After 9 days of building walls, painting, polishing floors and moving in shipping containers (not to mention moving hundreds of longboard decks, wheels, trucks, kites, kiteboards, standup paddleboards, wetsuits, and a heavy-ass flat screen TV) we are finally moved into our new Seattle longboard shop! We tripled the size of our old building and the parking lot which will be a huge bonus for customers. Plus, we’re easily accessible from the 2 biggest arterials in Western Washington, the I-5 freeway and Aurora Avenue (aka Highway 99), along with being about 4 blocks from Greenlake.
We’re super excited to have the space to expand our inventory to offer our customers all the latest and greatest new products including skateboard decks and accessories. Plus, Black Dog Longboards will be manufactured at our shop which means if you want a custom Black Dog longboard with a specific wheelbase, width, or length, we have a direct source to getting you your ideal deck.
We hope you’ll stop by and check out our new spot! And if you don’t live in the area, no worries. We plan on setting up a web cam inside the shop so you can see what’s going on at MoBo. Plus, if you want to see the lip on a Nersh wheel, we can hold it right up to the camera for you to see first hand, even if you’re in Brazil.
Directions:
Take the 85th Street Exit on I-5 and head west on 85th street.
When you get to Aurora Avenue, you’ll see a 76 station on your left.
Take a left at the light.
At the first light that you come to at Greelake Avenue, make a u-turn.
Then just take a right into our parking lot.
So far, I think about half of the entries for our longboarding video contest have been from the great Northwest which is awesome. This one is from Liam and Alex who live out on Vashon Island, a little blip in the Puget Sound with some great hills. Unfortunately Liam is nursing a broken hand right now but the friends figured out a fair way to split the prize if they win. One will keep the Rayne Killswitch longboard and the other one gets the precision Munkae trucks. These guys both ride Loaded longboard decks with Orangatang wheels. It’s a fun, light-hearted video that we really enjoyed watching.
If you already read our blog post on how to grip tape a longboard, then you already know what you’re doing. But if you still have questions about the process, you can watch this handy video we put together which shows a sped up play-by-play. Remember, in order to grip your longboard deck you’ll need: a box cutter, a file, and scissors.
*If your deck is wider than your grip tape, you can do horizontal or vertical stripes instead. Just use a ruler to help you cut a straight line. Then flip it so the ragged edge is on the outside of the board, on the side that will be cut off. Our favorite grip tapes are gnar grip and edger grip. But if you have a deck made of bamboo or walnut, you may want to use clear grip to let the wood grain shine through. If you’re still having difficulty gripping your deck, bring it by our Seattle longboard shop and we’d be happy to do it for you.
Tonight, one of the MOBO teamriders, Jerica Green, will be featured on the one and only Tru TV as part of their 20 Most Shocking Series. Last year, Jerica took a nasty fall while navigating a corner in one of our local neighborhoods and the longboard wheels on her Five Mile longboard deck didn’t grip enough. Though she didn’t break any bones, she tore up the ligaments and tendons in her arm pretty extensively. When you watch this video, you’ll understand why. Luckily she was smart enough to wear pads and a full face helmet when she was out riding. Though the injury took her out of the running for the Maryhil Festival of Speed last year, she’s now fully recovered and was able to compete this July. It’s a lot easier to watch now that I know she’s okay but this video still makes me cringe every time I see it.
This entry for our video contest comes from another local, Jayson M., but unfortunately he’ll be leaving the NW to go to college in Tennessee. Jayson is not only a wicked longboarder but he’s also into skimboarding and skiing, as you can tell from the video. Out of all the longboard decks on the market, he goes with one of the most sought after: The Loaded Dervish. He rocks his with classic Randal 180s, a split duro Durian combo, and Bones Reds bearings. He’s only been riding for 3 years but he loves to nail one footed stalefish predrifts. Hopefully he’ll come by our new seattle longboard shop when he comes home from college to visit!
We received another international entry for our video contest, but this time instead of coming from Norway, it comes from the opposite climate: San Juan, Puerto Rico. Alejandro calls his video “Our Session Today (Pa Panamericano)” which gives us a behind the scenes look at the streets of PR. He’s a fan of Loaded’s longboard decks and rides a Vanguard with Bear Grizzly trucks, Orangatang wheels and Sector 9 ceramic bearings. It’s a pretty sweet setup if you ask me. He’s been riding for 5 years now and has mastered dancing and boardwalking. This vid is a nice combo of sliding, fancy footwork, and humor.
