Okay guys, due to the huge surge of threads being created of the nature 'which deck should I choose/what deck is the best/strongest,' I think I will post this thread here. (http://www.skaterscafe.com/showthread.php?t=7371&page=1) Just a worda warning; any threads somehow related to such things will be closed from now on; I think it's time that the great forum we have here could possibly operate on a wider spectrum ;).
Of course, threads enquiring after other such eqipment opinions are fine in the Equipment Review Forum :).

Marko.

EDIT 28/7/06: Tristan recently made a decent thread, and so i've copied it's contents here. Now there's no excuse!

Intro

This is my updated version of "Skateboarding Brands". Although, there are not as much equipment it took me a while. Considering I didnt copy and paste. Enjoy:

Decks

Birdhouse - Mostly used for vert. However, you can use for street. I am not a vert expert, so therefore I cant say much about birdhouse.

Zero - Decent pop, amazing for street. I like these decks, althought I wouldnt recommend for a beginner.

Element - Ahh, what to say about Element. Well, it was my first pro deck, I dont mind them they dont have the best concave. However, I would recommend for starting out skating on.

Popwar - Great concave, highly recommended for a experience skater.

Hookups - Lovely hookups, I would recommend hookups to a average skater, good pop. Although, I wouldnt recommend it if your trying to get ladies.

Black Label - Highly recommended for the experienced skater, good concave, good pop. I heart Black Label.

Almost - My buddy has a almost and he loves it, I skated it a few times and I like them myself, great concave, recommended.

Trucks

Krux - These are one of my favorite. They are all around good trucks, good for grinding, a little bit of vert maybe and they are not the heaviest truck either, highly recommended.

Royal - Another one of my favorite. Basically same as Krux I find but not as high up there on the grinding skill.

Thunder - Good trucks right there, Thunder. Good for the average skateboarder. Good for grinding and are pretty light, Recommended.

Destructo - Highly recommended for the skateboarding beginner, not the lightest truck. However, not the heaviest truck.

Independents - These trucks are good for the beginner or even experienced. If your looking for light, get yourself some independents.

Wheels

Spitfire - One of my favorite types of wheels, highly recommended for the experienced skater.

Element - I highly recommend these for beginners, I had a pair and they lasted me a long time.

Pig - Great wheels, I like how they run, so smooth. Recommended.

Blanks - Good for a beginner, average or even experienced skater, recommended.

Bearings

Lucky's - My first kind of bearings, I like them. However, they couldnt lasted me a longer time but they still held up.

Black Panthers - One of my favorite types of bearings. They run well and last long, highly recommended.

Pig - Pig, in my suggestion are one of the best bearings out there. I wouldnt recommend these if your starting out.

Shoes

iPath - I like these shoes, they dont hold up the longest time but their alright in that case. They are comfy. Recommended.

eS - One of the best, no doubt. Highly recommended, very comfy, long lasting.

Duffs - Not a bad shoe theirselves. Last a decent time and so comfy. Recommended.

Globe - Very comfy shoe and good for the beginner, they lost ultra long and not too expensive.

DC - One of the best as well, right up there with eS. Highly recommended, very long lasting.

Outro

Thank you for reading my guide. I hope in some way, shape or form it helped you. But as for now, Peace.


P.S. Those aernt all the brands just a portion of them.

thankyou :) gettin tired of seeing "What board is the best" threads.

good thinking marko ;)

very smashing

Does this also apply to the question, "Which is better, this or that?" about skate decks?

I guess I/we can allow for certain circumstances. It's just aimed at cleaning up the general skate talk. I think threads posted in the more specific sections (ie vert, street etc), or the equipment review forums are alright, although I reckon many previous threads, including the one I posted, should yield such information :).

Marko.

bless your heart marko to putting a end to it

Thanks marko for making a thread for this.

All hail Marko The Great!!!

i dont understand how people say blind and darkstar are teh lightest when its proven there actually some of the heaviest out

Good job marko! *hands over cookie*
I'll have to keep an eye out for these kinds of topics now on....

Thank you! I'm tired of all those threads too!

yeah.. your smart(I)

Does any1 no if a birdhouse deck fracture tucks and blue printwhells make a good sk8board. i got a board this xmas and i might start.Also does any1 no any good skateparks in the south east of london

thanks for ending it !

what about dna decks?

as long as you can skate it its good enough

You rock!!!!!

I have Powell mini logo board theyre really good

any info on herion decks would be great please...
i have one and i think they are ok!!

atm 4 me

good job marko!

thanks.....good thinking marko

360skate.com

here's the site for you

thanks marko

Which deck has nice pop,is cheap,little concave and is good for street n ramps?

Moved to the "Equipment Reviews" forum, since this really is all about deck reviews. Just trying to move some sticky space from the main page.

Point, although it's just that they seemed to frequently occur in the GSC. Better this way, though ;).

Was just thinking of starting a thread: Whats better, Canadian Maple or Birch Plywood. but i'm glad i read this first. Kidding man I don't think anyone will miss those kind of posts.

k. whats the line up of these from best to worst? getting a new deck soon. its only gonna be my second so i dont really know whats best.

Plan B, Black Label, AWS, Flip, Baker.

what im looking for is a strong but not really heavy board. cause i broke my first one by just ollieing a 3 stair(i landed it though). nothing too bulky. my first deck was a flip hkd. red back ground, black letters.

dude u stole this from ramprage

i just posted that !!!!¬!! FRIKKIN HELL

what do you all think of zero and almost?

wtf. noone is even answering on this thread. its just thank you this. but dude. cmon. lets start answering. with this one. is shortys decks any good?

in my opinion chocolate decks are the best. and habitat

I usually skate blanks because they are cheap and skate good to me.

Yeah thanks.

the best boards are girl decks

make one for trucks...and bearings

so like is a darkstar board good? particulary this one:
http://www.skatewarehouse.com/descpage-DSALTDK.html
???

i have a plan b 7.5 omn order, they any good?

I'm glad someone made a topic like that...it seems every week there is 2 or 3 "Which board should I get?"

I read the thread and I don't know wheter to get a Popwar or Alien Workshop.Which would you recommend more.

In every other thread you talk about skateboarding and then you say you never have, then you say you have one on order... WHAT IS IT! Anyways AWS totally owns Popwar.

ur the shiznit

Is there much variance in the weight of the deck? I want to have one that's as light as possible, even if it's as strong as a piece of glass. Can I get one like that (preferably stronger than glass but I'm open to ideas) ?

Is there much variance in the weight of the deck? I want to have one that's as light as possible, even if it's as strong as a piece of glass. Can I get one like that (preferably stronger than glass but I'm open to ideas) ?
Weight doesn't matter. I can ollie almost as high with my old school deck as i can with my regular deck

Really? OK I never knew that, I'll just get myself a Toymachine then. Cheers!

In every other thread you talk about skateboarding and then you say you never have, then you say you have one on order... WHAT IS IT! Anyways AWS totally owns Popwar.
when did I say I don't skate?I do skate quite often and when I asked about the bearings, mine are screwed and go slow as heck but I plan to skate them until I can get new ones in about a week or two,Then my deck is ABOUT to break, but I asked now so I won't have to wait when I do get mine in.Get your facts straight.

Girl Boards Are Good

Good thread, but I disagree strongly with Element. WORST decks ever.

Toy Machine are awesome.

i wanted to get a Plan B Paul rodriguez deck... wut do you tihnk of that along wiht some silver trucks or Venture

^^^ Get some ventures.

Dude no offense bt your boad reviews are not very good. If you say zero and almost are decent and that birdhouse are mainly used for vert? There are many street skaters who use birdhouse. Also birdhouse, zero, element, hookups, almost, and black label, including many other companys make specialty board for their riders and give the consumer(you and me) and crappier cheaper versin that is not close to the quality of the boards ther riders get. The only board companies i know of hat give their riders the same product as he consumer is pig, foundation, toymachine, aws, habitat, real, anti-hero, expidition, and organica

Dude no offense bt your boad reviews are not very good. If you say zero and almost are decent and that birdhouse are mainly used for vert? There are many street skaters who use birdhouse. Also birdhouse, zero, element, hookups, almost, and black label, including many other companys make specialty board for their riders and give the consumer(you and me) and crappier cheaper versin that is not close to the quality of the boards ther riders get. The only board companies i know of hat give their riders the same product as he consumer is pig, foundation, toymachine, aws, habitat, real, anti-hero, expidition, and organica
Somebody has his facts wrong.

hay what about darkstar?

