About SK8PL8S:
The inventor/founder of SK8PL8S is an old 90's skate rat (now a fossil) from southeastern Michigan, that took a 20+ year hiatus from skateboarding, and who picked it back up (in 2020) out of boredom and a need for regular exercise.
It didn't take very long to realize that recovery from injuries was taking much longer, and so, pads began to be gradually adopted with each new disruptive injury.
When it came time to try and protect the torso, it became evident that there simply were no options for torso protection on the market for people in the action sports community... and the concept of SK8PL8S was born.
Mark I (generation 1) was a monstrosity of industrial strength hook/loop-attached foam pads onto a shirt - a complete failure - but it was instrumental in inspiring the Mark II.
Mark II (an array of foam pads in pockets sewn onto a shirt) was simply too hot, and a large section of the shirt material on the front had to be removed.
This innovation was the inspiration for the Mark III, which has been actively "battle-tested" since Oct of 2022, and it has maintained its effectiveness and material integrity since then.
This epic tale has concluded with the arrival of the Mark IV, the latest iteration of SK8PL8S (a refinement of the Mark III, with several improvements), and with a scheduled listing date on the SK8PL8S Etsy shop of November 27, 2023.