tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83402204308669750772024-03-27T18:59:25.243-04:00Longboard-LifeWaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-83510741639113260122014-03-18T20:18:00.000-04:002014-03-26T20:19:34.633-04:00Anything but Traditional -- Surf-Rodz Traditional Kingpin Trucks (TKP) Review -- by Matt Fagan<div class="MsoNormal">
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I’ve been riding Surf-Rodz TKPs for over a year now and have
thoroughly enjoyed them. I’ve spent those many months trying them on a variety
of boards with a variety of bushing shapes and durometers and they have been
the single hardest truck to get dialed in that I’ve owned. This isn’t due to
anything wrong; they are just very sensitive to different mountings, wedging,
wheelbases, and bushings. This means they could be adapted to a variety of preferences
and riding styles. It also means that you probably won’t get them set up
perfect on your first try. I’m here to help point you in the right direction in
tweaking them to perfection.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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First off, Surf-Rodz TKPs used to be called INDeeSZ.
Surf-Rodz changed the name from “IndeeSZ” to “TKP” in the “Hex” and “Grind”
varieties. This makes a lot more sense and removes some confusion as “IndeeSZ”
sounds exactly like “Indys” which was obviously intentional and clever, but
having to specify which one when talking about them is annoying. Also, the two
trucks feel very different. This is down to the bent pivot vs. straight pivot
difference, among many other things. IndeeSZ do not feel like a precision Indy.
They feel completely different. They are more like a 45* RKP truck with a
massive amount of rake and a really low axle. All current TKPs come with a
grind kingpin, which has a built-in washer and reduces the risk of catching a
kingpin significantly. I snagged mine pretty often on all sorts of crap in the
road/bumps until I got grind kingpins, but haven’t had any problems since then.<o:p></o:p></div>
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TKPs come in two hangar styles: “Grind” and “Hex.” The Hex
TKPs are hexagonal, whereas the Grind TKPs have a rounded hangar for smoother
grinding. There are also quite a few different widths available, as well as the
option for fixed 8mm axles or adjustable 10mm axles. I went for the fixed axle
177mm hex hangar, as I like the convenience of 8mm axles and knew 177mm was the
right width for what I wanted. The hangar and bushing seat are two separate
pieces that are bolted together. I haven’t had any issues with it coming loose
or breaking. I check the bolts every once in a while, and they’ve always stayed
tight. The two-piece design reduces cost quite a bit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Wedging and dewedging make a huge difference with SZ TKPs.
I’m not going to try to pretend I understand the million factors of truck
geometry that make a truck feel the way it does (kingpin orientation, baseplate
angle, hangar width, bushing seat, axle offset, rake, axle height, wheelbase
effect, etc.), but, subjectively, they don’t all respond the same to the same
changes. Run at their stock angle, TKPs turn like crazy and lean a lot. Dewedge
them and they lean like crazy and turn a lot. Dewedging reduces the pivot angle
(making for a lower angle truck) and is done with wedge risers putting the fat
end out. I like my TKPs dewedged at least a couple degrees, but then I also
like lower angle RKP trucks as well. Flat, they are very responsive (‘twitchy’
to some). They have a very solid center point, but any bump in the pavement
with a little speed and they move a lot. I’ve really enjoyed them both dewedged
~7-8*, and having a split of a slight dewedge in the front and more in the
back.<o:p></o:p><br />
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I’ve found that I like both barrels and fatcone-shaped
bushings on the bottom, and either a barrel or cone on top. I typically ride
topmounts without wheel cutouts (just wheelwells) and like a Venom Freeride or
Riptide Fatcone on the bottom and a Reflex 650 barrel on top. When riding
microdrops with proper cutouts, I like a barrel/cone setup for some really
sketchy slidey fun. Cupped washers and larger flat washers don’t work on top as
they hit the hangar, but the built-in washer of the grind kingpins is perfect.
If you have older TKPs without grind kingpins, you should seriously consider
getting some. Some bottom bushings require a washer and some don’t. Venom and
similar-sized bushing need a washer, and Surf-Rodz and taller bushings (like
Sabres or Reflex 650) do not. Particularly deep cupped washers on the bottom
can also dig into the bushing seat at maximum lean, So I’ve stuck to flat
washers on the bottom.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Drop-through + TKPs = no grip. The ride height was
completely silly but hard carves were sketchy. Super wide and grippy wheels
(Bustin Royce wheels) helped, but still broke out a couple times when I didn’t
want them to. I couldn’t dewedge them enough to reduce oversteer as they got
hangar bite (a board with rocker didn’t help either). There are people who ride
TKPs on double-drops and love it, but I am not one of those people. I like mine
on topmounts and micro-drops.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All Surf-Rodz trucks don’t use speed rings as they have them
machined into the hangar. This didn’t seem like a big deal until I did a wheel
swap. Not having to mess around with speed rings made changing wheels so much
easier, faster, and cleaner. A small point I know, but it is nice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Downhill</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Downhill on TKPs is not for me. I find them very responsive,
which gets twitchy at higher speeds. I like them most on short wheelbases,
which doesn’t help. There are people who downhill on TKPs, but it’s a case of,
“They’re what I’m used to and most comfortable on.”</div>
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<b>Freestyle</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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They aren’t too heavy, they come in a good assortment of
widths, they are quite resistant to bending, they are low, they are turny even
when run tight, etc. TKPs are great freestyle trucks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Commuting</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Again, TKPs are: low, not too heavy, turny, pump well
(especially with split angles), and come in many widths. They’re fun at low
speeds and not too tall even when on a topmount. Make sure you have grind
kingpins to clear rocks, cracks, and pavement transitions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Freeride</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I love dewedged TKPs for freeride. They lean a lot, they
turn a lot, and they don’t grip a lot. They’re my favorite and are fun sliding
even at my putting speeds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Bottom Line</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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You will have fun on some TKPs if you’re willing to put in
the effort to get them dialed to your preferences. Don’t get Surf-Rodz TKPs
just because you want precision trucks and they are some of the cheapest.
Stupid, I know, but I’m sure it happens. Get them if they are what you want in
a truck and because they are awesome. If you’re only raging fast mountain
roads, they probably aren’t for you. If you are that lucky, they will at least
bring a little sketchy excitement to your runs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>My Current Favorite
Setup</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Clutch Big Bacon – orange flushcut B-side – longest
wheelbase<o:p></o:p></div>
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SURF-RODZ TKPS – 177mm hex – dewedged with Khiro soft wedge
risers (8*)<o:p></o:p></div>
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85a Venom Freeride bushings on the bottom, 86a Reflex 650
barrels on top<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mile High Skates Bearings and spacers<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cult Classics<o:p></o:p></div>
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Peace, love, and stoke,<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Dargon Captain Fat Megan<o:p></o:p></div>
Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-5866698306930898072014-02-18T00:47:00.000-05:002014-02-18T00:49:14.140-05:00Choppin' Hills -- Jati Chop Suey Review<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt;">
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Everyone knows the bigger names in the industry: Landy, Comet, Loaded,
Rayne, Original, Bustin, ect… But not everyone has heard of one of my favorite
companies Jati. Jati Boards is a smaller operation working out the Southeast
and really putting out some great work. Most of their original decks were
strictly focused on downhill (and crushing it) but more recently they have been
making some great skate-anything decks. <o:p></o:p></div>
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On top of having an array of interesting and functional boards, I think
it is worth mentioning that Jati also has one of the coolest teams around. The
Jati team is chocked full of positive and exciting riders like Mason McNay and
Possala Wang who are constantly doing big things and growing the scene down
here in the south. Tip of the hat to Jati for putting together such a fantastic
group of riders/people. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Because Jati Boards is a smaller operation it took a while for them to
have a board they could send my way. Interestingly, I asked for a blem, because
I didn’t want them to waste a board they could sell on me, and it took them a
few months to find one. Which I took to mean that it took them a few months to
produce even one blemished deck. Talk about quality control. <br />
<br />
Anyways, let’s talk about the board they sent my way. Jati released the Chop
Suey back in April of 2013 and I think it is one of the coolest shapes they
have put out to date. The Chop Suey sports two fat kicks, a symmetrical concave
pattern, wheel wells and flares, a micro-drop, and flush mounting. It was designed to be a downhill, freeride,
do-it-all board with a ton of potential for getting creative. <br />
<br />
Before I get too involved in the review let’s go over the technical
specifications of the Chop Suey:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 15pt;">Jati<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 15pt;">Chop
Suey<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Length<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt;">41in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Width<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt;">10in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Wheelbase<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt;">26 and 27in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Drop <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt;">3/8in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Features<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt;">Kicks, Micro-Drop, Flush Mount, Wheel
Flares, Wheel Wells, Mounting Options, Composite Construction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Commute</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I would say there are two types of boards that can make a good commuter.
There is the efficient pusher (you know the type: double drops and giant
wheels) and then there is the fun type. The Chop Suey definitely falls into the
latter category.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYNU6g-43PTWnBRmcCBFzX0_YDYpavTvAP9veyDYkp0jiyPzwUvm2ha6zAonBioRYWjowJx4Xj_8w4J4p6d5cTuT7Z1YeyAwxEaLTeI8LHWgvKEi4vVrVxhSuwc01fehawEjTCg4_89B7/s1600/IMG_2590.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYNU6g-43PTWnBRmcCBFzX0_YDYpavTvAP9veyDYkp0jiyPzwUvm2ha6zAonBioRYWjowJx4Xj_8w4J4p6d5cTuT7Z1YeyAwxEaLTeI8LHWgvKEi4vVrVxhSuwc01fehawEjTCg4_89B7/s1600/IMG_2590.PNG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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Taking the Chop Suey with you on a commute is a freaking blast. Anything
with kicks is always fun to commute on because you can turn getting from point
A to B into a little adventure of creative skating. The Chop Suey is a little longer than your typical campus crusher/city slasher type of deck, but what it lacks in agility it makes up for in functionality. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHKPuHEEjyEe7kE4DGZxctLvscIbFoW-OzszfDHhbdNBm8nduPcGxcdP82zO6cy58I2kXoLrsPTlN1J4PN7Zcaem6lz6cSIhCoEPktq8PmlleQBeFkX4xwSLVlW8hEoYyIv-DeDfVA5q8/s1600/IMG_2588.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHKPuHEEjyEe7kE4DGZxctLvscIbFoW-OzszfDHhbdNBm8nduPcGxcdP82zO6cy58I2kXoLrsPTlN1J4PN7Zcaem6lz6cSIhCoEPktq8PmlleQBeFkX4xwSLVlW8hEoYyIv-DeDfVA5q8/s1600/IMG_2588.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The micro drop and flush mount bring the platform a little lower which makes pushing easier. While the wide platform itself gives you a nice stable base to push on. The wheel flares and drop work together to lock your feet in for pumping, which I personally always think is fun to do in my commute. To top it off the kicks are great for dropping curbs, tiger claws, and with enough practice some pretty high longboard ollies (at least tall enough to get up a curb).<br />
<br />
Upsides: Kicks, Nice Platform, Low for a Topmount<br />
Downsides: Long Wheelbase, Not Super Low</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Freestyle</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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As I mentioned above the Chop Suey has some sweet kicktails. Although
they are very similar, the two kicks are not actually identical. The nose comes
to a subtle point while the tail is flat on the end. I found that this
difference is not simply cosmetic but that each kick design is slightly more useful for different applications. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksjTrP_lRjRydHIu40ARswiQcfvsp5kc6hRkZMR1lhwCiXQ64yhyfDRUO4iio9WbcpluX0PwWQVIrVGMZtTJhuRHLi-75gFRBglC_RMuJeXBt8axTvl2DgdfO5PKAQy0cxZKunlyu3mOg/s1600/IMG_2585.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksjTrP_lRjRydHIu40ARswiQcfvsp5kc6hRkZMR1lhwCiXQ64yhyfDRUO4iio9WbcpluX0PwWQVIrVGMZtTJhuRHLi-75gFRBglC_RMuJeXBt8axTvl2DgdfO5PKAQy0cxZKunlyu3mOg/s1600/IMG_2585.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The kick with the flat end (the tail of the board) is a little more suited,
at least in my opinion, for tricks that you normally hit from the backside of a
board anyways. Simply being flat makes it great for manuals because it gives
you a tiny bit more wiggle room than a pointed nose does; a flat kick doesn't
hit the ground as early as a pointed kick would. In addition, I found that the tail of the board is easier to get air on than
the nose.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5Gm2mhUhX_6IXBCbcocG79AsSz4YtSzZq8UPph1AOWBc3RPJphCigEJFRY3-aNYx3hdq2-cIGfhO_y77PSpmohI6S31GaHKCRN0rmPh51Wew1WMjU51Nt1U9iySvndXBVisGwSaoVrmd/s1600/IMG_2521.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5Gm2mhUhX_6IXBCbcocG79AsSz4YtSzZq8UPph1AOWBc3RPJphCigEJFRY3-aNYx3hdq2-cIGfhO_y77PSpmohI6S31GaHKCRN0rmPh51Wew1WMjU51Nt1U9iySvndXBVisGwSaoVrmd/s1600/IMG_2521.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The nose, the kick with the pointed end, I found to be great for all
sorts of kooky tricks like tiger claws. The slightly different shape really
helps the deck pop all the way up to your hand making it super easy to catch for any grab trick variation. However, let be 100% clear that the tails are definitely so close to being identical the difference between them is a very very subtle nuance. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjU_KhSkPUOB_Hhp_y97NrBD7Lagrd1_bwttydcPbDcm2ZIjQj6EYZeuNXyeA0LBnAsaTA4LnGc_1OASlcCmv05oVYcoeioPGgT6uq8i-uRq3M_NTRyCb7cAI3eglE9NTiWmkC6-PyJxOt/s1600/IMG_2584.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjU_KhSkPUOB_Hhp_y97NrBD7Lagrd1_bwttydcPbDcm2ZIjQj6EYZeuNXyeA0LBnAsaTA4LnGc_1OASlcCmv05oVYcoeioPGgT6uq8i-uRq3M_NTRyCb7cAI3eglE9NTiWmkC6-PyJxOt/s1600/IMG_2584.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The wide platform on the Chop Suey lends itself to the all but forgotten
pastime of board dancing. I know that when it comes to cross stepping and all that fun stuff I like a wide board... It just leaves a little more room for activities. Because the Chop Suey does NOT have insane foot breaking concave or anything like that, the platform is very comfortable for dancing and landing any number of freestyle tricks. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLTk-Ce2ut-hJub1VifU8RKusfhW7amjw47aVxbx-48yk7QLdwcSuzNBgAVvprHH11XSx2UJUxW2D8xg0migwbOjONzy9z4XUtIGUI-iDi_pRQzgQ7NVwIq35V7FMW-5Hqx4m1ouN7dBa/s1600/IMG_2576.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLTk-Ce2ut-hJub1VifU8RKusfhW7amjw47aVxbx-48yk7QLdwcSuzNBgAVvprHH11XSx2UJUxW2D8xg0migwbOjONzy9z4XUtIGUI-iDi_pRQzgQ7NVwIq35V7FMW-5Hqx4m1ouN7dBa/s1600/IMG_2576.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Upsides: Kicks, Comfy, Wide<br />
Downsides: Heavy<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Downhill</span></b><br />
I feel like just as with any number of the many topmount downhill/freeride boards on the market... how you feel on the Chop Suey for downhill comes down mostly to rider skill, preference, and confidence on the deck. That being said, the Chop Suey has pretty much everything you need for some downhill fun; it's stiff, has a nice wheelbase, rocker, and a micro drop platform.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo87iX6hM78coijky-0gq8RQlQuUJ3jFl64dB3evtf-aGqeU9KkUyP4TScNpLv5ngC4_jQuz9gaeLPvYX0gF4swW_nI_CG1Y6HyBbobfuTZJpGmPpzJixss62g_xah7cYxKYS3B6TrFWbg/s1600/IMG_2592.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo87iX6hM78coijky-0gq8RQlQuUJ3jFl64dB3evtf-aGqeU9KkUyP4TScNpLv5ngC4_jQuz9gaeLPvYX0gF4swW_nI_CG1Y6HyBbobfuTZJpGmPpzJixss62g_xah7cYxKYS3B6TrFWbg/s1600/IMG_2592.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
That toolbox of board features coalesce into a very comfortable board for downhill. The rocker and micro drop lower the board for a little bit of added stability. While the drop and wheel flares act together to give you plenty of reference points for your feet so that you can feel where your feet are on the board without having to look down at them.<br />
<br />
Finally, when I say that this deck is stiff I don't mean "oh it doesn't flex very much at all" I mean that it is actually stiff. I can stomp down on this thing with all my weight and it doesn't flex at all. I know, as with most people, having a nice sturdy board under foot not only provides me with a nice stable base but also inspires a lot of confidence in my board which translates into confidence while riding. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuL8Z7n_IGHTaF9PWLfw3OzK2H0tk5n6VzD8my_bjmLVnpr2yvV_dckCYMM5u2ep0ukkUATdSvtyHS17IGLsnJFsANPWN1MTZiwEh3vGhcmZfedhyphenhyphen5aqDAwIKkerH_36o4VsaKAekCFwn/s1600/IMG_2595.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuL8Z7n_IGHTaF9PWLfw3OzK2H0tk5n6VzD8my_bjmLVnpr2yvV_dckCYMM5u2ep0ukkUATdSvtyHS17IGLsnJFsANPWN1MTZiwEh3vGhcmZfedhyphenhyphen5aqDAwIKkerH_36o4VsaKAekCFwn/s1600/IMG_2595.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
The only major downside I could find to this board for downhill was that while it has plenty of clearance for a large variety of wheels (70mm and under) when you slap on some larger wheels you might run into some wheelbite issues.<br />
<br />
Upsides: Stable, Comfortable and intuitive at speed<br />
Downsides: Wheelbite on larger wheels, Some people don't like kicks on their downhill boards<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Freeride</span></b><br />
There are a ton of double kick freeride boards out there with every conceivable concave combination and technique. With a market so flooded I feel like it can be hard to come up with a board that is truly unique. Let me emphasize that I don't think that Jati reinvented the wheel here, but I do think that Jati found a very special combination with the Chop Suey that really works.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1NDdjE6ITFQSc7UmYxWMMXbD_msxW5ntugneMLOnHobZp5F1vR334A9TWX69T9CqdH9Es-RizKj3KFlMVp25gP-VwNJ5fiWQxf6Dqd_mKJxNgyce2O-h4xRykgN5wh6YSfwLwx98u-BX/s1600/IMG_2591.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1NDdjE6ITFQSc7UmYxWMMXbD_msxW5ntugneMLOnHobZp5F1vR334A9TWX69T9CqdH9Es-RizKj3KFlMVp25gP-VwNJ5fiWQxf6Dqd_mKJxNgyce2O-h4xRykgN5wh6YSfwLwx98u-BX/s1600/IMG_2591.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
In my opinion, freeride is the Chop Suey's bread and butter. The drop and the rocker lower the board (as I mentioned above) which helps you sink into your slides a little more. The wheel flares and the "bubble" formed over your trucks (from the micro drop) give you something that you can really dig your feet onto for big slides both heel and toeside. I found the Chop Suey to be kind of inexplicably nice for toeside slides. I say inexplicably because I can't put my finger on a single feature that makes it great for toesides... I just liked it a lot.<br />
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Another fun freeride feature are those huge ass tails! If you like to slide from the tail or hit any sort of blunt slide variation then the Chop Suey will have you covered.<br />
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The only possible downside I can think of for freeride with this board is that people have been slowly gravitating towards smaller and smaller wheelbases over the past couple of years. If you like to rock super narrow wheelbases then you might not find the Chop Suey to be the best fit.<br />
<br />
Upsides: Locked In, Feels nice for toesides, Tails<br />
Downsides: Could feel long for shorter riders (although I am 5'9" and it felt great for me) <br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Conclusion</span></b><br />
On their website Jati says the Chop Suey "is an aggressive multi-discipline freerider comfortable in any skating environment." While the Chop Suey may be comfortable in any skate environment, kind of like the common cat (which is literally the world's most ubiquitous and effective predator, look it up!), it is most at home with Freeride. The Chop Suey will handle pretty much anything you throw at it without a problem and, by the way, it is built like a freaking tank. I didn't mention it up above, but the composite construction on this deck made it super durable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVj0d3thQN0mjKPguEG1SVep7zRcnVWd2Yu_An-8qB-vS62gvLkfNDKyNz0xj0J4hDtIqDMedGickAOqFWAEgiqM49RlheIagQQ-Dluz2BfaXQlfvvoXDvBLYHiHWzdGDqOgxwDFhmKFQx/s1600/Jati+Chop+Suey+-+Pie+Chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVj0d3thQN0mjKPguEG1SVep7zRcnVWd2Yu_An-8qB-vS62gvLkfNDKyNz0xj0J4hDtIqDMedGickAOqFWAEgiqM49RlheIagQQ-Dluz2BfaXQlfvvoXDvBLYHiHWzdGDqOgxwDFhmKFQx/s1600/Jati+Chop+Suey+-+Pie+Chart.png" height="411" width="640" /></a></div>
Jati did a bang up job with the Chop Suey. It is very well thought out, damn near indestructible, and versatile. I hope that this post gets one of my favorite smaller companies some much deserved exposure. If you haven't looked into Jati yet... you're blowing it.<br />
<br />
My Current Favorite Setup:<br />
-JATI CHOP SUEY<br />
-Surf-Rodz 176mm 45* RKPs<br />
-These 66mm 727 wheels<br />
-Zealous Bearings<br />
-Riptide Bushing (WPS Barrel/Barrel)<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or rare coins...<br />
Send them my way!<br />
<br />
Wayne<br />
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Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-64924640339968197262014-02-11T23:37:00.003-05:002014-02-12T11:43:50.197-05:00Riptides on the Road - the Canon and the Magnum - Riptide Bushing Review Part 3<div class="MsoNormal">
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I hope that you all caught the earlier portions of the
Riptide Bushing Review (<a href="http://www.longboard-life.com/2014/01/introduction-to-bushings-with-riptide.html">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://www.longboard-life.com/2014/02/riptides-on-road-barrel-and-cone.html">Part 2</a>) and are excited for Part 3, which is
all about the Paris Truck Co. specific bushing shapes; the Canon and Magnum. Remember,
if you aren’t totally familiar with bushings in general check out <a href="http://www.longboard-life.com/2014/01/introduction-to-bushings-with-riptide.html">Part 1</a> of the
series before coming to this review. It might seem weird to a lot of
people (especially those newer to the sport) that Riptide offers such a
specific bushing shape. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
However, old timers like myself can remember that in the not too distant past
Paris trucks were the go-to longboard trucks. Before Caliber, GunMetal, and
precision trucks started to permeate the market there was literally a time
where 90% of anyone who knew anything about longboarding were riding Paris trucks. They were the gold standard for a long time, and since then many
companies have made huge advances in truck design (including Paris), but
knowing how ubiquitous Paris trucks were makes it easy to see why a bushing
designed specifically for them could be very useful. <br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">...Enter the Canon and the Magnum.</span></i> <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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I have been riding the Canon and Magnum in both the APS and WFB formula extensively for months with very satisfying results. I weigh about 160lbs and all my Canon and Magnum bushings are between the 88a and 95a durometers. Which makes sense because I usually ride between 83a and 90a bushings in other brands, and Riptide bushings generally feel a little softer than they test.<br />
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The first thing I noticed about these bushings was the size. Because they were designed specifically for Paris I was curious if they were different sizes than the typical barrels you might ride in a Paris truck. A simple side by side comparison shows that a barrel, a Canon, and a Magnum are all about the same height and that the Magnum is obviously much wider than a standard barrel. A closer inspection also reveals that the Canon is ever so slightly wider in diameter than a barrel. <br />
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I don't think it is written in stone anywhere, but as a rule of thumb it is recommended that you run your wider bushing boardside and your more narrow one roadside. So of course, my setups were generally a Canon roadside and a Magnum boardside. I have ridden both the Canon and Magnum bushings in a variety of trucks but because they were designed specifically for Paris trucks that's where they work best and where I focused my attention.<br />
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It has really been a long time since I used the stock Divine bushings in my Paris trucks (to be fair Paris did upgrade the stock bushing formula right before the V2's came out) and I had been running Venom SHR and Nipples pretty frequently so I was used to a lot of rebound coming out of my bushings. Because I was so accustomed to having a lot of bounce-back I immediately gravitated towards the Riptide APS formula which is the more reboundy of the two Riptide options.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">The APS Formula</span></u></b><br />
The Canon and Magnum in the APS formula felt both familiar and altogether different from any other bushings I had ridden in my Paris trucks. They have plenty of rebound but they also have much more lean than other bushings. In addition, the wider base (provided by the Magnum in particular) made for a very different sensation than your typical bushings. The APS Canon and Magnum provide a very reliable return to center, due to the width of the bushings and the rebound characteristics of the APS formula, but were still ready to lean very deeply without hesitation.<br />
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I found the APS Canon and Magnum to be most useful in commuting and freestyle in some nice 50* Paris trucks. The snappy response and quick return to center is great for some quick pumping and landing flip tricks. While the solid center point provided by the Magnum is nice for pushing because it provides you with a very stable platform.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">The WFB Formula</span></u></b><br />
As I started getting used to feel and lean of the APS Canon and Magnum I started to use the WFB formula more and more. I found this formula (as you can read about in my <a href="http://www.longboard-life.com/2014/02/riptides-on-road-barrel-and-cone.html">earlier review</a>) to be more suited to faster skating. The WFB offers less resistance when leaning so you can really dig into a carve or slide without a problem.<br />
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I only got my first pair of 43* Paris trucks about a month ago, but I immediately slapped WFB Canon and Magnums in them because I knew they would be a perfect fit. WFB Canon and Magnum bushings give you a ton of lean from a well defined starting center point. Which I found to provide a combination of both more stability and agility than you get from standard barrels in Paris trucks. I think that a lot of that stability comes from having bushings that were designed to fit perfectly into a Paris bushing seat. This really helped remove any extra slop from your turn. With the WFB Canon and Magnum I felt more stable on the straights (again thanks to the wider bushings) yet completely uninhibited when initiating a slide or taking a hard turn.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Downsides</span></b><br />
The only major downside I could find to these bushings was if I were trying to pump for a super long time. While the APS formula is close, they don't provide quite as much rebound as some of the more rebound-y bushings out there. So if you are super into pumping all day and never putting a foot down you might want to look for something a little bouncier.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Conclusions</span></b><br />
This is a big statement coming from a man who not only loves Paris trucks but also swore by Venom SHR for years... but if you are riding Paris trucks there is almost no reason to ride anything other than a Riptide Canon and Magnum. They fit the trucks perfectly, leave very little room for slop in your trucks (especially if you upgrade your pivot cups), and honestly let you get more out of the truck in terms of lean and stability than standard bushings do.<br />
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Anyways, those are my two cents.<br />
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, recipes, hatemail... Send them my way!!<br />
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Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne</div>
Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-17738354920077701492014-02-04T23:58:00.005-05:002014-02-12T11:43:40.935-05:00Riptides on the Road - the Barrel and Cone -- Riptide Bushing Review Part Two<div class="MsoNormal">
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Today is part two of an on-going segment about Riptide
bushings. Now that everyone has a basic knowledge about bushings (if you don’t
then see part 1) we can get into how Riptide bushings actually perform on the
road and in your trucks. However, because Riptide offers so many shapes in two
unique formulas we aren't going to cover all their offerings in one post. Instead, today we will focus on the most common shapes; the barrel and cone.<br />
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Pretty much every truck on the market comes with either a
barrel/cone or a barrel/barrel bushing combination. Subsequently these are the two bushing shapes that people are most familiar with. As a rule 50 degree trucks
are meant to be more nimble and sport a barrel/cone bushing combination while 45 degree (or lower)
trucks are meant to be more stable and come equipped with a
barrel/barrel combination. <o:p></o:p><br />
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It took me a couple of days to figure out how to start setting up my Riptide effectively. When I immediately stood on Riptides in my normal setups I thought that they felt really... squishy. I guess that's the best word for it. To be totally honest, I wasn't in love with the feeling. Even the livelier Animated Polymer System (or APS) formula still felt squishy to me.<br />
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I wasn't used to bushings that behaved like Riptides when compressed. I feel like with most bushings as you lean the resistance increases dramatically and the bushings almost start to feel more dense in your truck the farther you lean. You essentially hit a stopping point before reaching your trucks limitations.Whereas with Riptides (both the APS and the WFB formula) the resistance doesn't increase as drastically; instead it is very uniform and consistent. That "squishy" feeling was really just me being able to lean farther than I was used to.<br />
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I realized this when I did a side by side comparison of Riptide Barrels in a set of Calibers against their stock Blood Orange Bushings. When just standing on the board and leaning with Blood Orange bushings my wheels lifted off the ground way before they did with Riptides. The same was true of a Barrel/Cone combination test.<br />
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<i>Quick note:</i> Riptide recommends buying a harder durometer in their bushings than you would normally buy with other brands and I wholeheartedly agree. If you buy your typical durometer, because Riptides lean so much, they are going to feel too soft for you.<br />
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Simply standing on a bushing and it feeling leany isn't the best way to evaluate it; so how do Riptide barrel and cones perform on the road??<br />
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<i><u><span style="font-size: large;">Animated Polymer System (APS)</span></u></i><br />
