Krooked Skateboards: Creativity, Real Skateboarding, and the Genius of Mark Gonzales

Krooked Skateboards is one of those brands that still manages to embody the most authentic, creative, and spontaneous side of skateboarding. We’re not talking about just another brand created to sell boards, but a company built directly around the vision of one of the most influential skaters of all time: Mark Gonzales.

Founded in 2002 within Deluxe Distribution, Krooked was born in San Francisco and immediately brought a completely different identity compared to many other skate brands. The irreverent graphics, the deliberately rough designs, the unconventional artistic approach, and Gonzales’s unique style have transformed the brand into an absolute benchmark for entire generations of skaters.

Behind Krooked Skateboards is Deluxe Distribution, the historic American distributor that also produces Real Skateboards, Anti Hero, and Spitfire Wheels. This means top-notch construction quality, concaves tested by decades of real-world skateboarding, and boards designed to deliver pop, durability, and control in any type of session.

Krooked boards are known for their crisp pop, immediate feel underfoot, and a construction designed for technical street skating, skateparks, and everyday use. Over the years, the brand has managed to maintain a strong core skate identity without losing authenticity, becoming one of the most respected brands within the global skate scene.

Over the years, Krooked has released numerous skate videos that have become true classics of modern skateboarding. Among the best known are “Krooked Chronicles” from 2006, “Gnar Gnar” from 2007, “Naughty” from 2008, and “Krooked 3D,” a project that at the time stood out for a visual style completely different from traditional skate videos.

It is precisely this ability to blend skateboarding, art, humor, and creativity that has always been one of the brand’s defining characteristics. Krooked has never sought to follow passing trends, but has instead built a strong, distinctive identity over time, instantly recognizable in both its graphics and videos.

Mark Gonzales: the skater who changed street skating

Talking about Krooked Skateboards inevitably means talking about Mark Gonzales. For countless skaters, Gonz is not just a legendary pro, but one of the figures who completely changed the way modern street skating is interpreted.

Gonzales’ career began in the early ’80s in South Gate, California. From a very young age, his skating style stood out from that of other riders of the time. At a time when most skateboarding was still heavily tied to ramps and vert, Gonzales was already beginning to see the street as a creative playground where he could reinterpret gaps, handrails, staircases, and urban architecture.

Within a few years, he was already skating with legends like Tommy Guerrero, Natas Kaupas, and Mike Vallely. Gonzales’s style was something completely new: fast, fluid, technical, yet spontaneous. Many of the modern approaches to street skating stem directly from his vision.

Over the years, Gonzales became one of the iconic figures of the global skateboarding scene thanks to his video parts, Thrasher Magazine covers, and his ability to skate spots that seemed impossible at the time.

Among the most iconic moments of his career is the famous ollie at San Francisco’s Embarcadero, a spot that became legendary in skateboarding history and was later nicknamed the “Gonz Gap.”

Gonzales was also one of the first skaters to tackle massive spots like the four blocks of Wallenberg, helping to completely redefine the limits of street skating in the 1980s.

Alongside riders like Natas Kaupas, Gonzales also contributed to the birth of handrail skating and the technical evolution of modern street skateboarding. Even today, countless tricks and approaches used in skateboarding stem directly from his influence.

From Vision Street Wear to Blind Skateboards and Video Days

Early in his career, Mark Gonzales was sponsored by Alva Skateboards, but his talent quickly caught the attention of the entire American skate industry. After several appearances in Thrasher Magazine, Gonzales joined the Vision Street Wear team, which dedicated one of its first pro models to him.

The real turning point, however, came in the late 1980s when Steve Rocco founded Blind Skateboards. Gonzales joined the team and in 1991 appeared in one of the most important videos in skateboarding history: “Video Days.”

Even today, Video Days is considered one of the most influential skate films of all time. Gonzales’s lines in the video showcase skateboarding that was incredibly ahead of its time. Speed, control, style, and creativity were already pointing toward what would become modern street skating in the years to come.

Many skaters and specialized magazines still consider Mark Gonzales the true inventor of modern street skating. Not only for the tricks he performed, but above all for the completely new way in which he interpreted the board and the urban environment.

After his time with Blind Skateboards, Gonzales went through various phases in his career, including the ATM Click project with Ron Chatman. He later joined the Deluxe Distribution family, collaborating with Real Skateboards and appearing in historic videos such as “Non Fiction,” “Kicked Out of Everywhere,” and “Reel to Real.”

Even in the years that followed, Gonzales continued to maintain a personal and innovative style, demonstrating how his skateboarding was still incredibly modern compared to many professionals of the time.

Krooked Skateboards Today

Today, Krooked Skateboards remains one of the most respected brands in international skateboarding. The brand still maintains that strong artistic and independent identity that made it famous from the very beginning.

Alongside his skateboarding career, Mark Gonzales has also become an internationally recognized artist. Drawings, fanzines, poetry, contemporary art, music, and creative collaborations are now part of the world built around the figure of “Gonz.”

Over the years, Gonzales has collaborated with major brands such as Adidas Skateboarding, Supreme, Independent Trucks, and Spitfire Wheels, while continuing to maintain his spontaneous and creative approach to skateboarding.

Over the years, the Krooked team has featured top-tier riders such as Brad Cromer, Tommy Sandoval, Dan Drehobl, Sebo Walker, Mike Anderson, Eddie Cernicky, and Ray Barbee—all skaters united by a personal style and a strong creative interpretation of skateboarding.

Even today, Krooked remains one of the most authentic names in American skateboarding. A brand that continues to combine high-quality technical boards, authentic skate videos, and an artistic vision that has helped change global skate culture forever.

Krooked Skateboards at Pleasures Milano 

At Pleasures Milano, we’ve been curating Krooked Skateboards for years for skaters seeking true quality, responsive pop, and one of the most creative brands ever to emerge from the American skate scene.

Krooked is a brand that continues to perfectly embody the most spontaneous, technical, and authentic skateboarding, maintaining that strong artistic identity that made Mark Gonzales an absolute legend of global skate culture.

Within our selection, you’ll find original Krooked decks chosen for street skating, skateparks, and everyday use, with shapes and sizes suitable for both experienced skaters and riders looking to build a balanced, high-performance setup.

At Pleasures Milano, we’ve always chosen skate products that have been truly tested, selecting boards that offer control, durability, and an immediate feel underfoot during real sessions.