Jason Harvey Interview

It’s no secret that trampolines become exponentially more fun when you throw a skateboard deck into the mix. Which is why when we saw the level Jason Harvey was taking his trampoline skating to, we had to get in touch and ask him some questions. Jason is a 42 year old Union Carpenter who’s all but hung up his skateboard in exchange for trampoline skating because he simply can’t afford to get hurt skating anymore. After trampskating for some time, Jason decided it would be awesome to have a ledge to skate, so he designed a ledge that attached to his trampoline and trucks built specifically to skate the ledge with. You can find his Trampskate trucks here. If you’ve ever tried skating your deck on a trampoline or are looking to take your tramp skating to the next level, this interview is for you.

Hey Jason! Who are you and what’s been going on?My name is Jason Harvey I am a 42 year old Skateboarder, Trampskater, Union Carpenter, Husband, and lover of life. I live in San Bernardino Ca. What's been going on you ask? Well, I've been chilling at home for the last three months due to fractured vertebrae and broken tail bone from a sticky throttle cable while dirt bike riding. I'm in the final stages of my healing process and things have been going pretty well. I hope to be back on a board soon. Anybody wanna buy a dirt bike? Haha.

You have a background in skateboarding and building skate ramps. How did you get into trampoline skating?In the early 90s I saw a skate video with Daewon. I can't remember which video... maybe Love Child in the credits? He was doing 360 flips on a trampoline and I thought to myself, that looks fun! I want to try that. A few years later, we went to some house party and they had a trampoline, so I took my board apart and gave it a go. The tricks were so easy to do and I pretty much could do all my flip tricks in the first few hours. I had a lot of fun. At the end of the 90s, I had a few bad years with broken bones. I kept breaking my wrists and I broke my rib in that time, which put me out of work, so I kind of made a decision to hang up my skateboard. While I was recovering from my last broken wrist, I bought a trampoline so I could mess around with the skateboard deck. I figured I couldn't get hurt that bad from a trampoline.

How long had you been skating before you started tramp skating?I started skateboarding in 1986. My brother gave me his Vision Joe Johnson board, and his friend across the street showed me how to ollie, and some other tricks.

What’s the hardest thing to learn about trampoline skating?Timing and balance. After that, it’s pretty easy.

What’s the worst thing that’s happened to you while tramp skating? Have cops kicked you out of your backyard?Haha. No cops. About 2 1/2 years ago my knee was giving me problems and I was trying a krook backside out in the middle of the ledge and slipped out and twisted my knee. I finally went to the doctors and had to have surgery. It was a torn meniscus. I twisted my ankle once, but I already have weak ankles from skateboarding.

Does your wife ever get jealous of the relationship you have with your trampoline? Does she ever tell you last try or anything like that?Not really. We’ve been together almost 23 years. She's used to it because, well you know, we as skateboarders travel a lot just to skate sick spots.

You don’t have a lot of slams on your Instagram. What’s the worst injury you’ve had through tramp skating? Just the knee injury and twisted my ankle once. The slams don't look that crazy, so I don't really post them. I have posted some before where I slip out, but I land on my back and bounce right on my feet. I don't really slam that bad.

Your tramp setups are pretty crazy. What was the progression of your tramp park setups?When I started, I had the standard round trampoline and I would just to flip tricks and what not. I would think to myself, “How cool it would be to skate on a ledge?!” I would put tape on the mat and try to do fliptricks and land on the tape in certain positions like real skateboarding. Then I figured out how to put a ledge on the trampoline, and also had to figure out a way to lock into certain tricks. That's how I started to develop the Tramptrucks.

Your trampoline looks different than the ones at Costco. Where does one buy a custom trampoline?Well, I built the frame myself and ordered the springs and mat to my custom dimensions.

Do neighbor kids ever jump your fence to bounce your tramp? Is that what the kids call it, bouncing your tramp? No, haha.

What is a tramp truck?They are special skateboard trucks specifically designed for trampoline skateboarding.

How’d you come up with the design? Being a skateboarder I understand skateboard tricks, so I tried to make it feel like a real skateboard. Of course it's not exactly the same, but it's close.

Does tramp skating mess with your regular skating? Like do you kickflip on a skateboard and get bummed that you're not popping floaty shoulder high kick flips?In the beginning, it kind of messes with you, but you get used to it. I can still do most of my flat ground tricks, but I always get hurt and I can't take off work because I'm a foreman, so I pretty much stick with trampoline skateboarding now.

What’s the furthest you’ve traveled to trampoline skate?One time, we took my small trampoline to the mountains to get some photos. It was pretty difficult due to lack of oxygen. I got winded after a minute.

Have you ever tried setting up an 80’s exercise trampoline at the top and bottom of a stair set to do the rail or skate the set?No, but I have thought about it.

Do you recommend tiny tramp skating?Heck yeah, but the smaller that trampoline, the more difficult it is. It’s still fun though.

How do you feel about skating doubles on a trampoline? That sounds like a recipe for disaster, but having someone to boost you could be pretty insane.Yeah, not for me. I pretty much like to stay away from danger nowadays… haha! I’ll leave that up to the young dudes.

What’s the best trick you’ve seen done tramp skating?Pretty much anything Scott Stevens does.

What’s up with upside down kickflips, or backflip back noseblunts? Do you ever feel the pressure to throw backflips while you’re skating?Haha! No. Only on EA skate 3.

Anything you want to add? Shout outs to anyone?Well, first off…. GOD! CCS for the interview, my family, my friends, and those who support me.

Have any good memories of the CCS Catalog? Yeah, spending hours picking out what I want for Christmas and birthdays.