I found the APS formula to be nice and lively (as do most people). You get plenty of bounce off these bushings without sacrificing lean. They have a fantastic return to center property but because of that you really have to put effort into leaning on these bushings. I prefer APS Riptides in setups where I am not looking to lean for a super prolonged period of time. I most often ride this formula in freestyle and lower speed freeride setups.<br />
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<u><i><span style="font-size: large;">World's Fastest Bushings (WFB)</span></i></u><br />
The WFB formula, as it's name implies, was crafted with fast fast fast skating in mind. It uses the same base formula as the APS bushings but is also internally lubricated to decrease the resistance encountered when leaning. This makes for a bushing that turns super smoothly but doesn't try quite as hard to rebound to center right away. I prefer this formula for downhill and fast freeride setups where I don't want to have to throw my body weight onto a rail to start leaning.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Commuting</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnebH_h1FmiVDRqbtqWkLQhn0cJf4wDECsC71VAfhPgoVW0DazpFDqI-FfNWlx1Gc3jCq_YhOFvcanZfnykCjiyiSdMuOPs3NbJL3DgkNdqi7iKSRF3x93WBCRQSUN260htPLm6kOZAl5/s1600/IMG_2097.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>I feel like different people want different things out of a commuter. The two most common being an easy pushing board or a shred everything campus crusher. So I will try to address both of these needs.<br />
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Pushing. After trying a lot of bushing combinations my pushing setup settled with a Bustin Ibach, 200mm Surf-Rodz RKPs, Orangatang Kegels, and <b>WFB Barrels Roadside/Boardside</b>. I liked this combination for pushing because it was super stable. I tend to reposition my feet a lot when I am pushing a long time as I switch feet or they get tired. The nice stable base provided by WFB barrels was great because small foot repositioning didn't translate to a dramatic change in directions while pushing. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnebH_h1FmiVDRqbtqWkLQhn0cJf4wDECsC71VAfhPgoVW0DazpFDqI-FfNWlx1Gc3jCq_YhOFvcanZfnykCjiyiSdMuOPs3NbJL3DgkNdqi7iKSRF3x93WBCRQSUN260htPLm6kOZAl5/s1600/IMG_2097.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnebH_h1FmiVDRqbtqWkLQhn0cJf4wDECsC71VAfhPgoVW0DazpFDqI-FfNWlx1Gc3jCq_YhOFvcanZfnykCjiyiSdMuOPs3NbJL3DgkNdqi7iKSRF3x93WBCRQSUN260htPLm6kOZAl5/s1600/IMG_2097.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
Shred it all commuting. This bushing setup is going to come down to preference for most people. However, I landed on one that I really liked a lot. I prefer a very lively, nimble, and fun shredder when commuting. One of my favorite setups ended up being my Omen MiniSugar, Retro Bertz, 150mm Calibers, and an <b>APS Cone Roadside in the front truck with everything else being APS Barrels. </b>Using an asymmetrical bushing setup was great on this little directional board. The APS bushings gave me lots of rebound for pumping around and having a cone up front let me get really radical with steering. I used two barrels in the back to get a little more stability on the tail for manuals and popping ollies.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Freestyle</span></b><br />
I am personally a huge fan of freestyle and I generally like my bushing setup to be symmetrical and have a lot of rebound. Which lead me to a use an <b>APS barrel both roadside and boardside</b> in most of my freestyle setups.<br />
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There is nothing worse than working on a trick all day and when you finally think you nail it... you slip off your board because your bushings still have your board all leaned over. (and yes, I know the answer to that problem would be to land more squarely on the platform, haha)<br />
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The APS formula is definitely the way to go for freestyle, in my humble opinion. Not only does it have a fantastic rebound that keeps it nice and centered the APS formula leans when you want it to. I found this property to do wonders for both board dancing and hitting lines. You can cross step the day away on a very consistent lean right into a big flip trick and not have to worry about whether your center point is flopping around.<br />
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Some of my favorite freestyle setups were:<br />
-Original Apex 40 DC, Surf-Rodz TKPs, 66mm Abec 11 Freeride, and APS Barrels all around<br />
-Bustin Boombox, 50* Calibers, Metro Micro Motions, APS Barrels all around<br />
-Loaded Bhangra, 50* Paris, Orangatang Moronga, and APS barrels all around<br />
<br />
If you're a lighter rider, or really looking for a surfy feel, you can always run APS barrels boardside and cones roadside. However, I found that combination to be a little too divey for my hefty 160lbs. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Downhill</span></b><br />
**I want to remind everyone that this section of the Riptide Bushings review will not cover some of the more specialty shapes, only barrels and cones.<br />
<br />
As everyone knows, or can at least guess, when you are haulin' down a big hill you want to be nice and stable. In order to achieve that stability I exclusively run <b>WFB Barrels both roadside and boardside</b> for downhill. They were designed to handle speed and after putting them to the test I totally agree.<br />
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The WFB formula feel great for longer downhill runs where you need both a strong center point and the ability to really lean into turns. I was skeptical that the internal lubrication would actually make a noticeable difference in the lean characteristics of the bushings, but it really does something special. The transition between the center point and turning feels almost non-existent. It is incredibly smooth and totally clean. I really like that I can lean hard into these bushings without feeling like they are fighting back.<br />
<br />
Some of my favorite downhill setups:<br />
-Loaded Chubby Unicorn, 45* Surf-Rodz RKPs, RAD Advantages, WFB Barrels all around<br />
-Rayne Fortune, 46* GunMetals, Volante Serratas, WFB Barrels all round<br />
-Original Arbiter KT, 45* Surf-Rodz, Orangatang 4President, WFB cone (roadside front), barrels everywhere else<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Freeride</b> </span><br />
It kind of seems like everyone likes something a little different for freeride. I know people who ride trucks that can barely turn and others who ride the squirrelist trucks in the world when they want to get sideways. I probably like my freeride setups a little looser than most people, but nothing crazy.<br />
<br />
I don't know if I found a bushing setup I like <i>the most</i> for freeride, instead I found a couple that I liked for different things.<br />
<br />
For more technical freeride (i.e. lots of spins, blunt slides, ect...) I prefer a setup that can get me back to my center point nice and quickly. For this type of freeride I usually used a <b>APS barrel roadside and a WFB barrel boardside</b>. I found this to be a golden combination of lean and rebound. I could get my board back to level after heavy leaning but didn't have to worry about it rebounding too quickly and highsiding. This combination gave me a best of both worlds scenario for freeride where transitions were both super smooth and really fast.<br />
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For faster and bigger freeride I wanted a little bit more lean, so similarly to downhill I generally used <b>WFB barrels all around</b>. When I am going for stupidly fast slide I really, really don't want to risk getting bucked or highsiding and the WFB barrels provide plenty of lean without any protest. This lets you really sink into your slides and get a lot of weight behind them. I found that I particularly like this setup for hitting bigger toesides because the WFB formula makes keeping your board in a leaning position so easy.<br />
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Some of my favorite freeride setups:<br />
-Jati Chop Suey, 45* Calibers, Cadillac Swingers, APS barrels roadside and WFB barrels boardside<br />
-Bustin YoFace 39, Indy 169, Street Hawgs, APS barrels roadside and WFB barrels boardside<br />
-Loaded Tesseract, 45* Surf-Rodz, Orangatang Keanu, WFB barrels all around<br />
-Landyachtz Tomohawk, 50* Paris, 66mm Bustin Snipers, WFB barrels all around<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Final Thoughts</u></span></b><br />
I think that a really easy rule of thumb for Riptide bushings is: the APS is good for lower speeds and agility while WFB is great for higher speeds and stability.<br />
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The hype around Riptide bushing is well founded. They took me a little time to get used to, but now I am a huge fan and have a hard time transitioning back to other brands of bushings. The amount of lean you get you get with either formula is unreal. The APS formula is just as lively as I had hoped and the WFB is insanely smooth and stable. I can officially say that I am a part of the Riptide bandwagon.<br />
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If you have any questions, comments, concerns, loveletters....<br />
Send them my way!!<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading, and Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
<br />
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Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-66241582700036183482014-01-28T23:24:00.002-05:002014-02-12T11:43:29.264-05:00Introduction to Bushings with Riptide -- Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello my friends!<br />
<br />
Welcome to another addition to our product review library. This is a very special post in that it is part of a series of information on Riptide Bushings. In recent history Riptide has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the longboard bushing market. The question on everyone's lips is whether Riptide is riding the hype train or if there is truth to the claims of superior bushings. However, before we start to get into an in-depth analysis of Riptide Bushings let's talk about what a bushing actually is.<br />
<br />
I have said it before and I will say it again, bushings are the most effective way to completely change how your setup rides. Through a proper bushing setup you can make a board super duper carvey or stable as a table according to your liking. However, as much as I hate to admit it, there is a huge number of skaters out there who are completely ignorant to the benefits of tuning your setup and how large of a role bushings play in that process.<br />
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Bushings. Bushings are the small pieces of urethane (urethane is a substance
similar to rubber) that fit around the kingpin of a truck and rest on
either side of its hanger. The bushing that fits in between the baseplate and hanger of a truck is the "boardside" bushing because it rests closer to your skateboard. The other bushing is called your "roadside" bushing and it rests on top of your hanger and nearer to the road.<br />
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Bushings come in an array of hardnesses to
affect the turning characteristics of your trucks. The hardness of a
bushing is measured in what we call the "durometer." A durometer is
indicated by a number followed an "a," for example, one might have
bushings with an 85a hardness. A higher number indicates a harder
bushing while a lower number indicates a softer bushing. Riptide offers
bushings starting at 60a, which is extremely soft, ranging all the way
to a 97.5a hardness, which would be relatively hard. It is important to note that when dealing with Riptide bushings that they generally feel a little bit softer than they test, as indicated on their website, and I definitely agree. Which means if you generally ride an 85a bushing you should consider buying a harder riptide bushing, such as an 88a or 90a. <br />
<br />
In addition to coming in different hardnesses bushings come in a couple different shapes. I would say that there are two shapes which are widely accepted as the most common; the barrel and the cone. In fact many trucks come pre-equipped with some sort of a barrel/cone combination. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Cones</span></b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMvhLveJM9WbYxzc-ApZ4kF_fI1P09MjviqulCQefTMlnXi7aKdOaEyB8ZvDjzIDY0XneX1Y0pAw-5Q4URI5o5nt-1STTJfgOfc42nRwfY46nwgW3HFLiSfPgxfGs6Ipn5NCSu16Hb765/s1600/IMG_2456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMvhLveJM9WbYxzc-ApZ4kF_fI1P09MjviqulCQefTMlnXi7aKdOaEyB8ZvDjzIDY0XneX1Y0pAw-5Q4URI5o5nt-1STTJfgOfc42nRwfY46nwgW3HFLiSfPgxfGs6Ipn5NCSu16Hb765/s1600/IMG_2456.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riptide APS Cone (roadside)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you really like to carve then cones are the shape for you. One of the easiest way to make a stiff setup a little more responsive to make sure that you are using a cone bushing. If you really really want to get that surfy feeling then you could even consider running double cones.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5VKtlDswc5Eiu1Ss0nC6OF90Jp5nBEiBz4XlRHlfa549RXPDCNKm2owMqj7BTbmr-DtC05KCm2JZnoitfFyL87efJNQpZRtU5rZ1GvX1_NEYknxAcJyB1iIemEy0B-3sQbrws5jnv2zq/s1600/IMG_2447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5VKtlDswc5Eiu1Ss0nC6OF90Jp5nBEiBz4XlRHlfa549RXPDCNKm2owMqj7BTbmr-DtC05KCm2JZnoitfFyL87efJNQpZRtU5rZ1GvX1_NEYknxAcJyB1iIemEy0B-3sQbrws5jnv2zq/s1600/IMG_2447.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assorted Cones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Barrels</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xM1hzpEfndu6L9ZCioaQ_ujt1WHtBeSgSVdhwkIsfxsD3N7qJhA-AyGx1FfySUy2RulmT4CqGSmWIiFau3gUurmHMChGP_kLX20JsWxzGg3IyXbTyt11R39hbeVP7HyoBxuGvOtJwwkU/s1600/IMG_2444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xM1hzpEfndu6L9ZCioaQ_ujt1WHtBeSgSVdhwkIsfxsD3N7qJhA-AyGx1FfySUy2RulmT4CqGSmWIiFau3gUurmHMChGP_kLX20JsWxzGg3IyXbTyt11R39hbeVP7HyoBxuGvOtJwwkU/s1600/IMG_2444.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assorted Barrels</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By virtue of having more urethane that you have to compress when carving barrels give you a little more resistance. Double barrel setups are a very popular choice among downhill and freeride longboarders because they offer lots of stability without completely killing the liveliness of your setup.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0dwD93LIi5yU8OtKDLo2xaZAkyNuYSck_lFPEW4vBGsvXMg-HeYMXk_1bQ48W_-v-uqhI40BQSQfFv4ketZ4y4y4YkMlONfOP1FNF0Sb2PC8hniUwtOizYl5NP2TOEScxDrWcb58Kdoz/s1600/IMG_2457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0dwD93LIi5yU8OtKDLo2xaZAkyNuYSck_lFPEW4vBGsvXMg-HeYMXk_1bQ48W_-v-uqhI40BQSQfFv4ketZ4y4y4YkMlONfOP1FNF0Sb2PC8hniUwtOizYl5NP2TOEScxDrWcb58Kdoz/s1600/IMG_2457.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riptide WFB Barrel (roadside)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Paris Series</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYz7e_ScFIcrC7m3YenCfDNdEnwlw9wu4VGnsg7OI1bUiop_abQ5moiAKw2liW-n-fM3S7o_J9iwJ6lAEHK9se-DxFDR_SSLDSsT94RLV004x7QBIQGO_9hLXB1gYPivm6jUYnhUswVwB3/s1600/IMG_2440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYz7e_ScFIcrC7m3YenCfDNdEnwlw9wu4VGnsg7OI1bUiop_abQ5moiAKw2liW-n-fM3S7o_J9iwJ6lAEHK9se-DxFDR_SSLDSsT94RLV004x7QBIQGO_9hLXB1gYPivm6jUYnhUswVwB3/s1600/IMG_2440.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riptide WFB and APS Canon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In addition to these two traditional shapes Riptide also produces a series of bushings that are designed specifically for Paris trucks. They come in two slightly different shapes Canon and Magnum which were shaped to fit perfectly into the bushing seat of a Paris truck to eliminate any "slop" in you truck's performance. I personally run one set of Canons roadside and one set of Magnums boardside in my Paris trucks and have been a big of that setup. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wEnV-E2_cgVHiZEQHcGYKJb1XmDmT2CgPQacY2l-K1r6KTMZHqkPCmLjmULnoxb_foGQEvpcyPZij3hTEmts-OtDwuPij-AcouuaaY8ks9I3z32oAlk3un2KDwaz_5DQ9XPDGkbEo39U/s1600/IMG_2454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wEnV-E2_cgVHiZEQHcGYKJb1XmDmT2CgPQacY2l-K1r6KTMZHqkPCmLjmULnoxb_foGQEvpcyPZij3hTEmts-OtDwuPij-AcouuaaY8ks9I3z32oAlk3un2KDwaz_5DQ9XPDGkbEo39U/s1600/IMG_2454.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riptide WFB Magnum (boardside)</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Fat Cone</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9uohJoHCvEuGgjb1WuD88Ks7qIjcKhgFZNYFQquzRwVDPNDWM1nfVUbJDH3PcjKsB9m02Vdl7meCSkR5Qy0JHYTlUxp0QML1TsJAV9Tyaf42OAsjAnSmS5NYui6BPX5DLDy1n7QMx_rI/s1600/IMG_2445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9uohJoHCvEuGgjb1WuD88Ks7qIjcKhgFZNYFQquzRwVDPNDWM1nfVUbJDH3PcjKsB9m02Vdl7meCSkR5Qy0JHYTlUxp0QML1TsJAV9Tyaf42OAsjAnSmS5NYui6BPX5DLDy1n7QMx_rI/s1600/IMG_2445.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riptide Fat Cone</td></tr>
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A fat cone is another specialty shape, in that it is a relatively new bushing shape, at least to my knowledge. Fat Cones serve as a nice transition between a barrel and a chubby. They provide a little more stability than a standard barrel with a wide surface area but are not quite as restrictive as a chubby. I found a fat cone/barrel combination to feel more responsive than barrel/barrel combination, but from what I understand that is not typical. You can technically run a fat cone either way, but it is recommended by Riptide that the smaller end meets the hanger. (see picture) I tried both ways and prefer the recommended setup.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLtOCCfXToizmmoEOTpYzHaVTyJTO1X2wN0cAEKeXPBshKlbwQzhNJtUeZor1gAvEfN3DAmS6mr923P80GSd6Nd56L7Mohp1u281tQWPgo-XcgLfvdi9MB3XWk8073jYv6AcBQN98q9nT/s1600/IMG_2460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLtOCCfXToizmmoEOTpYzHaVTyJTO1X2wN0cAEKeXPBshKlbwQzhNJtUeZor1gAvEfN3DAmS6mr923P80GSd6Nd56L7Mohp1u281tQWPgo-XcgLfvdi9MB3XWk8073jYv6AcBQN98q9nT/s1600/IMG_2460.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riptide WFB Fat Cone (boardside)</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chubby</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CMBM29t6cAaSxmb8_R46G8A54V0f8PkiYps6uC6b1zFBYEPmpSndym7lKqJ2oIYMZ7fRkjdNRPI_v3kGoF3jGUahfvUCQ6ePbbYW5thxDxRb8Qyd_VIeI3ciiw2qWEIVcjPdxjAvLrBp/s1600/IMG_2442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CMBM29t6cAaSxmb8_R46G8A54V0f8PkiYps6uC6b1zFBYEPmpSndym7lKqJ2oIYMZ7fRkjdNRPI_v3kGoF3jGUahfvUCQ6ePbbYW5thxDxRb8Qyd_VIeI3ciiw2qWEIVcjPdxjAvLrBp/s1600/IMG_2442.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riptide WFB and APS Chubby</td></tr>
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This is what many consider to be the creme of the crop when it comes to super stability. It's wide shape definitely inhibits the agility of a truck, however, in return you are getting a very solid bushing with enough beef to keep you from getting all wobbly (well, to the extent that a bushing can control, remember wobbles come from a rider's ability).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsr_p0itMFYYHx7U7rRNNHF5MERGGP9-isa6XaZ_qq52QjN4Zv5TURAWtiVeocm306PWLDqFCCxUT3WyzSWNYJmjZLi7VWPqIfFf8FSPRj5eaIywTay93x6CzQTj8mmSW7aQaHgUQfcbS/s1600/IMG_2455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsr_p0itMFYYHx7U7rRNNHF5MERGGP9-isa6XaZ_qq52QjN4Zv5TURAWtiVeocm306PWLDqFCCxUT3WyzSWNYJmjZLi7VWPqIfFf8FSPRj5eaIywTay93x6CzQTj8mmSW7aQaHgUQfcbS/s1600/IMG_2455.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riptide APS Chubby (boardside)</td></tr>
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On top of offering a diverse set of shapes to choose from Riptide also offers two different bushing formulas. Both formulas are available as an option for all of their bushing shapes and have their own unique characteristics.<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">Animated Polymer Systems (APS)</span></u><br />
The APS compound is formulated to offer a very responsive setup for riders. It achieves this through a high degree of rebound, or "bounce," which really livens up your trucks.<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">World's Fastest Bushings (WFB)</span></u><br />
This compound was produced with competitive longboarders in mind. They do not offer as much rebound as the APS formula. This allows WFB bushings to compress under your feet cleanly and predictably every time. In addition these bushings are internally lubricated to offer less resistance when turning and provide very clean, smooth transitions.<br />
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Now that everyone is on the same page and we know what bushings are, what a durometer is, how many shapes they can come in, and what Riptide offers we can get into how they perform on the road and in your trucks. As I mentioned, this was the first part of an educational series and critical analysis of Riptide bushings; so look forward to part 2 coming up in one week. Each week will cover a different shape of bushing, talk about its benefits and drawbacks, and critique how both of Riptide's formulas perform and compare them to other brands.<br />
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Don't forget to follow Longboard-Life on Instagram: @longboard_life_instagram<br />
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Stay Awesome,<br />
WayneWaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-67159627400045796472014-01-21T21:12:00.000-05:002014-02-12T11:43:09.529-05:00the Big D**K -- Bustin YoFace BGDK Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello Skateboarders!<br />
It's been a while since Longboard-Life has published a review, but we are back and in full swing, so get ready for a bunch of new content!<br />
Today we will be talking about one of the newer additions to the Bustin Boards lineup the YoFace BGDK. The BGDK was built to skate little bit of everything but to specifically excel in freeride and downhill. Although I happen to know that this deck has been in the works for a long time Bustin's new shred stick is joining a market flooded with other topmount, double kick boards. Which means that the questions on everyone's lips all have to do with performance.<br />
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Before I can answer I can attest as to how the BGDK actually performs let's go over the technical specifications of the deck.<br />
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<b>Commute</b><br />
Kicktails make traveling through town more fun, period. Fortunately for all of those commuters out there the BGDK comes fully equipped with two big ol' beefy kicks. The kicks on the BGDK are not just ample but they are also functional. Functional enough to pop some ollies and get you up and down curbs with style and finesse. However, keep in mind, the BGDK isn't your typical light popsicle shaped street deck; nor was it deigned to be like one. It has some serious weight behind it so ollies on this deck do take some equally serious effort and skill.<br />
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Commuting isn't just about looking cool while you get around town, in fact, it's mostly about pushing. The BGDK is not super low, like an ideal commuter would be, but that's true of just about any topmount board. This deck does happen to sport a feature that generally translates to an uncomfortable pushing platform; w-concave. W is great for a lot of downhilly freeridey things but w-concave can just plain suck for pushing around town. It makes feet tired and sore. However, the BGDK is doing w-concave a little differently than many other boards. It has a w-concave that is very subtle and makes sure that your feet <i>don't</i> feel like they are being attacked by junkyard dogs while you are pushing. As someone who generally doesn't like w-concave for any sort of commuting the BGDK made it more than bearable it made it pretty comfy.<br />
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Anyone who really likes the push is probably already a fan of using at least 70mm wheels, like at the minimum. Something that really impressed me about the BGDK is the absurd amount of wheel clearance that it gets; <i>especially when compared to other similar topmounts.</i> With no riser I was using wide 70mm wheels with zero wheelbite and plenty of clearance to spare.<br />
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Upsides: Tails and Wheel Clearance<br />
Downsides: Weight and Height<br />
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<b>Freestyle</b><br />
As I mentioned earlier the BGDK has a some intense and functional kicktails. The tails are angled in a manner that is akin to a street deck and therefore are ready to generate some pop. However, unlike your standard trick deck this deck is heavy and long. When you are ready to ollie this board get ready to throw down in a serious way. I am not expert at ollies but I can at least get this board up and over a curb as long as I time the pop right.<br />
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As far as landing flip tricks the weight isn't as big a factor as I would have thought. Once you get used to handling a big boy board the tails give you more then enough leverage to spin the board without a problem. There is a little bit of concave in the tails that gives you a little additional board-feel and lets you really scoop the board. I found it especially useful for bigger tricks such as big spins.<br />
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The platform on the deck is surprisingly comfortable to land on. I find that complicated curvature on a board can make the standing platform a bitch to land on for a lot of decks. While the BGDK sports a bunch of concave and features all of them are pretty mellow. It is precisely that subtlety which keeps the actual platform comfortable to land on.<br />
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However, and this may appear to be at odds with my previous statement, the biggest downside to this deck for freestyle, other than the weight, is landing on the board. Not because of the platform itself sucks; like I said it's actually quite comfy. But I found that if you aren't super accurate in landing your tricks (which I have been known be) the sharp rails can make the landings a little awkward.<br />
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Upsides: Kicktail Shape and Mellow Concave<br />
Downsides: Heavy and Rails can Hurt<br />
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<b>Downhill</b><br />
You wanna go fast? You'll like the BGDK.<br />
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Here is a board that was designed to hit some of the gnarliest hills you can find without breaking a sweat. That heaviness I mentioned up above is due to this board being nice and thick. That thickness translates to a board that is both very stiff and stable. Which are of course nice traits to have when you're haulin' down a mountain run stupidly fast.<br />
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I actually took my BGDK to the mountains with me during the few days of vacation I had between Christmas and New Years and I loved it (wish I had a camera person though...). This board held up to speed super well and despite being such a behemoth of a deck the handling was very responsive.<br />
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The concave on the BGDK is very elaborate but not for no reason. Every curve on this deck was well thought out and does indeed serve a specific purpose and one of the big benefits to all those curves is board feel. When I was riding down the mountains I noticed that I was always able to tell where my feet were on the board without having to look down. The 3D wheel wells and the W-concave work together to make a comfortable platform for downhill and give you plenty of reference points.<br />
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Upsides: Stiff, Stable, Tons of Board Feel<br />
Downsides: --<br />
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<b>Freeride</b><br />
I'm about to make a tall claim: The Bustin BGDK has become one of my all time favorite freeride boards.<br />
(Which is saying a lot considering how many decks I have ridden... haha)<br />
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There are plenty of downhill/freeride, double kick boards on the market. However, what separates this board from the pack is its very well thought out concave pattern; and that concave really shines brightest when it's time for freeride. The 3D wheel wells give you a little something-something to nestle your feet into for slides and I found them to be very comfy. Many a board have wheel flares that are too steep or too large and they just feel cumbersome and in the way. The BGDK found a nice medium that is not too big and not too small.<br />
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Another tricky concave feature that I feel is often-times over done is W-concave. I really like some nice W for hitting slides and the BGDK has mellow W near the wheel flares that gets more intense towards the center of the board. I found this to be really nice on such a large board because you don't have to be on the steep part of the W if you don't want to be, however, you can make your stance slightly more narrow to take advantage of a more pronounced area of W-concave.<br />
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Tails. Can we talk about the tails on this bad boy? The BGDK is rocking big ol' 7in tails that are great for freeride. The tails on the is deck are great for both surfy style slides from the tail and blunt slides. What makes them so nice for sliding is that the concave continues from the deck through the nose and tail. This helps you really lock you foot into place on the tail without a problem.<br />
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As I mentioned above, I really like this board for freeride but something I can see other people not liking quite as much is the sheer length of this deck. There are certainly bigger wheelbases out there but BGDK definitely isn't a compact board. Which means it's not the most nimble board on the hill, so if you're into small wheelbase tech-y stuff you should look elsewhere. However, remember there are wheelbase options, so you can definitely opt for the smaller wheelbase.<br />
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Upsides: Freeride Friendly Concave and Sick Tails<br />
Downsides: Long Wheelbase<br />
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<b>Final Thoughts</b><br />
Bustin brought a heavy hitter to the table with the BGDK, or as I lovingly call it the Big Dick, haha. This really is a board that can handle a variety of skate styles quite comfortably. That being said people need to remember this deck was designed to hit big hills and bigger slides. The enormous kicks make it fun to dabble with for freestyle but the deck itself is very heavy.<br />
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The Bustin BGDK is one of my favorite freeride boards ever and it actually currently holds my personal record for longest heelside slide. This thing pretty much eats hills for breakfast. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a freeride board that can handle a little bit of everything else pretty well too.<br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
Any questions, comments, concerns, hatemail???<br />
Send it my way!!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
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My Current Favorite Setup:</div>
-BUSTIN BGDK<br />
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-Surf-Rodz 176mm 50* RKPs</div>
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-Bustin Snipers 66mm 80a</div>
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-Riptide WFB Barrels</div>
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-Helmet </div>
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Follow Longboard-Life on Instagram:</div>
@Longboard-Life-Instagram<br />
<br />Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-11589299428806616312013-07-30T23:17:00.002-04:002014-02-12T11:42:46.644-05:00A Higher Caliber -- Caliber Truck Guide and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey Longboard Fans!!!<br />
I know it, you know it, your best friend knows it... Pretty much anyone who drops thane knows that Caliber Trucks are the go-to choice for many longboarders. Caliber hit the market a while back and has since pretty much taken it by storm. It has been my experience that any group of longboarders is likely to have at least as many people riding Calibers as there are who aren't. When you consider how many different brands and styles of trucks there are out there I would count that as a win for Caliber. However, this leads me to ask the question; are Calibers really as awesome as people say or are they riding the hype train?<br />
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Calibers come in a couple different flavors in order to accommodate a wide variety of riding needs and styles. Which means that you can pick up a set of Calibers with 44 or 50 degree baseplates or you can grab a set of 9in or 10in hangers. On top of picking your baseplate degree and hanger width you can also choose from a number of sweet finishes: Raw, Acid Melon, Red Rum, Midnight Green, White Gold, Black Out, Purple Funk, and Blue Dream.<br />
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People often get kind of hung up on what the degree of a truck actually means, so before I start the review let me illuminate the dark depths of baseplate angles. The degree of a truck essentially indicates how responsive it is. Generally, a lower degree baseplate translates to a more stable truck and a higher degree plate gives you a more responsive truck. For example, a 44* Caliber truck will take more leaning with your body to make the board turn than a 50* Caliber; which will turn with less lean.<br />
