Foundation Nick Merlino pro board  ($59)

Mike SinclairNick Merlino, outside Thrasher magazine's Double Rock park after being presented with his first pro board.

WHAT IT IS:
Being from New Jersey, Merlino has a lot of pride in his home state. One of the legends of that state is that of the wild beast known as The Jersey Devil. In the 1980s, another pro skater from New Jersey, Tom Groholski, was known as "The Jersey Devil" in skate circles. Merlino's first pro board pays graphic homage to Groholski and their shared New Jersey heritage with the Foundation art department's take on The Jersey Devil of legend.

WHY IT RULES:
Merlino's first pro board is built with Tum Yet distribution's "Fiber Prime" construction. "Fiber Prime" boards have a woven thermal poly-ply as the top veneer on a standard 7-ply deck. The result is a stronger board with the ability to take more abuse while losing nothing in terms of board feel, quality or shape. The boards are manufactured by Watson laminates, the Tum Yeto owned board manufacturer that have been building decks for over 20 years.

For Merlino, the board quality and durability get tested every time he rolls as evidenced by his latest video part [watch it, it's a doozy]. But Merlino is most excited to finally be riding a board with his name on the bottom.

"So psyched to be pro," says Merlino. "It's a dream come true. I couldn't ask for anything more in my life."

WHERE TO FIND IT:
You can find Merlino's first pro-model board in most skate shops where Foundation and other Tum Yeto products are sold. If your local shop isn't carrying the brand, hit up reliable online retailers including Skatepark of Tampa and Kinetic Skateboarding.

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