Longtime industry voice of skateboarding and host of The Nine Muses podcaster and brand owner, Robert Brink just cut the price of his skateboard decks from $55 to $40, citing tough times.
“All The Nine Muses decks are $40 because times are tough and I'm a man of the people,” he said in a recent Instagram story.
With higher shipping costs and Trump-era tariffs still lingering, skateboarding brands, especially the smaller, independent ones, have had to make adjustments just to keep going.
At the same time, pro skater Manny Santiago recently pointed out how smaller brands are eating up more of the market share, making it harder for the bigger companies to hold their ground.
Brink’s move fits right into that conversation.
While some small brands are finally breaking through and getting support, many others are having trouble staying in the game for more than a season or two.
It's not just about putting out good boards anymore; it’s about survival. Between rising costs, oversaturated shelves, and fewer skaters feeling loyal to any one brand, it’s a tricky landscape.
Brink lowering his deck prices isn’t just about making sales; it’s also a nod to how different things feel out there right now.
A lot of skaters are buying local, following their favorite underground crews, or just looking for something that feels more honest than mass-marketed hype.
The $40 price tag feels more accessible and in touch with the folks who are actually skating every day.