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Alright, so how do Calibers actually perform? To answer this questions for a set of trucks is a little trickier than most other products because trucks are so customizable. To help with this I am going to recommend a Caliber setup with each style of riding. <br />
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<b>Commuting</b><br />
<i>Commuting Needs:</i><b> </b><br />
When pushing around town there are a couple nice features for your trucks to sport. I personally like having a very nimble setup when it comes to commuting. Having lots of agility allows you to hop curbs, bust quick little slides, and pop up manuals with ease. All of which is great for commuting and doing so with style. <br />
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<i>Recommended Setup:</i> <br />
9in 50* Calibers with Blood Orange High Rebound bushings for commuting.<br />
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<i>Performance:</i><br />
This setup is super light, agile, and very responsive. I cannot emphasize how much of a difference swapping your bushings makes. Try replacing the stock Blood Orange bushings that come in Calibers with something that has a ton of rebound, such as my recommended high rebound Blood Orange series or Venom SHRs. Adding some really high rebound bushings helps when you want to pump around town and get a really snappy response from your trucks.<br />
To get even more response out of your truck try riding a barrel shaped bushing boardside and a cone shaped bushing roadside.<br />
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<b>Freestyle</b><br />
<i>Freestyle Needs:</i><b> </b><br />
Freestyle skating, by definition, can mean a lot of different things. Which makes choosing a specific truck for this type of skating very difficult. I wouldn't say there is a stark difference between freestyle longboarding and freestyle skateboarding, but I do think they have slightly different needs in a truck. If you are looking at Caliber trucks and are riding a skateboard or, what it more likely, a hybrid deck then you are going to love something compact and light, such as the 9in Calibers. However, if you are freestyling on a full fledged and full lengthed, beefy longboard then you are going to be looking for something a little wider and more stable.<br />
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<i>Recommended Setup:</i><br />
10in 50* Calibers with lively bushings<br />
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<i>Performance: </i><br />
Just a reminder, this is really all going to come down to preference and some people will rock the heck out of a different setup than I am recommending. That being said there is no doubt in my mind that 50* plates are the best choice for freestyle. Higher degree baseplates respond more quickly to you leaning on them which is great when you want a little more freedom at low speeds. As a skater who does a whole lot of freestyle on longboards I find myself gravitating toward the 50* 10" Calibers. These give put a nice stable base under your longboard (the smaller 9" hangers can make a board a little tippy) that is still agile and quick to pick up on your movements.<br />
My favorite bushings for freestyle on Calibers is a high rebound Blood Orange double barrel setup.<br />
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<b>Downhill</b><br />
<i>Downhill Needs:</i><b> </b><br />
Now we're talking about hot, nasty speed. The biggest performance issue that most people are looking for with a downhill truck is something nice and stable. Going too fast on twitchy trucks can be really fun but it can also have disastrous results. Which is why most people opt for a truck with a low angle baseplate. A baseplate with a low degree requires you to lean more to make it turn, so when you are going really fast, some mild foot movements won't send you careening off your deck. <br />
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<i>Recommended Setup:</i><br />
10in 44* Calibers with a big wide bushing boardside and a barrel roadside <br />
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<i>Performance:</i> <br />
I think that 44* 10in Calibers are definitely the way to go when it comes to downhill. These trucks are the most stable offering from Caliber because they are nice and wide with a baseplate angle that is a full 6* lower than the 50* Calibers. In a market full of varying angles, queen pins, and precision trucks I still know a ton of people who love to ride 44* Calibers when they're downhilling because they are very effective and very customizable.<br />
If you're looking to go fast I recommend using a standard Venom eliminator or a Riptide WFB Chubby as your boardside bushing and a barrel as your roadside bushing.<br />
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<b>Freeride</b><br />
<i>Freeride Needs</i><br />
Kind of like freestyle skating, freeride can mean a lot of things. Freeride can be tons of 180 and 360 slides, gloves down slides, or big standies all day long. Of course, more often than not freeride is a mixture of these things. The type of truck you might need to ride is going to vary a little bit based on what type of freeriding you do, however, I think one of the best indications might be how fast you are going. <br />
<b> </b><br />
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<i>Recommended Setup:</i><br />
10in 44* or 50* Calibers (based on your riding style)<br />
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<i>Performance:</i><br />
Whether I would recommend the 44 or 50 degree plates comes down to how fast you Freeride. If you are a more casual freerider, sticking to speeds under 25-30mph, then I think that the 50* baseplates would work fine. <i></i>However if you like to go fast.... Well fist let me remind you that, much like a certain part of the male anatomy, people tend to exaggerate how fast they are actually going. However, if you know that you are freeriding with some serious speed then I recommend the 44* Calibers. They are slightly lower and let you lean into them a little more. The more stable 44* plates can be pretty crucial in setting up and executing slides at high speeds. <br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
If I were to give Calibers an overall performance grade I think that I would have to give them at least an A-<b> </b>if not higher.<br />
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The option of choosing a hanger width and a baseplate angle really lets you choose a truck to suit your needs. In addition, I really like that you can fit pretty much any bushing size or shape into a Caliber truck so that you can take your customization even further. <br />
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Finally I have to speak to their durability. I have bent tons and tons of trucks and I have to admit that Calibers are very hard to bend. I do most of my axle bending when freestyling and early grabbing and, at least relative to other trucks that I would consider to be similar, Caliber have proven to be very tough.<br />
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The bottom line is that whether you just want to get from point A to B or you are a dedicated disciple of fast, nasty speed you can probably find a set of Calibers that will work for you. Caliber Truck Co. did a great job making trucks that are durable, functional, and comfortable. To answer the question we started with, yes, Calibers are pretty awesome.<br />
<br />
Thanks for Reading!<br />
Any Questions, Comments, Concerns, Setup Inquiries, Hate mail???<br />
Hit me up!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
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<br />Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-87290583210172865992013-07-23T15:32:00.000-04:002014-02-12T11:42:23.443-05:00The Next Dimension -- Loaded Tesseract Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello There Students of Shred,<br />
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If you are a geek like me then you have definitely heard the word "Tesseract" at some point in your life. A Tesseract is an eight sided cube that exists in the fourth dimension. To visualize it, think of how a square turns into a cube when it goes from 2D to 3D, now imagine a cube turning into a Tesseract as it goes from 3D to 4D (ok, you probably can't imagine that, but I don't that know anyone really can). That's basically a Tesseract in a nutshell. Or alternatively, and just as geeky, the Tesseract is the blue magical cube in the Avengers movie. </div>
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Here in the real world of only 3 visual dimensions another Tesseract has emerged from woodwork; the Loaded Tesseract. This version of the Tesseract was essentially designed to be a quiver killer. Loaded's website says that the Tesseract is ready to thrash everything; mountains, slides, ollies, manuals, you name it. While a lot of longboarders have simply called it a smaller version of the fabled Chubby Unicorn. To help clarify what the Tesseract really is Loaded was nice enough to send me one of these extra dimensional boards so that I could give you some of my earthly thoughts on this deck. </div>
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However, before we get too far into how this board handles on the pavement let's talk get into it's technical specifications. The Tesseract is a symmetrical topmount that, as I mentioned, was designed to do a little bit of everything. It sports wheel flares, w concave, rocker, kicktails, wheelbase options, and a composite construction. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5x3VXkCQ9vB0ZB_6vmQI93st4__K7rVsu_IMyB6DdlmYOm12Ni95efzrYuTEDt7QjPmDgZfCCCzreIDMTF2SrSd5-ROsYeKyEKy69RhS0ydRZHjcTMcGXM0Ke64rNnOAZ5iXgUqoDOZh/s1600/chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5x3VXkCQ9vB0ZB_6vmQI93st4__K7rVsu_IMyB6DdlmYOm12Ni95efzrYuTEDt7QjPmDgZfCCCzreIDMTF2SrSd5-ROsYeKyEKy69RhS0ydRZHjcTMcGXM0Ke64rNnOAZ5iXgUqoDOZh/s320/chart.png" height="195" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let's also take a second to talk about the construction of the Tesseract. Well, just by looking at it you can make the pretty safe assumption that there is something other than pressed maple holding this deck together. The Tesseract rocks a composite construction of two vertically laminated bamboo cores sandwiched between fiberglass skins with a bottom layer of cork. The cork being something unique to this deck, at least as far as I am aware. One thing that was immediately apparent to me when I opened the Tesseract was how light it is. That composite construction makes the board way lighter than its size or thickness would suggest. </div>
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Alright, I think it is time to get down to the nitty gritty review....</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Commute</span></b><br />
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A commute can mean a lot of different things. You know what they say, "different strokes for different folks." In light of this I am going to try something new and sub-divide this group. </div>
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<i>City/Campus Commuting</i></div>
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Any good campus or city crusher needs to be agile and light on its feet (or wheels). The Tesseract is a little deceptive, coming in at a full 39 inches, but that's because it is sporting such large kicks on either side. A longboard actually gets most of its agility from the length of its wheelbase and not the size of the deck. Which means that with only a 24.5 or 26 inch wheelbase the Tesseract a great board for getting around town. This relatively small wheelbase makes the board very nimble and responsive when you are trying to bust quick slides to slow down or just look steezy in front of pedestrians. In addition, quick little slides are made easy with the wheel flares on the deck which really lock your feet in (but we'll talk more about that later). </div>
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Let's be real, no city or campus commute is complete with the occasional obstacle to get in your way. Being nice and responsive is a great way to deal with a lot of ride interferences but what happens when you see an unexpected rock or curb? The simple answer is to ollie over it! I was very surprised to discover that the tails on the Tesseract are capable of popping a nice full size ollie. I have really enjoyed incorporating ollies into my daily commute to work. </div>
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<i>Long Distance Commuting</i></div>
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The second kind of skating that comes to mind when I think of commuting is the long distance push. This style of skating is oftentimes enjoyed by a variety of people, however, anyone who has pushed for more than a few miles knows how much it can sometimes suck.</div>
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One of, if not <i>the,</i> most important trait desired for pushing long distances is a nice low ride. The Tesseract isn't the best option for this style of skating (nor are many topmounts). Despite the rockered platform, this board just doesn't ride low enough to push for miles and miles. However, I don't think that anyone would argue that point as the Tesseract wasn't designed to be a long distance pusher. If you are casually cruising around town the Tesseract should be plenty low for you to feel comfortable with. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Freestyle</span></b></div>
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In a word where longboarding has become dominated by freeride this style of skating has all but fallen to the wayside in some groups. Freestyle skating is all about expression through your skating and the Tesseract really gives its rider a lot of options to do so. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhfieOKB09eZLkvJuNmSuuI5YwpNvETTjlNIzmcN9XtYvQN7D88wd-Ec2bDh4RsnhkfDiw05ADi6XkRYXLol9_8NY0jZ2wyTw9QvGdx0qMeqlPUYSA4lAxppTRAaKclcizknGxQsJJCCU/s1600/photo+(12).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhfieOKB09eZLkvJuNmSuuI5YwpNvETTjlNIzmcN9XtYvQN7D88wd-Ec2bDh4RsnhkfDiw05ADi6XkRYXLol9_8NY0jZ2wyTw9QvGdx0qMeqlPUYSA4lAxppTRAaKclcizknGxQsJJCCU/s640/photo+(12).PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The large 7.25 inch double kick tails and symmetrical platform beg to be flipped every which way. If you are riding a Tesseract and not freestyling then you are blowing it. Because the tails are so large and wide you get a ton of leverage and if you factor in the fact that the Tesseract is super light you end up with a freestyle monster. I was actually over-rotating all of my normal tricks before I realized how easy this deck was to flip around. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1vR-PkZYxKVtOl3Gc7STWrQ3NehBimeXw844kJ-ara7Q4s4tMaS7DgbdetDHkLOmeh_7VWtiDsvz-SI8OdR7sP2EG0uDPjBm5Pc-8gIkzEQ1W2gdAZ8lWknlk32hHRpxaHf6VOiKCeRv/s1600/photo+(13).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1vR-PkZYxKVtOl3Gc7STWrQ3NehBimeXw844kJ-ara7Q4s4tMaS7DgbdetDHkLOmeh_7VWtiDsvz-SI8OdR7sP2EG0uDPjBm5Pc-8gIkzEQ1W2gdAZ8lWknlk32hHRpxaHf6VOiKCeRv/s640/photo+(13).PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I always get a little worried about my foot placement on boards with complex concave patterns, like the Tesseract, when I am trying to hit tricks. Mostly because landing the wrong way on super steep w concave or gnarly wheel flares can really make your feet hurt after a while. However, whether you are looking to pop a simple shove-it or bigspin off a giant ledge the Tesseract feels very comfortable under your feet. Which is the result of the subtleties of the concave the Tesseract was designed with. Despite feeling so comfortable the Tesseract is actually equipped with wheel flares that are quite steep on the edges and with fat, wide, and progressive w concave. I will talk more extensively about the concave of the board in the freeride section of the review. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Downhill</span></b></div>
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If you stalk the longboarding interwebs as much as I do (for your sake I hope you don't. No one should be online as much as I am.) then you will probably have noticed a bunch of Loaded riders have been taking the Tesseract to races. Well, let me just say, there is certainly a method to their madness. I think that the general picture in everyone's head of a nice downhill board is something lengthy and about 20 plies thick. While the Tesseract breaks this mold just swap it to the wider wheelbase and it can certainly still hang with the fatter boards on the mountain. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tRhyWmfwNkRWVKnN3Fko6Q81OBt9Mnxc5qA6E6Qj6hTlCUXeRQidLbS41URCMEjDJKm490VdHiEK6zrsIdaO206Smv2WM6MEdDnXZcXQaCEzIGrKWv8vu86dxUKOzrbA8Q_YPVk3hHb4/s1600/photo+(2).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tRhyWmfwNkRWVKnN3Fko6Q81OBt9Mnxc5qA6E6Qj6hTlCUXeRQidLbS41URCMEjDJKm490VdHiEK6zrsIdaO206Smv2WM6MEdDnXZcXQaCEzIGrKWv8vu86dxUKOzrbA8Q_YPVk3hHb4/s640/photo+(2).PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The concave on the Tesseract provides excellent board feel and a comfortable, functional standing platform. The w concave on the Tesseract is progressive, in that it is more pronounced in the center of the board and sort of spreads out closer to the bolts, making it feel more like radial concave on the bolts. This allows any tucking to feel a little more natural because you don't have choose a side of the w concave to put your foot on. Using the wheel flares and the varying levels of w concave as reference points is crucial for board feel at speed. Once you have taken the time to get to know your Tesseract you can tell where your feet are on the board without ever having to look down. In addition that rockered platform lowers your ride just a little bit. While about 1/3 of an inch lower may not seem like much, every subtlety of a board is amplified at speed, and I feel like the rocker plays a significant role in the downhill performance this deck.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJe_guX3Hy0AECtPR2dgRviC3sCNfiJXjj-janDL1JwQxD9oHxwk8mbN4WLPsBE0CWsfJkQc0Gt0Ob1g-9sJKNhv6k2ibMxMhJuFHHgmUOsdzRiRqwWwv1u3uF_4XtLGLkoceODDHcLX_/s1600/photo+(1).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJe_guX3Hy0AECtPR2dgRviC3sCNfiJXjj-janDL1JwQxD9oHxwk8mbN4WLPsBE0CWsfJkQc0Gt0Ob1g-9sJKNhv6k2ibMxMhJuFHHgmUOsdzRiRqwWwv1u3uF_4XtLGLkoceODDHcLX_/s400/photo+(1).PNG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Let's talk flexiness for a minute. I would say one thing people should know about this deck is that there is actually a tiny bit of flex to it. The reason I mention it is that I know that <i>any</i> amount of flex tends to scare certain people who like to go fast. However, to be fair, when I say a tiny amount, I mean you pretty much have to be looking for it to feel it because it is almost non-existent. On top of that the Tesseract was designed with that teeny bit of flex to dampen vibrations. To Loaded's credit the deck really does remain a smooth and stable ride when going fast. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Freeride</span></b></div>
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One of the complaints I have already heard people lodging against the Tesseract is about its seemingly small amount of concave. While I agree that this board seems to have less concave to it than some competitors on the market I feel like it adheres to the "less is more" train of thought. </div>
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From what I can gather, based on hours of riding time, the Tesseract utilizes a synergistic approach to locking your feet in place. This isn't the type of deck that only gives you an inch of concave and says "good luck". No, no, instead the Tesseract has its rocker, w concave, and wheel flares work together harmoniously to get you feeling really secure not only while sliding but sliding at speed. The rocker cradles the outer edges of your feet (the pinky toe side) and lowers you a little bit, while the progressive w concave rests under the arches of your feet to give you something to grip on to with your big toes and heels, and finally the wheel flares use their increasingly steep grade to lock your feet in place with sliding. It is honestly a thing of beauty. </div>
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These features all work together to help you slide from the platform and hit really nice long standies. However, half the fun of freeride is getting creative! Que the kick tails. The tails on the Tesseract actually sport a little bit of their own concave which is great for hitting all sorts of slides from the tail. In addition to blunt slides, because you are so locked in, you can really get creative with rotational slides like 360 slides. The Tesseract is not just fun for getting sideways but for getting wild. It is really a board I can comfortably push my freeride limits on. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Durability</span></b></div>
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I was very skeptical that a cork finish on the bottom layer of the board would hold up to a beating. However, I have to admit that I am pretty impressed. When I first saw the cork I thought that the guys over Loaded must have lost their minds! However, it has worn very slowly, and only on the tips of the tails of my deck and that is with me constantly grinding down on the tails with ollies and botched manuals. I have been thrashing on this board pretty hard and the Tesseract seems to have taken it all in stride.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Downsides</span></b></div>
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It can't all be good, and because nothing is perfect, the Tesseract does have some downsides. </div>
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The biggest issues I ran into was with wheel bite. A nice freestyle friendly setup, running 65mm wheels, seems to be no problem. However, If you want to run anything 70mm or larger on this board, especially with lower degree baseplates, then I recommend grabbing a small riser to slap on there. Of course, don't forget that your bushings are going to make a world of difference too. Tighter bushing/washer setups will clear up a lot of the wheel bite issues. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMzwfb9D-JzX-B09xNV2x5w-PiNC6Qk7wQHCDJJ8Dzqyv4M0R67dobGZr-x66EXKXmQlaXPg0rUsS0UHAsP0uNDpUvuC_benTcRrsFZSHw9q2EU_Ek0Lsj1DHJcI_vM-3Gy4HwtrDrIIH/s1600/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMzwfb9D-JzX-B09xNV2x5w-PiNC6Qk7wQHCDJJ8Dzqyv4M0R67dobGZr-x66EXKXmQlaXPg0rUsS0UHAsP0uNDpUvuC_benTcRrsFZSHw9q2EU_Ek0Lsj1DHJcI_vM-3Gy4HwtrDrIIH/s400/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Oh, and the rough cork finish on the bottom makes it hard to put stickers on it, haha.</div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">The Bottom Line</span></u></div>
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<i>Would I recommend the Loaded Tesseract to a Friend?</i></div>
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I can say without a doubt that I would. I don't know if I would go so far as to say that the Tesseract is a complete quiver killer, but it is most definitely super duper versatile. Let me put it this way, if I were to design a board to do everything, my shape would come out pretty darn similar to the Tesseract. On top of the Tesseract's "do it all attitude" the deck seems to really hold up to a beating and show little wear. I honestly think that pretty much anyone who looks into this deck will get a lot of life and love out of it. </div>
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Thanks for Reading!</div>
Any Questions, Comments, Concerns, Letters, Stickers, Recipes, Hatemail?<br />
Send them my way!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stay Awesome,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Wayne</span> <br />
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My Current Favorite Setup:</div>
-LOADED TESSERACT<br />
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-Surf-Rodz 176mm RKP 45* or Caliber 44*</div>
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-Orangatang FatFree 86a</div>
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-Loaded Bearings</div>
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-Riptide WFB Bushings</div>
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<br /></div>
Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-27813130344233240522013-07-05T19:29:00.003-04:002014-02-12T11:42:08.547-05:00Bloody Good Grip -- Blood Orange Griptape Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey Errybody,<br />
<br />
Welcome to our first ever review of griptape! Today we will be looking at Blood Orange grip which is a relatively new addition to the griptape market. In a world of die-hard Viscous fans producing another grip that specializes in freeride/downhill was a ballsy move. However, it certainly appears that Blood Orange has added more than a few skaters to its ranks.<br />
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I feel like griptape actually takes a ton of work to review because in order to fully evaluate how well it holds up you have to skate it for at least a couple months. I gripped up a couple boards with the plethora of tape provided courtesy of Blood Orange so I could test it out on a variety of board shapes and setups.<br />
<br />
<b>Initial Impressions:</b><br />
When I opened up my first pack of Blood Orange grip I was surprised by the fact that it didn't feel insanely coarse. I was expecting something that would cut my fingers up and make me never want to touch this grip without my slide gloves on. However, upon touching it I learned that Blood Orange only feels just a little more course than a standard skateboard deck's grip. I ended up deciding to put my Blood Orange onto a Bombsquad Mini Agent for downhill, an Omen Sugar for Freeride, and an Apex 40 for freestyle.<br />
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Before even getting into how well the grip works, I can tell you this much. I really like that it comes in colors, colorful grip is a great way to customize a deck.<br />
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<b>Gripping Your Board</b><br />
I don't know if Blood Orange grip is sold by the roll (I assume it is) but all of my grip came in packs. Packs of grip are kind of nice because they are really simple to grip your board with. You basically just have to peel and stick then shave off the edges. The adhesive on the back of the grip is not insanely sticky but it didn't have a problem adhering completely to my board.<br />
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<b>When the Grip is Fresh</b><br />
I mentioned that Blood Orange grip surprised me because I thought that it would be a little more coarse. I guess I was so taken aback because when I think of freeriding I think of super harsh grip tape and I know that Blood Orange loves the many freeriders of the world.<br />
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<i>Freestyle</i><br />
By the very characteristic that surprised me, a lack of coarseness, Blood Orange grip is pretty nice for freestyle longboarding. It is grippy enough to make sure that your feet don't slip off the board unexpectedly at any point but not so much so that you can't move your feet. This is really nice for tricks, like ollies, where you slide your foot up the board. Unlike with super gritty tape your foot can slide relatively freely allowing you to get ample air. However, if you plan to only freestyle on your board remember that Blood Orange is still more coarse than what a standard street deck would be gripped with.<br />
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<i>Freeride</i><br />
I have to admit, I was hesitant about the performance of Blood Orange grip when it came down to big, nasty, fast slides. The reason most people rock Vicious grip is that it is so coarse you <i>know</i> when you put your feet on your board they aren't going to move. So how would this less coarse tape compare?<br />
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Quite well, in fact, surprisingly well. Despite feeling less course to the touch than many other brands of freeride grip tape, Blood Orange held me feet where they needed to be without question. After getting over my initial concerns about the grit of the tape I felt very confident with my Blood Orange grip when sliding in any direction and with all sorts of weird foot placements.<br />
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<i>Downhill</i><br />
Blood Orange grip is great for downhill, in my humble opinion, because you can move your feet freely. I'm all for that "locked in" feeling, especially when freeriding, but I do feel that you can be too locked in. When I am going fast I like to be able to subtly re-position my feet without actually having to lift them up. Blood Orange grip lends itself to those subtle movements by offering little resistance to your feet moving freely on the deck. However, like I mentioned in the freeride section, Blood Orange does still offer ample grippiness for your feet.<br />
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<b>When the Grip is Old and Beat</b><br />
It's a sad fact of life; grip tape wears out over time. Your once clean, beautiful grip job gets torn up, worn down, muddy, and down right ratchet after some serious ride time.<br />
<br />
<i>Freestyle</i><br />
As Blood Orange grip ages it probably gets a little better for most freestyle-y activities. However, it takes an insanely long time to wear it down significantly. Once you get there the worn down grit allows you to move your feet a little more freely on the deck. Which means if you are into board dancing old Blood Orange would feel pretty nice to you. However, I don't think I would want to spend the time trying to wear down my grip just for that application, it would take way too long.<br />
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<i>Freeride/Downhill</i><br />
Although this grip tape does certainly loose some coarseness over it's lifetime I definitely feel like it takes much, much longer to lose that grippiness than other tapes do. Basically, although Blood Orange may not start out as the grittiest, coarsest tape ever it doesn't really lose much of that over time. Which means you can freeride and downhill on Blood Orange grip to your heart's content without having to worry much about your tape wearing out on you. This grip definitely has a long lifespan.<br />
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<b>It Can't All Be Good</b><br />
Every product, not matter how much you like it, has a downside. The downside with Blood Orange is pretty obvious; its coarseness. I think that the downside here is more of a preference issue than an objectively bad trait. However, some people really crave that insanely coarse griptape. Although I personally thought that Blood Orange grip was more than grippy enough for anything I used it for... I don't think that would be the case for everyone. I know people who don't feel confident in their gear without super fresh, super coarse grip every couple weeks. <br />
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<u>The Bottom Line:<br />Would I recommend Blood Orange Grip to Friend?</u><br />
I would definitely recommend Blood Orange grip tape to anyone looking for something new to put on their board, with an addendum. Being that it isn't the coarsest grip tape ever. Beyond that, I think that Blood Orange did a really great job with their grip. I am especially impressed by how long it lasts. I have been riding mine for a very long time with an absurdly minimal amount of wear.<br />
<br />
Any Comments, Questions, Concerns, Issues, Picture of Cool Grip Jobs???<br />
Send them my way!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
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Current Favorite Setup:<br />
-BLOOD ORANGE GRIP<br />
-Omen Sugar<br />
-Paris V2 180mm<br />
-Cult Isms<br />
-Riptide Canon and Magnum <br />
-Daddies Bearings <u> </u>Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-33457992488233798762013-06-21T22:34:00.002-04:002014-02-12T11:41:57.564-05:00Sweet Sweet Sweetness -- Omen Sugar Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello There Fan of Skatedom,<br />
It's no secret that topmounts are the trend in freeride and downhill these days. Ask any bro out there, if you want to hit super big standies then you better be riding a topmount, haha. Which has translated into a flood of topmounts hitting the market. In this sea of new decks it is hard for a board to really stand out from the crowd. Omen, however, has found some sort of secret sauce and has been banging out popular boards lately, probably the most popular of which is the Omen Sugar.<br />
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The Omen Sugar is a directional topmount board designed to excel in both freeride and downhill skateboarding; it was basically built to go fast. In addition it sports a mean kicktail in the back for slapping ollies and any other kicktaily things you might want to do. On top of that the Sugar comes equipped with a plethora of features such as a mirco-drop, flushing mounting, rocker, some serious wheel well flares, and multiple mounting options.<br />
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It's exact specs are:<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Omen Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Length<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">38in</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Width<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 117pt;" valign="top" width="156"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">9.5in</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.9pt;" valign="top" width="109"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wheel
Base<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 117pt;" valign="top" width="156"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">23.5-26.5in</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.9pt;" valign="top" width="109"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Concave<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 117pt;" valign="top" width="156"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/8in Radial</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.9pt;" valign="top" width="109"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Special