^^ I would ride a darkstar anyday, they got deeze pop.

Ok thanks man.

My eS's lasted less than a month. Holes in the sole and tip of the sneaker. And i wasn't doing terrible things either, just regular skating...

My eS's lasted less than a month. Holes in the sole and tip of the sneaker. And i wasn't doing terrible things either, just regular skating...
Well I dont know what your doing, my eS' lasted me 3 months and some odd days.

Yes Gd Idea!

what do u think about folklore...goliath or 77 decks?

dude i agree wit goofy_skater..board threads saying "whatr board should i get"..well everyones going to say get this and someone else is going to go get this..well its kinda hard..all boards are pretty much the same...its just the graphics mostly...no offense to any1

nice write up!! but it's still not working dude!

almost
girl/chocolate
zoo york
black label

Okay guys, due to the huge surge of threads being created of the nature 'which deck should I choose/what deck is the best/strongest,' I think I will post this thread here. (http://www.skaterscafe.com/showthread.php?t=7371&page=1) Just a worda warning; any threads somehow related to such things will be closed from now on; I think it's time that the great forum we have here could possibly operate on a wider spectrum ;).
Of course, threads enquiring after other such eqipment opinions are fine in the Equipment Review Forum :).

Marko.

EDIT 28/7/06: Tristan recently made a decent thread, and so i've copied it's contents here. Now there's no excuse!

Intro

This is my updated version of "Skateboarding Brands". Although, there are not as much equipment it took me a while. Considering I didnt copy and paste. Enjoy:

Decks

Birdhouse - Mostly used for vert. However, you can use for street. I am not a vert expert, so therefore I cant say much about birdhouse.

Zero - Decent pop, amazing for street. I like these decks, althought I wouldnt recommend for a beginner.

Element - Ahh, what to say about Element. Well, it was my first pro deck, I dont mind them they dont have the best concave. However, I would recommend for starting out skating on.

Popwar - Great concave, highly recommended for a experience skater.

Hookups - Lovely hookups, I would recommend hookups to a average skater, good pop. Although, I wouldnt recommend it if your trying to get ladies.

Black Label - Highly recommended for the experienced skater, good concave, good pop. I heart Black Label.

Almost - My buddy has a almost and he loves it, I skated it a few times and I like them myself, great concave, recommended.

Trucks

Krux - These are one of my favorite. They are all around good trucks, good for grinding, a little bit of vert maybe and they are not the heaviest truck either, highly recommended.

Royal - Another one of my favorite. Basically same as Krux I find but not as high up there on the grinding skill.

Thunder - Good trucks right there, Thunder. Good for the average skateboarder. Good for grinding and are pretty light, Recommended.

Destructo - Highly recommended for the skateboarding beginner, not the lightest truck. However, not the heaviest truck.

Independents - These trucks are good for the beginner or even experienced. If your looking for light, get yourself some independents.

Wheels

Spitfire - One of my favorite types of wheels, highly recommended for the experienced skater.

Element - I highly recommend these for beginners, I had a pair and they lasted me a long time.

Pig - Great wheels, I like how they run, so smooth. Recommended.

Blanks - Good for a beginner, average or even experienced skater, recommended.

Bearings

Lucky's - My first kind of bearings, I like them. However, they couldnt lasted me a longer time but they still held up.

Black Panthers - One of my favorite types of bearings. They run well and last long, highly recommended.

Pig - Pig, in my suggestion are one of the best bearings out there. I wouldnt recommend these if your starting out.

Shoes

iPath - I like these shoes, they dont hold up the longest time but their alright in that case. They are comfy. Recommended.

eS - One of the best, no doubt. Highly recommended, very comfy, long lasting.

Duffs - Not a bad shoe theirselves. Last a decent time and so comfy. Recommended.

Globe - Very comfy shoe and good for the beginner, they lost ultra long and not too expensive.

DC - One of the best as well, right up there with eS. Highly recommended, very long lasting.

Outro

Thank you for reading my guide. I hope in some way, shape or form it helped you. But as for now, Peace.


P.S. Those aernt all the brands just a portion of them.


No offence but these following statement arent true from past experience.


DC - One of the best as well, right up there with eS. Highly recommended, very long lasting.

eS - One of the best, no doubt. Highly recommended, very comfy, long lasting

i skate street i was wondering if this would b a good board for a beginner. almost board, independent trucks, element wheels???? any advice in how i could make the board better????

i skate street i was wondering if this would b a good board for a beginner. almost board, independent trucks, element wheels???? any advice in how i could make the board better????
You're actually fine. you should really go to a shop and stand on some boards to see what size you need.
That's the facts, now here's my opinion on your choices. Remember facts do not equal opinions, and this site is about 95 percent opinion:
The almost board is made by dwindle, as are darkstar, world, blind. They are ok but really it's not my personal preference to ride conglomerate boards. I like companies like Black Label or Girl, made by skaters for skaters. I know people like the Dwindle, and it's run by skaters, but I think Rod, Steve, and Bod are all just out for cash these days.
The Indy trucks are a good choice for all around skating, but look into their Koston downlows, Krux downlows, and some other brands for street skate, particualarly if you're doing rails and such.
Wheels by Element? well wheels are pretty much wheels, but i cant support element, they just seem like a big company trying to look small. Plus, muska and Vallely really piss me off on their opposing blanks. WE CANT ALL GET EM FOR FREE LIKE YOU CAN, GUYS.
The things you omitted are bearings-you really should get a good set of bearings and learn how to clean them. Hint: good bearings never have an abec rating. Rockin Rons and Bones do not have abec ratings.
Sorry to rant dude. In all, a skateboard is a skateboard. You are a beginner but stated you have some cash, so you can buy cheap stuff and learn, or start with good stuff and let your skill catch up. Entirely up to you.

i got some reds bearing good or not?

No offence but these following statement arent true from past experience.


DC - One of the best as well, right up there with eS. Highly recommended, very long lasting.

eS - One of the best, no doubt. Highly recommended, very comfy, long lasting
DC, I can see you having a problem with but dont even waiste my time saying eS is trash.

great guide, but a reccomendation, try to have a little more info on each type of deck and shoe more pros and cons instead of "" great for street, good for beginners, not good for getting chicks, etc. " i would recommend adding durability, range of pop, weight, how steep concave is, and posibly how good of a buy is it for your money

I have Bones Reds and love them, so yeah they're pretty good and affordable.

It even said that thats only a portion chill out i dont see you making a guide

So would an Almost be good for street?

great idea but you missed a major deck company ZOO YORK
heres my review for em

there strong mine lasted me from about Febuary to August with out chipping snapping or crackingg mellow concave im not into flip tricks so its no big deal and i find it easier to ollie with less concave never lost its amazingpop recommened for all levels

Bones bearings r
reds are the best thing ever ther less than 20 bux and they last for a long time i aave had mine for a year same with swiss but faster and longer lasting

Bones wheels
hard whheels for experienced skaters slide easy

this isnt to burn you on missing em u probably never had any of these just wanted to make a this guide a little more complete

im getting to Zumiez and lookin at boards im thinkin a habitat

Hmm, this was very helpful?

But I as a beginner,

Want either, a chocolate, baker, or enjoi?
But I don't really know what to choose.

And then
Either
Thunder or Venture trucks.

with
bones bearings
and spitfire wheels

Hmm, this was very helpful?

But I as a beginner,

Want either, a chocolate, baker, or enjoi?
But I don't really know what to choose.

