About Halfpiped

Halfpiped started in my bedroom. Started from a bedroom.

Hey there! I am Marcus, and I run Halfpiped straight from my bedroom.

It started with used skate gear, rusty parts, and the simple idea that good skate gear should be easier to afford.

Hey there! I am Marcus, and I run Halfpiped straight from my bedroom.

It started with used skate gear, rusty parts, and the simple idea that good skate gear should be easier to afford.

The Story

From used parts to affordable setups.

Skate sesh before school
Skate sesh before school

01 / WHERE IT STARTED

A Broke Kid's Carousell Habit

Halfpiped started in 2020. I was 15, skating every day before and after school. New gear from shops cost too much for me. So whenever my deck got razortailed or my shoes wore out, I looked for used gear on Carousell instead.

01 / WHERE IT STARTED

A Broke Kid's Carousell Habit

Halfpiped started in 2020. I was 15, skating every day before and after school. New gear from shops cost too much for me. So whenever my deck got razortailed or my shoes wore out, I looked for used gear on Carousell instead.

Used completes I managed to set up
Used completes I managed to set up
Used completes I managed to set up

02 / LEARNING TO FIX, THEN SELL

Spare Parts, Pocket Money

Used boards almost always came broken, so I learned how to fix them up myself. Soon I had extra parts lying around, and I put them together into complete boards to sell. That money went straight into my next pair of shoes or deck.

02 / LEARNING TO FIX, THEN SELL

Spare Parts, Pocket Money

Used boards almost always came broken, so I learned how to fix them up myself. Soon I had extra parts lying around, and I put them together into complete boards to sell. That money went straight into my next pair of shoes or deck.

First deck I brought in
First deck I brought in
First deck I brought in

03 / THE LOCKDOWN PIVOT

When $100 Shipping Felt Insane

Then the 2020 lockdown hit, and I could not meet up with sellers on Carousell anymore. So I looked for real suppliers instead, and found out shipping just one deck across the ocean could cost almost $100. I used my Chinese New Year money to buy a bunch of decks at once, so shipping cost less per deck. I sold most of them for barely any profit, which meant I got my own deck free, and other skaters got theirs cheaper than any shop price.

03 / THE LOCKDOWN PIVOT

When $100 Shipping Felt Insane

Then the 2020 lockdown hit, and I could not meet up with sellers on Carousell anymore. So I looked for real suppliers instead, and found out shipping just one deck across the ocean could cost almost $100. I used my Chinese New Year money to buy a bunch of decks at once, so shipping cost less per deck. I sold most of them for barely any profit, which meant I got my own deck free, and other skaters got theirs cheaper than any shop price.

One of the rejection email from a big skate brand
One of the rejection email from a big skate brand
One of the rejection email from a big skate brand

04 / HITTING A WALL

Locked Out by the Big Local Skate Shops

As I met more skaters at Somerset, Bishan, and Lakeside, they kept asking for big brands like Girl, Baker, and Spitfire. I tried to bring those in, but those brands only worked with the bigger skate shops already. Every time I asked, I just got sent back to those shops, and their prices were barely cheaper than normal.

04 / HITTING A WALL

Locked Out by the Big Local Skate Shops

As I met more skaters at Somerset, Bishan, and Lakeside, they kept asking for big brands like Girl, Baker, and Spitfire. I tried to bring those in, but those brands only worked with the bigger skate shops already. Every time I asked, I just got sent back to those shops, and their prices were barely cheaper than normal.

Still ran from the same bedroom
Still ran from the same bedroom
Still ran from the same bedroom

05 / 8 YEARS IN

Still Here, Still For The Skaters

That pushed me to focus on what I could actually offer: good gear from brands the bigger shops don't bother with. Those shops have rent and staff to pay. I don't. Halfpiped still runs out of my bedroom with barely any costs, so I'm not trying to make big profit, just enough to cover costs and keep me skating. Six years later, that's still how it works.

05 / 8 YEARS IN

Still Here, Still For The Skaters

That pushed me to focus on what I could actually offer: good gear from brands the bigger shops don't bother with. Those shops have rent and staff to pay. I don't. Halfpiped still runs out of my bedroom with barely any costs, so I'm not trying to make big profit, just enough to cover costs and keep me skating. Six years later, that's still how it works.

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