Yet another video contest entry rolled in, this time it was from one of our local crew, Allan Wilkerson. His friend Danny Wood, makes a guest appearance in this one too. Allan is a well respected skater around these parts and consistently gets top rankings at all the freerides that are held pretty regularly. Not to mention, he’s been a huge helping hand at many of our events. As far as I know, Allan (known here as DH Allan) is sponsored by Bentley longboards and so he rides a Bentley Silhouette longboard deck with surf-rodz trucks, and 80 Orangatang In Heat longboard wheels. He used a POV camera duck taped to the back of his full-face helmet to get this footage rolling down Holmes Point Road which is right in our back yard. FYI, Allan can toeside standy all day long.
Nice! Another video contest from one of our local rippers Gabe Trainer. From Shoreline Washington, Gabe was one of the best groms that hung around our seattle longboard shop but he’s old enough to hang with the big boys at this point. Gabe had a serious, crazy longboarding accident that will keep him off the pavement for a whole year which was a big bummer when we first heard about it. If he wins this video contest, he wouldn’t be able to ride the Rayne longboards complete Killswitch with surf-rodz, but he’s such a nice guy he said he’d probably hook one of his buddies up with it. What a guy! That’s why I love that skating community so much. So check out this video he put together that actually started out as a school project for a video making class he took.
The best of the best from the Orangatang joined forces to make a video of epic proportions. Finally, a longboarding video that’s original, but still fun and full of sick riding. This is exactly the kind of originality I would hope to see in the video that wins our contest. This video brings together the skills of Kevin “K-Rimes” Reimer, Patrick Switzer, James Kelly, Kyle Chin, and Douglas Dalua da Silva in the hills of Los Angeles. Mastermind film-maker (and super talented rider) Adam Colton filmed and edited it all together with the help of Jonathan Jelkin. Even though these guys all rock Orangatang wheels, their decks range from different Rayne longboards to the Fullbag Elise P-Swiss longboard.
A couple of weeks ago our friend Sam came in with his own money to buy his first longboard. He ended up walking away with a killer setup including an Earthwing Superglider longboard with Monster Hawg wheels and Paris trucks. He’s been back to a make a few adjustments to his board, and recently bought some new pads including a Triple 8 helmet. We love hearing from customers, especially when they tell us how much fun they’re having.
From Sam’s Mom:
“We picked up Sam’s new pads from Motion yesterday and went for a cruise around the neighborhood. He is *loving* the board. Just wanted to share a couple of pics with you.
Thanks again to all of you for making him feel so welcome. He is always addressed by name when we visit the store. :)”
Here is yet another video contest entry coming from Andrew out of San Diego. We’re so jealous of all the sun he gets down in SoCal. We could use a good dose of that right now in the Pacific Northwest! Although he doesn’t showcase it in this video, Andrew can do a killer one handed toe side pendy. His setup includes a Kracked Skulls Scimitar longboard deck, randal 180s and Sector9 Nineball longboard wheels. Its hard to believe Andrew has only been riding for 7 months. I love the quote he chose for the opening scene, “Longboarding is my waking dream…”
Here’s yet another entry for our longboarding video contest. This one comes from a local rider out of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. This entry from Kirk of Portland, Oregon shows of the best the NW has to offer. He uses a makeshift “boom cam” for his gopro camera on the end of a long pole. We use something really similar to get a perspective looking back at the riders. He’s been skating for about 2 years now and enjoys doing big standies. His longboard deck of choice is a Longboard Larry Manatee, Bear grizzly trucks, and 83a Orangatang wheels.
This is the 6th entry for our longboarding video contest. This one comes from Michael V. out of Columbus, Ohio. It’s hard to believe he’s only been skating for about four months! This is a really well edited, high quality HD video with some sweet freeriding footage. Not sure exactly how old Michael and his friend are but they do a good job representing the groms of the longboarding world. He rides one of the most popular longboard decks at our Seattle longboard shop, the Landyachtz Switch. Plus, he’s got a sweet setup with classic Randal 180s, Abec11 Gumballs and some abec9 bearings. His favorite trick is the heel side shovit slide.