And then
Either
Thunder or Venture trucks.

with
bones bearings
and spitfire wheels

Ok dude...
If you don't want a blank and want to go for a pro deck with the good trucks wheels bearings.. ect
Then i would recomend:

Zero Deck
Venture Trucks
Mini-logo Wheels
and Bones Bearings

that's my current setup and i love it...

haha sk8boarder your my hero!

I just want a pro deck now,
because later, I'm not planning on getting a new one,
money issues :p

but i'll check out your setup and ask around :]

i'm most like feeling sk8boarders setup as the moment.

but what can you guys tell me about the following decks:

habitat
enjoi
baker
chocolate

sorry for being a hassle :P

hey, im buying boards and im wodering if a Resin 8 Blind deck would be good. People say blind is bad but this is Resin 8 and Almost are resin 8 adn their good so im wonderin

Hmm, this was very helpful?

But I as a beginner,

Want either, a chocolate, baker, or enjoi?
But I don't really know what to choose.

And then
Either
Thunder or Venture trucks.

with
bones bearings
and spitfire wheels


get some destructo trucks i got some for 90 australian doaalrs they r da best. get a baker board my m8 has one of them when i ride it, it feels great its got heaps good concave i recomend it

Ok dude...
If you don't want a blank and want to go for a pro deck with the good trucks wheels bearings.. ect
Then i would recomend:

Zero Deck
Venture Trucks
Mini-logo Wheels
and Bones Bearings

that's my current setup and i love it...

i got a blank deck it is great. they are cheap and and have good concave. if u dont have much money get 1. i have destructo trucks they are great. and reds bearings they are also very good i have blank wheels but i dont recommend them i am looking for some spitfire.

Now im thinking a Zero would work for me

Element - Ahh, what to say about Element. Well, it was my first pro deck, I dont mind them they dont have the best concave. However, I would recommend for starting out skating on.

When you say you recommend it for a starting out skating, would it be good for me? I've just learned kickflips and I will be doing small ledges, kickflips flatground, shoveits, pop shoveits, and beginner tricks like that.

"Good concave" is very vague and is based on opinion. Please specify whether it is mellow etc..

Im riding Zero it is very awsome i love it

Expedition One...so good

Habitat and their "bamboo ply", is it hype or something worth skating? I just ran across those decks online and thought it sounds like a cool idea but who knows what a bamboo interwoven deck would skate like.

If anything, element would be good for freestyle. Because they dont have much concave and have no pop, thats okay. Elements are light though. I had an element twig, it sucked for street skating, but i did good pogo's with them. SO you freestylers, get Element.

Decks? .

I recommend Zero, Alien Workshop (best one), Girl maybe
they are good

add mystery in there man for the decks part

I um have a suggestion, how about spitfire wheels good for verts.. from my expierience, they ride rough on rocky/bumpy grounds.. but are very fast.

This thread is really awsome it helped me a lot

You're actually fine. you should really go to a shop and stand on some boards to see what size you need.
That's the facts, now here's my opinion on your choices. Remember facts do not equal opinions, and this site is about 95 percent opinion:
The almost board is made by dwindle, as are darkstar, world, blind. They are ok but really it's not my personal preference to ride conglomerate boards. I like companies like Black Label or Girl, made by skaters for skaters. I know people like the Dwindle, and it's run by skaters, but I think Rod, Steve, and Bod are all just out for cash these days.
The Indy trucks are a good choice for all around skating, but look into their Koston downlows, Krux downlows, and some other brands for street skate, particualarly if you're doing rails and such.
Wheels by Element? well wheels are pretty much wheels, but i cant support element, they just seem like a big company trying to look small. Plus, muska and Vallely really piss me off on their opposing blanks. WE CANT ALL GET EM FOR FREE LIKE YOU CAN, GUYS.
The things you omitted are bearings-you really should get a good set of bearings and learn how to clean them. Hint: good bearings never have an abec rating. Rockin Rons and Bones do not have abec ratings.
Sorry to rant dude. In all, a skateboard is a skateboard. You are a beginner but stated you have some cash, so you can buy cheap stuff and learn, or start with good stuff and let your skill catch up. Entirely up to you.


:icon_peac I agree with you about Element wheels. I do not really want to get any deck or wheels with Element because they seem like such a big corperation. Ill probably get one when im more experianced

if i have bearings that are zero black widow berings would they last long or no? and are they any good.

Im looking for something with great durability and pop.

Hi, I'm about to buy my first board ever.I'm really looking into a Zoo York, any suggestions of what other brand parts to get along with it?

thanks

Could someone add bones reds and bones swiss to the list of bearings? I've been wondering about these for a while now.

What determines whether a board is right for a beginner or the adept skater?

Are pop-lite good?

hmm... u said independents were one of the lightest trucks. Well, they are kind of notorious for being some of teh HEAVIEST trucks on the market. Well, my friends got a pair and she loves them, so whatever. BTW nice guide

hmm... u said independents were one of the lightest trucks. Well, they are kind of notorious for being some of teh HEAVIEST trucks on the market. Well, my friends got a pair and she loves them, so whatever. BTW nice guide
hmm.. i didnt feel my indies were heavy at all. Its personal preferance though. I probably just got used to indies.

It's good there is a thread like this, but it would help if the original post wasn't so biased.

The poster left out several brands and only gave positive criticism. To me it seems he/she only bothered reviewing the equipment they personally liked.

Also, the reviews mention how certain brands are good for beginner, intermediate or experienced skaters. That's nice and all, but WHY are they better etc etc??

I know enough about decks etc.. but I'm still lost with wheels. I get that spitfire are the best, i hear that from everyone, but I don't get what i should be looking for in wheels.

Why are spitfire so good anyway?

Baker is nice. I have a zero right now they ahve really nice pop.

My son is a beginner. This really helped out. Thanks again.....

Sweet, TY. However, any chance you might fit a Plan B section in there?

Thanx that's interesting

Thanks for the thread, i just wish there were a few more brands up there, Like Emerica, Ricta, Baker, etc.

looks like solid info thanks for the help im looking for new gear

dude zero decks are pretty sick. and i like ricta and pig wheels. idk i also like thunder trucks.

im a beginner and i was given a board as a present not long ago.
the only thing wrong with it is that i don't feel comfortable on it :/
i don't really like the weight of the board really, its to heavy. And the wheels i just don't like. (darkstar wheels, Fracture Board)
is there a decent board anyone would recommend for street skating?
bearing in mind i am a beginner.

or am i just best going to a skate shop, and see what feels best for me :/

I was wondering because it wasnt on the list is mini logo a reliable board

Hey would you recomend a popwar or a zero for me.Im not that expierienced.The best trick i can do is a varial.Which one do u think would be best for me.AWESOME thread by the way!

What about Baker?

what do you think of plan b's

I heard that Ricta wheels and bearings are the best 'cause they do really fast and the spin for like 2 minutes when you spin them with your hand. Does anyone know if that's true?? If not, whick wheels and bearings to you guys think roll the longest?? Also I was wondering which deck has the most pop. Thanx a bunch!!!

What about Powell? Or Baker??!

A list of skateboard manufacturers/distributors. Stolen from the internet and edited by me... I hope the list is correct, cant promise anything...
Anyway, it should be of interest to anyone who wants to know where to get a specific board.

Absolute Speed
Absolute Speed is Ninja Bearings, Ceramix bearings and Mini-Miser Bearings.

Black Box Distribution
Black Box is Zero, Mystery, and Fallen Footwear.

Blitz Distribution
Blitz is Birdhouse, Hookups, Flip, The Firm, Fury, and Baker.

Crailtap
Crailtap is Ruby, Chocolate, Royal, Girl, Lakai, Diamond and foursquare.

Dark Horse Distribution Inc.
Dark Horse distributes for Dog Town, Grind Queen Apparel, Grind King Trucks, and Termite. 1040 Princeton Drive, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 USA.

Deluxe (DLXSF)
Deluxe is Spitfire Wheels, Krooked Skateboards, Antihero Skateboards, REAL Skateboards, Thunder Trucks, and Rasa Libre.

