Originally founded in 1999 as a sister company to Alien Workshop under DNA Distribution, Habitat Skateboards unique aesthetic identity, created by Alien employee and eventual sole owner of Habitat, Joe Castrucci, led to almost immediate success. Following the shift of ownership of DNA Distribution first to Burton Snowboards in 2012, and then through buy-outs by venture capital companies Pacific Vector and La Hoya Group, for a while Habitat’s future looked uncertain.

After a short hiatus and a period of confusing ownership and distribution, majority shareholder and original Alien Workshop pro Rob Dyrdek gifted the company to long-time brand manager, creative visionary and filmmaker Joe Castrucci who now runs Habitat independently through Official Distribution in Sacramento.

Castrucci talks about this period of change at length in a recent podcast interview with Tim O’Connor for Jenkem magazine.

“The Bobby De Keyzer ‘Expo 70’ pro deck features graphics inspired by the World Trade Fair held in Osaka, Japan in 1970”

Throughout their structural difficulties, Habitat managed to retain the vast majority of their legacy riders, (aside from Austyn Gillette who left to ride for WKND skateboards and former rider Al Davis who now rides for Quasi) and to maintain their distinctive visual identity.

Toronto-born Bobby De Keyzer is one of Habitat’s newest riders and has since gone on to turn pro in 2017 marked with the release of a range of debut pro boards, one of which you can see here.

The Bobby De Keyzer ‘Expo 70’ pro deck features graphics inspired by the World Trade Fair held in Osaka, Japan in 1970, which featured a Canadian Pavilion designed by celebrated Canadian architect Arthur Erickson.

The De Keyzer pro board comes in at 8.25” in width, which is slightly larger than the 2017 industry-standard width of 8” and comes with a limited BDK pin badge emblazoned with Habitat’s logo and Bobby De Keyzer’s name.

The bottom graphic is set on a white painted background with a wood stained top ply layer featuring Habitat’s logo in white. The nose and tail are virtually symmetrical with a snub shape to both.

• HABITAT – EXPO 70:
• RRP: £54.95
• Width : 8.25″
• Length: 32.125″
• Wheelbase: 14.25″
• HABITATSKATEBOARDS.COM