Skateback
Grove, makers of bamboo cases for iPhones and MacBooks, have introduced a new environmentally friendly add-on for the iPhone 4/4S. The SkateBack uses waste material from a skateboard factory to give a unique -- although not particularly protective -- look to the iPhone. Grove has partnered with MapleXO, a company that makes recycled skateboard jewelry, to make the case.

The SkateBack makes a short journey from raw skateboard waste at skateboard factory PS Stix, to eye-catching ply with Lindsay at Maple XO, to cell phone accessory at Grove. PS Stix owner Paul Schmitt, of Costa Mesa, CA, has been designing and producing skateboards for nearly three decades. A skateboarder himself, his products are known worldwide for their quality, performance, and durability. PS Stix makes more than 4,000 skateboards every day, 200 per hour, almost three per minute! Thanks to Paul and Lindsay, we’re repurposing those scraps.


SkateBack comes in three color schemes and are available on Grove's website for $49 each.

Top Rated Comments

Cheerwino Avatar
166 months ago
Cool look. But, are our landfills really overflowing with skateboard scraps?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2 Replies Avatar
166 months ago
Weakest use of the term "case" I've EVER heard.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antman2295 Avatar
166 months ago
What I love is they are taking scraps of skateboards, sawing them down, slapping some "glue" on them, and then selling them for $49 each... Wow I love the mark up on cases...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
laserbeam273 Avatar
166 months ago
Well that could have been a little more tactful.



I'm confused by this as well.

4,000 skateboards per day / 200 skateboards per hour = 20 working hours

That still seems a bit high. To check my work,

4,000 skateboards per day / 20 working hours = 200 skateboards per hour
200 skateboards per hour / 60 minutes per hour = 3 1/3 skateboards per minute

Even at 20 working hours, they are still producing over three skateboards per minute. So at what point (how many working hours) do they produce equal to or less than three skateboards per minute? (Note that the 200 skateboards per hour rule must be disobeyed to calculate this.)

4,000 skateboards per day / 21 working hours = 190.47619047619 skateboards per hour / 60 = 3.1746031746 skateboards per minute. Nope!

4,000 skateboards per day / 22 working hours = 181.81818181818 skateboards per hour / 60 = 3.0303030303. Pretty close to 3!

4,000 skateboards per day / 23 working hours = 173.91304347826 skateboards per hour / 60 = 2.89855072464. Bingo!

Or, to be exact,
3 skateboards per minute * 60 = 180 skateboards per hour
4,0000 skateboards per day / 180 skateboards per hour = 22.22 (repeating 2) working hours per day!

They would have to work over 22 hours a day for them to produce 4,000 skateboards per day at three skateboards per minute. :eek:

This doesn't add up! :confused:

Haha how on earth has a post about skateboard cases attracted so much maths. Brilliant.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jmgregory1 Avatar
166 months ago
I went a slightly different direction with my iP4s, although it's currently just the sides. I've wrapped it with a extremely thin, natural cherry, that is just .009" thick, that has a pressure sensitive adhesive on the back.

The wood itself is made using a proprietary process that uses no chemicals or sanding and offers both a unique look and just enough grip to make it easier to hold the phone or pull it out of my pocket. The process for making the wood is so green and efficient that a single log, 15" in diameter by 8' long generates 10,000 square feet of wood. The logs are all hand-selected and sustainably grown and harvested.

All the off-cuts and bark are pelletized and used to fuel a high-efficiency wood fired boiler that heats the building using an in-floor radiant heat system.

I'll do the back as soon as I can create an accurate template.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nohaver Avatar
165 months ago
The concept is awesome, however what's up with the rainbow?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
prioritize notifications ios 18 4

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
ios 18 4 ambient music

iOS 18.4 Adds New Ambient Music Feature

Friday February 21, 2025 11:06 am PST by
In iOS 18.4, there's a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category. You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Denies Speculation Surrounding iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches in Europe and Asia

Thursday February 20, 2025 8:55 am PST by
Oppo has launched the Find N5, the world's thinnest foldable phone yet. When closed, the book-style foldable measures 8.93mm. That's less than a millimeter thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro, and thinner than the Honor Magic V3, which was the previous record holder. The device is barely thicker than its USB-C port. Indeed, Oppo has suggested that the obstacle to making it any thinner is now "the...