DNA Distribution
DNA is the distributor for Habitat Skateboards, Seek Skateboards, Reflex Bearings, and The Soverign Sect of the Alien Workshop.

Dwindle Distribution
Dwindle is Blind Skateboards, Deca Skateboards, Tensor Trucks, Speed Demons Bearings, Darkstar Wheels / Darkstar Wood, and Enjoi.

earth products
Distributor for ADIO footwear, Planet Earth Skate, Hawk Shoes and Holden outer wear. 5830 El Camino Real, Carsbad CA, 92008.

Four Star Distribution
Distributor for Circa skate shoes, along with snowboarding brands Foursquare, Special Blend, Forum and Jeenyus. 900 Calle Negocio, San Clemente CA, 92673 USA.

Giant Skateboard Distribution
Giant is Black Label Skates, Element Skateboards, Popwar, Stereo Skateboarding, Destructo Trucks, Monster Trucks, and Speedmetal.


Hookin' Up Distribution
This distribution company focuses on "grassroots" companies that make hand crafted skateboards and skateboarding products.

Mervin Manufacturing
Mervin is the name behind Lib Tech (both skateboards and snowboards), Roxy hardgoods, and some snowboard products (GNU snowboards and Bent Metal snowboard bindings).

NHS - Skateboard Distribution
NHS is Santa Cruz, TSG Protection, Ricta Wheel Dynamics, Bullet Wheels, Nor*Cal, Skateboarding is Not a Crime, Independent Truck Company, Bootleg Skateboards, and Krux Trucks.

Podium Distribution
Podium distributes DVS skate shoes, Lakai skate shoes and Matix clothing.

Rock On Distribution
Distributes price point skate gear (decks, wheels, trucks, etc), and distributes Viking skate helmets. 2050 Republic Ave, Costa Mesa CA, 92627 USA.

Side Arm Distribution
Smaller distribution company, Side Arm distributes for Collage and Modern. 1444 W 178th, Gardena CA, 90248, USA.

Skate One
Skate One is Powell Skateboards, Bones Wheels, Bones Bearings, Mini Logo Skateboards, Angelboy Skateboards, Surf One Skateboards and Surf One - girl.

Syndrome Distribution
Distrubutor for Silver trucks, FKD bearings, dNA Decks & Wheels, Phantom trucks, and Status skateboards.

Tum Yeto
Tum Yeto is Foundation Skateboards, Toy Machine, Pig Wheels, Dekline, Hollywood Skateboards, Ruckus Metal, and Deathbox.

If almost and baker are made from the same distributor does that mean they are pretty much the same?

Not sure but probably not their feels are different and their made differently.

This guide makes no sense. If you're buying a $50 board, it doesn't matter if it's 'geared toward beginners or experts,' you might as well get the best one you can. Any board will do fine for a beginner, people who've been skating for a while can tell the difference between decks.
If almost and baker are made from the same distributor does that mean they are pretty much the same?
Yeah, but they're not from the same distributor.

good list i needed help finding a good deck.

What about Bakers?

where do u buy them?
because i need a new deck fast and dont have that much cash at all

You didn't say anythign about venture???

They're the best trucks in the world, except they're ay kingpins, they just snap to easy, but definitly try them out.

Asl you have your tensors They're amazing, and if you tye these base plates some venture mid hanger sna nd you have the unstoppable combination

Well, seeing how I got suspened for fighting at school, I decided to come on here and help out with this thread for the beginner peeps since no one's on MySpace (because they're at school), and my parents took my board away. Besides, I understand how confusing things can be when you have one person telling you one thing about a company, and another person telling you the opposite.
I don't care if people have already posted views or whatever about the brands I've tried, I'm putting down what I think 'cause I actually TRIED them. I don't know if Marko has tried EVERY brand he's mentioned (or anyone else on this thread), but I, however, hav tried everything I'm about to list. Oh, and I've been skating for years, and I can tell a difference between decks, wheels, trucks, etc.
I'm posting this about decks. I'll post other things about wheels, bearings, other deck companies I've tried, etc, later. Too lazy to finish this right now. Besides, my attention is on other things right now. Sorry. XP

Zero
Pop: Depends. Some Zero decks have a pretty good pop (enough for anyone to like [Afterlife board mold]), while others don't have much of a pop (an okay pop, but can still be better [Shallow Grave board mold]). Zero pop lasts for a while.
Concave: Depends. Some Zero decks hav a great concave (enough to do flip tricks, but still good to keep your feet stable on the board[Afterlife board mold]), while others are a little flatter, which don't have much of a concave (seems kind of flat [Shallow Grave board mold]). Zero concave lasts for a while.
Durability: No matter what mold it is, Zero boards are EXTREMELY durable. They last for a long time. They chip and crack, just like every other deck, but it's a little harder. Besides, if a Zero chips or something, it's not the end of the world fo it because it can still go through any ***** you bring. Like I said, it chips and cracks, just like any other deck. Zeros don't last an eternity, just like every other deck, but Zeros tend to last longer.
Weight: The Afterlife board mold tends to weigh about normal board weight, but the Shalllow Grave board mold tends to be slightly lighter. But keep in mind, the Shallow Grave board mold isn't as poppy or concave as the Afterlife.

Element
(I've only tried Helium and Featherlite)
Pop: Ehh, Elements' pop aren't really that good... I mean they DO have a pop, it just doesn't last as long as say Zero, for example. Element has an okay pop (enough to ollie, but can still be better), at first, but later on the pop isn't as great as it was. You can still ollie, it's just not as poppy.
Concave: Just like it's pop, Element decks have an okay concave, but it wears down. Just like the pop, you can still flip trick, it's just not as concave as it used to be.
Durability: Well, Element boards don't last as long as any other company. I've tried the Heluim board and I'm riding a Featherlite, and the Helium board only lasted for about two months, & I skate hard. It had a crack from the mid part of the tail of the deck, and it extended into the side almost to the middle, exposing the inside chambers. Every time I popped down with the crack, it'd augment the crack and my tricks wouldn't be as good because the tail would flex down since it was cracked. It also chipped alot. But the Featherlite board seems fairly durable. I've had it since June, and it hasn't chipped yet. However, the middle of the board slightly slopes down, like it can break in two soon.
Weight: Since I've only tried the Helium and Featherlite boards, they don't seem as light as Element would want you to think. They're lighter than some boards, but they aren't ground breaking technology.

Zoo York
Pop: Zoo Yorks have a pretty good pop (kind of like Zero's pop). The pop lasts a while, too.
Concave: Zoo Yorks have an okay concave. I wouldn't use a Zoo York for flip tricks. It has a concave, just not the best. You can still flip, it's just a little harder. Zoo Yorks are best for riding, ollieing, board slides, etc.
Durability: Zoo Yorks are very durable. They don't chip or crack as easy, like Zero. Like what they say about their boards: Unbreakable. But hey, Zoo Yorks are like every other board, it'll crack, chip, break eventually, it's just harder to.
Weight: Ehh, Zoo Yorks seem to be a little heavier than most boards. You can still do tricks, but if you don't like heavier boards, than Zoo York's not for you. I'm not really bothered by it's heaviness because I can still do tricks, I just don't try technical with it.

World Industries
Pop: I say worse than a wore-down Element deck. It's a fairly okay pop at first, but it wears away easy.
Concave: Not much of a concave. Kind of flat after a while. It has an okay concave at first, it just wears away easy.
Durability: Not so good. It chips, cracks, and breaks easy. It's better than a deck at Walmart or something, but World Industries don't last long. It's not like it dies within a day, but it just doesn't last as long as other boards do. Even Element's better.
Weight: World decks weigh about average deck weight. It's not light nor heavy.

cool review, ive had flip and mystery. I find mystery are heavy just my opinion. I just bought a baker

I've referred to this countless times. Thanks a bunch.

Does zero have good concave? It didn't say anything about their concave. I have a thing with concave. I hate boards that have no concave. I need lots. :P

Does zero have good concave? It didn't say anything about their concave. I have a thing with concave. I hate boards that have no concave. I need lots. :P
Yes zero's have loads of concave. More concave than you can handle.

