What Crailtap does

Crailtap is a privately held, Torrance, California-based holding and distribution company for three heritage skateboarding brands: Girl Skateboards (founded 1993), Chocolate Skateboards (founded 1994), and Royal Trucks. Founded by Rick Howard and Mike Carroll (with Spike Jonze noted as a co-founder), the company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (crailtap.com) selling skateboard decks, trucks, wheels, bearings, hardware, griptape, completes, apparel (tees, hoodies, jackets, bottoms, headwear, footwear), and accessories worldwide, with free shipping on orders $99+ in the US and $250+ internationally. Products are also distributed through independent skate shops globally via a dealer locator network, preserving the channel credibility that is central to the skateboarding category.

The company's content infrastructure is a core operational and marketing asset. The Crailtap YouTube channel (157K subscribers, 1,200+ videos, 55M total views) hosts archival and current skateboarding video content via Girl Films and Chocolate Cinema, including landmark videos such as 'Mouse' (1996), 'Yeah Right!' (2003), 'Hot Chocolate' (2004), and 'Pretty Sweet'. On the product side, Royal Trucks uses a proprietary Fusion Cast manufacturing process with a guaranteed-for-life warranty, distinguishing its hardware from competitors. The company relies on professional team rider associations as a primary demand driver, with rosters spanning Rick Howard, Mike Carroll, Sean Malto, Cory Kennedy, Vincent Alvarez, Kenny Anderson, and others.

Crailtap generates revenue through one-time product sales via DTC and wholesale, with pricing ranging from $24.95 for Royal Trucks to $219.95 for premium apparel such as team varsity jackets. The go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce with a global independent skate shop distribution network, supplemented by an event and community engagement strategy. Notable recent collaborations include Nike SB (Chocolate Sun Dunk Low, late 2024), Sanrio (Hello Kitty collection), Pac-Man, New Balance Numeric, Lusso Pelli, and Individualist. The company has not disclosed any external funding rounds, indicating independent, founder-controlled operations. Product development and brand marketing center on team rider content, vintage reissues, and cross-IP collaborations that extend the brand beyond core skateboarders into adjacent lifestyle and streetwear segments.

Name

Crailtap

Legal name

Crailtap

Website

https://crailtap.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Crailtap is a privately held Torrance, California-based holding company that distributes skateboard hardgoods, apparel, and accessories worldwide through the Girl Skateboards, Chocolate Skateboards, and Royal Trucks brands, serving individual skateboarders via DTC e-commerce and independent skate shops globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Torrance

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Crailtap generates revenue through direct-to-consumer sales of skateboard decks, trucks, wheels, bearings, hardware, griptape, completes, apparel (tees, hoodies, jackets, bottoms, headwear, footwear), and accessories (bags, socks, stickers, DVDs/videos) via its e-commerce storefront and through independent skate shops worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Crailtap operates as the parent distribution and e-commerce entity for three iconic skateboard brands: Girl Skateboards, Chocolate Skateboards, and Royal Trucks. The company designs, sources, and sells professional-grade skateboard decks, trucks, wheels, bearings, hardware, griptape, completes, apparel (tees, hoodies, jackets, bottoms, headwear, footwear), and accessories (bags, socks, stickers, videos) through crailtap.com and through a global network of independent skate shops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Girl Films: Video production arm of Girl Skateboards producing skateboarding documentaries and video parts.
• Chocolate Cinema
• Crailtap Store

Products and services

• Skateboard Decks

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DeckaidminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Deckaid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting youth-centered community organizations through skateboard art exhibitions. Crailtap partnered with Deckaid for special releases and auctions, including a 30 Chocolate Years eBay auction featuring 30 Chocolate decks from the archive, with proceeds benefiting Deckaid.
• Nike SBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Nike SB and Chocolate Skateboards collaborated on the limited-edition Chocolate Sun Dunk Low sneaker to celebrate #30ChocolateYears. The shoe reimagines the classic SB Dunk Low silhouette with premium materials inspired by the 2003 'Sun Series' Richard Mulder board. Pairs were auctioned exclusively on eBay with proceeds benefiting Deckaid.
• Lusso PelliminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChocolate Skateboards collaborated with Lusso Pelli to produce the Lusso Pelli Slides, a footwear product sold on crailtap.com.
• New Balance NumericminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChocolate Skateboards collaborated with New Balance Numeric on the NB NUMERIC 480 HIGH shoe, sold through crailtap.com.
• IndividualistminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChocolate Skateboards partnered with Individualist on a screen print kit product (Chocolate X Individualist Screen Print Kit) sold on crailtap.com.
• Sanrio (Hello Kitty)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGirl Skateboards partnered with Sanrio to create the Girl x Hello Kitty collection featuring apparel and accessories with Hello Kitty character graphics, sold on crailtap.com.
• Pac-ManminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGirl Skateboards partnered with Pac-Man to create a collection of skateboard decks and apparel featuring Pac-Man graphics, sold on crailtap.com.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Toy Machine: Established skateboard brand with parallel product offering (decks, soft goods) and similar cultural positioning among core skaters — a clear direct comparable for product mix and channel model.
• Anti-Hero Skateboards: Skateboard-only brand selling decks and apparel to the same core skater demographic, with a comparable lifestyle/heritage-driven positioning and similar skate-shop distribution.
• Baker Skateboards: Iconic US skateboard brand with comparable target market (core skateboarders) and similar product mix (decks, apparel, accessories). Most directly comparable as a similarly-sized, culture-rooted skateboard brand distributed through skate shops.
• Plan B Skateboards: Heritage skateboard brand selling decks, completes, and apparel to the same core demographic; comparable product breadth and skate-shop-led distribution.
• Zero Skateboards: Long-running skateboard hardware and apparel brand with a similar rider-team-led identity and comparable target market — direct product and customer overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Vans: Skateboarding-rooted footwear and apparel giant (VF Corporation) that competes with Crailtap's apparel/footwear collaborations; massive scale and broad distribution make it a relevant incumbent comparable.
• Powell-Peralta: Legacy skateboard brand with deep cultural roots (Bones Brigade) and broader product portfolio including Bones wheels/bearings; comparable heritage positioning but wider category footprint.
• NHS Inc. Multi-brand skateboard distribution company (Santa Cruz, Independent, MOB, Bronson) operating a comparable parent-distribution model to Crailtap; comparable business architecture with broader portfolio.
• Element Skateboards: Larger, more commercially scaled skateboard brand (part of Boardriders) with broader global distribution; overlaps in decks, apparel, and footwear but operates at meaningfully greater scale.

Emerging players

• Welcome Skateboards: Independent skateboard brand with artistic positioning; overlapping customer base in core skaters but smaller scale and narrower product assortment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crailtap
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCF-aJUf_vFcltYdnTCTiuIQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/crailtap
• Instagraminstagram.com/Crailtap
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crailtap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Crailtap