In collaboration with Bear Walker,Pokemonhas released special edition skateboards featuring the final evolutions of the Kanto starters. Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise join a lineup of more than 35 other Pokemon-themed skateboards.Based in Alabama, Bear Walker is a skateboard designer specializing in custom works with pop culture references. Walker began creating handcrafted skateboards a decade ago as a passion project. In transforming his hobby into a business, Walker experimented for years to find the ideal textured surface and grip that would make the skateboards both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Today, Walker has collaborated with Marvel, Nickelodeon, and the NBALAB to produce custom skateboards with superheroes, cartoon characters, and basketball team logos.RELATED:Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Sell More Than Ten Million Units In Three DaysThe new Pokemon-themed skateboards are available onPokemonCenter.com, the home of official Pokemon merchandise and the online counterpart of physical Pokemon Centers in Japan. The 29-inch skateboards are crafted from maple wood and come with wheels and trucks. Skaters can take the board for a ride, and non-skaters can mount the design on a wall. Each skateboard arrives with a limited edition card of authenticity depicting the Pokemon. The individuals skateboards are $249.99.
Other Pokemon featured in collaborations with Bear Walker include Eevee and Eevee’s eight different evolutions, orEeveelutions. These include Leafeon, a Grass-type, Espeon, a Psychic-type, and Umbreon, a Dark-type. Legendaries like Mew and Mewtwo are also in the lineup.
Many of Bear Walker’s Pokemon offerings are currently sold out, even in light of the purchase limit of two skateboards per design. It’s no surprise that the Pikachu skateboard is one of the most popular. The anniversary edition skateboard was released last year to celebrate 25 years of Pokemon. The Pikachu skateboard has more than 50 reviews, several noting the quality of woodwork and craftmanship.
While some Pokemon fans are interested in the skateboards, many say the product is too nice or too expensive to actually ride on the road. Others note that most of the designs are of Generation 1 Pokemon and observe that the franchise continues to primarily sell Kanto merchandise. These community members urge Pokemon to release more official merchandise for later generations.