Uh, what about griptape? Can you include a section about that, cause I'm really not sure what the difference between say..element or pigskin griptape, and I'd really like to know cause I'm buying a new board soon.

Oh, and I was going to ask the same thing about risers and hardware. Thanks.

^Randoms are the strongest hardware but sometimes Im just tired of knocking em in so I use Indy hardware.
Risers? idiotick question.
and for griptape, right now I use an Element griptape that I got for free with my board and its nice - grippy but not too much so its not killing my shoes.

^Randoms are the strongest hardware but sometimes Im just tired of knocking em in so I use Indy hardware.
Risers? idiotick question.
and for griptape, right now I use an Element griptape that I got for free with my board and its nice - grippy but not too much so its not killing my shoes.


Why's asking about rises idiotic?
..
..
..

I'm new to this. >.<

I dont use risers, nobody use em. nobody who I know.

Wheels:

Zero
(I currently have two sets of these)
Wow, I love these wheels. They last pretty long. I have a pair on my deck right now, & they have no flat spots, however, they're a size smaller (I bought them at 53mm four months ago, and they're now about 52mm, and I skate a hell of alot, any where and any time at any place, in any weather and terrain possible, so that's a good sign for you). They feel alot like Spit Fire 101A, just a little bit smoother. I find them comfortable because they aren't the smoothest wheel, and they aren't the hardest wheel, just in between. And besides, they last a while. But if you like little pretty graphics on your wheels, then these aren't for you because the graphics rip away within a month, but why would you want a piar of wheels for graphic purposes only (aiming at the new skaters who don't care what kind of wheel it is, as long as it looks "cool")...? In my opinion (so people won't spaz out), they're some of the best wheels. They take rocky roads pretty well, moderate weight, and long lasting.

Spit Fire
(I have tried Firelites and three other standard Spit Fire wheel mold sets)
Yeah, I stated it above. Spit Fires are an okay brand. I'd use them for pool riding because they felt comfortable to me in pools. They're pretty light (ESPECIALLY Firelites, that's a dee dee dee), but Spit Fires get flat spots easy. If you revert alot, I wouldn't buy these because, well, they get flat spots easy! & they wear down fast. One of my best friends had a pair of these since March, and they were 54mm at the time, and now they're about 51mm, and he skated at a moderate level (not too much, but every couple of days). They were still good, but if you hate wheels decreasing in size, then don't purchase these. They can go fast, and are smooth when they're fast, but are kind of rough before you gain speed. It takes a long time to kill off a set of Spit Fires, but not as long as say Zero or something. Don't get me wrong, Spit Fire's a pretty good brand, but I just don't like how they're rough before speed, and decrease in size quickly as time goes on. For some reason, I found the Firelites last longer than standard Spit Fire wheel molds, but they're a little rougher. The 99A Spit Fires feel ALOT like Zero wheels, but Zeros last longer.

Bones STF
These wheels are the best. They're VERY smooth, last REAL long, & aren't too heavy. Mine never got any flat spots. They also took rocky roads pretty good. The only bad thing is that they slip a little on wood, so if u like to go to Woodward or something, these aren't for you, but they are pretty good for everything else. But they are pretty smooth, so if you don't like wheels smooth, then don't get these. But hey, the whole "STF" thing is true; no flat spots, smooth, long lasting, etc. Even though it's STF, you can use them any where that's concrete/asphalt, just not wood.

Element
(I have tried the Featherlites)
Element wheels, I beleive, are the comfiest. Even though I've only tried a pair of Featherlites, I'm sure Element uses the same urethane formula for the rest of their wheels. I LOVED the Featherlites. Lighter than Spit Fire Firelites, and just the comfiest wheels, in my opinion. But, like most things Element produces, they have a drawback. Their wheels don't last long. Keep in mind, I've only tried Featherlites, so there's less urethane, but I'v had a used pair, still great, but I handed it down to this kid one of my best friends knew, and they turned into complete crap within two months. These weren't in bad condition when I had them, but they were crap after the kid had them. They flat spot EASY. But hey, they were comfy. If u want a comfy wheel, and have enough money to purchase wheels over and over, or you don't skate much, then get Element Featherlites. But if you're like every other skater who has to wait a long time to get a new set of wheels, DON'T EVEN BOTHER GETTING THESE, THEY WILL DIE QUICK.

Mini Logo
These are pretty good. They feel alot like Zero, and last almost as long. They don't flat spot easy, and are pretty durable and smooth. They just arent' the best, but a good all-around wheel. I feel Zeros are better, though.


Bearings (I've tried alot of ABEC 7s because I LOVE their speed, but most of the review for each bearing should apply to the company's other bearings, just with different speeds):

NiNjA ABEC 7
I LOVE THESE!!! Okay, NiNjA ABEC 7s are some of the best. If you don't like going too fast, but enjoy going faster than Bones REDS, and like quiet bearings, then NiNjA ABEC 7s is a great brand for you. I've ridden in so much dirt, puddles, and rain, and these are still fast (not as fast as before, of course). It's kind of hard to kill off some NiNjA ABEC 7s. They're pretty durable. I've gone off stairs with them, and they still hold up. Hell, I'm riding some on my board. The only thing I dislike about the set I have is that they don't have a removable sheild to clean them better. But other than that, they're some of the best. Smooth, quiet, durable, and fast.

Lucky ABEC 7
Ehh, not the best brand of bearings. They're pretty fast at first, but they get dirty easy and rust easy. They have a used Bones REDS feel to them after they get dirty. I don't recomend them.

Flip HKD ABEC 7
These are extremely fast. Some of the fastest bearings, I say. But they aren't too durable. They can cave-in easy. If you like to go off stairs of ledges, no, don't get these. If you ride any where you can (like me :P), don't get these. They rust SUPER easy. My other best friend has a set of these, and he rode in just one puddle, and were *****ed afterwards. They screeched real loud, went slow, & felt crappy. He later took every ball out and cleaned them, but they aren't as fast as they used to be. Still good, but not the best.

Element Thriftwood ABEC 7
Okay, these are not good one bit. They aren't as fast as most ABEC 7 bearings are, and don't last long. I've had a pair, and I thought it was too good to be true when I found some $10 ABEC 7 bearings. I tried them, and wasn't too pleased. They're as fast as some Bones REDS, and rust easy. NOT recommended.

Bones REDS
Okay, these are some good bearings when you're low on cash and you need great bearings for a cheaper price. Probably the best cheaper bearing. They don't rust too easy, are REAL long lasting, and aren't too bad for speed. I like faster bearings, but if you're on a budget, and you need new bearings IMMEDIATELY, these are the best.

World Industries ABEC 3
You know, don't even bother THINKING of purchasing these. Get some REDS. Yes, these are THAT crappy, no offense to World fans.


Griptape (I've tried others, but I can't remember the companies... ^^"):

Wooster
THE BEST grip. If you want the most grip you can get, Wooster is the best. I've tried alot of griptape, and Wooster has to be the best for grippiness. I barely peels away, & after four months, with many, many hours of skating, especially in dirt, water, etc, it's still insanely grippy. Highly recommended for people that want ALOT of grip. My friend joked about it and said, "No duh it's got alot of grip, you basically have rocks glued to your board!".

Black Magic
If you don't want the best grip for your griptape because you don't want to shred your shoes, Black Magic is a great alternative to grippy griptape. It's not the best grip, but I feel that it's better than most. It lasts long, doesnt peel easy, & doesn't shred your shoes as much.

Zero
Even though I love Zero, their griptape isn't the best. It's SLIGHTLY grippier than Black Magic, but Zero grip peels away easier. My friend and I had some on our boards before, and all around the sides it was shredded up. I don't reccomend Zero grip for the serious skater.

Element
Element grip is ALOT like Black Magic. However, Element loses its grip after a while (about a month or two). Don't buy Element grip if you want something grippy & long lasting.