Features<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 117pt;" valign="top" width="156"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kicktail, wheel wells, flush mount, wheel flares, mounting options,
micro-drop</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Well not that we have gotten the nitty gritty details covered let's talk about how this board actually handles when your wheels hit the pavement. <br />
<br />
<b>Commuting</b><br />
When I am talking about commuting I mean serious pushing, not just a couple blocks here and there. Which has lead me to generally dislike commuting on topmounts because they ride so high that it tires you out quickly. <br />
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The Omen Sugar on the other hand combines two features to lower it to the ground and make it a bit more enjoyable to push a long way. I am of course talking about the rocker and micro-drop. Which lower the standing platform in a very subtle way that gets more noticeable the longer you push. Basically if you are going to commute on a topmount the Sugar is going to be slightly less tiring to push all day. <br />
<br />
<b>Freestyle</b><br />
Every board of all time ever is better with a kicktail. Ok, that may be an exaggeration of my personal opinion, but I LOVE having at least one kicktail on a board. Plus, when it comes to freestyle longboarding having a kicktail is pretty essential. If there is one thing the Sugar has it is definitely a kicktail. <br />
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The Sugar may have been expressly designed for other styles of riding, but it isn't too shabby for those of us who like to hit a few tricks every now and then. I have seen people hit some astounding tricks on this board, but I have to admit my tricks aren't nearly as cool. However, for what I'm working with, this board is a lot of fun.<br />
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The kicktail is not only super massive, but it is very functional. I feel like there are a lot of unidirectional freeride boards with kicks that people assume they are going to be able to ollie super high until they realize that the tails aren't quite functional enough. The Sugar is a rare exception in this category. You can legitimately throw down some nice ollies on this board. You can of course do all sorts of shoves and manuals with this wonderful kicktail too. <br />
<br />
<b>Downhill</b><br />
Like going fast? You will <i>probably</i> like this board. I say probably because I have come to learn that the concave on this board is not for everyone. However, I am one of those people who really like it, so I felt very comfortable going fast on the Sugar. <br />
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The Sugar has a couple very like-able attributes that are quite noticeable when you're hauling down the slopes like a pack wild buffalo. The first of which is that the Sugar is a relatively low topmount. That micro-drop and rocker, mentioned in the commuting section, lowers your center of gravity making the ride more stable. Additionally, the concave on the board definitely locks your feet in while the wheel flares give you a nice reference point for tucking without having to ever look down at your foot placement. <br />
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If you remember back to the specs of the board you will remember that the Sugar comes stocked with a couple mounting options. This means that you can adjust the wheelbase to your liking. I personally am not a master of the short wheelbase (although I know people who are) so I like to push the trucks to widest mounting option when downhilling. Because that widest wheelbase does add a little more stability than the other options can offer.<br />
<br />
<b>Freeride</b><br />
Admit it, this is the only thing in the review you care about, haha. How does the Omen Sugar perform when it comes down to getting low and getting sideways???<br />
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In my experience people have a love/hate relationship with Sugar concave. If you aren't a big fan of wheel flares then you may want to look somewhere else. However, if you like the feeling you get from big ol' flares then you will really <i>really</i> like the Sugar.<br />
<br />
Most of the time wheel flares offer an additional feeling of being "locked in" but the beefy flares on the Sugar really kick that up a notch. You can pretty much just put your feet on the flares, turn sideways, and slide for miles. The aggressive combination of the many features packed into the Sugar really do make it a slide machine. The rocker, little bit of drop, concave, and flares crescendo into one fantastic directional freeride board.<br />
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To top all of that off, if you are into any sort of blunt of slide then you will find a new friend in the Sugar's tail. It is large, in charge, and suited to sliding. I think that this board would have been pretty nice without a tail, however, the rad tail on this deck really brings it to a different tier of skate. It really just gives you options and allows you to get more creative than a board without a kick would be allow for.<br />
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<u>Mounting Options</u><br />
Finding the right mounting option is really all going to come down to preference, however, based on my experience I have found that I like these settings for different riding styles.<br />
-Commute = Shortest wheelbase for maximum agility<br />
-Freestyle = Tail on shortest option. This gives you more tail to pop tricks with.<br />
-Downhill = Widest option for stability<br />
-Freeride = Tail on shortest option. Front in middle option.<br />
<br />
<i>It Can't All Be Good...</i><br />
Nothing is perfect and the Omen Sugar is no exception to that rule. I found two issues that kept coming up when riding the Sugar. The first of which is that the mold of the platform just isn't suited to everyone. Some people love it and some people absolutely hate it. Which leads to recommend that people try riding, or at least standing on, the board before purchasing one (unless you already know that you're stoked on the feeling of wheel flares).<br />
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The other issue I kept running into was with wheelbite. I admit that I run my bushings a little looser than most people, but I had a hard time preventing wheelbite on my Sugar. This caused me to run a 1/2 inch riser on my deck which solved the problem but eliminated some of the lowness benefits mentioned earlier. However, on the flip side, I have seen a ton of people riding their sugar without any riser at all, so I don't think this is an issue for everyone.<br />
<br />
<b></b>
<u>The Bottom Line</u><br />
Would I recommend the Omen Sugar to a friend?<br />
<br />
I think that Omen hit a home run with this deck and that most of the hype around the board is well founded. It is truly a fantastic deck for downhill and freeride. With the addition of that fat kicktail the Sugar makes for a very solid all around board. I would recommend the Sugar to anyone who wants one board to do pretty much everything with but who also has special concentration in freeride.<br />
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Thanks for Reading!<br />
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, trick-tips, loveletters, hatemail...<br />
Send them my way!!!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
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<br />
My Current Favorite Setup:<br />
-OMEN SUGAR<br />
-Paris V2 180mm or Surf-Rordz RKP 50*<br />
-Cult Isms<br />
-Daddies Bearings<br />
-Riptide Bushings - WFB Formula<br />
-Blood Orange Grip<br />
-Holesom Pucks and a Helmet<br />
<br />
Huge thanks to Ryan for these photos he sent over too!Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-27702712653298885412013-06-15T22:33:00.001-04:002014-02-12T11:41:40.410-05:00Straight Butter -- Sector 9 Butterball Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello People of Skate,<br />
<br />
Welcome to some thoughts on Sector 9 Butterballs, a freeride wheel that drops epic amounts of thane. If you have been into the freeriding scene for any significant amount of time then you will have definitely heard of the fabled Butterballs.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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Butterballs come in two diameters; measuring in at 65mm and 70mm. Which means you can rock some smaller lighter wheels or you can slap some of the bigger 70mm wheels on your stick so that you have a little more thane to burn through. Butterballs sport a centerset core, at least as far as I can figure, and a relatively wide contact patch of 38mm (measured with a ruler, so probably not 100% accurate). In addition, as I am sure you can imagine based on the name, Sector 9 Butterballs have one of the smoothest urethane formulas money can buy. So how do they handle on the road?<br />
<br />
<b>Commute</b><br />
One of the great things about coming in two sizes is that you can choose a Butterball that is suited to your riding style. I found this really came in handy with when I was setting up a commuting board. Some people are all about the roll the speed when pushing through town; I am of a different train of thought. I really like having a very nimble and light board when commuting. It makes kicking to speed from a complete stop, ollies, and quick slides much easier.<br />
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With this in mind I setup my Sector 9 Sprocket with the 65mm Butterballs for commuting. The smaller of the two Butterball options proved to be a great choice. They accelerate quickly, are nice and smooth, and very easy to break out into a quick check slide to shave off speed in a pinch. Fun fact, these wheels leave so much thane that you even leave lines when hitting 180 slides. Being a little smaller also kept my commuter nice and light which is really nice when you have to pick up your board every now and then.<br />
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<b>Freestyle</b><br />
Here is another discipline where I think that smaller wheels have a clear advantage. Lighter wheels make for easier flip tricks because you don't have as much bulk to throw around. I think it is true whether you are manualing, hitting a simple shove-it, or tre-flipping off of a bajillion stairs; smaller wheels are where it is at.<br />
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I definitely favored the 65mm Butterballs for freestyle, although I did try both sizes. 65mm Butterballs are pretty light and easy to work with for trick oriented longboarding. One of the biggest advantages they have over their 70mm brothers is with tricks that need to get high up into the air, for example the Ollie. If you are looking to Ollie up a curb or over some terrain a lighter wheel is really going to serve you well. I think as far as a soft longboarding wheel goes 65mm Butterballs definitely get the job done but I wouldn't necessarily say they are a freestyle wheel.<br />
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<b>Downhill</b><br />
Let me perfectly clear with you, if you are looking for a downhill wheel Butterballs are not the way to go. You should look into something actually intended to hold a line and to have a nice roll speed. Many companies offer a ton of downhill or race wheels, Sector 9 included, so try and look in that direction. If you only have one set of wheels, which happen to be Butterballs, and you are dying to hit some mountain passes I can at least give you a little insight.<br />
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Both the 65mm and 70mm Butterballs have the same contact patch (or at least within 1mm of each other; again, I measured with a ruler so cut me some slack). For a wheel that is meant to slide Butterballs do have a relatively wide contact patch which is nice when going fast. That wide contact patch translates to a wheel that is at least somewhat predictable at speed and very controllable when hitting a really fast slide. Butterball thane only comes in one durometer, 80a, so they are a least a little grippier than a harder wheel might be. But yeah, like I said, Butterballs aren't great for downhill, nor were they intended to be. <br />
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<b>Freeride</b><br />
Everyone knows it! This is what Butterballs were made for. Sector 9 wanted to make an impact on the freeride market with these wheels and I would say that their mission was accomplished.<br />
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Butterballs slide for freaking days. It doesn't matter if you are rocking the 65mm or 70mm version you are going to have some serious sliding in your future. I recommend the 70mm Butterballs for freeride because it gives more thane to leave on the ground.<br />
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Speaking of which, let's talk thane. Butterballs are made of what Sector 9 refers to as their "slide formula" and they ride just like their name suggests... very smooth and buttery. That buttery, buttery slide is smooth, consistent, and quite controllable. I have never had a hard time keeping my butterballs from icing out on me.<br />
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Oh did I mention that they crap thane lines? Like I said in the commuting section, a simple 180 slide will drop thane on the ground. Which means if you get going fast enough to hold out some serious slides you are going to be leaving some equally serious thane lines behind you. If you are one of the many people who love to see their thane lines after a slide then you will like these wheels.<br />
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The flip side of leaving prodigious amounts of thane on the ground is that you are going to wear these wheels out quickly. It is the sad truth of any thane-y wheel. One of the nice things about Butterballs is that I didn't really have much trouble with coning. However, I did actually flatspot a wheel, it wasn't a huge flatspot, but I was definitely bummed about it. I can't say for sure whether Butterballs are prone to flatspots, or if I was just sliding like a dummy that day, but I don't <i>normally</i> flatspot wheels.<br />
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<i>It can't all be good</i><br />
The biggest downside to Butterballs is definitely their life span. It is just one of those wheels where you have to weigh the cost-benefit ratio. For like 30 bucks you get a wheel that slides great, leaves tons of thane, and dies quickly. You just have to decide if it is worth it to you.<br />
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<u>The Bottom Line</u><br />
Would I recommend Sector 9 Butterballs to a friend?<br />
I would recommend Butterballs to anyone looking to slide. That is not even a question in my mind. The slide is top notch for such a cost effective wheel. I would also recommend the 65mm Butterballs to any longboarders out there who like a dabble in freestyle and freeride. The 65's are a great union between the two disciplines without sacrificing performance.<br />
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Any questions, comments, concerns, stickers, jokes???<br />
Send them my way!<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
<br />
My Current Favorite Setups:<br />
-Bustin Boombox<br />
-Caliber 50*<br />
-SECTOR 9 70MM BUTTERBALLS<br />
-Riptide Bushings<br />
-Blood Orange Bushings<br />
<br />
-Loaded Kanthaka<br />
-Surf-Rodz Indeesz (TKP)<br />
-SECTOR 9 65MM BUTTERBALLS<br />
-Riptide Bushings<br />
-Blood Orange Bearings<br />
<br />
and as always... a <b>helmet</b> and some fragrant Holesom pucksWaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-47747811727679659672013-05-23T22:07:00.003-04:002014-02-12T11:41:25.380-05:00 Leave Lines Like Liam -- Volante Morgan Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey There Peoples,<br />
Welcome to another shred-tastic product review. Today we will be looking at the newest wheel in the Volante line-up, the Morgan. Morgans were developed by their namesake, Mr. Liam Morgan, who as we all know can slide for days and tear it up like it's his job (which it is).<br />
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Morgans are 70mm wheels that were built to freeride like a shark is built to be dangerous. They rock a 46mm contact patch with a very slightly offset core; only 1mm. Morgans now officially come in two durometers 80a and 82a so you customize the hardness to your liking.<br />
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Just like I do with all of my reviews I tested Morgans in a variety of riding situations that I think most riders commonly encounter.<br />
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<b>Commute:</b><br />
Morgans offer one pretty big benefit when commuting around town; they are beefy. What I mean by that is that the wheels have a lot of thane on them due to their relatively wide contact patch. Having lots of thane makes them nice and massive, and I mean that in the scientific sense of the word...<br />
Get ready to be schooled: Newton's Laws of Motion say that when an object is in motion it will stay in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force <i>and</i> that more massive objects take more energy to accelerate or slow down.<br />
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So what does this mean for you commute? Basically that they take a little bit of effort to get moving, but that they hold your roll speed very nicely. When pushing around town, as long as you put the energy in to get them rolling your Morgans will hold that speed nicely.<br />
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<b>Freestyle:</b><br />
I don't think that even Liam would say that these are freestyle wheels, although I don't want to speak for him. I feel this way mostly for the same reason that helps Morgans retain their roll speed, they are massive (or heavy). Generally when people are looking to freestyle I feel that a lighter wheel, maybe something in the 65mm diameter range, is a better choice. Smaller wheels are more freestyle friendly because they are easier to flip around in tricks, lift off the ground, and break into quick little 180 slides. If you are looking for a Volante wheel to trick around on then I would direct to their Checkers model.<br />
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However, if you are determined to freestyle on these bad boys you could always take up board dancing. That ability to hold out roll speed is great for dancing because it doesn't really matter how heavy a dancer setup is. All you have to do it get your Morgans going and then just cross step for days and days.<br />
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<b>Downhill</b><br />
Alright, here is where the Morgans start to excel. Coming in at 70mm gives them a nice combination of max roll speed and acceleration when going down a hill. They don't have quite the max speed that a typical 75mm downhill wheel would have, but don't get my wrong, Morgans can definitely go more than fast enough to help you get your adrenaline jollys.<br />
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If you are riding any sort of downhill run where you might encounter some serious curves then you are really going to like the feel of Morgans. They don't slip out unexpectedly when you are trying to hold a line, even if you are hauling ass, so you can feel nice and confident pushing the limits on winding runs. However, if you decide that you want to drift and bust out some tastey fast slides they break out very smoothly and consistently. However, I have never had a problem linking them back up when I want to stop my slide and start rolling again.<br />
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<b>Freeride</b><br />
Let's face it, everyone knows it, Freeride is the discipline that Morgans were made for. This is truly where they set themselves apart from other wheels. Based on the general specs of the wheel I didn't think that Morgans would be super duper slidey because they have a wide contact patch (46mm) when compared to other freeride wheels on the market. Generally a wider contact patch equates to a wheel that is more difficult to break into a slide.<br />
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However, Morgans are actually exceptionally adept at sliding due to the combination of other features that make up the wheel. The first of which is the bright blue and large core. Morgans have nice wide cores in order to provide stability to wheel shape while sliding; it allows for minimal deformation of the wheel when going sideways. This gives you a very consistent slide that feels the same from the first slide all the way to the last slide. To add to that consistency Morgans sport some beefy and stiff lips. The lips on Morgans give you more control over your slides than a more rounded lip would allow. That nice core is actually 1mm offset which helps them release into a slide with a tiny bit less effort than a center wheel would. However, I can honestly hardly tell a difference because they certainly aren't hard to break into a slide.<br />
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All of these traits combine to make Morgans a great wheel to freeride in any situation but particularly for fast freeride. The amount of control the lip shape, big contact patch, and wide core provide in this wheel is amazing and definitely something that fast freeriders will enjoy.<br />
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Ok, so we know that Morgans are very consistent, but how do they feel? Morgans offer an extremely smooth slide. The slide feels a little tougher than a straight up buttery slide might, I would say that Morgans have a surgary slide. Fortunately, I don't think I have ever iced out while rocking my Morgans. They leave a fair amount of thane on the ground when hitting most long slides (starting a foot or two into the slide) which means they do wear. That wide contact patch does lend itself to wearing much more slowly than most thaney wheels which is really nice. In addition I really enjoyed the slight offset because they are so close to being centered that you can flip them without hardly noticing at all.<br />
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<u>The Bottom Line</u><br />
Volante Morgans are not the most well rounded wheel for someone looking to throw a ton of freestyle into their daily skate. Where they really shine is going fast and hitting stupid big slides; so I can certainly see why they are a product of Liam Morgan's skating needs. If you are looking for a smooth sliding wheel with a lot of control and a long life span then I would definitely consider Morgans for your next purchase. They are a very solid addition to my quiver and I have really enjoyed stepping my freeride game up on my Morgans. <br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
Any questions, comments, concerns, loveletters, hatemail???<br />
Hit me up!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
<br />
My Current Favorite Setup:<br />
-Bustin Sportster<br />
-VOLANTE MORGANS 70mm 80a<br />
-Caliber 50* or Surf-Rodz 176mm RKP 45*<br />
-Blood Orange Ultra High Rebound Bushings<br />
-Blood Orange BushingsWaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-24480478467454473772013-05-08T19:51:00.000-04:002014-02-12T11:40:15.681-05:00The Hokey Poke-y -- Loaded Poke Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello My Students of Shred,<br />
Very recently, on May 1st to be exact, Loaded Boards added another deck to its offerings. The new board is called the Poke, which is pronounced "<i>Pokē</i>," and is a reincarnation of the Ceviche which was a reincarnation of its predecessor the fish. I believe this newest version blows the older ones out of the water, but we will get into that later... The Poke was designed to be a conqueror of cities in a tight, light, compact, and functional package.<br />
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Let's get into the nitty gritty of what makes the Poke the board it is today, with its technical specifications:<br />
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Alright, well now we know a little about what the Poke was designed for and what its specs are, but how does all information stack up against real world situations?<br />
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<b>Downhill</b><br />
I think that the folks over at Loaded would be some of the first people to tell you that the Poke is not intended for downhill use. However, since I always review things in a variety of riding styles, I took the Poke kind of fast. Now I'm not a silly, so I didn't try and break any records on it, but I cruised down some of my favorite runs on the Poke a few times.<br />
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When I took the Poke to "downhill" it was rocking Paris 150mm trucks and Orangatang FatFree 80a wheels. Not exactly the best setup to haul ass with but the sketchyness certainly made for an interesting ride. I have to admit that despite its teeny-tiny wheelbase the Poke was not as unstable as I thought it would be. The subtle wheel flares and tiny bit of rocker allow you to feel pretty locked in for such a little deck. One of the biggest ways in which the Poke is awesomer than the Ceviche is the larger platform, which is definitely a bonus when going down a hill.<br />
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<b>Freeride</b><br />
The Poke is a really fun thrasher to hit some lower speed freeride with. I like playing with slides on this deck a lot because the small size of the board paired with its sizable kicktail really lets you play with the terrain, like all those sidewalks on your local hills.<br />
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I don't think you're really going to want to hit slides while going like 40mph on the Poke, however, spinning with 180 slides and some quick technical slides are just a treat on this deck. The blunt slide has become one of my favorite "go to" tricks lately and they are oh so fun on the Poke. The kicktail really cradles your foot at all times which makes it very easy to pump from your tail, drop a curb, manual, and then hit nice little wheely slide without ever having to re-position you foot.<br />
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The kicks on the Poke are a very obvious feature with clear benefits without ever having stepped foot on the board. Something a little less obvious, but that I found to be nearly as crucial, are the wheels flares on this deck. Generally when I think of wheel flares I think of something that commands your attention (like those on the <a href="http://www.longboard-life.com/search?q=Kanthaka">Loaded Kanthaka</a>) but the flares on the Poke are tiny and almost easy to look over; that is, until you actually step on the deck. They are very subtle but you can definitely feel them under your feet and they help lock you in a surprising amount when carving hard or hitting a slide.<br />
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<b>Commute</b><br />
While Mr. Poke can be sketchy-fun on the hills and thrasher-fun while freeriding; commuting is actually one of the Poke's strongest disciplines. I generally don't find many top mount boards to be super strong in the commuting category because pushing a top mount for a long time gets tiring. That would be true of the Poke too... If you ever had to put your feet on the ground.<br />
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I have been testing the Poke on a variety of setups and on <i>all </i>of them I can pump for freaking days without laying so much as a toe on the ground. I'll get more into setups later, but on my Carver Trucks I can pump from the platform so hard that I can literally pump up and over small hills. When I rockParis trucks I just hop on the tail and tick-tack my way around town, again, never ever having to put my feetsies on the earth. I have to admit it is a ton of fun to skate this way.<br />
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In addition to be able to pump around via tick-tack the tail on the Poke is good for something else when commuting; getting airborne. You can use the tail to hop over cracks in the side walk and drop curbs all day. The Poke's tail is more functional than the one of its predecessor the Ceviche because it is much easier to ollie. I'm not great at it but I have been able to ollie up a few curbs on the Poke which is an awesome feeling (especially is someone random is watching, haha).<br />
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I will admit that the Poke is not my favorite board to actually push for a long time. Again, because top mounts just ride higher than most pushing boards; which are either a drop platform or a drop through board. Something that does help is the little bit of rocker on the Poke. This lowers the platform a wee bit and puts you closer to the ground.<br />
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<b>Freestyle</b><br />
I don't want to say that the Poke's best trait is freestyle skating, because it is <b>so</b> fun for commuting too, but boy do I like to hit tricks on this board. I mentioned that the kicktail on this deck is functional enough to ollie up a curb which means that it is also nice for lots of "street" style tricks. I started skating with longboarding so I never learned a lot of the more traditional street tricks, but I am pretty freaking close to kickflipping my Poke, which I am stoked about. <br />
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Now the Poke doesn't just have a kicked tail, obviously, it also has a nice kick in the nose too. The nose kick is great for tricks like pivots, shoves, and nose manuals (which I suck at right now, haha). I can ollie a little bit off the nose kick, but not nearly as well as I can with the more robust kick in the tail.<br />
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I mentioned that one of the biggest improvements the Poke made over its previous versions was the larger standing platform. This platform is worlds better for freestyle. It is not quite as asymmetrical as the Ceviche platform and it gives you a lot more room to land tricks. In addition if you are into board dancing the Poke's platform will suit you quite nicely, well for a smaller board. There is enough room to cross step, peter pan, even pirouette if you are accurate enough, haha.<br />
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I was a little bummed that Loaded didn't add a carbon fiber layer to tail of this board like they did with the Fattail and the Kanthaka. I feel like that would be a great way to add a little more durability to the board. However, that being said I always treat board I am reviewing terribly and intentionally try to beat them up and the Poke really isn't showing much wear in the tail.<br />
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<b>Setups</b><br />
There are a couple recommended setups for Poke. I ended up receiving one of the most unique truck combinations I have ever ridden when the Poke landed on my doorstep.<br />
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<i>Carver Trucks</i><br />
The aforementioned setup is a Carver CX.4 and C2.4 truck combination. Which is a traditional kingpin truck in the back and a reverse kingpin truck in the front. This setup is really trippy at first, but after you get used to it you won't want to try anything else (at least for pumping and carving). This is <i>the</i> setup for pumping. I have never been able to pump a board so easily or been so freaking agile. You can turn in a complete circle in less than the space of an average parking spot. This truck combination is super fun, but really weird to ride in reverse, so if you hit a 180 slide or a shove it your ride is going to feel wonky.<br />
For pumpy goodness I had my Carvers paired with some nice Orangatang 80a 4President wheels to get as much return possible from each carve/pump. <br />
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<i>Paris 150mm</i><br />
If you are someone, like myself, who really likes to hit 180 slides and tricks then you might want to consider going with a good ol' fashion set of Paris 150's. They are light and narrow which makes them great for flip tricks and spinning your board around in every direction possible. In addition you can still acutally pump the board really well with Paris trucks and some nice high rebound bushings, like Orangatang Nipples. <br />
When rocking Paris 150's I went with a set of Orangatang 80a Fatfree wheel which are super light and easy to break into a slide. <br />
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<i>180mm Reverse Kingpin Trucks</i><br />
Slapping on a set of 180mm trucks gave Mr. Poke quite a different feel. You sacrifice a little bit of its agility for a more stable base. I really liked riding a set of Paris 180mm trucks with <a href="http://www.longboard-life.com/2013/03/moronga-is-spanish-for-slide-orangatang.html?q=Moronga">Orangatang Morongas</a> on the Poke. This setup, I think, really lent itself to doing a little bit of freeride and gave me a more stable platform to stop down bigger tricks. <br />
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<u>The Bottom Line</u><br />
<i>Would I recommend the Loaded Poke to a Friend?</i><br />
I think that the Poke is a gnarly little thrasher that a ton of people would really enjoy, so yes I would. I think if you are looking for fast freeride or downhill you need to look elsewhere. Buuuut if you are looking for a fun little thrasher that can handle a variety of situations well then I would look at the Poke.<br />
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I think the Poke excels the most in both freestyle and commuting, but I don't think you need to separate the two disciplines while riding the poke. When I take the Poke to work, I'm not just pushing there, I am tricking and pumping and having a great time the whole way. My every day commute becomes an obstacle course of shred. The Poke gives you a nice marriage between freestyle and commute, I would say it is a "Free-muting" board, haha.<br />