Here’s the latest installment to our video contest. This one comes from Philemon Crete, another longboarder from Canada. He rides in Montreal but this video was shot in North Conway. This is one of the most original videos I’ve seen so far. I love how he gripped his board to look like turn tables and the opening scene is just classic. I think you’ll love it too. Philemon’s longboard deck of choice is a custom DKLB with sabre trucks and the longboard wheels he goes for are the 76mm Sector9 Race Formulas. This guy really knows how to rip. I think you can tell how much he loves longboarding when he licks his board! He’s only been skating for 2 years but can freeride with the best of them.
The Orangatang team has been bumming around Europe for all the IGSA races across the pond this summer. They’ve been at Almatrieb in Germany, The Graveyard Call in France, and the Padova Grand Prix in Italy. While they were in Barcelona, Spain, it looks like they paid a visit to the skate shop there full of longboard decks from Loaded and longboard wheels from Retro and everyone else. This video is super smooth and shows some fancy footwork from James Kelly, Patrick Switzer and K-Rimes. Hopefully we can get them to pay a visit to our Seattle longboard shop one of these days!
Here’s the fourth entry for our video contest to win the highly sought-after Rayne Killswitch complete with Surf-Rodz precision trucks. This one comes from Audun G. out of Oslo, Norway. In his video, he shows us his favorite place to skate with his crew. They call their spot Aces Playground and they call themselves the Ace Crew. These guys know how to rip it up! Audun’s longboard deck of choice is a well loved Roger Bros DH36 that flexes after being skated on so much. He rocks super loose Paris trucks and coned Pink Powerballs, the sign of a true skater! After 4 years of longboarding, his favorite tricks are super sketchy early grabs and super tight toeside speedchecks and pendys. Love the Ratatat music choice and their freeride playground looks right up our gnar-alley. You can really tell how much the Ace Crew loves longboarding.
We wanted to share with you the latest entry for the seattle longboards video contest that we just announced on Friday. We were super excited to get a few entries in the very first day. This one is called “For the Love of Longboarding” and comes from Michael B. out of St. Louis, Missouri. He rides two longboard decks in this video. One is a 46″ Stella with generic trucks and 69mm wheels and abec5 bearings. The other is a 30″ Gravity Gringo with 66mm Gravity Burners, Tracker 129s and Abec 5s. Michael has only been skating for about 4 months now and likes to do the boneless trick.
Here’s the first entry for our freshly announced video contest. This one comes from a friend of ours in the Great White North (Canada). Kevin Yue from Edmonton, Alberta put together this video. His longboard deck of choice? The Rayne Vendetta with indy trucks and 72mm Pink Powerball wheels. He’s been riding since he was four years old which is a total of 8 years and his favorite trick of choice is the Tre Flip. Thanks for being our first contestant Kevin!
Before you start, decide whether to grip the entire board, leave a pinstripe, a custom design, or horizontal strips. For a solid grip, you need enough length to cover the entire board or the portion of the board which you want gripped. Boards wider than 10 inches can be difficult to grip entirely (since most grip doesn’t come wider than that), so we’d suggest using a pinstripe or horizontal strip design (see Step 1 for details).
You’ll need: a box knife or razor blade, scissors (very useful when cutting patterns for the grip), a ruler or something with a straight edge, something to file the edges, and a sharpie.
Step 1: Remove the paper backing from the grip completely, and line up the grip where you want it, making sure that you don’t have it crooked leaving any standing platform exposed.
To add a pinstripe or horizontal design, you’ll need to cut the grip in half lengthwise (hot dog style, not hamburger) before you remove the paper backing. Don’t worry about how straight it is. Once you have the grip in two pieces, you can flip the them around so the outside edges are aligned on the center pin stripe for a nice straight line.
Step 2: Press down evenly to ensure the grip stays on well. Focus on small sections of your board to avoid air bubbles. With a drop deck (like the Rayne Demonseed longboard), it helps to work from one end of the board to the other once you have lined up the grip.
Step 3: To assure that your grip will stay on, use a spare wheel to roll across the deck using your hand to apply pressure.
