Free Shipping Over $30
Free Shipping Over $30

Our Story

 

In 1999, a group of twenty somethings had an idea. While many scoffed at the notion of selling snowboards and skateboards online, a fearless few abandoned promising professional careers and found a way to get the wheels turning. Over twenty years later, we have built an incredible company and our mission remains the same: to serve our community through the best products, knowledge and service in skateboarding and snowboarding. 

 


The Launch

 

Launched as "Snowtraders", the name "Tactics" emerged with the addition of skateboards in early 2000.

Shawn Kilmer, 2002's "First Assault" video, WATCH NOW.

 

"The bottom line is that there was no plan. Which was all too apparent to us after starting. If we had a plan we probably never would have started it." -Matt Patton, co-founder

 

Eugene shop, 2nd & Blair, 2001

Brandon Clark, longest standing employee since 2003.  

 

"We felt like we were pretty smart, but we really weren’t… What we were though, is optimistic and stubborn. That kept us going late at night, just trying to figure things out." - Bob Chandler, co-founder

 

Eugene Shop, 6th St., 2004

Brice Niehbuhr, 2004.

 

"Matt saying, 'I’m done wearing a tie'. That’s what pushed us over the edge to say, let’s take the gloves off, pull our pants down or pull our pants up, whichever way it’s gonna go." - Bob Chandler, co-founder

 

Matt & the boys at Mt. Bachelor, 2004.

Jesse Lederer, 2005.

 

"When I quit my job... It really boiled down to, 'What was I going to regret more?'" - MP

 

Soon to be the Eugene shop and company headquarters, 4th & Lawrence, 2005.

Brice Niehbuhr, 2006.

 


The Core Of Tactics

 

Matt & Bob, 2012

The Crew, 2012

 

"We’ve been asked a million times, 'Why don’t you sell this or that, what do you have to lose?', but that’s not what we do. Trends will always change, but we've always stayed in our niche, which is pretty rare." -MP

 

Nick Propios, team rider since 2007, employee since 2009.

Brandon Clark, 2006.

 

"There’s something intangible that is really rewarding and fulfilling about of creating your own future. To not know what the rules say as you go forward is really kind of liberating." -BC

 

Caleb Grant, team rider since 2012.

Go Skate Day, WJ Skatepark , 2018

 

"The fact that it's snowboarding and skateboarding means a lot to us because there's passion there. We’ve always thought of ourselves as selling fun, so there’s an inherent satisfaction about working with something thats meaningful, at least to us." -BC

 

BC, Mt. Bachelor Selfie, 2019.

Playing hookie on a pow day, 2019