What Sector 9 does

Sector 9 is a San Diego-based designer and manufacturer of premium longboard skateboards and components, founded in 1993 and recently reacquired by its original founders (Dave Klimkiewicz, Dennis Telfer, Steve Lake, and Tal O'Farrell). The company sells pre-assembled Completes, decks, wheels, bearings, hardware, and apparel, organized by riding style (Surf Skate, Sidewinder, Crusher, Carving, Freeride, Commuter, Park) and including a Bamboo line built from sustainably harvested materials with Super Sap eco-resin. A core technical differentiator is the Gullwing Sidewinder double-pivot truck (and the newer Driver truck), supplied by sister company Gullwing, which is in its fifth decade of production and used on all completes.

The business model is a consumer hardware sale: D2C e-commerce on sector9.com (Shopify) plus a '9 Ball Certified Dealers' reseller network in the United States, supported by free ground shipping over $99.99 and a 10% newsletter discount. Completes price from $139.99 to $269.99, decks $63.99 to $129.99, and components $15-$44.99. Primary customer segments are skateboard enthusiasts (carving, commuting, downhill, park), surf-skate users seeking land-based surf practice, and urban commuters. Marketing runs through Instagram, YouTube, the '9 Ball Blog' and newsletter, with programmatic retargeting observed on the storefront.

Name

Sector 9

Legal name

Sector 9

Website

https://sector9.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sector 9 designs and sells premium longboard skateboards, decks, wheels, trucks, bearings, hardware, and apparel direct-to-consumer and through certified US dealers, targeting skateboard enthusiasts, surf-skate riders, and urban commuters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Longboard Skateboards

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992)

SIC

Motorcycles, Bicycles & Parts (3751)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Skateboards & Longboards (CRACASAC)

Keywords

• Longboard skateboards
• Skateboard manufacturing
• Skateboard components
• Surf skate boards
• Cruiser skateboards

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct sales of complete longboard skateboards and individual components (decks, wheels, trucks, bearings, hardware, apparel) through e-commerce and dealer network. One-time purchase model for physical goods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sector 9 designs, manufactures, and sells premium longboard skateboards and related components directly to consumers. Its product ecosystem includes pre-assembled completes (organized by riding style such as Surf Skate, Sidewinder, Crusher, Carving, Freeride, Commuter, and Park), individual decks, wheels (including the Nineballs line), Gullwing trucks, bearings, hardware, and branded apparel, with a focus on sustainably harvested bamboo construction and proprietary Gullwing truck technology.

Product overview

Sector 9 is a premium longboard skateboard manufacturer offering a complete ecosystem of skateboarding products. Their core offerings include pre-assembled Completes (full skateboards), Decks, Wheels (including Nineballs), Gullwing Trucks, Bearings, and Hardware. Products are organized by riding style categories including Surf Skate, Sidewinder, Crusher, Carving, Freeride, Commuter, and Park. The company also offers bamboo-based eco-friendly completes and branded apparel. All completes are engineered for high speed, grip, and flexibility with softer, bigger wheels for smoother riding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gullwing: Sister company of Sector 9 that manufactures longboard skateboard trucks. Sector 9 uses Gullwing trucks on all of their completes and offers them for individual sale.
• 9 Ball