Step 4: Now, using the file (the metal handle of a socket wrench works like a champ as well) run down the edge of the grip tape against the rails of the board at a 45 degree angle. When you are done with this step you should see the shape of the board but still have the entire piece of rectangular grip on the board. The whole point of rubbing down the edge is to score the edge and make it easier to cut.
Step 5: Using the razor blade or box knife, while holding the board, run the knife up the side of the board using the rail as a guide of where to cut. It may take some time, so be patient. Make sure that the blade is pretty sharp because a dull blade won’t give you as clean of a cut.
Step 6: Once you have removed a majority of the excess grip, check the edges for any grip that you missed. A nice finishing touch is to take that file again and run it down the edges, this helps ensure the edges of the tape don’t lift up and begin peeling.
This video is a Motion Boardshop exclusive interview with the one and only James Kelly (”The American Dream!”) You might recognize him as a sponsored rider for Orangatang and as one of the faces behind SkateHouse Media. But we know James as an all around great guy, not to mention a skater that makes the rest of us look like a bunch of little girls.
Even though James could have his pick of any of the longboard decks out there, he chooses to ride the Longboard Larry Sea Calf. At 36″ long, the Sea Calf has a nice short wheel base allowing him to get down nice and low to grip around the turns and loops of Maryhill and still be nice and agile. His preferred setup? Classic Randal RII 180’s on 42* Baseplates. The longboard wheels he rocks for Maryhill are the Orangatang In heats in the 80a durometer. He also uses 85a venom eliminators on his setup.
This is the Motion Boardshop video review of two of our favorite longboard decks, the Rayne Nemesis and the Rayne Demonseed. We decided to make this video after getting multiple requests from our youtube subscribers that wanted to learn more about the decks, particularly the Nemesis. Trevor lays it down for you all.
Nemesis: Bamboo core sandwiched between two layers of fiberglass giving it for a nice lightweight without sacrificing any strength. This is one of the few boards that will work for pretty much any kind of riding discipline. So many people ask us “what deck will do it all?” and 9 times out of 10, we’ll recommend the Nemesis. Thanks to its short wheelbase, its great for carving, while the symmetrical shape and 1″ drop makes it a killer freeride board. The shorter wheelbase option will make the deck more nimble and the long WB will make it more stable at higher speeds. Wide trucks (like Paris 195s or 200mm Surf-Rodz) work best since the standing platform itself is so wide. The fact that 80% of Motion employees own a Nemesis speaks volumes about the deck.
Demonseed: Newly redesigned to be symmetrical which is a huge improvement upon last years model. It’s basically a longer Nemesis with the added drop thrus. A better option for taller guys with a wider stance. Thanks to the nice big cut outs, you rock wheels upwards of up to 85mm. It has 6 plys of bamboo in the middle between the two sheets of fiberglass making it light but still stiff. Consider it the big brother to the Nemesis. We like it with the Abec 11 Freeride wheels thanks to their buttery-smooth slide. Or for downhill, try the new Nersh Money Hax for super grip and roll speed.
Unlike all the other longboard decks in the Kebbek lineup, the Hairpin isn’t named after one of their teamriders. The thing that stands out most about this deck is it’s super gnarly, aggressive concave. It’s not like your average concave though. A nice, wide flat in the middle makes it a lot more comfortable on your feet than most crazy concaves. But once you get to the sides, the rails jut upwards to grab onto your feet like a claw. Compared to the JimZ and the Steve Daddow, this concave takes the cake. Those claws make sure you have super leverage without having to worry about your feet slipping.
longboard deck
The ever-so-precisely cut drop through mounts make the Kebbek Hairpin longboard ideal for freeriding or speedboarding. Made from 100 percent solid Canadian rock maple just like all the other decks in the line-up, this board is built to last. All 8 plys of wood are compressed underneath tons of pressure to sandwich it all together. This deck features a universal drop through mount so you can saddle up with any combo of trucks and wheels your heart desires. Thanks to deep wheel wells, you can ride bigger wheels than usual.
kebbek longboards
It may have taken Kebbek a few years to get their stuff together but it was well worth the wait. Their new designs are pure perfection. And at $169 a pop, this is a purchase you can’t go wrong with.
