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When I started working on this article my original intention was to write about the two deck styles and the different ways in which they work. It was only when I sent an email to Ted, asking if I could use some photos, that things got interesting. The reply I received from Ted was an invite to go visit them in Nottingham and find out for myself about Trampa, in more detail than internet research could possibly provide.

What we found was an interesting background to the development of what is still the only un-breakable deck in the world.

Roots

Trampa’s roots lie in a somewhat surprising place. The material now used in making the Trampa decks, a composite material consisting of thermo-plastic and glass which comes on a roll and is woven like cotton, started life as a substitute for aluminium containers for use on Lorries. The research which created the material was looking for ways to produce a container which would be ultra-strong, lightweight, and non-susceptible to damage caused by the elements. The containers could then be used to replace their aluminium counter-parts which are susceptible to rust, indentation, and other material related failures. Also despite been aluminium the containers were still very heavy.

The material now used by Trampa proved to be just what was needed; it was light, durable, and strong. Unlike the aluminium containers which would be bent out of shape in collisions, the new material would simply bounce back to shape because of its unique physical properties.

Development

The development of the material for use in mountain boarding came about because one of the researches, Rob Edgare, had a personal interest in board sports. The materials best points were recognised as been the same properties which could produce a great deck for mountain boards. Flexibility, strength, and durability were spotted as been key areas were traditional wooden decks often failed. Experimenting and testing begun and from there the deck which exists now was born.

The decks are individually crafted in Belgium, at one of a handful of factories worldwide with the ability to produce and work with the material. Each deck is pressed and baked at high temperatures before been cut by water fired at 60000psi.

Trampa was formed just over two years ago, with the first product to hit the market been the 15° ‘skate style’ deck. Designed and first produced when skate style trucks were the dominant choice for most riders, it was soon realised that as the popularity of channel trucks increased a deck designed specifically for use with these trucks was needed. This led to the development of the 35° deck, the second deck in the Trampa range.

Customisability

The unique material used by Trampa allows for the ultimate customizable deck, Trampa boards can be tailored to work superbly with any rider weight. The amount of flex and ‘pop’ present can be changed by varying the amount of ply’s used in each board, and the strength of the board remains the same. With the two deck choices now available a Trampa deck can be used with virtually all trucks, bindings, and wheels.

What’s To Come?

With two successful decks already under its belt Trampa is researching and testing a variety of new designs. One advance, which has already been seen in ATBmag, is the production of a coloured deck. Both of the Trampa decks available now can be coloured using a special paint that has the ability to flex to prevent cracking. One of the most exciting aspects is that any colour could be matched, so the customisable aspect of Trampa decks could be taken even further.
The development of a 25° deck is also something to look for in the future. The 25° deck would be a cross of the other two decks and could be used equally well with both channel and skate trucks.

Trampa are a unique company who produce an incredible board. Although not for everyone, every rider should try a Trampa, and most will like what they see. The Trampa deck takes riding to a different place, were the link between a rider and their board is strengthened. The incredible customisable aspect of the deck and its superb responsiveness, combined with the suspension and shock absorbency that no ply deck can provide, make the Trampa deck an awesome investment and a great deck.

Trampa have teamed up this year with Headworx to create the Trampa Headworx Team. The team consists of:

ATB
AJ Lawson
Nathan Jenkins
Badger
Richard Heard
Niki Forcast

Kite
Steve Livesey
Sukie Robertson
Charlotte Lloyd

So look out for the Team at this years major events.

Check out Trampa Online at www.trampaboards.com

Words by Friday
Photos by Jack Mitchell