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Thanks for Reading!!!<br />
Have any questions, comments, concerns, hatemail, recipes, suggestions, portraits??<br />
Send them my way!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
WayneWaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-59422204234999136022013-04-30T18:00:00.001-04:002014-02-12T11:39:57.156-05:00Making Sport of It -- Bustin Boards Sportster Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Why Hello There Friends,<br />
<br />
I come to you today with a review on none other than the Bustin Boards' Sportster. The Sportster is a compact, drop through, symmetrical board with a nice little shape. Looks can sometimes be deceiving because despite appearing to be a pretty simple board there are a ton of features subtly packed into this deck.<br />
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Before we see if these claims are true let's get into the technical specifications of the board:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sportster<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Length<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">36in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Width<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">9.75in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Wheelbase<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">30in <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Concave<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">9/16in <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rocker<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">1/2in <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Drop<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">1/2in <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Radial</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Other Features<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Drop Through, Forked Nose, Middle
Notches<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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If memory serves me correctly, when this board hit the scene it was presented as an all around board with the commuter in mind due to it's small frame and low pushing platform. Well I put that idea to the test and then some during my analysis of the Sportster.<br />
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<b>Freestyle</b>To be perfectly honest there is not much to say about this board when it comes to freestyle. Which is a result of having no nose or tail. Am I saying that it is impossible to try and freestyle on this board? No, because you can Cross Step and Old School Kickflip and do stuff like that, but you would be silly to get this board for freestyle. If you are looking to hit tricks then grab yourself a board with at least one kicktail.<br />
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<b>Downhill</b><br />
The Sportster surprised me with its downhill abilities. When the deck was released I read up on it and the Bustin site actually had me a little worried to take it too fast. However, I have found that it can get some hot nasty speed without a worry.<br />
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I attribute this to two things that are a combination of several deck traits. The first of which would have to be the way that the concave, radial drop, rocker, and notches in the middle of the board combine to make a very comfortable standing platform. I know that is a lot of features, so I will break some of them down a little further.<br />
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The radial drop and concave form a very nice point for you to plant your feet because the the little bit of drop gives you a little something to tuck against with your back foot. While the concave keeps your front foot locked in place nice and tightly.<br />
<br />
The second reason I believe that this board performs so well at speed is that it is so low to the ground. It is not necessarily a double drop platform, but it pretty close. The Sportster is not only a drop through deck but it rocks a full 1/2in of radial drop and rocker. This makes the deck much much lower to the ground than your average drop though.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGHIGfpbsRN4AEelhTyGc3zKbye_Tl3QYBZVrjWuGzLLp9RxBgzedML6FYBtakHP7t0cCsuwYO20gxGSADD3pxokjZqmINgpSpTn6cMdiRMcwqrkOKdgcxy1p9dj9N7EOkG_9ItyEzXrI/s1600/IMG_1226.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGHIGfpbsRN4AEelhTyGc3zKbye_Tl3QYBZVrjWuGzLLp9RxBgzedML6FYBtakHP7t0cCsuwYO20gxGSADD3pxokjZqmINgpSpTn6cMdiRMcwqrkOKdgcxy1p9dj9N7EOkG_9ItyEzXrI/s640/IMG_1226.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
I have taken this board to some of my fastest speeds without a problem, topping out in the low 40mph range, and not had a problem with it. So I think that the Sportster is more than enough to satisfy the downhill needs of the vast majority of the longboarding world BUT I do see why Bustin says it is not a race deck. The Sportster is not a flexy board, you cannot bottom it out or anything, but it does have a tiny bit of flex to it which can get a little treacherous when hauling ass. In addition, while drop through boards are a little more stable at speed they tend to slip out easier when turning, so taking a corner at 50mph on a Sportster might get a little sketchy.<br />
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<b>Freeride</b><br />
I have been reviewing a ton of stuff lately and because the trend lately is rock topmount boards it had been a while since I had ridden a drop through, none the less taken one out for some freeride time. I had totally forgotten how awesome it is to slide on a drop through, and the Sportster just made my freeride a dream. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBB_Iy8jX__3s7j24m7fjDVZa0UAvn8F3BNu5e1pCGmAO6s1Ysc5-jyjrZQyB61pLjmR6T12_3lPltIP9vAVnjF-GtY_wef4lHFxQ17LZU6NUwPjS6myI6ltE8vDsa5tsXI4Bv4-MBok5/s1600/IMG_1232.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBB_Iy8jX__3s7j24m7fjDVZa0UAvn8F3BNu5e1pCGmAO6s1Ysc5-jyjrZQyB61pLjmR6T12_3lPltIP9vAVnjF-GtY_wef4lHFxQ17LZU6NUwPjS6myI6ltE8vDsa5tsXI4Bv4-MBok5/s640/IMG_1232.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
The combination of a drop though, radial drop, rockered platform with a small wheelbase gives you an incredible amount of control in slides. Being so low on the Sportster allows you to get way more leverage over your trucks (and therefore wheels) when initiating slides. After getting a feel for this board I was hitting way longer slides than normal while, at the same time, feeling way more in control.<br />
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The platform of the Sportster doesn't only lend itself to downhill, it does a fantastic job keeping your feet where they need to be during slides too. Coming in at 9/16in (or a little more than half an inch) the concave on the Sportster is not super extreme and on paper seems kind of ordinary. However, in conjunction with the 1/2in radial drop it completely cradles your feet.<br />
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Your feet are locked in on one axis with the concave and then on another axis with the contours of the radial drop. I call these contours "the bubble" because it feels like a bubble under your feet. I feel so locked in on this board that I don't have to rock my signature monkey toe (where you hang your foot over the edge of the deck) nearly as often. Heck if I practiced I wouldn't have to monkey toe at all, haha.<br />
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<b>Commute</b><br />
I was very interested to commute on the Sportster for several reasons, the first of which is that the board being marketed as a commuter, the second being that I personally commute on a longboard to work every single day.<br />
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Because I am always pushing around somewhere a good commuter definitely has a special place in my heart. The Sportster definitely got one thing right, probably the biggest thing you need in a long push, it is super low. That same drop though, radial drop, rocker combination makes the board super low and therefore much easier to push than even a normal drop through board. This low ride height translates to less effort on each push so that you, the rider, can push longer more comfortably.<br />
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However, I think that calling the Sportster a "commuter" is a little bit of a misnomer. When I think of commuting on a skateboard I normally think of everything that goes into a commute: starting, stopping, dodging, curbs, doors, ect... A big part of my commute generally means hopping up or down the occasional curb. This is a little tricky to do on the Sportster unless you are wicked good at Early Grabs, haha. Mostly because getting off a curb is easy with an early grab but getting back up is the hard part. Therefore I think that the Sportster should be considered more a "long distance pusher" than a commuter.<br />
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The Sportster does have one more sweet trait for those pushers out there, wheel clearance. You can actually run a large variety of wheel sizes on the Sportster without having to worry about wheel bite. Which means whether you want to run teeny 62mm wheels or big ol' 75mm wheels you are not going to kill yourself by unexpectedly getting wheel bite. Having the capability to cruise on big soft wheels while pushing around town is great for all the cracks and bumps you will inevitably roll over. <br />
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<u>The Bottom Line:</u><br />
<i>Would I recommend the Bustin Sportster to a friend?</i><br />
I believe that any of my friends who are super in to pushing, freeride, and some downhill would love this board. The Sportster is low and aggressive.<br />
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You can take it fast, you can slide it, you can push it for freaking days. In addition you can run a large variety of wheel sizes on it which is always a nice bonus. If you have ridden a drop though board in a while then I highly recommend you break that trend and try out a Sportster, I guarantee you won't regret it.<br />
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Thanks for reading!!!<br />
Any questions, comments, concerns, setup ideas, hatemail???<br />
Send it my way!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome!<br />
Wayne<br />
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My Current Favortie Setup:<br />
-BUSTIN BOARDS SPORTSTER<br />
-Volante Morgan 70mm<br />
-Paris V2 180mm<br />
-Riptide Bushings<br />
-Daddies Bearings<br />
-As always a helmet and my Holesom Pucks Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-64416827066257577732013-04-24T21:41:00.000-04:002014-02-12T11:39:16.015-05:00Classic Thane for a Classy Shredder -- Abec 11 66mm Freerides Review -- by Ryan Conway <div>
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Hey guys, Ryan Conway here for an in-depth review on the Abec 11 freerides. This is a favorite wheel of many riders and rightfully so. This classic thane wheels sets the standard for sliding downhill. Abec 11 provides a variety of urethane for all riding styles. They are one of the few companies to have such a diverse arsenal of wheels. The wheels range from the 50mm Sublime Snotshots all the way up to the utterly massive 107mm Electric Flywheels. For those who did not already know, Sublime, Retro, and Pink are all part of the Abec 11 Wheel family.<br />
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First, I would like to thank Wayne Capps for giving me an opportunity to ride these delicious wheels: Thanks Wayne!<br />
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I am stoked to have had the opportunity to get on these wheels once again. I have ridden several sets of freerides and I am sure I will have them in my possession again sometime soon. This last set was a 66mm, radius edged (round-lipped) and offset sliding wheel. The 66mm wheel has a 39.0mm contact patch that allows for easy breakouts into slides. It has a durometer of 78a, which is on the softer side of the spectrum. These wheels are not stone ground. In other words, these wheels will not slide smoothly right out of the plastic. It takes a few glove down slides to tear away the mold release. You will notice that the wheel losses its shiny surface once they are successfully broken in. <br />
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<b>Freeriding the Freerides: </b><br />
This wheel is designed for sliding. The round lip, small contact patch, and offset core makes this wheel a favorite for many freeriders. Abec 11 utilizes their well-known classic thane for this wheel. Unlike their reflex formula urethane, the classic thane has a quicker wear. This means smoother drifting, and less grip around turns. For those who are wondering, yes freerides leave thane lines, and A LOT of them. I found the slides to be very predictable and controllable, with an easy break out. The break out is the biggest noticeable difference between Abec 11 Freerides and other freeride wheels. On the Abec11’s the break out into the slide is very smooth and gives little resistance. This is nice when doing quick slides, but can be a burden if you are trying to grip a corner. <br />
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<b>Stages: </b><br />
Break-in: As I said before these wheels require some breaking in, but this should only take a few choppy slides before they are sliding like butter. <br />
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<u>Post Break-in:</u> This is the ideal stage of freerides. When they still have their shape and size, this is the point where the wheel is the most predictable and consistent. <br />
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<u>Mid-range:</u> After some thane is lost and the wheels are about half of their original size, they lose some predictability. Although not much is lost, it is a noticeable difference. After this point thane disappears rapidly and “ice-outs” are more common. <br />
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<u>Riding the Core:</u> For those of us who like to wear down the wheels to the plastic core, abec 11 freerides provide a solid “longest standup” wheel. With little to no thane left on the wheel and the plastic core gleaming through, this wheel becomes icy, very icy. Thane lines are now very thick and only a few more slides before these wheels are toast. Your board will go from ride to slide with practically no effort at all. Slides will be longer and will cut off less speed.<br />
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<b>Recommendations:</b><br />
Abec 11 freerides are a versatile wheel for all skill levels. I would only recommend it to those who want to freeride/ freestyle and cruise. One of the cool parts about buying from Abec11 is the variety of sizes and durometers each wheel comes in. The Freerides come in 66mm, 72mm, and 77mm. The duros are 78a, 81a, and 84a. My favorite out of these was the 72mm 81a. I found that the larger size and harder thane increases the life span of the wheels without compromising riding and sliding quality. If you are having trouble with flat spots, the Freerides may prove helpful. With a slower wear-pattern than many popular sliding wheels, such as Sector Nine ButterBalls, Freerides are more forgiving. Flat spots will not occur as often depending on your weight and how persistently you hold the board at 90degrees. <br />
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This classic thane wheel provides all the tools necessary to slide, ride, thrash, and shred. If you haven’t picked up a set of freerides or its sibling wheel, the flashbacks, go get you a set. These wheels kick ass!<br />
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My Current Favorite Setup:<br />
-Omen Sugar<br />
-Caliber 44*<br />
-ABEC 11 66MM FREERIDESWaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-41732181395203206552013-04-18T19:23:00.003-04:002014-02-12T11:38:59.107-05:00These Wheels are Rad -- RAD Advantage Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I’ve been riding these new wheels around lately and they
are pretty RAD. There have even been a few instances that I thought they were
the RADdest wheels I’d ever ridden. These wheels I’m talking about are, of
course, none other than the RAD Advantages. They are big, white (when new), and
really rad. RAD (Rider Approved Designs) is a new wheel company run by some
people who aren’t new to downhill skateboarding. They are truly a “for skaters,
by skaters” company and the riders that are behind these wheels win races. Many
podiums were taken on prototype Advantages, so I think it’s safe to say that
they know what’s what when it comes to wheels.</div>
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According to the print on the wheel, these are: 74mm in
diameter, have a 58mm contact patch, and are 78a in durometer. They also have
sharp, square lips and a large, unique core. RAD Advantages (RADvantages?) are
a race wheel. At 74m by 58mm, they are certainly not small. The lips are sharp,
chunky, and well supported. </div>
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A big feature of RAD wheels is the Crown Core. The unique
core is supposedly 10 times stronger than a traditional core, which is nice, as
I’ve cracked some of the cores of other wheels with larger, exposed cores. The
RAD logo is supposedly a representation of a side-cut of one of their cores,
showing how the outer peaks support the lips to reduce chatter and vibrations.
If I ever kill these things I’ll cut one open and take a picture for you wonderful
people, but for now we’ll just take RAD’s word for it that that’s what the
cores look like. Practically though, the core works. RADvantages also don’t
seem to have the abysmal ride on rough pavement that I’ve come to expect from a
large-cored wheel. I don’t know if this is down to the urethane or the core,
and while they aren’t the plushest wheels around, they do ride quite smoothly
on rough pavement. The advantage of a larger core is the increased support when
sliding. This allows you to have a big, wide, soft wheel for grip with much
less of the choppiness typical of large, wide wheels in a slide as there is
less urethane deformation.</div>
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Being a wide, soft wheel, the first slides obviously weren’t
the best. Once the mold release started to come off (it was still relatively
intact after many miles of cruising and grip runs), the slide improved a lot. I
took them down a secret mountain road that has some of the worst pavement I’ve
ever seen and they shed speed quite well and the lips were rounding out a little
after a couple runs (4 slides over the 1.5 mile run). Interestingly, the white
urethane picks up color from the road when you slide. Really dark tar pavement
makes them black, but they also pick up the yellow from the lines on the road.
They slide well enough that before even properly breaking them in, I was
learning toeside predrifts with them. The break-out and hook-up points seemed
spot-on for this style of wheel. They held lines perfectly until pushed, at
which point they broke loose exactly how and when I expected them to. They’re
really predictable at speed, which I value immensely in a go-fast wheel.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SGu5xZw6t-EZmxYd0SkYrTB6iMun0G2HX3aqguIokJFyw4GQGKQwxKLyW9EegCl_zjPMCVyHHewx5rAdphPBdG_AtV99w2acyctgZX4J5aoKba1rHSwOsTsUMtQF8MPxxV_6jmYjElCD/s1600/Copy+of+IMG_0792.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SGu5xZw6t-EZmxYd0SkYrTB6iMun0G2HX3aqguIokJFyw4GQGKQwxKLyW9EegCl_zjPMCVyHHewx5rAdphPBdG_AtV99w2acyctgZX4J5aoKba1rHSwOsTsUMtQF8MPxxV_6jmYjElCD/s640/Copy+of+IMG_0792.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As far as roll speed goes, RAD Advantages are… interesting.
On most roads, they don’t feel noticeably faster (and certainly not slower)
than other 70-75mm square-lipped wheels. On a couple roads though, they were
quite surprising. The day we hit the previously-mentioned 1.5 mile run there
was a massive headwind coming up the holler. We were going slower than normal
and actually gripping more corners than is usually possible with the really
rough pavement. The friend I was riding with and I are usually about the same
speed on this hill, but I had to predrift a corner that he just cruised
through. Not because I had less grip, but because I was coming into the corners
way faster than he was. Later, we both botched a slide into a nasty toeside
hairpin so hopped back on at basically the same time. I let him get ahead a bit
but caught up immediately and put a huge distance between us quickly, despite
me carving and him not. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On a different road with very different pavement (very
smooth) I was noticeably faster than I had ever been before. I came into a
terrifying blind toeside corner as fast as I normally do and as the other
person I was riding with after airbraking about 40ft out. I normally tuck right
up to it and the friend I was skating with was able to, but I was just going so
much faster that airbraking put me at the same speed. They held the line
beautifully though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As far as grip goes, I’ve yet to have them break traction
(or even hint that they are thinking about it) while I was trying to grip
corners. Everything else has failed before the wheels do: my skill, the
confidence to make the turn that fast, the trucks, death wobbles into the
corner, etc. Grip level: high enough that you don’t have to worry about it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sorry if stories about how the wheels worked and felt for me
is not your kind of review; it’s the best way for me to get across the finer
details of the wheels. Here is a quick breakdown of how the wheels perform in
various disciplines:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Commuting</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
RAD Advantages are a fine commuting wheel. The ride quality
isn’t the best, but certainly isn’t bad. They accelerate decently quickly due
to the larger core (less urethane = less mass) but still hold speed well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Freestyle</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Uh…… no.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSGYKwbFFMpOIRpyX-XfNFeDNtE8nM1May9zmbZ02OcLYluIQIvfccUzaNOY4KIi0IAWfnduZhGU4sTZbfvWiLsC5hNL64RD_t36DPH29sdj1v6dafoeLy0XXnPPx9sGf0_Z5w53ide7W/s1600/Copy+of+IMG_0801.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSGYKwbFFMpOIRpyX-XfNFeDNtE8nM1May9zmbZ02OcLYluIQIvfccUzaNOY4KIi0IAWfnduZhGU4sTZbfvWiLsC5hNL64RD_t36DPH29sdj1v6dafoeLy0XXnPPx9sGf0_Z5w53ide7W/s640/Copy+of+IMG_0801.PNG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Freeride</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like I said, Advantages like to have some speed behind them
before the slide gets nice. They would work fine for some pretty fast freeride,
but not for slower stuff. It is a grippy thane that, in the Advantage shape,
wants to hold the road hard. RAD does make a freeride wheel (the Release) in
the same wonderful thane with the same wonderful core for you freeriders
though.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBluAQyQ-DShrmWm1-zf04ghO6UGjKEHbG2jR8VN2JDosW9k3DfoqKJNHtcWGBWgD7VjvnAxk7ktLoBvTZBNQIS2s6C3l85wvYYA4PuQ96jGwFqgTB7lBMHwO4S7RBDuY6tWOMwMIFPzT/s1600/Copy+of+IMG_0793.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBluAQyQ-DShrmWm1-zf04ghO6UGjKEHbG2jR8VN2JDosW9k3DfoqKJNHtcWGBWgD7VjvnAxk7ktLoBvTZBNQIS2s6C3l85wvYYA4PuQ96jGwFqgTB7lBMHwO4S7RBDuY6tWOMwMIFPzT/s640/Copy+of+IMG_0793.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Downhill</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">Going fast is where the Advantages have the advantage. They
are plenty fast, grip well, and slide very predictably when you want them to.
They’re my favorite downhill wheels for most roads<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">All-in-all, I’m really impressed with how the Advantages
fare for all types of speedboarding. Grip runs, technical runs, fast sweepers, glove
slides into tight hairpins, and pushing the limits of grip around tight corners
all felt really good. Would I recommend the RAD Advantage to everyone?
Certainly not. However, if you are looking for a downhill wheel that slides
predictably and grips beautifully, then RAD Advantages are a rad choice.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">As far as setups that work well with RAD
Advantages, they really shine as a downhill wheel and I believe they are best
used with setups designed with speed in mind. For me right now that happens to
be my Soda Factory Born to Hula on split 46*/39* Gunmetal Trucks. Whatever you
are most comfortable going fast on is the board I would recommend Advantages
for.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ybmpbT-3e22DIiKX6oKyydewDEsZczCL5WQUvfI_qeULIwbCd2cKLl7kOfT3J7ECxUGp1OUqzhpoJdb1xw-MuRRECF4GGaEycfi7fa8DhnYqbkcXqZLRFMPADjl6qxnhviCuRxu1eJHp/s1600/IMG_0045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ybmpbT-3e22DIiKX6oKyydewDEsZczCL5WQUvfI_qeULIwbCd2cKLl7kOfT3J7ECxUGp1OUqzhpoJdb1xw-MuRRECF4GGaEycfi7fa8DhnYqbkcXqZLRFMPADjl6qxnhviCuRxu1eJHp/s640/IMG_0045.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
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Current Setup:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Soda Factory Born to Hula</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gunmetal Mac Ten Trucks (46* front, dewedged to 39* rear)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Venom Downhill bushings 85a top, 87a bottom front; 87a top,
90a bottom rear</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Zealous Bearings</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
RAD ADVANTAGES 78a</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lots of riser</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A helmet with a RAD sticker on it; slide gloves with
Holesome slide pucks</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Questions? Disagreements? Stories of your own? Paintings?
Oddly-colored surfaces your RADs have picked up color from?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dragon Captain,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Matt</div>
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<![endif]-->Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-10751245464048623892013-04-03T22:18:00.000-04:002014-02-12T11:38:42.864-05:00All Up On YoFace -- Bustin Boards YoFace 39 Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey Scholars,<br />
<br />
Welcome to another installment of Longboard-Life. Today we will be looking at a board that is very new to the market, in fact in just came out a week or two ago with the 2013 Bustin Boards line-up. It is a board that I have been hoping to test since its first pictures were leaked a couple of weeks ago, the Bustin YoFace 39.<br />
<br />
Bustin boards dropped an entire Yoface family on the longboarding's lap recently with the YoFace 39 coming as the largest of the crew. The YoFace 39 is a a double kick board that was intended for a little more freeride than its smaller counterparts, the YoFace 35 and 32. I'm sure that everyone is eager to hear how this board handles on the road (or in the air) but before we get into that let's talk about the technical specifications of the YoFace 39.<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<b>Bustin YoFace 39<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Length<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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39.5 in</div>
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<b>Width<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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9.5 in</div>
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<b>Wheelbase<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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19-21 in</div>
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<b>Concave<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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0.375 in</div>
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<b>Tails<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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8 in each</div>
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<br />
Here is a link to the full description of the YoFace family as told by Bustin:<br />
<a href="http://www.bustinboards.com/v/bustin_longboards_nyc_yoface_longboard.asp" target="_blank"><b>The YoFace Lineup</b></a> <br />
<br />
Normally when I review a product I go out to specifically to try it in each of what I consider to be the main disciplines of riding: Commuting, Freestyle, Downhill, and Freeride. However, for this review I went out with the board and "flowed." I just went to skate and let the day take me where ever it wanted to. I happen to have a pretty fun and diverse run right in front of my house and that is where I took most of my pictures. Then I kept on moving into town and onto campus to hit more of my favorite spots. All in all a great day.<br />
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Although I reviewed the YoFace 39 in a different way than I normally do, I still have my write up nice and organized for you readers. You're Welcome.<br />
<br />
<b>Commuting:</b><br />
The biggest of the Yofaces is a pretty fun board to roll around town with. It is not too heavy, like a 8479870 ply freeride board normally is, and it is pretty nimble. The best part about commuting on the YoFace 39 is definitely the kicktails. The kicks on this deck are large and in charge and ready to ollie. Before I started riding this deck I would hop off a curb or maybe a two stair is I was feeling bold. Now, however, I am dropping 3 stairs like it's my job, even a four stair every now then! Which makes me feel all sorts of badass.<br />
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That being said the board rides a little bit high for commuting in my opinion. Maybe it's just because I am used to riding decks with drop through or a drop platform, I don't know, haha. But additionally I had to run tiny little 1/4 inch risers on my setup to ensure that I wouldn't get wheelbite (with RKPs) which put it ever so slightly higher up off the ground. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it is not UNcomfortably tall to skate, but after a mile or two of straight pushing you really start to feel the burn in your legs.<br />
<br />
<b>Downhill</b><br />
Even though the YoFace 39 is the largest of the YoFace bunch, and should therefore be the best at downhill, I didn't feel super confident going too fast on this board. I think that it may come down to preference though because the board does have some features that should allow it to get going pretty fast.<br />
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The YoFace 39 has little to no flex, despite its thin profile, and it has very comfy concave. Both of which generally translate to a board that is ready to hit some serious speed. I took my YoFace to about 35mph a few times that was about the limit of where I felt confident. However, in those few downhill endeavors I did notice something kind of cool. When putting myself into a tuck position I found that the wheel flares provided a nice spot to put your back foot up against.<br />
<br />
<b>Freeride</b><br />
Alright, I'm going to be honest with you. The Yoface 39 surprised me. Before riding it I thought it would be a pretty fun board to freeride but it turned out to be a fantastic board to hit dem slides with. The concave on the YoFace is not really something to write home about, coming in at only .375in or just over 1/3in, it is not incredibly-deep-lock-you-in-concave.<br />
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However it is not the concave on the YoFace 39 that you really rely on to hold you in during slides. It is actually the wheel flares. The YoFace line rocks what are called integrated wheel wells, which essentially means that the boards have wheel wells that are created by molding the board rather than just sanding it. These wheel wells give your feet a nice place to plant and lock in when sliding. Based on your foot position they feel comfortable with toeside and heelside slides without a problem and give you a little something more to grip onto with your feet than a flat deck would. I have been hitting some pretty serious slides on my YoFace 39 and I feel completely in control all of the time.<br />
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The YoFace 39 is stiff and has a pretty compact wheelbase which I think is great for throwing some big slides and for getting all spinny. The board can lock you in really nicely, as mentioned above, which most people think is awesome for holding out long long slides. However, I think people underestimate how important the right concave or features are to technical freeride. The YoFace is great for hitting 180 slides and working things like 360 slides (hard or soft wheel).<br />
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In addition, if you are trying to get all tech-y with your freeride skills, maneuvers like blunt slides and slides from the tail are made easier with continuous concave through the length of the board. Which means that even the tails of the deck have a little bit of concave to them. The tails are great for freeride fun, but let's be real, where do you think they really shine?<br />
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<b>Freestyle</b><br />
I think that a lot of people are really excited about the YoFace line because they are freeride friendly, however, I think that fact causes people forget that they YoFaces shine most when it comes to hitting tricks. The YoFace 39 literally begs to be freestyled real hard.<br />
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I am one of those people who never really skated growing up and I only just started a couple years back. Oh, and I started with longboards not a standard street deck. This basically means that I never learned the tricks that you would pick up on a standard skateboard. So when I got my YoFace I started practicing some street tricks like ollies, nollies, bigspins, kickflips, ect... All of which I learned to do on a regular longboard, but let me tell you something... Every single one of those tricks is significantly easier on the YoFace. I now see why most street decks and the YoFace line share a tail shape, trickability.<br />