Mini Logo
Mini Log grip is alot like Black magic, too. Minilogo is at least more grippier than Element, but for a dollar or two more, you can get Black Magic, which has slightly better grip.


Risers:
Well, I'm not going to describe every riser because it'd be pretty much useless since most of them are the same. But if you have wheel bite on your board, or just want it slightly smoother, or don't want any pressure cracks, I suggest you get some. Zero Bloody Skull risers are good beacuse they're full (no gaps in it), so it'd take a little bit more shock, and won't curve/warp like other riser with gaps do (eg- Pig, Lucky, etc). If u don't want to have a higher ride, but want less shock, get a pair of Dooks Shock Pads, the ones without the hole so it'd take a little more shock.


Well, I'm not done yet, but this is most of it. I'm gonna do one on shoes, but that's whenever I have the time. I did this because I didn't have any work to do, raining outside, and don't feel like going on MySpace. Hopefully this'll help people because I sacrificed some good time to work-out... ><

Yeah, I'm going to do this one on trucks and shoes. I totally forgot to do one on trucks, so here.
WARNING: I have opinions on these, but I back comments up with logical information. I'm not saying one brand sucks or whatever, I'm just saying there are others that are better.

Trucks:

Destructo
Destructo is a really nice truck brand. If you want to go to a mid height on your board, Destructo is a great idea. They have a great turning radius, and actually feel alot like Krux (super comfy with a great turning radius, for those who don't know), but Destructo's a little bit heavier than Kruxs... USUALLY. For example, Destructo mids weigh about 1.5 lbs on one truck, and Krux IIIs (which are at a mid height, as well) weigh ALMOST as much, but about 1.45 lbs. Destructo lows probably weigh the same as Krux IIIs, but Krux Downlows weigh a little less. Destructos are pretty durable, however. Weapon grade technology, you know? I loved my pair of Destructos. And I also love their shape (slim). Destrucos are a good brand. I just wish they had nicer looking low trucks instead of a simple color with the Destructo logo. But their mid trucks are pretty awesome looking.

Krux
Yes, I mentioned them above. Krux are some really good trucks. When it comes to deciding between Krux, Destructo, or Thunder, it's kind of hard for me because I love all three of their trucks! Kruxs are a little lighter, though, so that's better. But both are extremely durable. I hav a pair of Krux Downlows on my board now, and they've been passed down from my friends a little over two years, and they're still kicking. No bents, no cracks, just shredded up paint and scratches. Krux have to be one of the best truck brands, honestly.

Tensor
Ehh, I don't know, I don't really like Tensors. Even though they're highly engineered by a skate legend (Rodney Mullen), they just don't seem as great as Tensor would want you to think. They don't have a great turning radius and their bushings can be a little too hard for me (even though they get softer the more you skate during a session, that just didn't appeal to me). They're pretty durable, but they're kind of like a standard truck, just with a few mods that aren't really as great as it sounds. And they aren't too light, but they aren't too heavy. Although after all of this negative about Tensor, I do like their base plates (the slider piece in it to stablize reverts). I haven't tried Tensor Responses yet, but if they ARE as light as they say (and the video they have at their site about the Responses is true), then they can be pretty good. BUT, if they're lighter than every other truck, won't they snap easier...? I don't know, that's just me, I'm not into Tensor. It's okay if you like Tensor, no probs, but there are some better truck brands out there.

Royal
Well, Royal's alot like Destructo, well, almost all trucks are similar, if not the same. Some Royals can be a little heavy, though. My friend had a pair that was almost 2 lbs on one truck only. He CLAIMED it was to help train himself to land higher tricks when he gets a lighter board, but I don't know if that's going to work out so well. But Royal's alot like Destructo. Not as slim, but just about the same weight. The turning radius wasn't so great to me, however.

Thunder
I LOVE Thunder trucks! Yeah, Thunder, Destructo, and Krux are really good truck brands. Thunders are light, usually about the same weight as Kruxs. And Thunders have a great turning radius, and real soft bushings (you may want to tighten your trucks or get harder bushings because they are pretty soft, in case you don't like softer bushings). And Thunders are also pretty smooth at grinding, which is a little different for Destructo (excluding the Rail Killer series) and Krux. AND Thunders are pretty durable. I just don't know how their new line of "lites" are (eg- Nightlites, skylites, etc). Since the kingpin is hollowed out, I'm afraid it might snap, I don't know. But hey, it'd be worth trying them. Thunders are a great idea for some new trucks.

Grind King
Ehh, I don't know if these are a great brand. They're probably the best at grinding because the are so smooth (smoother than Thunder) at grinding, but they can snap easier since the hangar is made out of soft aluminum. My best friend's little brother has some, and they didn't seem too cool. I love how they feel on grinds because they're super smooth, it's just when riding, they felt a little rougher than my other trucks, when I had the Grind Kings on my board. They can be a little light (probly weigh as much as Kruxs), but they can snap after a while since the hangar is made of softer aluminum. They have an okay turning radius (don't really care much for them), and their bushings weren't as sof as I'd like them to be.


Shoes:

Fallen
MY FAVORITE brand of clothing an everything else. Fallen is a great brand. The Troopers are my favorite (wearing them right now). Why Fallen is so great is because most of their models are actually DESIGNED for skating purposes only, not for mass production with low quality. Even though there's no System G2 gel insert or anything, they're super comfy. EVA sole with a latex layer and gel heel pad for impact, pretty good. And they're pretty durable, so they'd last long on your feet. Great grip, as well. And they're light or just moderate weight. Fallens have to be one of the best shoe brands.

Vans
Vans, in general, is a great shoe brand. If they weren't so mainstream, I might wear some No Skools. Vans has been around for YEARS, so they have to know what's good for skating. And they're super durable. I had a pair of Old Schools that lasted me for over a year, & STILL weren't shredded up and holey! I miss 'em because they were great. I grew out of them. But Vans are extremely durable, and comfy, but not too comfy since they're usually vulcanized, well, mainly the Old Skools and look-a-likes. And they take alot of shock, too. And they're pretty light. Plus they're cost less than Fallens, so yeah (not TOO less, however). Hell, even the ones at Kohl's and JC Penny are really great! And they gots great grip.

NSS
No, not even a great brand. They can be comfy, but they don't take much shock, aren't too durable (mine were shredded and were peeling away at the bottom, with barely any tread).

Globe
Globes are also some of the best. My friend has his for a year and a half, and even tho some of the bottom was peeling away and they were beaten up, they still were comfy and took alot of shock. Globe's are usually light or moderate weight, like Fallen. And globes have an okay grip.

World Industries
Just like NSS... -_-"

CCS
CCSs are pretty good. They're not the best, but if you want some good shoes for a cheaper price, CCSs are pretty good. They're like the Bones REDS of shoes. lol

Mossimo
Just like NSS and World Industries... -_-"

Airwalk
They're okay. They're like NSS, Mossimo, and World Industries, but they're usually comfier.

Etnies
Etnies are sooo comfortable! I have a pair of Shecklers for walking around in. They aren't as durable as Fallen or Vans, though. The fabric, string, and threading rips easier, and their grip wears away easier, too, but they're at least more durable than NSS. LOL But hey, Etnies are good for show because they usually look nice, and are super comfy with the System G2 gel insert and all of their STi features.

DC Shoe Co
DCs are okay. They're probably up there with Etnies. Not the best, but better than NSS, and better than CCS (I guess you can say second place lol). They feel alot like CCS, but DCs are more durable, and DC grip is usually grippy and long lasting. Mine lasted me for a little over a year, but they got too thrashed. I like DC for show. Some of their models are more for show than skating (eg- DC Court). But DCs are pretty good, just not the best.


Yeah, that's all. I've tried other products, but I can't remember what companies they are. And I tried my best at correct grammar since I usually type lyk dis, so sorry for any typos. Hopefully everything I'v putten down helps. I have tried everything I reviewed, so you can trust what I say, which is something you can't really get from other people here on the forum... "Oh, yeah, I've ridden all all of these... Yeah... *cough*" <People who CLAIM they've ridden on what they "reviewed" on, for people who don't understand what I meant.

is this a good deck to start out with
7.75" x 31.5" Dipped White Pro Skateboard Deck by "Moose Blanks"

thanks for making this trhead. PRetty useful.

think you forgot some brands though

what about almost skateboards ?

