesome graphics. Ron Cameron was the genius behind most of their graphics and it's easy to see he put this together as well. It's a great use of an original font and a cool character. Cameron knocked this one out of the skatepark.

36. Transworld Skateboarding Aggro Zone

This was one of the regular departments of TWS and probably one of the most popular during the 80s. I'm not sure who designed this but it kind of summed up the attitude of skating during that era.

35. Small Room

I love this logo because it was during the era when smaller companies were coming out of the woodwork and making a go at it. It represented what skateboarding can be at its best: less of a business and more of an art project. But the decks were solid and the logos were cool. Clearly they weren't in it for the long haul but they left a solid impression on skateboarding before bowing out.

34. SHUT SKATES

Shut was the first company to make a legitimate run on the East Coast and skaters stood up and took note. The team was historically good and the graphics fit comfortably into the landscape of NYC. Shut proved that you could create a company far away from the surf and sand of southern California and give it some local style.

33. Speed Wheels Slimeballs

Just as Powell Peralta deserves its own chapter in skateboard logos, so does the work Jim Phillips did for Speed Wheels and Santa Cruz. Not surprisingly, this one still has a cult following almost 30 years after it was introduced.

32. Consolidated

Consolidated has been embroiled in its share of controversy, but I'm pretty sure that's how Birdo likes it. Love them or hate them, what they do is still as relevant as ever and they've kept skateboarding fun and interesting over the years while staying true to their ideals.

31. Alien Workshop Believe

This logo was important because it added some personality to an industry of often-lifeless logos. Kind of like a mascot, if you will. Years later, Blind would introduce the Reaper that looked suspiciously similar to the OG alien head

30. Toy Machine

What can you say about Ed Templeton that hasn't already been said? This logo has stood the test of time. Anytime you involve the devil in skateboarding it seems to work. I've seen this tattooed on more than a few people. Toy Machine has a deep history of rad art so it should shock no one that they've had a fair share of great logos as well.

29. Chocolate

Designed by Evan Hecox, another icon that represented the company and team equally well. Still around almost two decades later, the logo is as relevant and respected today as it was back then.

28. H-Street

Another company that ushered in a paradigm shift from the bigger brands with an army of amazing skaters and some cool graphics. Mike Carrol, Brian Lotti, Sheffey, Donger, Hensley, D. Way...this company kicked down doors with important videos and a young team of street rippers. After watching Shackle Me Not, you were left wondering which way was up. So this logo proved to be fitting.

27. Plan B

Plan B arguably put together the most important team in modern skateboarding back in the early 90s. After a bit of a hiatus, it's back and still hosts and impressive team.

26. 101

This was a company under Rocco's expansive empire that was headed up by Natas Kaupas. With a team as impressive as the ads and graphics, it didn't take 101 long to forge itself into a historically relevant brand within skateboarding. The logo was simple and powerful.

25. Girl Skateboards OG Logo

I know what you're thinking: This is an icon from the women's restroom. And maybe you're right, but taking something from mainstream and redefining it within skateboarding is harder than it sounds. Admit it: when you see this, you're not thinking about women, you're thinking about Eric Koston and Guy Mariano.

24. Foundation

Tod Swank was on of those rare guys who both art directed and managed his own company at an early age. And he's always been comfortable with scribbling something out and calling it a day. Fortunately for us, those kinds of logos remind us that skateboarding was about fun way before it was about cash.

23. New Deal

Another company that emerged from the dust of major companies falling. Great team and amazing graphics (thanks to Andy Howell and Ed Templeton). It screams 90s but that's not a bad thing. In its early days, New Deal got it right. They also ushered in the new style (at the time) of graffiti and 'street art.' Way ahead of its time.

22. SMA Rocco Division

Another icon of change in the early 90s. Not to be confused with the original Santa Monica Airlines, this was the vehicle that gave Rocco the wings that eventually became the World Industries empire (Blind and Big Brother and 101, etc, etc.) This one says, 'Fuck you' and I really think Rocco meant it at the time. It may look like it was designed by a lunatic but there was clearly a method to Rocco's madness that only time would reveal.

21. Vans "Off the Wall"

Vans doesn't make skateboards but they did make the original skateboard shoe and that's good enough for me. One of the first logos I was exposed to when I fell in love with skateboarding and one that still demands respect and has withstood the test of time and trends

20. Skull Skates

I don't know how people felt about this logo outside of the Midwest, but where I grew up you made a stencil out of this thing and spray painted it all over town. At the time they were kind of like the older stoner brother company. We all loved skulls back then and Skull Skates was the original DIY mosh pit explosion.

19. Anti Hero Eagle

I know the guy who designed this and I've held the original artwork in my hands. I also witnessed it get stolen in London and then subsequently returned. Todd Francis is one hell of an artist and this logo represents the best of skateboarding in my opinion, past and present. There are some places in the U.S. where if you aren't riding an Anti Hero board, you aren't even allowed to skate. That says it all.