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The contours of the YoFace develop quite nicely where the wheel flares and the tails meet. The unison of these two features creates what can only be described as the "manual zone." Putting your foot on this zone right between the tail and the wheel flares is a sweet sweet sweet spot for manuals. I have been using it to push my manuals longer and farther than ever.<br />
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<b>Durability</b><br />
Normally when I get a deck to review it comes in one of two conditions, either brand new, or a factory second with some cosmetic damage. My YoFace 39, however, came to me a little differently. Jeff and Jonathan from Bustin were in town taking a class and after a day of skating Jeff left his Yoface 39 with me to review. It was clear that Jeff has skated the hell out of this deck already so it wasn't a pristine new board, then I took it and shredded it even further.<br />
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I really have to hand it to Bustin, the construction on this deck is super solid. Not only did it stand up to the beating Jeff put it through, but I have been attempting to thrash the deck and it is not any worse for the wear. Well, it's kind of ugly on the bottom from scratches and what not, but structurally it is totally fine. Even the tails are holding up wonderfully, which is great to see in a double kick board.<br />
<br />
<i>It Can't All Be Good...</i><br />
Every product has its ups and downs and the YoFace 39 is no exception.<br />
The biggest issue I have involved weight. The deck itself is not heavy at all for a 39in board, but the setup you are likely to have it will be heavy. I say this because I feel like the YoFace 39, in my opinion, is actually best suited to reverse kingpin trucks and 65mm-70mm wheels. All of which weigh more than you average street deck components would. This is only a downside because I feel like people see the YoFace 39 and automatically assume it is just as easy to ollie, tre-flip, ect. as a street deck and that is just not the case. The Yoface 39, despite its general appearance, it not a typical street deck and will be harder to hit street tricks on. Not impossible, just more challenging than you might initially assume.<br />
<br />
<u>The Bottom Line</u><br />
Would I recommend the Bustin YoFace 39 to a friend?<br />
<br />
I think that the Yoface 39 would be a welcome addition to any quiver or a great "do it all" board. I think this is especially true for skaters who are mostly interested in freeride and freestyle. This board can slide with the best of them (especially if you throw some course grip on it) due to its comfortable concave-wheel flare combination and nimble wheelbase. In addition the nasty kicks let you hit all sorts of slides from the tail and open the door to tons of freestyle opportunities. The YoFace 39 is incredibly versatile (and coming in at less than 100 bucks) I believe it will become one of the most sought after boards on the market. Tip of the hat to Bustin Boards.<br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
If you have any question, comments, concerns, recipes, pictures, or hatemail, send it my way!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome<br />
Wayne<br />
<br />
My Current Favorite Setup:<br />
-BUSTIN YOFACE 39<br />
-Surf-Rodz RKP 176mm 50*<br />
-These 66mm CenterSet<br />
-Venom Bushings<br />
-Daddies Bearings<br />
As always, a helmet and my Holesom PucksWaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-12186715071613784222013-03-15T23:06:00.003-04:002014-02-12T11:38:13.585-05:00Tuesdays are for Skating Every Day -- Tiger Tuesday Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello Skatologists,<br />
<br />
I was stoked to be granted the opportunity to check out a new wheel on the market, Tiger Tuesdays, a wheel created by the crew over at <a href="http://tigerskate.com/" target="_blank">Tiger Skate Designs</a>. In case you haven't heard of Tiger Skate Designs let me fill you in a little bit. Tiger started out making slide pucks a year or so back and only recently delved into the world of wheels. Tuesdays are their first attempt at a wheel and Tiger obviously decided to center it around a pretty popular riding style, freeride.<br />
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Let me hit you with some technical specifications on Tiger Tuesdays real quick. Tuesdays are a 70mm wheels with a 37.5mm contact patch. The core of the wheel is 36mm and sits at a nice sideset. They come in one durometer, albeit a pretty atypical one, with a hardness of 81a. Tiger Tuesdays also arrive with a nice pre-ground surface for smooth slides as soon as you get them.<br />
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I took Tuesdays with me for every type of riding of I can think of and then some, haha. Now let me answer the question on all of your minds... How do Tiger Tuesdays handle when you're going hard in the paint?<br />
<br />
<b>Commute</b><br />
When you have a wheel that comes in at 70mm it basically means you are going to get a nice balance between roll speed and weight. Tiger Tuesdays do not disappoint in this balance. For those of you reading one of my reviews for the first time let me tell you a little secret. I commute on my board a lot. I'm not talking just a skate to and from a few buildings on campus... I spend at least a solid 40 minutes a day pushing to and from work.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TJ, my photographer, is not as enthused to be on a skateboard as I am</td></tr>
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Tuesdays are a pretty solid wheel to hit the streets with. They get up to speed pretty quickly and don't shed that speed easily. In addition, being relatively narrow makes them pretty light too, which is of course nice if you have to really push for a long time. I definitely enjoy rocking my Tuesdays on my pushing setup, however, they haven't stayed there. They move have shifted to a more appropriate setup.<br />
<br />
<b>Downhill</b><br />
To be perfectly frank, you aren't going to see anyone winning the world's biggest races on Tiger Tuesdays. Tuesdays just don't have the shape for it. 70mm wheels are definitely large enough to get you going and going fast as hell, but a larger wheel with a little more momentum will obviously get you slightly faster. I have taken my Tuesdays on some of my favorite downhill runs and found them to have at least a couple nice attribute for going fast.<br />
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The first of which is that, for a slide wheel and being pre-ground, Tuesdays do not break out into a slide when you're not ready for it. Don't get me wrong, these wheels beg to be drifted, but as long as you are not flying into a 90 degree turn at 45 mph they should hold a line pretty well. Additionally, while 70mm wheels, like Tuesdays, do not have the highest max speed, they accelerate quickly. Which translates to a nice transition between drifts and getting back up to speed.<br />
<br />
<b>Freestyle</b><br />
I know that Tiger Tuesdays were not really designed as a freestyle specific wheel, but damn are they good at it. Tuesdays are light, have a freestyle friendly contact patch, and a urethane formula that lends itself to kicking out into a quick slide or two.<br />
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I have been riding some pretty heavy setups lately but decided to slap my Tuesdays on something nice and light. I set them up on my Tantien for some freestyley goodness and it was fantastic. I know that flexy boards have fallen out of vogue in the community, but they are a ton of fun and the Tuesdays make the board all the more awesome. The entire setup was super light so my flip tricks and my early grabs were easy squeezy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimqWYAKML1IUNWMzQsMSnMQg5gwlUYNuS0Ayf8Lmv0R2alPLFPf4BPR2_B3-K_mhtJG_uqlJXofTudEXUE6F6ssNvHr2xzkfoZSID9Dm5e8Fc9h2Y6H3lznGl-DHAaRHt5oeN8O9WX9ha/s1600/IMG_1219.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimqWYAKML1IUNWMzQsMSnMQg5gwlUYNuS0Ayf8Lmv0R2alPLFPf4BPR2_B3-K_mhtJG_uqlJXofTudEXUE6F6ssNvHr2xzkfoZSID9Dm5e8Fc9h2Y6H3lznGl-DHAaRHt5oeN8O9WX9ha/s640/IMG_1219.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
In addition to contributing to a super light setup Tuesdays are great for freestyle because they can kick out into a slide without a problem. I mentioned that they grip a little downhilling, but if you put a little umph into your board the payback is a nice quick slide.<br />
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<b>Freeride</b><br />
Tuesdays are definitely a good all around wheel but I know for a fact that they were constructed to slide.... and slide well. I have only just started holding out big boy standies (and by that I mean like 25 feet on a good day) and I have been hitting all those big slides on my Tuesdays.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmfbDdvoTdkUwZhx7tLyybvBRklzCzf5S08If8nU5-zSJ5TDE3-LDhQ7nLFy1i3O8Ed48ca4WH3qKx7zjT2OkL4UOQKrypwjqBkV2uNujcrqOdb0Za20LTzPYwgq7BTDoauW3LlmCPQxnI/s1600/IMG_1228.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmfbDdvoTdkUwZhx7tLyybvBRklzCzf5S08If8nU5-zSJ5TDE3-LDhQ7nLFy1i3O8Ed48ca4WH3qKx7zjT2OkL4UOQKrypwjqBkV2uNujcrqOdb0Za20LTzPYwgq7BTDoauW3LlmCPQxnI/s640/IMG_1228.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
I have been hitting the slide game real hard on my Tuesdays and they have held up to the beating like a champ. I have been working on the biggest slides I can muster on these wheels and they have worn surprisingly well. Normally when you ride a wheel that drops thane all over the place, like Tuesdays do, you expect them to wear worse than a piece of chalk. However throughout their life I have encountered no flat spots, no ovals, no uneven wear pattern at all and yet these wheels actually dump urethane when they slide. I think I might have to attribute this to the 36mm wide core in Tuesdays. The large core (relative to the 37.5mm contact patch) doesn't allow the lips of the wheel to deform into weird shapes while sliding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcsf0RZikI-uZHI4nBBLgFEt6lGp8GBu4z5vL7fUjyJb8soZpvYtcZR1CF-HmWjwUtGK9RFIdLKOy0y7pEInlsuQeCVU25rEp1wy9VXvmeVEBqh2CdANMPVhhAp6DT0Q_Gqp-jcBNGL75/s1600/IMG_1231.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcsf0RZikI-uZHI4nBBLgFEt6lGp8GBu4z5vL7fUjyJb8soZpvYtcZR1CF-HmWjwUtGK9RFIdLKOy0y7pEInlsuQeCVU25rEp1wy9VXvmeVEBqh2CdANMPVhhAp6DT0Q_Gqp-jcBNGL75/s640/IMG_1231.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
I know what you're thinking: "Ok, so they wear well but how do they slide?" The slide on Tiger Tuesdays is consistent and smooth as silk. I mentioned that they like to thane and I was not exaggerating. Tuesdays will paint your favorite runs with nice white lines all day long. Even you shorter slides will drop some heavy thane on the ground. As is usually the case with a thane-y wheel Tuesdays make for a very controllable slide. I have been pushing to get my slides bigger and bigger have not iced out once on Tuesdays. They are amazingly predictable and consistent. It has been a long time since I have ridden a wheel that thanes so much but doesn't change its slide characteristics as it wears. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9sp2rDJRoCLBXPV3iv9OszQ2qhNU_x7EOenR41s2_qN_6qX4oEmNXrMy-wZmiy8wXHlWWIFOXDuGsm444ZKQTJy6wv36wIUfgjrGQXueYJqwKfzuqENvmhrLASK8q5eb6TsrhgOeaZR2/s1600/IMG_1232.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9sp2rDJRoCLBXPV3iv9OszQ2qhNU_x7EOenR41s2_qN_6qX4oEmNXrMy-wZmiy8wXHlWWIFOXDuGsm444ZKQTJy6wv36wIUfgjrGQXueYJqwKfzuqENvmhrLASK8q5eb6TsrhgOeaZR2/s640/IMG_1232.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<i>It can't all be good....</i><br />
Every wheel on the planet has it ups and downs and Tuesdays are no exception. I would venture to say that the biggest downside to Tiger Tuesdays is that they thane so much. I'm calling this a downside (even though some people LOVE leaving thane) because dropping lots of thane on the ground is essentially leaving your wheel on the ground. This translates to a wheel that is going to wear down pretty quickly. However, I will give Tuesdays this, having ridden wheels that thane a similar amount it would appear as though Tuesdays do have a longer life.<br />
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<u>The Bottom Line</u><br />
Would I recommend Tiger Tuesdays to a friend?<br />
My friends would freaking love Tuesdays. Mostly because in Chapel Hill we don't have a ton of long technical downhill runs but we have tons of hills for freeride. Tuesdays are a good wheel for a lot of things, but freeride is really where they excel. I have really enjoyed pushing my freeride game up to bigger and better slides with my Tuesdays and I think that anyone looking for a 70mm freeride wheel should place Tiger Tuesdays pretty high on their list.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpEPFkrEmvlRA41RDIZRZCcwgP61lrAAYgHGnjzIuD7mMt40ftdoz2904hZG5tJbiHsYEpe3uMVnJdBZSlQpkIq9khP_cC5fKEOcIXsYrOps0phat65i8RRFMZzaI9Iv91GQ6uvS8KSvU/s1600/IMG_1216.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpEPFkrEmvlRA41RDIZRZCcwgP61lrAAYgHGnjzIuD7mMt40ftdoz2904hZG5tJbiHsYEpe3uMVnJdBZSlQpkIq9khP_cC5fKEOcIXsYrOps0phat65i8RRFMZzaI9Iv91GQ6uvS8KSvU/s640/IMG_1216.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll leave you with this shot of my plumber's crack, haha</td></tr>
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Tuesdays wear well and have a slide that is controlled, predictable, consistent, and silky smooth. I wouldn't call it beginners luck, because I know that Tiger spent a ton of time developing these wheels, but for a first wheel they really nailed it.<br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
Any questions, comments, concerns, loveletter, stickers, stinkbombs???<br />
Send them my way!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
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My Current Favorite Setup:</div>
-Bustin Sportster<br />
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-TIGER TUESDAYS </div>
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-Surf-Rodz Trucks 176mm RKP 50*</div>
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-Blood Orange Ultra High Rebound Bushings</div>
-Daddies BearingsWaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-57629535102010181972013-03-11T21:50:00.004-04:002014-02-12T11:37:54.131-05:00Moronga is Spanish for Slide -- Orangatang Moronga Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDGscjZdqNjwfb8UULIBfRIumoRO_Cgrzvwkaz6-bWyFk7RKy3Em8XT_BNtynq3HsTHryZ0p_4c5-5OU9b_ZiNP2w8IPpaLSgTuGsoPD_CTVo9CY3Vu-sj2xSlJZuMlTeT1jGLrlQCYxJ/s1600/IMG_0997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDGscjZdqNjwfb8UULIBfRIumoRO_Cgrzvwkaz6-bWyFk7RKy3Em8XT_BNtynq3HsTHryZ0p_4c5-5OU9b_ZiNP2w8IPpaLSgTuGsoPD_CTVo9CY3Vu-sj2xSlJZuMlTeT1jGLrlQCYxJ/s400/IMG_0997.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9116071206517518" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hello Students of Radness,</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The chipper group over at Orangatang recently dropped another wheel sensation; the Moronga. A bunch of people in the community are saying that Morongas are basically Balut 2.0 and they may be saying that with some good reasons. The Moronga and the Balut have the same diameter, the some contact patch, and use the same urethane formula. However, I think that saying Morongas are a just a tweaked version of the Balut is kind of a simplification and that it glosses over the fact these wheels are, in fact, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">better</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> than Baluts in a variety of ways. </span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was lucky enough to be granted not one but three sets of Morongas. Which has allowed me to shred one wheel in each durometer and therefore give you the most complete review and overview possible. </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL98uu5i94BVr2juD1TQxuE0UaFxOFqURWsmQo_wqFSYaTaIjHKat3zBJn7_ASVmUu8Jh9UlgdPaVyKDuHYBNPZqcxBwER_aH2Id6nv2PWQ7YJVDwWP2RFbOTCHPcqWutLug7oxLskwJgQ/s1600/IMG_1002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL98uu5i94BVr2juD1TQxuE0UaFxOFqURWsmQo_wqFSYaTaIjHKat3zBJn7_ASVmUu8Jh9UlgdPaVyKDuHYBNPZqcxBwER_aH2Id6nv2PWQ7YJVDwWP2RFbOTCHPcqWutLug7oxLskwJgQ/s320/IMG_1002.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s get into the technical specifications of the wheel. Morongas come in the three signature color-durometer combinations offered by Orangatang: </span><span style="background-color: #ff9900; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orange 80a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: #351c75; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purple 83a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yellow 86a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The lower number, of course, being the softest and the higher number coming in as the hardest. Unlike the majority of Orangatang wheels Morongas are poured with a Euphorethane formula and not the standard Happythane. The core of the wheel is very large, wrapped in thane, and topped off with a rounded but relatively thick lip. In addition, the bearing seat is centerset which means the wheels can be ridden in any direction. Morongas have a 72.5mm diameter and a 35mm contact patch with a width of 44mm. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well now that we have got the techy stuff out of the way, let’s talk about how these bad boys handle in the field. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commute</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Morongas are a great wheel for cruising through town and impressing all the soccer moms with your commuting steeze. Coming in at 72.5mm they are a bit taller than your average wheel, which adds to your top speed, but they have a more narrow contact patch. This narrow contact patch translates to a wheel without a lot of weight behind it which means that you can get Moronags up to speed very quickly. I really like the fact that I can slide to a stop for a traffic light and push back up to my regular speed with minimal effort on these wheels. Unfortunately the Euphorethane formula in conjunction with that large core does have a little bit of a downside, that combination makes your wheels feel really hard under your feet. So if you commute over terrible pavement or lots of bumps the vibrations will start to rattle you after a few miles. </span></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7IO_k-pWZD7R1jBWizi8qYkbhHpHYjOZB74PmUkGWbylabjTWXOaEf8CaYfX94R79N3MNaBkLHKMXbZIizlRsR5TJvf61B1ZN8h6UXYn3ZEq-g8p3JkJeIwkf_LzPcWg4bi9dp1PeZmv/s1600/SAM_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7IO_k-pWZD7R1jBWizi8qYkbhHpHYjOZB74PmUkGWbylabjTWXOaEf8CaYfX94R79N3MNaBkLHKMXbZIizlRsR5TJvf61B1ZN8h6UXYn3ZEq-g8p3JkJeIwkf_LzPcWg4bi9dp1PeZmv/s640/SAM_0014.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have found that the </span><span style="background-color: #351c75; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purple</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or </span><span style="background-color: #351c75; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">83a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Morongas are my favorite hardness to push for a long time. Mostly because harder wheels are faster than softer wheels and soft wheels can eat up vibration. </span><span style="background-color: #351c75; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purple</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Morongas are right in the middle and allow you to achieve a nice balance between speed and vibration dampening. This balance is great for pushing between classes or for my 2 mile push to work every day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Freestyle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my opinion, when it comes to freestyle longboarding the lighter the wheel the better. Which is why Morongas kind of rock for freestyle. That narrow contact patch we talked about earlier makes them a hair lighter than other 72mm wheels. It is really noticeable when trying to hit serious flip tricks like bigspins and kickflips. The first time I slapped my Morongas on my </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://longboard-life.blogspot.com/2012/12/fairy-tales-really-do-come-true-loaded.html" target="_blank">Chubby Unicorn</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">after rocking 4Presidents, I kept over-rotating all my tricks because I wasn’t used to how light my setup had become haha. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtcEJlNC1c1W9XbSataJR5rEd2oCodggx3lwl-jZPe41taYRI19e-nxbFONZWfkb4X-6w0r-WIFLWT8EGrlrTh83uYwCJV9JcRRxZ2waAOPPaeEaVEOJudmUQay3ggn1STlhNweWb1BIY/s1600/IMG_1200.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtcEJlNC1c1W9XbSataJR5rEd2oCodggx3lwl-jZPe41taYRI19e-nxbFONZWfkb4X-6w0r-WIFLWT8EGrlrTh83uYwCJV9JcRRxZ2waAOPPaeEaVEOJudmUQay3ggn1STlhNweWb1BIY/s640/IMG_1200.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another nice aspect Morongas can offer all you freestylers out there is how easily you can pop them into a 180 powerslide. When I freestyle and link tricks I like being able to throw my board in and out of a switch stance through slides (much steezier than pivots) and Morongas let me do that without a problem. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E3aMSI9zd7morp1wweqAszPoEXcpJyOtHJ-AHj_f13ODSFOZcTPFCrSJKCf9zGM-0GoUiUFkLwokFoTgj0e3pwoVlzRKyWBxtXoB3BQVwOQRBaUfxDByopDggXQT_dY0pqM09CZgLr30/s1600/IMG_1197.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E3aMSI9zd7morp1wweqAszPoEXcpJyOtHJ-AHj_f13ODSFOZcTPFCrSJKCf9zGM-0GoUiUFkLwokFoTgj0e3pwoVlzRKyWBxtXoB3BQVwOQRBaUfxDByopDggXQT_dY0pqM09CZgLr30/s640/IMG_1197.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yellow</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">86a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Morongas are undoubtedly my favorite durometer to freestyle on. Being nice and hard is just so nice for flatland. Mostly because, as I mentioned, I like to kick out into 180 slides like it is my job. The </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yellows</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are definitely the easiest durometer to bust out a slide on the flats with and I dig it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Downhill</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I can tell you this much, while the Morongas are certainly not a downhill shape they can definitely get you from the top to the bottom. The 72.5mm diameter means that these wheels are going accelerate quickly and sustain a slightly higher top speed than your average 70mm longboard wheel. However, these wheels don’t have much bulk to them, which means they are not very massive, so they are not going to get as much momentum going as a wider wheel would. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MixAE4nyd9-RdOo8TZG8C6NN_d9wPZDupmUwrugu4KhUpUFqvgiywHoFYTHxzDXHekSqOULRMV2BkBrtiCfhBe2SmhRd1RrUltGOt8JUQrXthyRa9fb7PW1o3j38gXVXvFugqb94Cwwd/s1600/IMG_1182.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MixAE4nyd9-RdOo8TZG8C6NN_d9wPZDupmUwrugu4KhUpUFqvgiywHoFYTHxzDXHekSqOULRMV2BkBrtiCfhBe2SmhRd1RrUltGOt8JUQrXthyRa9fb7PW1o3j38gXVXvFugqb94Cwwd/s640/IMG_1182.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t think that Morongas are going to be anyone’s go to race wheel anytime soon (unless you’re racing some crazy technical course). That being said, I was very surprised at how much grip you can get out of Morongas when you want to, mostly with the softer durometer. I was surprised because the wheels are so slidey in general but if you really spend some time on them you can easily learn their grip-slide patterns. If nothing else Morongas are predictable, which is fantastic when going fast and you need to know exactly what your wheels are going to do. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjw1kfnCE5B78CmSHqD36lrYntQ4B1xhiI9u-M9Y-kpEKJaTbpk5NUyI0vPSSMQv-9cs4xPm0BOBEtb1Dwi6KcFXbEjdH8H72Mb_47XlX2JlBy6C4-aUvcBw7N_mnXzgCTKCdXU6ZdUSNg/s1600/SAM_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjw1kfnCE5B78CmSHqD36lrYntQ4B1xhiI9u-M9Y-kpEKJaTbpk5NUyI0vPSSMQv-9cs4xPm0BOBEtb1Dwi6KcFXbEjdH8H72Mb_47XlX2JlBy6C4-aUvcBw7N_mnXzgCTKCdXU6ZdUSNg/s640/SAM_0011.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are looking to downhill on these wheels then I highly recommend the </span><span style="background-color: #ff9900; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orange</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or </span><span style="background-color: #ff9900; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">80a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Moronagas. They have the most grip out of the three and drift beautifully. I tried going fast on my </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yellow</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Morongas a couple times, it was scary, haha, they cannot offer the predictability and smooth drift at speed that the </span><span style="background-color: #ff9900; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orange</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ones can. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Freeride</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think that we all know what Morongas were really meant for... slides on slides on slides. Morongas eat freeride for breakfast and poop out silly long standies. You might think that was a joke but I am deadly serious. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZtnlr_LfH11Iq2UzNCWhdkaBayyPUObt37YQHcXReg6ZymMWlWDjepw41CH5VVnhyj9bpkvcnxbKO7tOlkKXpjmZuxW7ZExRWbNgzYUaLegu2DMIUtBuDaTg6i34PHyD4mwmZ_kor0VH/s1600/IMG_1188.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZtnlr_LfH11Iq2UzNCWhdkaBayyPUObt37YQHcXReg6ZymMWlWDjepw41CH5VVnhyj9bpkvcnxbKO7tOlkKXpjmZuxW7ZExRWbNgzYUaLegu2DMIUtBuDaTg6i34PHyD4mwmZ_kor0VH/s640/IMG_1188.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having such a narrow contact patch give you less resistance against the ground when looking to hit slides. That’s just plain and simple science. In addition to that narrow contact patch Morongas are rocking a pretty sweet lip shape. The lip is rounded and thicker towards the outside of the wheel relative to the inside near the bearing seat. This allows the contact patch to remain consistent down to the core of the wheel (note: I have not been able to core these wheels yet because they are so durable. I know the aforementioned information based on the design of the Moronga itself). The core is very large, it is the same spoked core as the Balut, and works in conjunction with the lip shape to offer exceedingly minimal wheel deformation while sliding. Which all boils down to a very very consistent wheel and slide. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlWhqNdMgGsQPu-rvzhnE9Y4OMZHJj29eLtpiDhyphenhyphenBTYfuRQPDiOEfptKz9u4Nu7nLDJGJ8DhOVcIe3gWe8dW5j42-YdlYXTmyl2dnK-iYvMuWir3-3V4GsdweQ9ckXDiq6nDmO8qgz8Ex/s1600/IMG_1187.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlWhqNdMgGsQPu-rvzhnE9Y4OMZHJj29eLtpiDhyphenhyphenBTYfuRQPDiOEfptKz9u4Nu7nLDJGJ8DhOVcIe3gWe8dW5j42-YdlYXTmyl2dnK-iYvMuWir3-3V4GsdweQ9ckXDiq6nDmO8qgz8Ex/s640/IMG_1187.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to being inherently slidey due to their contact patch and lip shape Morongas are also poured in Orangatang’s Euphorethane formula. Euphorethane is definitely one my favorite thanes out there because it is so freaking durable. The trade off in durability is that Morongas do not dump thane like some less durable wheels on the market, but that is not a problem for me. I don’t need to measure my thane lines to have fun. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>How do they slide?</u> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Morongas slide fantastically all the time. However they feel different based on how you are sliding them. If you are using your Morongas without going very fast they are going to be a little noisy. Now, I think this kind of scares people off because they think noisy means chattery, but let me be clear in that they are </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> chattery. They may let out a majestic call, much like a hawk, when being slide at slower speeds but the slide is still smooth and consistent. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, if you are going fast enough to hold a slide out for more than 5 feet or so they quiet right back down. They jump from the noisy zone to what I call the sugar zone. What is interesting about Morongas is that when they truly break free after a few feet of sliding, into the sugar zone, you can hardly feel the transition. I have noticed with many other wheels that the transition between trying to grip and breaking free can be kind of jerky and weird. Morongas have no such problem and are very predictable under your feet.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__2GG3SsSc2Qb8B6_akjc-Ahl_pFHlZMzmp92p-ujG_0_RMs9z1m8NfM1u85u07UL18YRcfwozyv4emFrTC_tGP17BTzinS09UhInuzbf8Gf1Gf1_si2A1MS1AsUTsZrxkYhVFpJAm3BR/s1600/IMG_1190.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__2GG3SsSc2Qb8B6_akjc-Ahl_pFHlZMzmp92p-ujG_0_RMs9z1m8NfM1u85u07UL18YRcfwozyv4emFrTC_tGP17BTzinS09UhInuzbf8Gf1Gf1_si2A1MS1AsUTsZrxkYhVFpJAm3BR/s640/IMG_1190.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When it comes down to freeride I think that any color Moronga would serve you well, it all depends on how you ride. If you are just learning how to hold out long slides go with the harder </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yellow</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ones. For those of you who have been enjoying freeride for a while now but don’t hit slides over 25mph I would consider the </span><span style="background-color: #351c75; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purples</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. People who love to hit a billion foot slides after going 45mph should definitely get the </span><span style="background-color: #ff9900; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orange</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I personally rock the </span><span style="background-color: #351c75; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purples</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and love them! However, always remember that I cannot give you a definite recommendation on durometer because in the end it all comes down to preference. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It can’t all be good...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nothing is perfect; and Morongas, although awesome, are no exception to this rule. I would say the only real downside I have come across with this wheel is on the commute. The large core and dense Euphorethane formula makes for a rough ride over bumpy pavement. Morongas can shake your teeth out of your head after a mile of rough pavement, haha. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bottom Line</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Would I recommend Morongas to a friend?<br class="kix-line-break" />I think that Morongas are fantastic wheel and that they suit the needs of a very diverse group of riders. If you are into freestyle grab yourself a set of the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yellows</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. If you like to freeride then either the </span><span style="background-color: #351c75; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purple</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or the </span><span style="background-color: #ff9900; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orange</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will suit you at whatever speed tickles your fancy. If you haven’t taken the time to try Orangatang products then there has never been a better time than now. Morongas are killing it! </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzMAfjpvurhQdEi7rip8bciyigB3T3RwCCXSpLFIhVds1jhcWJ54CeTRMDGaQtip7sw77AvK9T090fryGb2FJ9FIQsZ3NOIsx6ddi62tNQgge0xFOoee_Jt4EhYq_jyrXBhnOze5pWSTo/s1600/IMG_1206.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzMAfjpvurhQdEi7rip8bciyigB3T3RwCCXSpLFIhVds1jhcWJ54CeTRMDGaQtip7sw77AvK9T090fryGb2FJ9FIQsZ3NOIsx6ddi62tNQgge0xFOoee_Jt4EhYq_jyrXBhnOze5pWSTo/s640/IMG_1206.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thanks for Reading! <br class="kix-line-break" />Any Questions, Comments, Concerns, Hatemail, Spam???<br class="kix-line-break" />Send it my way!<br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" />Stay Awesome,<br class="kix-line-break" />Wayne</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dCe7N7MkUYnn-VNBVERRdYcutKQZfj4MQVwKhCC7j_sCi4eAzJJ-2gABgqm7z3nccOuA5RXmbaohlk6oy4GhMFqgWtjYWfMGjG4F7BHfWthdNBIUK28mzmXvhrsTciaBcoa8Xyt1SQaF/s1600/LOGO.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dCe7N7MkUYnn-VNBVERRdYcutKQZfj4MQVwKhCC7j_sCi4eAzJJ-2gABgqm7z3nccOuA5RXmbaohlk6oy4GhMFqgWtjYWfMGjG4F7BHfWthdNBIUK28mzmXvhrsTciaBcoa8Xyt1SQaF/s200/LOGO.png" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Current Favorite Setups:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" />Commute:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Bustin Sportster</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Surf-Rodz RKP176mm 50*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-ORANGATANG MORONGA 83a</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Venom Bushings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Daddies Bearings</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Downhill:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Loaded Chubby Unicorn</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Surf-Rodz RKP176mm 45*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-ORANGATANG MORONGA 80a</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Venom Bushings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Daddies Bearings</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Freeride</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Loaded Chubby Unicorn</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Surf-Rodz RKP176mm 50*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-ORANGATANG MORONGA 83a</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Venom Bushings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Daddies Bearings</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Freestyle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Loaded TanTien</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Paris V2 180mm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-ORANGATANG MORONGA 86a</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Orangatang Nipples (soft)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Daddies Bearings</span>Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-38196028389200780272013-03-02T12:58:00.001-05:002014-02-12T11:37:35.527-05:00the Gnarbiter -- Original Arbiter 36 Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVpepX9akQI95Y3OzBK79F_LolAe69vU4aAJQCJenpboKGoz8b2POzrK6powrs_tbO1S9rxSsLJsTeqaMR1SlWZtT7enOjc_wjLeNrOxiXvFQd6moEqDM-2F0jTwji0N1Mx-0f2lF6b8s/s1600/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVpepX9akQI95Y3OzBK79F_LolAe69vU4aAJQCJenpboKGoz8b2POzrK6powrs_tbO1S9rxSsLJsTeqaMR1SlWZtT7enOjc_wjLeNrOxiXvFQd6moEqDM-2F0jTwji0N1Mx-0f2lF6b8s/s400/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
