We’re getting close to the return of the Dew Tour, and I can’t wait! June 25th needs to hurry up and get here so I can see all the crazy tricks I haven’t even imagined yet! The tour starts in Boston and should give us some of the best skateboarding, BMX riding and FMX the world has ever seen. The Dew Tour, like the X Games, is known for progressing the disciplines of skateboarding, BMX, and FMX. The tour is 5 stops and is a season long contest. You can’t win one contest and get the cup, you have to be consistent through all 5 stops to have a chance at the crown. That being said, here are the 5 best skateboarding vert tricks ever thrown in a contest, according to me that is.

Starting at #5 are all the crazy kick flips that have been put down lately. I never thought the kick flip would be a normal part of a vert routine, but all the finalists at last year’s X Games had at least 2 flip tricks in their runs. From a regular kick flip to Danny Mayer’s kick flip Mc Twist, they are here to stay in vert. The complexity of flipping the board, catching it, and placing back under your feet is obvious upon first viewing. Kick flips add a great amount of difficulty and excitement to any run.

On to #4, Shaun White’s 540 body varial, which he calls the Armadillo. The first time I saw this trick I was in total disbelief that he could rotate his body and board in that manner! While doing a 540, he grabs the board with his back hand in front of his front foot and spins the board around and tucks it back under his feet with his hand on the back of the board under his back foot. I had to watch the video of this trick several times to comprehend everything that is happening. I have heard rumor that Shaun is working on adding a kick flip to this trick and hope it is true.

Coming in at #3 is Danny Mayer’s kick flip Mc Twist. When Danny gets into this trick it looks like he is not going to catch the flipping board as he rolls into the 540. He has to rotate the board when he kicks the flip so he’s actually doing a kick flip 180 so the board keeps up with the rotation of his body. This trick is so difficult that it’s won a few best trick contests for Mr. Mayer. Now, on to the heavy hitters!

At #2 are all the 720s that have been landed. The video doesn’t show all the crazy variations the riders are doing nowadays, but you get the point. PLG and Andy Macdonald perform different versions of the 720 in their regular vert routines. It wasn’t too long ago when a 720 could win a best trick contest by itself and now it’s become a staple!

#1 should be no surprise to anyone that loves vert: the big 900. Tony Hawk started it all, but now at least 4 people have landed this huge trick in competition. It’s hard to imagine that Tony was that far ahead of everyone else, but he was.

That’s the list of the best vert tricks if you ask me, but now I am asking you. What do you think are the best tricks ever thrown on a vert ramp?