If you’ve been skating hard all summer, chances are your bearings are probably due for a cleaning. If you spin your wheels and hear a gritty, crunchy sound, that’s the dirt in there slowing you down. Sure, if you’re lazy you can always shell out $13 for a new set of Mini Logo Bearings but it’s super easy to just clean them too.
1. It should be obvious, but you’ll need to pop your bearings out of your longboard wheels first. You can use the axle of your truck to pry them out which is much better than a screwdriver.
2. To completely clean the bearing, you’ll also have to take the outer shield off. You can use a thumb tack or needle to pull it off but be careful during this step so you don’t damage the shield.
3. Use a papertowel or toothbrush to scrub off any loose dirt on the bearings.
4. Place the bearings in a container (one that has a top) and fill it with mineral spirits or acetone.
5. Shake the jar to distribute the cleaner through the bearings and let them marinate in the solution for 15 minutes.
6. Rinse your bearings off with a high concentration isopropyl alcohol which will remove any last bits of dirt and will also evaporate to dry the bearings.
7. Place 2 drops of bearing lube or speed cream inside the bearings.
8. Spin them to disperse the lube around the bearings.
9. Place the shield back over the bearings.
10. Pop them back in your wheels and you’re ready to take your longboard deck for a cruise.
how to clean longboard bearings
**NOTE: DO NOT use WD 40 to clean your bearings. Avoid riding through puddles which will rust your bearings quick. Thanks to this blog for the play-by-play.
Steve Daddow is arguably the face of longboarding in Australia. He pioneered the sport in his home country and worked hard with local media to get the sport off the ground and portrayed in a good light. Many of Aussie’s best downhill skaters and slalom riders have Steve to thank for getting them started too. He’s been skating for 26 years and has a lot to show for it, including multiple titles for giant slalom racing.
The Kebbek Steve Daddow deck is one of the newer boards added to the Kebbek line-up for 2010. Just like Daddow’s style, this deck is designed to be super versatile for all riding disciplines. Underflushed truck mounts make for stability at high speeds without sacrificing traction in those hairpin corners. Did I mention it has gas pedals too?
Made from 100% solid rock Canadian maple, this board is made to last a lifetime. No need to worry about delams here. Beefy wheel wells and a universal flushmount mean this is one of the rare longboard decks where you can throw down with any truck and wheel combo you can dream of. You want 75mm bigzigs on Bear Grizzly 852s? Not a problem. 76mm Flywheels with Surf-Rodz? Consider it done. I can guarantee we’re the only Seattle longboards shop where you’ll be able to find this deck.
Most people know the name “JimZ” for bushings and trucks. True, this legendary longboarder was one of the first to pioneer the stim shaped bushing which are still regarded as some of the most stable in the industry. He also cranked out some of the first precision trucks to hit the market from his company SpeedParts. But did you know he had his own board too? That’s right, JimZ was an integral part of getting Kebbek up and running in the early stages, and he got one of the sickest pro model boards in exchange.
The Kebbek JimZ Flushcut is legendary in the world of speedboarding. It’s one the very few longboard decks that features a dropped deck in addition to dropped-thru flush mounts. What does this mean? Lower center of gravity for unparalleled stability at high speeds. The flush mount provides a little more grip/traction than a deck like the Rayne Demonseed longboard which is a drop thru/drop combo. The symmetrical shape makes it a killer deck for freeriding and sliding too, in case you aren’t hittin’ high speeds quite yet.
Features: Made in Canada. 43″ long, 9.5″ wide with a 32 3/4″ wheelbase.
**Keep in mind this deck doesn’t come gripped and only fits Paris trucks.
Here’s Nate with a new 60 second video (which ended up being more like 7 minutes…) talking about how he likes to setup his Black Dog Pussy Gato longboard deck which is the topmount speedboard in the BD Series. It has an 1/8″ rocker, 1/2″ concave, and aggressive wheel wells so you can rock 70mm wheels without getting too much wheelbite.
Nate’s Setup
-Munkae Trucks with a red (90a) venom cone roadside and a yellow (85a) venom barrel boardside. Both have a cupped washer for a divey feel on the front truck. For his back truck, he ditches the boardside washer so the bushing can deform a bit for lots of grip. It’s more sloppy bit has more traction.