18. Real

Can't fade Real. Between the team, the iconic early graphics and imagery associated with it, Real came in hard with Tommy G. and Jim Theibaud as the original San Francisco board company. Not only are they still around, they're still doing it right. If you don't have massive amounts of respect for this logo, I'm guessing you haven't been on a skateboard lately.

17. Alien Workshop OG Logo

Not all companies survived the aftermath of the early 90s boom but the ones that did eventually became the leaders. Not just important in what it represents in terms of creativity and a shift from southern California surf influence, but for what it eventually became. I know the story behind the creation of this logo (Mike Hill designed it) but I'm sworn to secrecy. Fortunately, it speaks for itself.

16. Santa Monica Airlines

For my generation, Natas Kaupas was the guy who propelled this image into the spotlight and gave it importance. It came to represent a smaller company that broke through to compete with the heavy hitters. One of those logos that just demands respect for the history, the team, the quality and the company it represents.

15. Vision Street Wear

This is one of those logos that spawned a generation of knock-offs because of how synonymous it became to skateboarding in the 80s. There's nothing particularly amazing about this but what it represents is likely more important than how it looks visually. And in terms of ‘streetwear,' it was about 25 years ahead of its time.

14. Hosoi Hammerhead

Not unlike the Alva logo, this image didn't just represent a company it also represented a skateboarder. The skateboarder's skateboarder, the hardest working dude in the industry during his hey day. The design is simple, iconic and solid. And like the logo, Christian is still going strong.

13. Zoriac Shut Up and Skate

Zorlac was a unique company in that it seemed to take the best of Texas and roll it all up into one. This was one of those Texas battle cries I imagine. It's also a legendary contest series that's still going strong to this day. A lot of skaters loved Zorlac for Pushead's art but this little image as a sticker really got around during the 80s.

12. Santa Cruz OJ2 Wheels

Original, simple and powerful. It didn't hurt that the OJ team hosted some of the best skateboarders of that time but the images stand on their own. More proof of genius from the legendary Jim Phillips.

11. Powell Peralta

Honestly, I could probably give the top 10 logos in skateboarding to Powell Peralta and call it a day. From a scholarly standpoint, this is everything a logo should be: compact with some movement, immediately identifiable, equally powerful at all sizes, just playful enough to not feel corporate, but fun enough to fit well into the identity they forged as a skateboard company

10. Santa Cruz Dot

This logo succeeds in its simplicity. The text, the shape, the era it represents—there's more going on here than the sum of its parts. Designed way before computers became the standard approach to logos, even more proof that original fonts and basic shapes can create a timeless logo that is solid and original.

9. Alva

It's tough to separate the history and importance of Alva from the logo. Not that you'd want to, but my point is that the name is as respectable as the logo and the legacy Tony Alva has created. Block out the importance of what the logo represents and it's still a very solid logo that has stood the test of time.

8. Blind

This logo represented the changing of the guard in skateboarding in the early 90s. We went from expertly drawn skulls, swords and talons to hand-scribbled letters but it still worked. This logo is important because it stands for the idea that you can put something together without a lot of money and still speak to the masses as long as your team is solid.

7. Thrasher Magazine

Like all good skateboard logos, this one represents skateboarding. Period. Thrasher isn't just a magazine anymore, it became a legitimate brand long ago and most of that is thanks to this logo and what it stands for.

6. Spitfire

Kind of tough, kind of simple, it's another logo that's successfully recognized outside of skateboarding and with good reason. Kevin Ancell designed the OG Spitfire head.

5. Powell Peralta Rat Bones

Brought to you by the original Craig Stecyk, this was one of the first logos I fell in love with in the early days. Simple lines, great shape and you could spray paint it on a wall in under 40 seconds with a little bit of practice. This icon is brilliant and was one of those designed when skateboarding culture didn't take itself too seriously.

4. Dogtown Cross

Another icon that draws immediate respect from skateboarders of all ages. Not only a very important company but a logo that captured the best part of skateboarding as it went from backyard pools and headed into the streets. Classic, tough and timeless—just like skateboarding itself. This is just one version of many rad styles of this logo, all equally well done.

3. Santa Cruz Screaming Hand

This logo was designed by Jim Phillips back in the early 80s. It, too, is an image that solidly represents that era of skateboarding. I think people were drawn to it because it was creepy and whimsical at the same time. From the overall shape to the concept and original color scheme, it's brilliant in its simplicity and interesting enough to have been tattooed onto countless thousands of skaters and non-skaters alike.

2. Powell Peralta Ripper

VCJ (Vernon Courtlandt Johnson) was the genius behind this classic logo and a lot of the early Powell Peralta images. I'm not fond of skulls particularly but this is a seminal skateboard image that doesn't just represent the company it was designed for, it represents skateboarding in the era where it was omnipresent. If you've ever tried to draw this thing on your notebook in study hall, your respect for VCJ shoots through the roof.

1. Independent Iron Cross Logo

You've seen this logo everywhere and there's a reason for that. A great logo should stand the test of time and that's exactly what Independent has done. It's equally at home as a decal, a t-shirt, a tattoo on your shoulder or spray-painted at the local ditch. Regardless of how you feel about the iron cross, this icon has come to represent skateboarding, skateboarders, and quality.