If you can, please add some information about Baker. I want to see what you all think of it, and if it's good in your opinion.

I like this thread but Id have to say the only real way to know what board to get is if you try out boards... other peoples or to get a good feel get one yourself. When it comes to decks it's all about personal preference. Sure some are better than others but I think it comes down to if you like the shape or not.

Things like bearing I'd have to give it to CXNNXR. Quality of the bearing is everything!

what about Darkstar decks?

they look frikken sweet.

but are they actually good boards in terms of pop

and concave and stuff like that?

Can someone do a review of Girl, Enjoi, and Habitat?

what size would a 7 3/8 be

i just go with local shop decks
blanks work for me

Do you really think dc shoes are good? The bottoms wear out really fast

habitat decks are amazingly awsome

What about Foundation decks?

What about Foundation decks?

Foundation are awsome.. Good pop and strong to

What's better, a Baker or AWS?

I'm not going to look through all the pages to see if this question has been asked already but, what makes boards, trucks, and wheels good for your experience level?

For example, why would one type of truck be good for beginners, while another is better for experienced skaters?

Also, if you could help me out, what are the advantages/disadvantages to heavy and light trucks?

Thanks!

anything on Girl decks? i'm a beginner and planning on buying one.
i was thinking a 7.75.
i'm about 5'9", 153lbs, size 10.5 foot.

how are enjoi? are they like almost?

HOW are the enuff decks im a begginer (still mastering the hight of ollie)

good thread
u should totally update this

Choose my Deck/Wheels/Trucks based on this topic. And I'm really glad i did, i love my board. Thanks alot =]

Regards,
Autumn

what about mini-logo decks?

i say almost decks are the best

Woot im glad this thread exists. When i first started out i bought a black label board and i still skate on it. I also heart black label.

Well, I'm seeing a lot of the same questions being asked in the last couple of pages, so I'll try to provide a little bit more help with skate parts.
PS- I'm not done with this, but this is all I'm typing right now (tired; it's about 3 am now, and I got to be up by 5 am).


Decks:

Enjoi
Out of the experience of riding my homie's Enjoi and watching their Bag of Suck video, Enjois are actually pretty good decks, despite what haters say, honestly. My homie's Enjoi was a size 8 Resin 7 and he's had it since beginning of August '07 (almost a year, but our other friend now uses it), and it was so amazing. Enjois are extremely durable. My homie's aobut 200-something pounds, and he'd stomp on the board, throw it, waterlog it, basically abuse the hell out of it. He also has some pretty high tricks and skated often for hours, so the force of his monstrous calve popping the board, the air he got, and the impact of his weight on the board when landing, were pretty high in damage for other boards, but this one never seemed to crack, or at least bend. It still had pop and concave and only suffered severe nose and tail chippage, however not enough to hinder your skating. And for a size 8, it was pretty light and pretty flippable. It's pop was okay (just moderate; not too much, nor too little), and obviously it's concave is pretty good, from the statement in the previous sentence. I loved skating on it because I barely screwed up tricks. My kick and heel flips spun a full 360 degrees at a perfect time. That doesn't mean go out and buy an Enjoi size 8 Resin 7 deck, that's just what I liked about his board. Enjois got to be one of the best deck companies if they make such a durable and comfortable board. Just go out and find an Enjoi deck measure that's comfortable for you. And to help make Enjoi sound a little better, their Bag of Suck video is pretty sick, and you can see how durable and sweet Enjois are. You really can't go wrong with an Enjoi, seriously.

Almost
To tell you the truth, I have no experience with an Almost deck, however I've looked at them and held them, seen their video, and had a friend tell me about them since she had one. I'd say Almosts are pretty good. The one I held seemed kind of heavy, but it was a Resin 8, so it's no wonder. Guessing it's weight, if you remove the eighth ply, I'm assuming it'd be about an Enjoi weight, or just a little more standard-weight than light-weight. It had a pretty steep concave and a high pop, too. My friend told me they're pretty durable, so they can handle, really, whatever you 'throw at it' (tricks you send it through, not actual throwing). Besides, Rodney Mullen and Daewon Song started it and are on their team, unlike Enjoi, so you'd have to think Almosts are good if the two beastly pros left Enjoi to start another company and team. And, from reading my review on Enjoi, that's saying a lot for Almost. As Daewon Song once said, the name for Almost was created from the reply, "Almost", to questions people would ask him or Rodney, or whoever, about landing a trick at a spot. What I think he means is that it doesn't matter what kind of board you have, skill's the main and only factor, which I semi-agree with, but why would him and Rodney start Almost and Tensor if the parts didn't really matter...??? Just my philosophy on it, so don't bash me.

Blind (Eternal Life)
I currently have one, and so does another homie of mine. No matter what people say about Blind, they're pretty good, too. Even though I have an Eternal Life deck, I'm sure the standard Blind isn't too different. Well, about Blind Eternal Life, they're pretty nice and durable (no duh, with that carbon fiber inside). It's pop is pretty good (not the highest, but enough to satisy anyone; you won't be disappointed), and it's concave is okay/moderate. I can still do flip tricks, it's just not as flippy as a Zero, but it still flips well. The only thing I didn't (past-tense, so it was before) like about it was that it was a little heavy. After a while, you'll get used to it, but it really sucks at first. You can still do tricks, but it feels like you're straining yourself a little more than needed. It's not like you're whiped-out after an ollie, but you have to put a little more effort into it. But after you get used to it, Eternal Life Blinds are pretty gnarly. Extremely durable (that's why I got it), nice pop, and okay concave. Not a bad board at all, but there are better ones.

Hook-Ups
My homie, who used to own the Enjoi, recently got a Hook-Ups deck. After riding on it, seriously, they aren't too great. It seemed thicker, like an extra ply or two were added. That's not too horrible, but gives you a numb, 'Walmart board' feel, which isn't too comfortable with many skaters. It's pop is okay, not the best, but pretty stiff, and its concave isn't good (kind of flat, but I can still flip it, it's just harder). Hook-ups aren't too great, but they aren't the worst.


Trucks:

Independent (standard height)
Okay, I don't know why people complain so much about Indy. Their trucks are seriously some of the best. I don't know why people say they're so heavy! They really aren't! Unless you have no leg muscle. Anyways, I recently got a pair of their standard-sized trucks, and they truly are some of the best trucks. Yeah, they're a teeny bit heavier, but only by about 0.2 pounds, which isn't a lot at all. I compared their weight to some Indy lows, and some Thunder lows, and the Indy standards were almost the same weight as the Thunder lows, which are light. All of them were the same size, too, jut to help reinforce things. So far my Indys are holding upand are pretty durable. Their paint's a little buttery, so grinds are a bit smoother. They also have really soft bushings, so you'll have to get used to that if you aren't going to replace them. But Independent trucks are some of the best. They're durable, turn real easy, have a good weight balance on each part of the truck, buttery paint for smoother grinds, you really can't go wrong with Independents, no matter what haters say. You'll have to get used to them at first, but there really isn't much to get used to, just the whole 'feel' of new, super soft bushings and a 0.2 lb weight addition, if you previously had a 1.45 lb truck, like Thunder lows or Krux Downlows. Seriously, Independents kick ass.

Why would you not suggest Zero for beginners?

Why would you not suggest Zero for beginners?

No board is 'bad for beginners'. Any board that lets you hop on it and get some tricks and ability going is a good board. But zero makes great decks, as do most companies. And as for the guy giving blind, almost, and enjoi reviews......they're all made out of the same wood, at the same place, in the same condition. The 'team' has nothing to do with board quality. They're all made by dwindle

Its too bad that you left out enjoi and vans.

Its too bad that you left out enjoi and vans.