Hey Longboard Enthusiasts,<br />
Original has really been stepping their downhill/freeride game up lately and added a couple new decks to their line-up. I have been rocking the Original Arbiter 36 for some time now and shredding it super hard every dry day we have we had in Chapel Hill. The Arbiter is a topmount speed board dedicated to going fast and doing it well. I have been pushing my downhill and freeride game to new limits on the Arbiter and hitting speeds that are downright intense.<br />
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Before I start to prattle on about how the Arbiter handles in real live skate situations, let's cover the technical specifications.<br />
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<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="140"></col><col width="257"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Original Arbiter 36</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Length</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">36in</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Width</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10in</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wheelbase</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">26-28in</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Concave</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2/3in at 10in</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rocker</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1/2in</span></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Special Features</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kicktail, Tub to Cereal Bowl Concave
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Per usual I will be reviewing this deck in what I consider to be the four main disciplines of riding. </div>
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<b>Freestyle</b></div>
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The Arbiter is not a freestyle board by any means, nor was it intended to be one. The solid 9 ply construction and 10 inches of width make it a little heavy for most flip tricks. However, if you are dead set on trying to freestyle this board it does have one thing that will make it easier than most downhill decks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmQ2JO2XjgtiM3jSBe4CT6PNHxozkFvpBhrFbmVDRqbWL_AmFtrbU63pj-p2Oz2SyxR3wsFOLx6rL05Wgzx7KuCGDpPv5afFfgzPqo4QWucA41TIgSowJ781JsaOWn5_JD3F8uUftFo-a/s1600/photo+%25286%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmQ2JO2XjgtiM3jSBe4CT6PNHxozkFvpBhrFbmVDRqbWL_AmFtrbU63pj-p2Oz2SyxR3wsFOLx6rL05Wgzx7KuCGDpPv5afFfgzPqo4QWucA41TIgSowJ781JsaOWn5_JD3F8uUftFo-a/s400/photo+%25286%2529.PNG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
The Arbiter has a little kicktail on the back end. The kick isn't a huge honking ollie slapping tail, but it is enough to hit some manuals and shove its. If you really want to get creative you can even hit moves like big spins, but you're going to need to commit to it, haha. I found the little kick to be most useful for things like tigerclaws where I want to pop my board up into my hand real quick to jump a curb or not have to bend down to pick it up. </div>
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<b>Commute</b></div>
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I really hit the commuting hard on the daily basis and I have commuted the heck out of the Arbiter. The Arbiter has similar commuting issues to most freeride or downhill boards in that it is heavy and relatively high off the ground. However, the deck does feature a lovely 1/2 inch of rocker which does get the rider a little bit lower. Let's be real, anyone who regularly commutes more than a few miles on a longboard can tell you how nice it is to be close to the ground for pushing.<br />
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However, for the same reason that the Arbiter can actually do a little freestyle it ends up being a pretty solid commuter (despite the weight) for a freeride deck, and it is all cause of that kicktail. I have said it before and I will say it a million times over, every board needs at least one kick. I can't express how nice it is to have the option to drop a curb or pop your board up real fast when weaving through people, traffic, sewers, trash, pets, ect...<br />
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<b>Downhill</b><br />
Now we are starting to get into where the Arbiter earned its mantle of Gnarbiter. I have ridden my fair share of downhill boards, topmounts, drop thoughs, drop platforms, doubles drops, you name it. However, it is rare when I find a board of such a seemingly simple shape that I truly feel so confident on. Yes the 1/2 inch of rocker is a slight benefit when pushing, however, when going fast you really start to understand why it is there. That 1/2 inch feels more pronounced than I thought such a subtle characteristic was capable of. Being lower to the ground helps you feel more stable when careening down a hill and that little bit of rocker helps me feel more stable on the Arbiter than I do on the majority of topmount boards.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoAYOdS6Zt29YMfR7v8kM1qHjFfWpNXiaG3uQr5x5rG6dHQWP1T5Aq5fuxeQ5kMOAuTpTeLKWvg4qOeTvscYSRo-cK6SDs0-owBJpRctt2gdTNv2sJIeVS-NFWzYSjHcMedNDrHmZaMQC/s1600/photo+%25283%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoAYOdS6Zt29YMfR7v8kM1qHjFfWpNXiaG3uQr5x5rG6dHQWP1T5Aq5fuxeQ5kMOAuTpTeLKWvg4qOeTvscYSRo-cK6SDs0-owBJpRctt2gdTNv2sJIeVS-NFWzYSjHcMedNDrHmZaMQC/s400/photo+%25283%2529.PNG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
I feel that about a 1/2 inch of concave has become a pretty standard figure to see on many popular boards these days. The Arbiter, on the other hand is rocking a slightly deeper 'cave coming in at 2/3 inch. This deeper concave is great because when you are going fast it's very nice to know that your feet aren't going to slip out of place on you. In addition there is a tiny little cereal bowl in the real end of the deck and while I'm no expert at tucking, it does feel very nice under your rear foot while in super tuck mode. However, despite all of the benefits the concave on this deck has for downhill I think that it is the most beneficial in freeriding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIu5I1N-sT-HPVfIqNYYKW-qAZzAotArhlYC-mCqfmkV3ZrzippEQbTi1q2aLvNIw2HZipK2DyUUnNQl2Z0c-T_MwPHP5fxFEVFjhgy2H2aajmfRbyQESkgIQvrsRH5oCoxbfcfK64XnwN/s1600/photo+%25287%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIu5I1N-sT-HPVfIqNYYKW-qAZzAotArhlYC-mCqfmkV3ZrzippEQbTi1q2aLvNIw2HZipK2DyUUnNQl2Z0c-T_MwPHP5fxFEVFjhgy2H2aajmfRbyQESkgIQvrsRH5oCoxbfcfK64XnwN/s400/photo+%25287%2529.PNG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>Freeride</b><br />
The Arbiter is the topmount freeride version of a bald eagle riding a dinosaur.... just plain awesome. Whether you are just getting into freeride, are a seasoned pro, like hitting tons of 180 slides, or holding out kajillion foot standies the Arbiter is a great board for all of your freeriding needs.<br />
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I know that the trend in skating lately has been to rock directional topmount boards, however, I haven't really found one that I felt fantastic on until the Arbiter came into my life. It may just be me, but I hate when I come out of a slide into switch and it feels like I'm riding a completely different board. The Arbiter is definitely asymmetrical, but not wildly so, which lead it to earn big points in my book by being equally comfortable in both regular and switch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSThSWCOOtEdtZCmsApm4SimTCaAai9FMdWFAYhZ87k_PryzNjyOYZPmrXSGN7g-HktqeSxs2R5RwRD59h9YaL7JjEo4DsRmy5A0VGn2Is7CE6Jr2rpzaPwFhASlxFImqh4HrC3dAhCRLf/s1600/photo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSThSWCOOtEdtZCmsApm4SimTCaAai9FMdWFAYhZ87k_PryzNjyOYZPmrXSGN7g-HktqeSxs2R5RwRD59h9YaL7JjEo4DsRmy5A0VGn2Is7CE6Jr2rpzaPwFhASlxFImqh4HrC3dAhCRLf/s400/photo.PNG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
I mentioned that the concave of this deck is great for downhill, but that it really shines in freeride, and I stand by that statement. The concave is deep enough and wide enough to put my average size feet into no problem and to feel locked in. I have never had an issue with my feet slipping out while holding slides on this deck. However, the concave is not so extreme that I feel like my feet are stuck either. Which is great if you are into some technical freeride because you hit things like slide shoves and one footed slides without a problem.<br />
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Coming in at a nice compact wheelbase of 26-28in the Gnarbiter is very nimble when hitting the slopes. If you are a fan of compact wheelbases then you will really enjoy the freedom of mobility the Gnarbiter offers while shredding sideways. The size of this wheelbase lends itself equally well to rotational (180) slides, checks, and holding standing slides. The shape of the deck also lets you get your feet right over both trucks so you can put the power back into your powerslide.<br />
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<i>It can't all be good...</i><br />
No deck is perfect and the Arbiter is no exception to this rule. I think the biggest downside to Arbiter may be its specificity. Being geared towards a certain type of riding is never a truly bad thing, I just think that if someone is looking for an all around deck they may want to shy away from the Arbiter. It is a little bit heavy to push around all day in a commute or to freestyle on. Which leads me to believe that your average college kid should look towards a more all around deck to get to class on... unless that kid is a downhill/freeride machine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqyKja5xXyo3kt5dGxj4pcl9A1iVskq40rImQzcVmdVjlMRo8brrTfhyphenhyphencb_am5p2oIKLTg-OtaAJ0A6Q7yVSpRGyVDOfem5YzDAKTNIhP-wR6mmlo8ZdZshHH6plIc-4v75vAc7eqm_GM/s1600/photo+%25281%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqyKja5xXyo3kt5dGxj4pcl9A1iVskq40rImQzcVmdVjlMRo8brrTfhyphenhyphencb_am5p2oIKLTg-OtaAJ0A6Q7yVSpRGyVDOfem5YzDAKTNIhP-wR6mmlo8ZdZshHH6plIc-4v75vAc7eqm_GM/s400/photo+%25281%2529.PNG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<u>The Bottom Line</u><br />
Would I recommend the Original Arbiter 36 to a friend?<br />
Yes, I definitely would! In fact it is a resounding yes! However, keep in mind, most of my friends love to freeride, haha. If you are looking for a topmount downhill and freeride board with an asymmetrical shape and a compact wheelbase I honestly don't know what else you could be looking for. The Arbiter is comfortable, stable, locks you in, and even has a baby kicktail. The Arbiter has truly earned its mantle of Gnarbiter in my book and I strongly encourage all you freeriders out there to give it a shot.<br />
<b><br /></b>
Any Comments, Questions, Concerns, Stickers, Loveletter, Memes???<br />
Send them my way!!!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
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<br />
Current Favorite Setup:<br />
-ORIGINAL ARBITER 36<br />
-Surf-Rodz 176mm RKP 45*<br />
-Orangatang Moronga 72.5mm 80a<br />
-Venom SHR Standard Bushings 83a<br />
-Daddies Bearings<br />
-Hole Pucks<br />
-Helmet (all the time!)</div>
Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-50052477847604698962013-01-25T19:39:00.000-05:002014-02-12T11:37:21.746-05:00An Illuminating Wheel -- Northern Lights Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello My Friends,<br />
<br />
I have recently started riding a new set of wheels, Northern Lights by Balance Skate Products. Northern Lights are new to the Balance line-up and were designed as an all around wheel with a knack for all of your freeride endeavors. Something really cool about these wheels is that the cores actually glow in the dark. Yes, you heard me right, the cores glow in the freaking dark!<br />
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Which means as soon as these wheels arrived at my house, before I even put them on board, I let them sit under a lamp for a minute then turned off all my lights. Northern Lights lay no false claims. They totally glow in the dark, which is just plain old fun.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9sTB16dUdA5ka1ZSVTJvl9WsNCH4zhV9sDL1QKaSnDgJlOGayh3J7_dDnFkrcZpy43iDGOkFQ4VWXqAH_F5pRcN6BJq99f3KkM5TsBFFqcySL8wTnvNNSYhvxmpn9qffPIPSOyy-ECdC/s1600/photo+%252812%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9sTB16dUdA5ka1ZSVTJvl9WsNCH4zhV9sDL1QKaSnDgJlOGayh3J7_dDnFkrcZpy43iDGOkFQ4VWXqAH_F5pRcN6BJq99f3KkM5TsBFFqcySL8wTnvNNSYhvxmpn9qffPIPSOyy-ECdC/s640/photo+%252812%2529.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
I know everyone is curious about how well these wheels handle, but before I get into that, let's talk about the technical specifications of the wheel. Balance Skate Products' Northern Lights are 70mm in diameter with a 38mm contact patch. The core, aside from being glow in the dark, is slightly offset. Northern Lights come in only one durometer of 83a. They are round lipped and the riding surface is stone ground or "pre-broken-in."<br />
<br />
<b>Downhill</b><br />
Northern Lights are not really a downhill specific shape, however, I have taken them pretty fast more than a few times and was happy with the results. Coming in at 70mm makes these wheels a very typical size for longboarding but not necessarily for super downhill mode which normally rocks wheels around 75mm. Bigger 75mm wheels have a higher top speed than 70mm wheels so you probably aren't going to break any speed records on your Northern Lights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWloz6sHNFieODwzyKcNKbIoR-5EZnD_nOD-FkDdl3NWpIK9HPyDW84oe4WOM_BfLu5niMHUjpcc_OWGPWrHyDGnMmkp_-d4ExETjmtAYjujxPIziz4GwDn0YEA7r42gOxJFefVFtZtO4/s1600/photo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWloz6sHNFieODwzyKcNKbIoR-5EZnD_nOD-FkDdl3NWpIK9HPyDW84oe4WOM_BfLu5niMHUjpcc_OWGPWrHyDGnMmkp_-d4ExETjmtAYjujxPIziz4GwDn0YEA7r42gOxJFefVFtZtO4/s640/photo.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
However, these wheels are actually really fun if you like a little bit of slide in your downhill runs. The narrow contact path and the rounded lips make for a very drifty wheel when going fast. If you like to go fast and then slide through a turn the you will enjoy these wheels. That being said, Northern Lights are surprisingly grippy when you want them to stick and held some moderately turny lines when pushing some speed.<br />
<br />
<b>Commuting</b><br />
I do a lot of skateboard commuting (despite the bitter winter cold) on my way to work every day. My commute to work is about two miles long with lots of hills, roads, sidewalks, curbs, cars, and people to maneuver through. I put Northern Lights through these motions every single day, two miles there, two miles back, on every dry day since I got them back in December. Two of the things I really liked when commuting on these wheels were the quick acceleration and the light weight.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-6R43K-F6aWNQc2pHSmuc5R9Ryh_HPIkKyM6SMgpKNmuMSEZvEnmuEB1NUd0_0bOTtMvsIq6DHWPCLjigONDktjmQwy2Ze7FkDtnLsNpZDLCds-vLXGvQK6O3rPL4l4Ir23_KZwWxFDQ/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-6R43K-F6aWNQc2pHSmuc5R9Ryh_HPIkKyM6SMgpKNmuMSEZvEnmuEB1NUd0_0bOTtMvsIq6DHWPCLjigONDktjmQwy2Ze7FkDtnLsNpZDLCds-vLXGvQK6O3rPL4l4Ir23_KZwWxFDQ/s640/photo+%25282%2529.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Being a 70mm wheel means that you really don't have to put that much effort into getting these bad boys up to speed. One or two pushes and you are well on your way. They don't hold speed for a super long time, like a more massive wheel would, but since it takes so little effort to push them it is definitely a fair trade off. Additionally I really enjoyed how light these wheels were when I had to push them for two miles every day.<br />
<br />
<b>Freestyle</b><br />
I mentioned that having a light weight wheel was great for pushing around town, well I think that a light weight might be even more applicable to freestyle skating. If you like to freestyle as much as I do then you probably already know how beneficial a light wheels can be. Northern Lights are great for flip tricks because they don't weigh your board down very much, especially for a 70mm wheel, which means your spins or flips don't require a Herculean effort.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7P856HUMV8o9CFTZg9W2ikQF3uaWXGojXd6GIVulQojuQXaLscLya3-6n04kS00g__KXRm6P_ZguZ2QX06AcE7ATGTnmWCtD3t5ksONgE_fbUCVLsW4dX043dowXbmpeO2BThuebiWTI/s1600/photo+%25289%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7P856HUMV8o9CFTZg9W2ikQF3uaWXGojXd6GIVulQojuQXaLscLya3-6n04kS00g__KXRm6P_ZguZ2QX06AcE7ATGTnmWCtD3t5ksONgE_fbUCVLsW4dX043dowXbmpeO2BThuebiWTI/s640/photo+%25289%2529.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Generally when I freestyle skate I throw lots of 180 slides in the mix when linking tricks. Northern Lights are really nice for quick 180 slides on flat ground. You can break the traction very easily and spin them around without a problem. The slide is nice and smooth and the transition is pretty quiet, which is always a plus.<br />
<br />
<b>Freeride</b><br />
Like most people I have been getting more and more into freeride lately and am always questing for a fantastic slide wheel. Northern Lights have definitely hit a sweet spot for freeride. They break traction smoothly and consistently. These wheels do not drop an enormous amount of thane, which means they also do not wear stupidly fast. I can also say that they have been wearing very evenly and uniformly throughout my entire test phase with no flat spots or ovals. Now to answer the question on everyone's lips, "are they buttery?"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8TB41LTJ3iAMpDx1u1yo8ihEFSpki52k5cmd2Kmz3PLDIOXSiRUV25BZtXCyKUANPvlAc-kdhEvpM8CIewlLGZ7oCbN0xLidu3irGAtTmVcwEQmYu_tOPhsJtDjiXwOdMoU-KIut8xYE/s1600/photo+%25285%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8TB41LTJ3iAMpDx1u1yo8ihEFSpki52k5cmd2Kmz3PLDIOXSiRUV25BZtXCyKUANPvlAc-kdhEvpM8CIewlLGZ7oCbN0xLidu3irGAtTmVcwEQmYu_tOPhsJtDjiXwOdMoU-KIut8xYE/s640/photo+%25285%2529.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Northern Lights do not have what I would consider to be a buttery slide, they have a very interesting slide that I have really come to enjoy. Once they break traction Northern Lights feel like what an icy slide would be like, however, they are completely controllable. The first time I held out a big slide on Northern Lights I could have sworn they were going ice out right away based on the way the felt under my feet, but I was very pleasantly surprised to find that their slide is super controlled and predictable. I don't think I have ever ridden a wheel that felt so icy but remained so freaking manageable. Northern Lights are one of my favorite freeride wheels as of late because once you break traction and start sliding they just go without sacrificing control.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtL5FoWmCOmIqYV2rKZ3gur3OyAi_Dw0zv76-Qqg2eWKdhVL-MxzlWiHVFIYBD8uEGPQZJzmpSLY53_p1c4PnWmlqeLnGlxf9DASqCi_xMRiQ_auPwd-f9Gd6mI-9-bXdvcn-XQHFoNNtl/s1600/photo+%25288%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtL5FoWmCOmIqYV2rKZ3gur3OyAi_Dw0zv76-Qqg2eWKdhVL-MxzlWiHVFIYBD8uEGPQZJzmpSLY53_p1c4PnWmlqeLnGlxf9DASqCi_xMRiQ_auPwd-f9Gd6mI-9-bXdvcn-XQHFoNNtl/s640/photo+%25288%2529.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<i>It Can't All Be Good</i><br />
Every product has a downside or two. I would say that the biggest downside to Northern Lights might be the fact that they look so similar to other wheels on the market. I have heard people say that they are just Metro Motion knock offs. There are in fact many wheels on the market poured in the very same mold as Northern Lights.<br />
However, to these people I would say, "Don't knock them til you have tried them." Because while you may have ridden similar wheels I promise that you have not ridden thane like Northern Lights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vMBAkDeh8YBWdHkq-cUvbkn_FxkgtyC76_aFGZoNbZCVpwDkgc2GDdnJM0vULhcjrUTcbovy1qrr77r6Uncimx6T-crNdnsGwtQI9tIm9vRBfyIlhFWFcqLDEWwiD4vla2Cdr8qBNprU/s1600/photo+%25286%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vMBAkDeh8YBWdHkq-cUvbkn_FxkgtyC76_aFGZoNbZCVpwDkgc2GDdnJM0vULhcjrUTcbovy1qrr77r6Uncimx6T-crNdnsGwtQI9tIm9vRBfyIlhFWFcqLDEWwiD4vla2Cdr8qBNprU/s640/photo+%25286%2529.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<u>The Bottom Line</u><br />
Would I recommend Northern Lights to a friend?<br />
I wholeheartedly believe that these wheels are a solid choice anyone looking to freeride and freestyle on their board (which is most people these days). They are light, slidey, and very durable. What more could you ask for in a wheel? Northern Lights are a great all around wheel, however, I think that they are at their very best in freeride. If you are looking for a long lasting wheel that can handle pretty much any type of abuse you can throw at, then I would consider Northern Lights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOAzI-Ro_-FYVr73FU1yRnJ2UOf3q38pMNFPPcsicU-Ef9-VEw2vPq-DpJouX3OaYs88EouB2pK1fqdZcHVPhSUPebsx-5Zx2pnSNQVXJwvIFcvGChAY_HYW_2duyvQbrD_YND_bT85Jc/s1600/photo+%252811%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOAzI-Ro_-FYVr73FU1yRnJ2UOf3q38pMNFPPcsicU-Ef9-VEw2vPq-DpJouX3OaYs88EouB2pK1fqdZcHVPhSUPebsx-5Zx2pnSNQVXJwvIFcvGChAY_HYW_2duyvQbrD_YND_bT85Jc/s640/photo+%252811%2529.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Any Questions, Comments, Concerns, Hatemail, Junkmail???<br />
Send it my way!<br />
<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
<br />
My Current Favorite Setup:<br />
-Loaded Chubby Unicorn<br />
-Surf-Rodz 176mm RKP 50*<br />
-NORTHERN LIGHTS 70mm 83a<br />
-Venom Bushings<br />
-Daddies BearingsWaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-54290337915269786632013-01-15T22:20:00.001-05:002014-02-12T11:36:59.322-05:00Kicking it on the Kanthaka -- Loaded Kanthaka Review<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAF9hPeeDro5qkZKpUMmBC3UjybA-gjbU301gKgzJ4v70JVDi0m-KqiqvdUB3HWJtc8kWtfRmY3v77z6ERekrz7h1d9aTGCC_K_tsuv6etijeGg8xVMHkiJ6JVz9Rh7R6DHdUA0Od_FqGN/s1600/photo+(41).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAF9hPeeDro5qkZKpUMmBC3UjybA-gjbU301gKgzJ4v70JVDi0m-KqiqvdUB3HWJtc8kWtfRmY3v77z6ERekrz7h1d9aTGCC_K_tsuv6etijeGg8xVMHkiJ6JVz9Rh7R6DHdUA0Od_FqGN/s400/photo+(41).JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Along with the long awaited Chubby Unicorn Loaded released a
second new addition to their line-up. While this deck appears to have a pretty
standard popsicle shape, popular in street decks and tech sliders, it
definitely has a few stand out features that require a closer look. The Loaded
Kanthaka draws from multiple riding styles to create one board that can perform
exceptionally well for pretty much anything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Kanthaka is a freeriding, tech sliding board with a flare for
street style skating. While it may have the appearance of a typical tech slider
the Kanthaka handles a little differently due to its dimensions and some subtle
construction characteristics. In addition the Kanthaka is a terribly versatile
board that can handle parks and traditional street style skating like a champ
due in no small part to its fat kicktails and small wheelbase (for a
longboard).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Loaded Kanthaka actually comes in two sizes. The sizes on this
deck are dictated by the width of the board and not the length (as is typical
with most longboards) and gives you the option of a 8.625 in or an 8.875 in. I
went with the 8.875 deck because I like to have a nice wide platform for my
feet to stand on. Now before we talk about how the Kanthaka handles on the
pavement, lets get into the technical specifications:</span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 9.4pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 9.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 9.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Loaded Kanthaka<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 9.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 9.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div align="right" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: right;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Length<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 9.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">36 in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19.6pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 19.6pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div align="right" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: right;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Width<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 19.6pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">8.625 in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">8.875in <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 9.4pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 9.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div align="right" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: right;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Wheelbase<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 9.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">17.5 in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 9.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 9.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div align="right" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: right;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kicks<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 9.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">7.5 in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 38.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 38.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div align="right" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: right;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Special
Features<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 38.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 160.9pt;" valign="top" width="215"><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Rocker, Wheel Wells and Flares, Foot Pockets<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Commuting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A first instinct would suggest that the Kanthaka would be very
similar to a traditional skateboard when commuting; however, it has these nice
wheel wells which allow you to run larger wheels than you would otherwise.
Wheel wells can make or break a setup, especially on a longboard, because you
generally are riding this type of board with larger wheels than a traditional
skateboard would allow. Interestingly, the Kanthaka doesn't have traditional
wheel wells (where there deck is just sanded down for extra clearance); instead
it has integrated wheel wells. This lends to a few distinct benefits. First, the
board is actually molded up to allow more room for your wheels. Second, the
molded wood creates flares on top of the board. Third, by molding wheel wells
rather than sanding them out of the deck there are no discontinuities in the
fiberglass skin on the bottom of the board; this keeps the deck thick and
strong on the wheel well flares. These flares actually end up being super
useful, but we’ll talk more about that later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZNdRpO9zMBbGW1o1ZPq7IH6g6eTrWKTROBYcACZl7PMkDfcWlVJIH7EgM04KXoZCtwVXjg9ocY4tQOrcvmGYbWGPEkMVp8JdSZGgiP0FlauCE1cd1OzEM9gcyc2SCrrDqCLSo7BxStGb/s1600/photo+(47).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZNdRpO9zMBbGW1o1ZPq7IH6g6eTrWKTROBYcACZl7PMkDfcWlVJIH7EgM04KXoZCtwVXjg9ocY4tQOrcvmGYbWGPEkMVp8JdSZGgiP0FlauCE1cd1OzEM9gcyc2SCrrDqCLSo7BxStGb/s400/photo+(47).JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Kanthaka can take it to the streets like few other boards. It
is super light (thank you, bamboo and fiberglass construction), agile as a
mongoose, has a little bit of rocker to lower your ride for easy pushing, and
has tails that would make even the most spectacular of peacocks envious. The
nature of this board lends to equipping it with small light wheels that
accelerate quickly and are easy to get off the ground. This translates to a
gnarly commute where you can zip through people or cars and then pop up or down
a curb with the utmost steeze. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Downhill<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Believe it or not, this is not a downhill board. I
can already tell you that if you are looking to break the sound barrier on a
skateboard the Kanthaka is not the direction you would want to look in
(although Loaded has the hookup with the Chubby Unicorn). However, if you live
somewhere very hilly you don’t have to necessarily rule the Kanthaka out of
your quiver either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgheHn7v-TSpSDsGUzWbZsmWrtZvJh0Un3QVZDfsdfHMHi7onxlYNyx8pgYwvb9riCYJZyeCMUb8f5fyTU6tD6t8cR-m_faho2omPPHJURMAzC2yx2qxLbAr-6m5nhCEDvEjdS2bUGtEC2j/s1600/photo+(13).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgheHn7v-TSpSDsGUzWbZsmWrtZvJh0Un3QVZDfsdfHMHi7onxlYNyx8pgYwvb9riCYJZyeCMUb8f5fyTU6tD6t8cR-m_faho2omPPHJURMAzC2yx2qxLbAr-6m5nhCEDvEjdS2bUGtEC2j/s640/photo+(13).PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The wheelbase on this board is small for a downhill
board, like really small (17.5in), so it will get relatively unstable at high
speeds pretty quickly. I personally have not brought it anywhere north of 30mph
for more than a few seconds. However, if you get comfortable on this board I
can see people pushing it a little faster. Once you learn the ins and outs of
the Kanthaka you can really lock yourself in with the pockets produced by the
wheel wells. These pockets and the rockered platform produce a much more stable
ride than boards with comparable wheelbases when getting fast. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Freeride<br />
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Here
is where Mr. Kanthaka really starts to turn heads. Whether you like to spin
around with never ending 180 slides or you like to pump out 1000 ft switch
toeside slides, you will find something you like with the Kanthaka. Those wheel
flares I spoke about earlier make for a great way to lock your feet in place
for slides. In conjunction with the kicktails the flares produce a very
comfortable pocket for your feet to rest in. When I slip my feet into this
pocket hitting slides toeside and heelside without monkey footing (hanging your
toe or heel of the edge of your deck) becomes much more manageable. This is an
enormous benefit for producing quick spinning slides. I wouldn’t say my 360
slides are by any means beautiful and fluid, but on my Kanthaka they are
definitely easier and at least more fluid than on other boards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2f3QJ4WNRQPPll-2fOPEvmfNnYJRl1uZAQXvixa1866XF_onqs21rjGtqkBDTQnt8RR42cALbL8AvpQ7VLKpbXKloBpgRTuvM4_I4sTfmKasEID6YOY34gGjQRTSfyFjso8dSuVF-Zqg/s1600/photo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2f3QJ4WNRQPPll-2fOPEvmfNnYJRl1uZAQXvixa1866XF_onqs21rjGtqkBDTQnt8RR42cALbL8AvpQ7VLKpbXKloBpgRTuvM4_I4sTfmKasEID6YOY34gGjQRTSfyFjso8dSuVF-Zqg/s640/photo.PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are more into hitting big long standing
slides than just spins the Kanthaka still has you covered. You don’t see many
people hitting big standies on most of the boards in its class, however, this
isn’t “most” boards. The first and most obvious advantage this board has in
fast freeride is the length. Coming in at 36 in the Kanthaka is a little long
for an average tech slide or hybrid board which keeps you feeling a little more
stable. In addition the rocker-concave combination on this board adds even more
stability and lets you get the leverage you need to dig deep enough to hold out
slides comfortably by slightly lowering you to the ground. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid03WanKIp3nKZ_4XHzomXNJYuixaGqNP0YYeWWUgh46lSbx1AU7ZyH5TK5jsxyPZBpGVYu5mqqyIoU-IP4ULJaqj77Y65iEwdy4S7iaytB6d49-2QrIqxtQ8N4THSlm0bH3McaelewFp4/s1600/photo+(4).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid03WanKIp3nKZ_4XHzomXNJYuixaGqNP0YYeWWUgh46lSbx1AU7ZyH5TK5jsxyPZBpGVYu5mqqyIoU-IP4ULJaqj77Y65iEwdy4S7iaytB6d49-2QrIqxtQ8N4THSlm0bH3McaelewFp4/s640/photo+(4).PNG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The small size (compared to your average longboard)
of the Kanthaka lets you stand comfortably at either kicktail while in the
pocket created by the wheel flares and kicktail with your other foot. This
leads to one my new favorite things to do when freeriding… Blunt slides. You
can blunt slide the living heck out of the Kanthaka on its big ol’ tails.
