Sliding High
Downward mobility is on the rise.
What's the latest thing in the wild world of extreme sports?
Believe it or not, sliding down hand-rails--wearing specially
designed sneakers--is the latest craze among thrill-seekers.
Credit Chris Morris and his Torrance, California, footwear
company, Soap, for getting this trend going. "I've never
seen demand for a product grow this fast in my life," says
Morris, 35, of Soap's shoes with built-in plastic plates that
enable sliding. "It's really fun."
According to Morris, this kind of sliding--technically termed
"grinding"--is much easier than, say, skateboarding.
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"Humans love to slide," says Morris, pointing to his
company's successful expansion into more than a dozen
countries. Even more gripping is Soap's projected 1999 sales of
$15 million. With momentum like this, Morris expects grinding to
quickly slide further into the spotlight. As with other extreme
sports, however, there is an element of risk. "You can
definitely fall down," admits Morris, who says he's only
been hurt (mildly) once. Hey, gravity is one mean competitor.
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