I'll review both for you based on my use of the two products

Enjoi:
I didn't actually pay for my enjoi board.... I got it free from a friend as he was getting out of skating, which possibly made me like the board more than if i had paid for it myself. I got possession of the board still in the plastic wrap, so it had not been used. The first thing i noticed was that it had a pretty decent shape ( I like kind of medium concave boards i suppose). It wasn't the deeper, dish-like feeling of boards like AWS, Foundation, etc., it was more of a mellow concave like a chocolate almost. It really wasn't that durable (which is to be expected of dwindle boards), but it wasn't as bad as i expected. It was my technical tricks board....pretty much used only for manual pads, so i skated it a ton and really got used to the feel quickly. I recommend one if you can get it for cheap or if you have no problem shelling out 50 almost twice as often as you would for other boards, due to loss of shape, cracking, etc.

Vans:
I've never really been a 'vans' guy, but I did try a pair last summer when I had a little left over money, not enough for sb's or circas. I bought a pair of vans estillos (older model of shoe), and they skated like a dream. Really comparable to any highend skate shoe, and the seams were really durable. If you can find some skate oriented vans, pick them up.

nice post...i have an almost deck and its amazing!

I like either Shop Decks, Girl, or Chocolate decks

As for trucks, just to update - I recently changed out my Krux Downlows for some Ventures. Couldn't for the life of me figure out how to tighten the damn things. Just a word of warning as no allen key I tried worked.

a friend (guitarkid7) has a pair of bones reds bearings and i find they are perfect, im not an experienced skater, can't even kickflip yet, but when i rode on those bearings, i found it alot easier to ollie while moving, im stuck with mini-logo bearings, rage trucks, rage wheels, and a blank from cleves

I'm debating if I should get an Almost, Zero, Mystery, or Girl deck. Could someone tell me what are the CONS of each board?

awesome review thread, although how is their a difference between wheels...
Merging doublepost
I'm debating if I should get an Almost, Zero, Mystery, or Girl deck. Could someone tell me what are the CONS of each board?

there are no, their all great decks except my girl lost pop verryyyyy quick

i got a habitat and im lovin it:icon_peac its a good board and its pretty good for street<SP:)

I liked my Alien Workshop, but it got run over and snapped!
Now I'm skating on a Fracture deck. They are a company based in England and it is a good deck.

Why would you rate the shoe company and not the shoe model? Like for example some globes are crappy and some are good

This will become usefull

Very nice. I didn't see some of the things I like such as Habitat. Good Concave, AMAZING pop and flip. I highly reccomend them who likes flat and street but not HUGE drops because they are not amazingly sturdy.

Hey...

i wanna gift someone with a skateboard that will make them flip. for pricing im looking to spend $200 bucks.. maybe more? i know they love black label and they do mostly street skating... the boards they have now are 8.0" x 30-31" concave w/ double kick ends... any ideas for something crazy sick that they would die for?

thnx.

Hey...

i wanna gift someone with a skateboard that will make them flip. for pricing im looking to spend $200 bucks.. maybe more? i know they love black label and they do mostly street skating... the boards they have now are 8.0" x 30-31" concave w/ double kick ends... any ideas for something crazy sick that they would die for?

thnx.

ok for the deck
get them a black label just 8 wide (ask him for his favorite rider and then get him theyre board, unless theyre not on black label)
for trucks get him thunders
for wheels get him rictas
and for bearings get him bones reds

Any site to recommend to create a custom board?

ccs.com does great with those

just get 'em a blacklabel

trucks are personal preference, i prefer krux
autobahn wheels are amazing

I'm currently skating a DarkStar Delusion deck, Any reccomendations on what i should get for my next deck?

Jart Skateboards (http://www.jartskateboards.com)

Does anyone know if chocolate or active boards are any good?

Thanks for posting this thread.

Hey even I was searching for a good skateboard but was not able to decide which to buy that wolud be good and at last after going through your article I bought one from Detroit City Skateboards the online store with wide selection of skateboard brands like, decks, trucks, wheels, bearings, shoes, griptape, hardware, clothing, kid’s shoes, DVD’s, Protective Gear, Snow Skates, Grind Rails, Crimson Skateboard Decks, Flip Skateboard Decks, City Skateboard Decks, Gold Skateboard Wheels, Diamond Skateboard bearings, Lucky Skateboard bearings, Grip Gum, black griptape. You can also check out for varous skate board accessories at detroitcityskateboards.com

Test...(no this is not a bump)

i know this isnt a bump, and sorry for waking a dead thread, but i feel like the number of which deck is bests still havnt gone down. i think this thread needs some updates, as brand popularity has changed and whatnot and people are asking about stuff not listed in this thread. for example, this says nothing about girl decks, chocolates ( which are basically the same) or habitats, to name a few. also all of the concave is is judged on "good"ness. i think mellow or steep or medium needs to be specified. also, my personal favorite trucks have been left out, ventures. i find them to be some of the best trucks out there. ive been meaning to try thunders, but i havnt found anything better than ventures to this day. also bones bearings arent in the bearings listings... which is just shocking.... they are arguably the best bearings out there, they last for years, and spin amazingly fast and are cheap.

i understand that this is an old thread, but i think if it gets updated it can somewhat slow the ammount of which deck should i get, is this good threads.

i know this isnt a bump, and sorry for waking a dead thread, but i feel like the number of which deck is bests still havnt gone down. i think this thread needs some updates, as brand popularity has changed and whatnot and people are asking about stuff not listed in this thread. for example, this says nothing about girl decks, chocolates ( which are basically the same) or habitats, to name a few. also all of the concave is is judged on "good"ness. i think mellow or steep or medium needs to be specified. also, my personal favorite trucks have been left out, ventures. i find them to be some of the best trucks out there. ive been meaning to try thunders, but i havnt found anything better than ventures to this day. also bones bearings arent in the bearings listings... which is just shocking.... they are arguably the best bearings out there, they last for years, and spin amazingly fast and are cheap.

i understand that this is an old thread, but i think if it gets updated it can somewhat slow the ammount of which deck should i get, is this good threads.

Well, there is your new project :p!!

darkstar actualy means rectum, and their grafics are so lame...

i think some of their graphics are pretty cool...and they made wheels first haha.

What about CORE trucks?

No Enjoi or DGK ? ):

go try them out for yourself, this thread isn't gonna make any brand magically become better than another.

Hi I'm new here and couldnt choose any one of these boards.
1. Surf One Microbus
2. Sector 9 Barong
3. Arbor Oso
4. Arbor Sizzler

it said enjoi before he started on decks, whats ur info on enjoi?

hate em

did anyone of you ever had a Plan B?
Is these decks any good?

whats ur info on enjoi?
They are great! Excellent pop and the concave is nice as well. Some people say the tail is a bit small, though.

hate em

Don't listen to this kid.

and what about JART? :)

Someone once told me that decks were totaly personal and I understand what he meant now, I truely believe that no one is ever right when they say x is better that y because..., the only way to chose a deck is To go to a real core skateshop and stand on some decks,
someone may tell us a deck has "good concave" or that it's "strong"
but what is good concave? It varies so much, and strenght also varies
between anything from skating style (relaxed like hsu or super hardcore like mike v) to weight, so if you like a deck for what ever reason get out to your local shop and hop on it, if it feels right that's the deck for you.

hey people im looking for a girl skateboard hat its blue and says girl across it in blue lettering and has the LA symbol on it its a flexfit flat bill i already have one that i bought from bbb's a couple years ago and im looking for another one if anyone know where i can find one on the internet or any stores
just wondering if you have ever seen this hat before
new to the forrum
sorry this was just where a bunch of people were posting

how are bullet decks? help appreciated.

also Jart bearings suck. they were noticably slower than bearings from my fake board but they cost 20 bucks.

What's your opinion's on Almost?

I'm thinking about getting the Mullen OG Impact V4 (complete)
ttp://shop.ccs.com/product/sku:65-00335/model:137061/?cm=GLOBAL%20SEARCH%3A%20KEYWORD%20SEARCH&id=217912418#sku=65-00335&size=7.60

I like hook-ups and elements