Unlike many longboards (which have smaller tails) where your foot has to hang
off the tail, you can rest pretty much your entire shoe on these fat tails
without a problem, which I find really nice when trying to hit anything from
the tail. Additionally, the tails on the Kanthaka are reinforced with a layer
of carbon fiber that actually does make a difference in its durability. If you
are just learning how to blunt slide and manual (or if you just know that you
tear boards up) the tails on this deck will last a little bit longer due to the
carbon reinforcement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The Kanthaka is one of a rare breed of boards that
is just as comfortable on hard wheels as it is on soft wheels. This was my
first venture into hard wheels, and I have to admit: it takes a little getting used to, but it is a
whole bunch of fun. I have taken this deck tech sliding on many an occasion and
it has handles wonderfully, you feel very in control despite having the iciest
wheels possible under your feet. If you have never ridden hard wheels and are
interested in trying it out, then the Kanthaka has you covered (worst case
scenario: switch back to soft wheels).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikptANT4aqVWKwb28n0uRscDZJo9PfGsxSqQg5MTxNL8GgvYFLNBGuPd4o1rwctNBz2ntUu3JQSmGxhoyLBVoy6J2sarhIhgAW5NUonJFwZA7bwylHQnH8NLzfYVYwpluWmv42_anh_cJL/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikptANT4aqVWKwb28n0uRscDZJo9PfGsxSqQg5MTxNL8GgvYFLNBGuPd4o1rwctNBz2ntUu3JQSmGxhoyLBVoy6J2sarhIhgAW5NUonJFwZA7bwylHQnH8NLzfYVYwpluWmv42_anh_cJL/s400/photo+(1).JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Freestyle<br />
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">It
was really hard to choose a favorite style of riding with the Kanthaka because
it was meant to be such a versatile board. However, I would venture to say that
freestyle skating is this board’s bread and butter. The Kanthaka is easily
misidentified as a typical popsicle shaped skateboard to an untrained eye
because they share so many common characteristics. I have never been very good
at traditional street style skating, but this board sure does make me wish I were
better at it. Something about the Kanthaka makes you want to start hitting
stair sets and rails like it’s your job.
<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqdrOjLbxnqwvgW6HAffX8hrwRXcSpC27ewT2AjmVJguyT9xKT-07Tec7XQMpJ0zajdLuc_ko5j5G4RPk1_uqdEEbxZJmy4v-gWq8FWuc67wV9GRosQYYxhs74Y4wjcFUJ1fYIS6U499d/s1600/photo+(9).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqdrOjLbxnqwvgW6HAffX8hrwRXcSpC27ewT2AjmVJguyT9xKT-07Tec7XQMpJ0zajdLuc_ko5j5G4RPk1_uqdEEbxZJmy4v-gWq8FWuc67wV9GRosQYYxhs74Y4wjcFUJ1fYIS6U499d/s640/photo+(9).PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">With the skills to back it up, the Kanthaka is more
than ready to handle this type of skating. The symmetrical shape lets you hit
shoves from either tail and feels just as comfortable when the board is
backwards or riding switch. The Kanthaka does have a tiny bit of asymmetry to
it, but it is not in the shape of the board, but rather in the steepness of the
tails. The nose of the board is a little steeper than the tail of the board,
however, it is hardly noticeable until you have spent some serious time on this
deck.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Everything about the Kanthaka screams, “I want to ollie,”
and man alive can this deck get some air. The tails make really solid contact
with the ground to generate a very substantial pop that you don’t often find in
a longboard. Which is great because while it may take nearly all of my
coordination and energy to ollie my TanTien an inch or two high I can get a
foot high on the Kanthaka without a problem. Additionally I have ridden quite a
few other hybrid decks and none of them generate as much pop as the Kanthaka. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyP2DG3zCZ-J7twM15-CIJfMC5nuxjfr3PXJuvuDYTwUs3YZqdhzw24z1ksGzcwC7EarcrnpXzpUkZkqidOMe9lvH6OX9BcYrnlbaqx_b7ddfziVkkKWwnpxo0i6-_rPoBIedQNolZu1n-/s1600/photo+(7).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyP2DG3zCZ-J7twM15-CIJfMC5nuxjfr3PXJuvuDYTwUs3YZqdhzw24z1ksGzcwC7EarcrnpXzpUkZkqidOMe9lvH6OX9BcYrnlbaqx_b7ddfziVkkKWwnpxo0i6-_rPoBIedQNolZu1n-/s640/photo+(7).PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The last great thing about the Kanthaka is that it
is truly a hybrid deck and can hit the parks and bowls quite nicely. As I
mentioned I am not very good at traditional skating but I grabbed the Kanthaka
and took it to a makeshift skate park here in Carrboro. Despite feeling
incredibly out of my element and kooky the Kanthaka is definitely a good choice
for ramps. I was able to drop in and hit the transitions just fine. I let
regulars to the park try the board out, and after getting used to my loose
trucks, they loved it!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjBvxeGWD7mIDiIVVddVVMOukzmZAEBF27UA6aEZgvPESsdPriY_TCOf6OCNAZo6VOaI845gkqO72ffOK0BOU14Jpk3kpY14uMCWQnyJ6_GOVmfPOSB3UDfELGHaH2uzGYf9xKKey_Z92/s1600/photo+(16).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjBvxeGWD7mIDiIVVddVVMOukzmZAEBF27UA6aEZgvPESsdPriY_TCOf6OCNAZo6VOaI845gkqO72ffOK0BOU14Jpk3kpY14uMCWQnyJ6_GOVmfPOSB3UDfELGHaH2uzGYf9xKKey_Z92/s400/photo+(16).PNG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">
<b>Setups:<br />
</b>The Kanthaka is an interesting deck to get all set up. Lots of people
prefer reverse kingpin trucks these days, but I think that the spirit of the
Kanthaka matches traditional kingpin trucks. I initially ran my Kanthaka with
Indy 169’s and didn’t like how restrictive they were, to remedy this I got some
of the new Indy hybrid baseplates. These allow me to run a wider array of
longboard bushing which I prefer. I am a little biased, but my favorite setup
of all time is with Surf-Rodz traditional kingpin trucks; they really suit the
board and line up with the wheel wells very nicely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">It
can’t all be good<br />
</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">While
I think the Kanthaka is a ton of fun, every board has its ups and downs. The
biggest downside I would say that the Kanthaka brings to the table is that it
has a bit of a learning curve (or at least it did for me). If you are used to
riding longboards, which generally have larger wheelbases and smaller tails,
this deck will take a little getting used to. It is easy to describe the
pockets on the Kanthaka with words but I honestly think that they are something
you need to put your feet into to fully understand. I found that the wheel
flares and kicktail combination felt very foreign initially and wasn’t sure
that I even liked it. Which means it took a little bit of persistence for me to
get a feel for these pockets; however, all at once they suddenly felt great!
Really, this is only a downside if you don’t want to take the time to get to
know the Kanthaka. The good news is that once you get used to the deck you can
really do pretty much anything with it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Price<br />
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Loaded Kanthaka carries a much higher price tag than boards that would appear
similar at first glance. However, the devil (or angel in this case) is in the
details and the Kanthaka’s subtleties raise it a cut above the rest. The
Kanthaka has carbon fiber reinforced tails, thick durable wheel wells, and a
high strength-to-weight ratio thanks to its bamboo and fiberglass construction.
These combine to make a board that is not going to give out on you after a few
months of serious riding. People may not agree, but I believe that the quality
and durability of the Kanthaka merit the slightly higher MSRP. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8phJpDmZYb-mUj4zuZttO5gAt7ToMh22torKRzU9I7S2MH_5LOMsnCtBWQJCfPbN80KdoNMblROEHGmnRpiJ-iatc_vVrazQ6pF5ACIhzDsUmyJuZ3sFqVHzCXMdmUdlqgTUFNEOMe9Dy/s1600/photo+(10).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8phJpDmZYb-mUj4zuZttO5gAt7ToMh22torKRzU9I7S2MH_5LOMsnCtBWQJCfPbN80KdoNMblROEHGmnRpiJ-iatc_vVrazQ6pF5ACIhzDsUmyJuZ3sFqVHzCXMdmUdlqgTUFNEOMe9Dy/s640/photo+(10).PNG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The Bottom Line<br />
</span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Would
I recommend the Loaded Kanthaka to a friend?<br />
I would whole-heartedly recommend this deck to anyone looking for a hybrid,
tech-slider, or freestyle board. In addition I think that anyone who is looking
to make the transition from street style skating to longboard would be smart to
consider the Kanthaka. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">All in all the Kanthaka is a light, compact, slide
machine that can handle whatever may be thrown at it. I commute with this board
on the daily, have taken it to parks, tech sliding, and everything in between.
It has held up beautifully to all the abuse I put boards through and has helped
me learn a few street style tricks. Plus, I really cannot over-emphasize how
nice it is to ollie up a curb. Thank you
Loaded for producing another incredibly fun and versatile deck. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Stay Awesome,<br />Wayne</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Current Favorite Setup:<br />
-LOADED KANTHAKA 8.875 in<br />
-Surf-Rodz TKP 176mm<br />
-Orangatang Nipples medium (purple)<br />
-Orangatang Fat Free 86a (yellow)<br />
-Loaded Jehu Bearings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-22839024133209117812012-12-18T21:49:00.001-05:002014-02-12T11:36:33.570-05:00Slip Sliding -- Triple 8 Longboard Downhill Slide Glove Review<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnd1l1xTjw7vKlnOdNP90XpZYHerMgq-Dwmi7al96kz6tbMHej85i_ekzEGfGyD3-20FyQl59GuHZJtZhDL4QFM1ZygqbRieb2FikTgdaAlj4plq_JPJEPbqcJajdm7ogRKD5BHwzFeLmh/s1600/photo+(21).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnd1l1xTjw7vKlnOdNP90XpZYHerMgq-Dwmi7al96kz6tbMHej85i_ekzEGfGyD3-20FyQl59GuHZJtZhDL4QFM1ZygqbRieb2FikTgdaAlj4plq_JPJEPbqcJajdm7ogRKD5BHwzFeLmh/s400/photo+(21).JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
Hey Longbaord Peeps,<br />
<br />
I am well aware of the fact that most people who longboard nowadays are more than capable of throwing big ol' standing slides when they want to slow down about 90% of the time. However, there are those times when you are going t a little too fast and are just out of your comfort zone but still need to slow down in a pinch. During those times it is important to know how to throw a glove slide so you can shut your speed down immediately. Equally important is having gloves that are suitable to the job!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDRinPRxoqp7aTo-5kzH_Sx2nvhN_098cBngAdKhyphenhyphenkoDDHOPY9Sfkz7qJvtByLR-WCmKi-6Qd-8iusSbRbcJooUj0uAWTQOn8I9LlAUsYl9h9GEGXm1sNVv7rFSul5rm6y9YbtTsaQkUL/s1600/Full+Face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDRinPRxoqp7aTo-5kzH_Sx2nvhN_098cBngAdKhyphenhyphenkoDDHOPY9Sfkz7qJvtByLR-WCmKi-6Qd-8iusSbRbcJooUj0uAWTQOn8I9LlAUsYl9h9GEGXm1sNVv7rFSul5rm6y9YbtTsaQkUL/s640/Full+Face.jpg" height="640" width="628" /></a></div>
With that in mind I have recently been rocking some pretty sweet slide gloves, the Triple 8 Longboard Downhill Slide Gloves! These gloves have a solid freaking construction with a bunch of great features that keep them in one piece and keep your precious stinkbug grabbing devices safe and sound. Triple 8 Slide Gloves are very versatile and perform fantastically in a variety of skate disciplines.<br />
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<b>Commuting</b><br />
If you consistently skateboard to and fro around town, then you are bound to have come across a situation such as this before.... You're riding along a familiar run, one that you have hit a bajillion times on the way to work or class, when all of a sudden a seriously spiteful rock appears out of nowhere! It catches your wheel just right and you go flying. Rather than waiting to land on your beautiful face you throw your hands down and catch yourself, but at what price? Your handles go from evolutionary wonders to bloody scraped up shadows of what they once were.<br />
However, if you are riding smart and safe and have your Triple 8 slide gloves on then you can avoid such a tragedy. This very situation rears its ugly head in my life a few times a year and it actually happened on a commute where I was rocking these slide gloves. They we life savers, because I know that you're not supposed to put your hands out and catch yourself because you can break your wrists, however, instinct always takes over and I do it anyways. My gloves kept my hands feeling great and kept from just doing a giant bellyflop, haha.<br />
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<b>Freestyle</b><br />
I don't think many people need to throw glove slides in their normal freestyle sessions. However, there are a few benefits to the Triple 8 slide gloves when getting your freestyle on. The first and most obvious is the protection that they provide just in case you take a little tumble. You are most often going to fall when trying to land something new and freestyle is the place where you are probably going to be learning something new every session.<br />
Another nice feature that these gloves have for freestyle is that they have free fingers. Many slide gloves have finger pucks that lock your fingers into one place. The Triple 8 gloves don't lock you in with pucks, but instead have kevlar reinforced fingers that have proven to be very resistant to abrasions and worn very well. In addition having full use of your fingers allows for easy grab tricks like early grabs, tiger claws, and bonlesses.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gGqjxDN5xoQkNme4CFWVVpBParCGP_tdkolKwY6IHtX_267l0VByiOe5555L3ibUYC0vNkbBEg06E0FOVLcIF7xPSmRoJRBNJH9kij1CCka082t9mb4ZgIjBL6l2hyphenhyphenPlQRvJxzucor3Z/s1600/IMG_2691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gGqjxDN5xoQkNme4CFWVVpBParCGP_tdkolKwY6IHtX_267l0VByiOe5555L3ibUYC0vNkbBEg06E0FOVLcIF7xPSmRoJRBNJH9kij1CCka082t9mb4ZgIjBL6l2hyphenhyphenPlQRvJxzucor3Z/s640/IMG_2691.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Learning toesides is tough....</td></tr>
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<b>Freeride</b><br />
Alright now we are really getting started. Triple 8 Slide gloves are siiiick for all your sliding needs. Whether you like to throw your hands on the ground or hit mad standies these gloves have you covered. I'm not a super glove slidey expert, however, I know a few and the Triple 8 slide gloves meet all my needs. The pucks themselves were nice and icy, which is of course something you want in a puck, because you don't want them to link up with the ground ever, haha. After some extensive use there is very little visible wear on them which is nice because you don't have go out and replace your pucks every few days, however, if you were to wear through your pucks Triple 8 has you covered and you get news ones for a nice 15 bucks. I never had an issue with the fact there were no finger pucks when freeriding, which I was a little worried about my first session with them. The few times I let me fingers hit the ground for a second the Kevlar fingertips kept them nice and safe.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Apparently really tough</td></tr>
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<b>Downhill</b><br />
I grew increasingly anxious about the fact there were no finger/thumb pucks as I took these gloves faster and faster and started to downhill with them. I feel like not having these pucks definitely makes you focus more on the proper technique of just placing your palm on the ground, however, if you messes if it the consequence could be dire. Especially if you are trying to hit a shut down slide going like 35mph. Again the Kevlar finger pads kept me safe from anything I could have encountered, so I am probably just being paranoid. It was just a hard thought to shake when going fast, haha. The advantage of keeping your fingers free is that if you like to grab rail when taking a crazy turn at high speeds you can actually hold onto your rail in these gloves. They performed really well in downhill, despite my finger paranoia, and kept all my fast glove down slides predictable.<br />
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<i>It can't all be good</i><br />
As I am sure you can gather from my review thus far, I have really liked these gloves, they are durable, have long lasting pucks, and get the job done quite nicely. I think the biggest downside to these gloves is mostly a matter of preference, some people really like to have a layer of puck between their fingers and the road when sliding, and some don't. If you are one of the people who need finger pucks, then these gloves might not be the choice for you.<br />
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<u>The Bottom Line</u><br />
Would I recommend these gloves to a friend?<br />
I am 100% certain that I would. These gloves have taken everything I could throw at them, and assuming I can keep my fingers off the ground when I slide they will continue to do so for quite some time. The pucks have shown minimal wear appear to be equally durable. If you are just getting into downhill/freeride, want a little more protection, or are a seasoned veteran I can guarantee the Triple 8 Longboard Downhill Slide Gloves have something to offer you.<br />
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Any Questions, Comments, Concerns, Stickers, Temporary Tattoos?<br />
Send them my way!<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
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Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-73171723068435782492012-12-12T22:24:00.002-05:002014-02-12T11:36:14.598-05:00Safety, Say Hello to Skateboarding -- Triple 8 Racer Downhill Helmet Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There are few things as important as skating safe and Triple 8 is no stranger to keeping us all safe, making everything from helmets to hip protection. If you get yourself geared up with all that Triple 8 has to offer you will have a shred friendly suit of armor on your side! Especially with one of the newest additions to the Triple 8 lineup, the Racer Downhill Helmet. <br />
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The Triple 8 Racer is designed for competitive level racing and to keep you and your brain in one piece after taking a spill. Most half shells (regular helmets) offer more than enough protection for you daily skate endeavors, however, when it comes to serious speed many people desire a little more protection. Which in all honestly is always a good idea.<br />
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I have never attempted a helmet review before, but decided to go all out with a full face review thanks to Triple 8! Now I know what you're all thinking.... "Wayne, if you're reviewing a helmet does that mean that you intentionally fell down?" Well the short answer is yes and no. Now I didn't go out and just fall down every run to see if my head was protected, but there was definitely some time spent off my wheels but on the pavement.<br />
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Normally I review a product in what I consider to the 4 main types of riding you will encounter on a longboard, however, because a full face helmet like the Triple 8 Racer is certainly not intended for commuting or freestyle I am not going to dedicate entire sections of the review to them. <br />
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<b>Freeride</b><br />
The Triple 8 Racer is an interesting helmet to freeride in. I think the biggest reason I like it when trying to hit some slides is that it actually gives me a little confidence boost. I know that most people who skate probably are either university students or live with their parents. In both cases, odds are, that you have health insurance and if you ever get into a skate accident can see a doctor to get you fixed right up. I, unfortunately, am uninsured and will be for the next few months so having the right gear is not just an good idea for me, but a necessity.<br />
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I know that when I am wearing this helmet I am not running the risk of damaging not only my brain, but my beautiful face! So I can step my freeride game up a notch or two and go for slides at faster speeds and try and steeze them out longer and longer.<br />
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I was worried that having a full face on would make freeride more difficult or that it would restrict the range of motion in my neck. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Racer was pretty light on its feet for such a large helmet. I can still bend every which way and my line of sight is not incredibly narrowed.<br />
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One of the downsides to the Racer when freeriding the day away is that it can get pretty hot. This isn't as much of an issue in the wonderful fall or winter weather we have been having lately. However, the more gnarly I get the sweatier my head gets in this helmet. Which I don't think is necessarily a fault of the Triple 8 Racer specifically but of all full face helmets. The other big thing is that, while I was surprised at how nimble it is, a full face is still pretty heavy to lug up and down the hill a bunch of times on top of your head.<br />
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<b>Downhill</b><br />
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This is obviously the type of riding the Triple 8 Racer was meant for. That confidence boost I mentioned earlier for freeride is present 10 fold when you are flying down a hill. <br />
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I live in Chapel Hill, NC and while the hills here aren't as big as over in the nearby mountains, they can still get pretty fast. I have taken this helmet to my personal top speeds of between 40-45mph and I can tell you one thing for sure, when I am tearing through a sketchy scenario going fast I really, really, really... <i>really</i> like having the Racer on my head and not a half shell.<br />
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Another super nice feature offered by the Racer, you know aside from saving lives, is the visor. The visor on the Racer I have been rocking is tinted, which is great for sunny days and keeps the wind from getting me all teary eyed when I'm ripping down a run at full speed. A lot of people don't like tinted visors because they feel it prohibits them skating when it's not sunny out. Well, in my opinion, if you are going fast enough to need a full face on your head then you should probably only be skating that fast when you have plenty of day light. However, for those people who don't think along the same lines, you can always pop your visor up or pick up a clear visor through Triple 8.<br />
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I have taken my fair share of spills going super fast and luckily they are generally backwards onto my back and butt and not onto my face. However, I always think about the chance of hitting a weird bump or a rock and pitching forward onto my face, in which case I know that my Racer will keep me nice and safe, and my smile will remain intact, haha. I have only taken one serious fall on my face in this helmet, and I can hardly call it serious because I as totally fine afterwards. <br />
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<i>It Can't All Be Good</i><br />
While I think that Triple 8 has produced an awesome helmet with the Racer nothing is perfect. The biggest downsides I see to this helmet are not necessarily product specific, but downsides to most full face helmets in general. This helmet is heavy, you don't want to wear to do flip tricks or to commute around town. Besides, if you did you would look like a total kook, haha. But the weight can get a little annoying in freeride after your 80th walk up a hill.<br />
The other thing I noticed was that I could fog my visor up if I was breathing super hard. I don't want you to think that it always fogs up, but when I tried to fog it, I definitely could. Which is not really something you want to happen when going really fast, but fortunately you generally aren't breathing like a train when downhilling. Mostly because when hauling ass, yes it is a test of physical endurance, but it is not as labor intensive as flip tricks and won't get your breath going as fast.<br />
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<u>The Bottom Line</u><br />
Would I recommend the Triple 8 Racer full face helmet to a friend?<br />
I wouldn't recommend this helmet to just anyone on a longboard, but I would recommend to <i>anyone </i>who likes to go fast. I don't mean like 15-25mph fast I mean at or above 40mph. There is no way to express how important having the right gear on is when attaining such speeds.<br />
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After riding in the Triple 8 Racer as much as I have lately I know that I cannot go back to downhilling in my half shell helmet. This thing keeps the wind out of my eyes, gives me sunglasses (with the tinted visor), increases my confidence, and keeps me safe. I think that Triple 8 has nailed it with their downhill helmet and that anyone with a mind to get into racing or who just knows they need a full face helmet should look into the Racer.<br />
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Any Questions, Comments, Concerns, Inspirational Quotes???<br />
Send them my way!<br />
Stay Awesome,<br />
Wayne<br />
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<br />Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8340220430866975077.post-72214687873577506452012-12-07T16:13:00.003-05:002014-02-12T11:35:57.256-05:00Slope Stalkin' -- DB Stalker Review -- Matt Fagan Review<div class="MsoNormal">
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Hey friends,<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’d like to introduce you to my Stalker. It is a
downhill/freeride board with a short wheelbase, interesting concave, full nose,
and fat beaver tail. I have to admit, the Stalker and I didn’t hit it off that
well (as is common with stalkers). The grom Wayne and I got it from took a
bazillion years to ship the stalker (his half of the trade). When it finally
arrived, the grip job was ugly and stupid and the board was drilled new school
rather than old school. I initially set it up for slidey fun with some
Independent 215s and Metro motions, but the wheelwells were a little
disappointing for that. In order to run less than ½” of riser I had to kill the
Indy lean that makes them great. Even on the shortest wheelbase the tail felt a
bit small for not being kicked up at all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Wheelwells can either be deep and narrow and thus only work
optimally with a few trucks, or long and shallower and work with more trucks
but not as well. I was hoping these would be both deep and long , which
typically doesn’t work well as it makes for a part of the board that is
structurally weak and really wants to break. As I said, I was slightly
disappointed in the depth of the Stalker’s wheelwells when running Indys. They
are deeper than most long wheelwells though. They are also really long. They
look like they were designed to work with Calibers (notorious for having their
axles further in) on the shortest wheelbase without bite.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After noticing this and riding around with the Indys on
being angry with my Stalker, I took them off. I threw on my 46* Gunmetals and
74mm RAD Advantages with only 1/8” shockpad and double barrels. I fully
expected wheelbite with double barrels, planning on using fatter bushings or a
bit more riser to avoid it, but I wanted to try. I was wrong; not only was
there no wheelbite, I still had a decent amount of clearance. I could probably
even get away without the shockpad despite the leany trucks and massive wheels.
The axle placement of the RKPs also made the tail a significant amount longer.
All of a sudden, my Stalker and I were becoming friends.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBnupg8yDKowyRCiN0NxpaUl-BzMZ-vZg9qzHvnrolDXTTc-CqRiKJOV5AjYL_nzkMnpJ4w2mcCgjcmNIt77UOqRAdgzR95JaOQGB4yfnWkUS4nFiN4KPlZfZeglsWTG5YEJhOGJ0RsGN/s1600/IMG_0200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBnupg8yDKowyRCiN0NxpaUl-BzMZ-vZg9qzHvnrolDXTTc-CqRiKJOV5AjYL_nzkMnpJ4w2mcCgjcmNIt77UOqRAdgzR95JaOQGB4yfnWkUS4nFiN4KPlZfZeglsWTG5YEJhOGJ0RsGN/s640/IMG_0200.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hop on the Stalker and you’ll quickly realize just how much
it likes you on it. There’s a bulge in the rear big enough to scare off anyone
suffering from ithyphallophobia. The
“arch-bar W” is really steep and well contained. It rises up to its maximum
height really quickly on both ends and is only from about 3/5 back on the board
to 4/5. It stops right before the rear bolt holes. For this reason, the W bulge
is more of a reference point than anything else. It really helps you find your
back foot in a tuck and gives something to push against when tucking through
toeside corners. I also use it for pushing against in toeside glove slides. It
ends before the rear bolts, so it’s not in the way when in that wide cowboy
stance for standup slides.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Commuting</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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The Stalker is not designed
to creep around the streets, although it does have a tail. The tail lets you
pop over bumps and down curbs a lot easier, as well as letting you do kickturns.
The board is 9-ply maple and pretty beefy so it is really quite a heavy one. I
like to be able to push mongo (in addition to regular) on boards when commuting
to save my other leg some strain, and the arch-bar makes it really difficult as
you tip around when trying to push on it. Basically, the Stalker isn’t a board
I would recommend for pure commuting, although the tail does help.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Freestyle</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Again, the Stalker isn’t a
freestyle board. Although it has a tail, it is a flat beaver tail rather than a
real kick. It’s enough for manuals, shuvits, and such. It is heavy, making most
freestyle tricks a little more difficult. Don’t expect to be popping huge
ollies and kickflips, but you can. The board is a tank and can take the abuse
of many failed tricks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Freeride</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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This is where the Stalker
starts to shine. If you’re into freeriding topmounts on rkps, this is probably
a good board for you. The wheelwells accommodate a variety of trucks, even
Calibers on the shortest wheelbase, giving you the freedom to dial in your
setup without worrying about wheelwell compatibility. This lets you get nice
and loose with minimal riser. The concave keeps you nice and locked in when
sliding. The W is usable for toesides if you have a shorter stance, but out of
the way for heelsides. There is plenty of foot platform at the rear so you can
get right over the bolts or even behind them for some nasty blunt slides. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Downhill</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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The Stalker’s 9-plies of
weight make sense when you start going faster. This board is really stiff with
its thickness and short wheelbase. The wheelbase is long enough for going fast
on, but short enough for the added grip and control. The W provides more grip
and support for both toeside and heelside glove slides. The W is also a great
tuck reference point in the back and not at all present in the front (where it
is typically annoying). The wheelwells let you run leany trucks without too
much of a worry of wheelbite. The nose narrows a little bit more than I would
like, but then I am the kind of guy who likes to get his front foot right up on
the bolts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As far as recommended
setups go, wheelbase-shortening reverse kingpin trucks are ideal. Road riders,
Calibers, Gunmetals, Sabres, and Paris all let you get the axles further in
without redrilling the deck. This makes for more leverage on the tail and the
ability to get closer to the front axle while having your foot farther back
where there is more width. I liked it on dewedged Surf-Rodz TKPs after I
redrilled the front truck 2” in. The wheelwells are so long that they were
still perfectly effective. As for wheels, that’s going to depend on what kind
of riding you’re doing. You can get away with big wheels without too much
trouble, so setup options are pretty open.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Favorite Setup:<o:p></o:p></div>
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DB STALKER<o:p></o:p></div>
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46* Gunmetal Mac10 Trucks<o:p></o:p></div>
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Venom barrel bushings 87a
bottom, 85a top<o:p></o:p></div>
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Zealous Bearings<o:p></o:p></div>
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RAD Advantage 78a wheels<o:p></o:p></div>
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Questions? Comments? Ideas
as to what a jumbo hat snake is?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dragon Captain,</div>
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Matt<o:p></o:p></div>
Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05806017028837335762noreply@blogger.com