-1/8″ riser on the back truck and 4 degree wedged riser on his front truck
At the Maryhill Festival of Speed this year, we got a chance to spend some time with Blake Startup from Landyachtz. He just happened to have a sexy new carbon 9two five longboard deck with him. We were able to sneak him away from the races for a few minutes to give us the scoop on this hot new deck and here’s the video for all of you to check it out too.
Blake’s favorite setup for the 9two5? 70mm Mini Monster wheels (he prefers the 78a “turbo” blue race formula ones) and the Bear Grizzly 852s. He’s also got a nice little custom grip job with a skull and wings.
If we don’t have this board in stock, just email, call us, hit us up on livechat, whatever. We’ll special order it for you and the shipping is on us as usual! We got a chance to try it out firsthand and it really was truly amazing.
Benefits of the Carbon Foam Core?
-super stiff and no torsional flex
-input from your front foot will transfer movement to back truck
-results in more control and more grip
-added stiffness makes it a killer deck for racing too
-still has all the features we love about the regular 9two5 longboard deck including drop thrus, gas pedals, rocker, and the widest possible foot platform with big wheel wells.
It’s bound to happen, and nobody likes when it does. You’ve lost your board. Sigh, so sad! Too bad you didn’t have one of these babies to slap on there.
Reward if Found stickers are here again! For the locals, these tags are some great insurance that their board will be returned. Just last week we rescued a Slingshot kiteboard from Harborview Park in Everett. It had been washed up, torn apart and mauled by a boat propeller. None the less, it ended up safely in our arms.
Yes, we sell a lot of boards. But trust us, we remember all of them. You may just be the guy who bought the Earthwing Supermodel 8 ply (with Retro ZigZags, Paris trucks and some Venom Eliminators), but in our eyes, you are the new mama or papa of a precious little baby that we hope you will nurture.
We know that you love you board just as much as we do. It’s a huge deal when you’ve lost something so near and dear to the basis of your existence like a longboard deck. With one of these, you at least know who to call first.
We got some new longboard decks in the shop today that we’re really stoked about. We’ve been carrying Bombsquad noseguards for awhile now and they are an amazing product for anyone with a delicate board that has a habit of sending it flying into curbs or parking garage walls. I hope they continue to crank out new noseguards that will fit all the popular decks on the market these days.
However, Bombsquad also makes some really killer boards. We’ve just brought in two decks for the time being but we’re really impressed with the quality. The F-Bomb and the Wooden Saltflat are the ones that we’re starting out with. It’s not too often you can find a drop through speedboard for just $125! The Earthwing supermodel deck is the only one that can even touch that price range.
The Saltflat longboard deck is a 9 ply topmount made for agility and precision when drafting down big mountains at high speeds. It has just enough concave too-mellower than what seems to be the concave trend these days with super aggressive concave. The Saltflat is $125. I have to say, Bombsquad longboards can do no wrong in our book.
Looking for a grippy wheel to nail hairpin turns on a super tight, technical course? Well look no further than the Nersh Money Hax longboard wheels and the Abec11 Centrax wheels. They both feature a monster contact patch so you get the ultimate contact with the pavement for traction like none other. But for two wheels that seem so similar on the surface, what’s the difference between the two?
*Nersh longboard wheels are an offset wheel with a 70mm contact patch and a 75mm height. The super squared-off lips really dig into the pavement to give you a ton of traction. The softest option, a 76a durometer, will glide over any bumps in the road to give you the smoothest ride possible. In the harder duros, 80a and 83a, you can actually drift them a bit and the urethane gives a pretty smooth slide but they still get a ton of traction to make them a good all around wheel.
*The Abec 11 Centrax wheels are grippy like none other. No drifting out of these bad boys. Made from the “Reflex urethane”, these wheels are fast, grippy and predictable. The urethane also has a reputation for durability and holding up during usage. The square lips will fold under while cornering to give you traction. UNLIKE the Nersh, these wheels are center-set so you can flip them around and get a nice even wear pattern on them.
Maryhill, the 2.2 mile speedway for downhill located in Goldendale, Washington, has graced longboarders with her many gifts. Smooth pavement, tricky turns, and best of all, an amazing view with an escape from traffic. But Ms. Mary, oh Ms. Mary. This is too good. A featured video in the New York Times? Big high five!!!
