Product Spotlight - The Heated Wheel

The latest venture from the mind of legendary skater and artist, Neil Blender, The Heated Wheel brings you bangin' graphics, weird and wonderful shapes, and the iconic Polarizer skateboard.

Inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2015, Neil Blender is widely regarded as one of the most influential skaters of all time. On top of inventing countless tricks, including the fastplant and lien air, he played a major part in pushing skating away from being a competitive sport and towards the more creative pursuit we all know it as today. Not only does he kill it on the board but he also founded one of the best skate brands of all time, Alien Workshop - alongside Mike Hill and Chris Carter - and helped produce their iconic first video, 'Memory Screen'. So, of course we couldn't say no when we had the opportunity to get his latest project in the shop.

Photo: Neil Blender doing a handout at a North Vancouver skatepark in 1986, photo by J. Grant Brittain.

Seeing as Neil Blender was one of the first skaters to draw their own graphics, it's no surprise that The Heated Wheel's skateboard decks and clothing all feature artwork from Blender himself. The designs range from Blender's more traditional artwork, based on some of his original paintings, to his iconic cartoon style, reminiscent of his old Alien Workshop graphics.

The 'Cleaner Acid' deck features a recreation of Neil Blender's original 'Cleaner Acid' artwork in the center of the board with a Heated Wheel logo on the tail. The artwork depicts a guy standing in front of a dark background and surrounded by weird shapes, with a field of lighting representing his field of vision, alongside the slogan 'Cleaner Acid, Clearer Vision'. The original hand painted artwork sold for $5,000 so the fact you can get it on a deck for £68 is an absolute bargain. Definitely one for the trippers.

If fine art ain't your thing, The Heated Wheel have got plenty of more light-hearted graphics that don't look like they belong in a museum. The 'Wanderer' deck features a weird looking gopher stood atop a pile of rocks, with some nice use of the woodstain to give the little critter his colour. Meanwhile, the 'Grasshopper Guy' features an illustration of a guy with a grasshopper on his head in classic Neil Blender style with a vibrant blue background. All of these decks come in an standard popsicle shape so don't worry if you're not a fan of old-school shapes.

Of course the drop does also feature some old-school shaped decks that are absolutely begging to be taken down to your local curb spot. The 9.6" 'Slam Time' deck features a large nose which cuts in sharply at the midpoint before merging into a square tail. The shape's fairly unconventional but it kinda reminds me of Steve Olson's old 'SOS Splatter' deck. The graphic's guaranteed to remind you of old Alien Workshop graphics, with some little alien-looking characters falling off what could be a roof.

Another shaped deck from the collection, the 'Sportsman' 9" Deck features a much subtler shape with a rounded nose and slightly square tail, making it perfect for all kinds of skating. The graphic is another cartoony number with a cartoon figure shooting a bird on a blue background. Geoff Rowley approved.

Last but not least, we can't not mention The Heated Wheel's signature Polarizer skateboards. Based on the original skateboards from the 1960's and designed to be fitted with rollerskate trucks, these bad boys are a must-have for skate history lovers. The decks feature a convex shape which makes them perfect for carving and giving them that much-loved surfy feel. If you're looking for something to spice up your skate life then look no further than The Heated Wheel Polarizer. We've got two different models in stock, the classic Polarizer and the Peter Hewitt pro model, which is slightly smaller and flatter based on old-school surfboard shapes. You even get to drill your own holes for the perfect wheelbase.

To top it all off, The Heated Wheel have also come through with some bangin' clothing for you to enjoy. If you like the 'Slam Time' graphic, you can treat yourself to the T-Shirt version. Or, if you're looking for something different, the 'Frontier' tee features more original artwork from Neil Blender. They've even come through with a bangin' mesh trucker hat if you want to get an old-school style hat to go with your Polarizer.

That's enough chit-chat though. Head to the shop to browse the full range of The Heated Wheel skateboard decks, Polarizers, and clothing, and buy now from CSC. Or, find out more about the newest product on the CSC Blog. Safe.