Products and services

• Completes (Complete Skateboards) Pre-assembled longboard skateboards built from the ground up with matched components (deck, trucks, wheels, bearings, hardware) for performance, stability, and style. Available in multiple riding styles including Surf Skate, Sidewinder, Crusher, Carving, Freeride, Commuter, and Park. Targeted at riders seeking ready-to-ride setups.
• Decks Skateboard decks available in various lengths (25.0" to 40"+), constructions (Maple, Bamboo, Exotic Wood), and riding styles. Feature drop through and top mount options for riders who assemble or customize their own boards.
• Wheels (Nineballs) Longboard skateboard wheels designed for speed, grip, and smooth riding. Includes the Nineballs line in various colors and hardness ratings (78a) for different riding conditions.
• Gullwing Trucks Longboard skateboard trucks manufactured by sister company Gullwing, in their fifth decade of production. Models include Sidewinder II, Shadow, Pro III, Charger, Mission, and Reverse with various hanger widths (7.5" to 10.0"). Used on all Sector 9 completes and sold individually.
• Bearings High-quality skateboard bearings featuring stainless steel construction, nylon ball retainer with special grease/oil mix for reduced friction, corrosion resistance, and removable rubber shields for easy cleaning.
• Hardware Essential skateboard hardware including bolts, risers, shock pads, bearings, and tools. Also includes bearing lube for maintenance.
• Apparel Sector 9 branded apparel including t-shirts, hats, and accessories featuring brand graphics and team designs.
• Surf Skate Boards Surf skate boards featuring the Gullwing Driver truck for a surf-style riding experience with improved stability and turning capability. Designed for riders seeking surf-style flow on land.
• Bamboo Completes Eco-friendly longboard skateboards made from 100% sustainably harvested bamboo, featuring clean designs and sustainable materials for environmentally conscious riders.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GullwingcoreTechnology or IntegrationGullwing is Sector 9's sister company that manufactures skateboard trucks. Sector 9 uses Gullwing trucks on all of their completes and offers them for individual sale. Gullwing is in its fifth decade of production, with every set in the line meeting or surpassing modern standards. The partnership provides vertical integration in truck supply.
• Chomp BrandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with artist Joshua Ariza aka Chomp Brand on Ditch Witch Fortunes board design. Chomp Brand provides artistic graphics and design collaboration for limited edition skateboard models.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Penny Skateboards: Penny Skateboards is an Australian plastic-cruiser skateboard brand with a strong lifestyle and youth appeal. While its core product (plastic cruisers) differs from Sector 9's longboards, the brands compete for the same entry-level recreational skateboard buyer.
• Loaded Boards: Loaded Boards is a premium longboard and skateboard manufacturer based in California with a strong DTC channel and similar bamboo/composite construction emphasis. It competes directly with Sector 9 in the premium carving, commuting, and downhill longboard segments.
• Carver Skateboards: Carver is the pioneer of surf-skate trucks and complete surf-skate setups, making it the most direct competitor in Sector 9's surf-skate category that features the new Gullwing Driver truck. The brands compete for the same crossover surfer/skater buyer.
• Smoothstar: Smoothstar is an Australian surf-skate specialist with patented truck technology designed to mimic surfing turns. It competes directly with Sector 9's Driver truck-equipped surf-skate line for the surfer-training buyer.
• Landyachtz: Landyachtz is a Canadian longboard and cruiser skateboard manufacturer with a comparable premium DTC-plus-dealer model, bamboo/maple construction, and surf-skate positioning. It is one of the most direct head-to-head competitors to Sector 9 in the premium longboard category.

Broad incumbents

• Element Skateboards: Element is one of the largest global skateboard footwear and hardgoods brands, with broad product depth across completes, decks, and apparel. It competes with Sector 9 for shelf space and consumer mindshare in the skateboard category.
• Arbor Collective: Arbor Collective is a California-based skate, surf, and snowboard brand with bamboo construction and a similar premium lifestyle positioning. It is a broader incumbent with overlapping product categories including cruisers and longboards.
• Globe Brand: Globe is an Australian skate, surf, and apparel brand with a complete longboard and cruiser lineup. It is a broader incumbent that overlaps with Sector 9 across multiple board categories and apparel, with similar brand heritage dating back to the 1980s-90s.
• Santa Cruz Skateboards: Santa Cruz Skateboards is an iconic skateboard brand founded in 1973, owned by NHS, Inc. While primarily traditional skateboards, its brand recognition and dealer presence create competitive pressure on Sector 9 within the broader skateboard category.

Emerging players

• YOW Surfskate: YOW is a Spanish surf-skate brand with patented truck technology for surf-style riding. It overlaps with Sector 9's Gullwing Driver surf-skate line and represents a fast-growing emerging player in the same niche category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Sector9Media
• Instagraminstagram.com/sector9
• Xx.com/Sector9
• Facebookfacebook.com/sector9
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sector-9-skateboards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sector 9