“With an inclusive, do-it-yourself ethic, longboarding has grown as a grass-roots movement mostly outside the established skateboard industry and spread from Southern California to places like Brooklyn and Bend, Ore.”
This article is one to check out for sure. Not only does it feature a killer video on Maryhill, it mentions some of the sweet beginnings of longboarding. Venom. Longboard Larry. Earthwing. Orangatang. Sector9. Definitely the bread, butter, eggs and milk to our industry.
Photo Courtesy of the NY Times
“There’s no stigma,” said Larry Peterson, who made 2,500 boards in a dairy barn in Salem, Ore., last year under the brand Longboard Larry. “It’s one of the sports where someone who’s 40 can go skate with someone who’s 13 and nobody thinks it’s weird.”
We couldn’t agree with Larry more, and that’s the very reason we love longboarding so much. Even guys who are “older” and grew up pushing around on longboard decks 30 years ago feel comfortable when they join the local crew at the parking garage.
“It’s really all new,” Marcus Bandy, 37, the Orangatang team manager claimed. “It’s like when punk rock or hip-hop first came out. It’s a whole new thing, and the kids are loving it.”
He added: “People are always going to create their own stuff and that’s what’s happening here. These guys are creating skateboarding and reinventing skateboarding.”
As a Seattle longboard shop, we’re excited to be a part of the movement and can’t wait to see what the future brings.
This video is part 2 of our surf-rodz precision trucks review. You can watch part 1 in the blog post just before this one. In the second part of this series we aimed to tackle life’s toughest questions, like “How do Surf-Rodz trucks compare to Munkae precision longboard trucks?”
Compared to JimZ Precision Trucks, Surf-Rodz come in 3 different baseplate degrees to dial in your ride. JimZ trucks are designed for stability and nothing else so they are limited to a 35 degree baseplate only. Jimz Trucks have a tight bushing seat with minimal lean. Surf-Rodz have a deep bushing seat.
You can expand the axle widths on the Surf-Rodz trucks by purchasing the axle extensions to make it a 220-240mm width. Narrower hangers will offer a nimble ride with quick turning for easy carving. The wider option will be super stable, especially at high speeds. You can also get the 150mm hanger which can extend to 160 or 170mm. It’s suited for small longboards like longboard hybrid minis. These narrow hangers will turn on a dime for ultimate thrashability.
Did we mention that they come in a huge variety of colors like purple, blue, gold, and black?
This is part one of our video for our Surf-Rodz precision truck review. We love Surf Rodz Trucks because they bridge the gap between inexpensive cast trucks and super pricey high-end precision trucks, while still maintaining the quality of a truck twice its price. They have really nice deep bushing seat for maximum rebound (great for venom barrels, but won’t fit an eliminator) and a beveled edge for a super wide range of motion.
They are basically the first precision truck on the market to take carving and freeriding into consideration. They don’t have sphericals so your motion isn’t so restricted and you can choose the baseplate angle for the style of riding you’ll be doing. You can bomb hills and be stable or you can carve and drift with no problems. The 45 degree plates are our favorites. You can flip these too unlike other precision longboard trucks. Unflipped (indented side of hanger will face outwards) they are more nimble for freeriding and flipped they are more stable for high speeds.
In order to reduce costs without sacrificing performance, the threaded part of the axle screws into the hanger. Set screws are inserted on the underside of the hanger to make sure your axles don’t back out while you’re riding. See our part 2 video for more info.
Big thanks to MOBO rider and filmmaker Trevor Preston for slaving away on this footage. His inspiration? The excess of gnar in the world that needs shredding. How beautiful. So far, we’ve had a hugely positive response to the video which we leaked on youtube just a few days ago. Glad everyone is enjoying it. If you like it too, leave us a comment either right here on the blog or on our youtube page.
The video will be featured in the upcoming 2010 Concrete Wave Evolutions video, which should be out in in mid-August.
Preston shuffled through hours of labor intensive filming. The back breaking work feat took six days and one broken limb.
MOBO rider Max Wipperman broke his arm during a film session. It was a pretty bad break and unfortunately, he was unable to race at Maryhill. Thank you Max, for sacrificing yourself for the sake of gnar!
Some of the longboard decks ridden in this video include 2 Rayne Nemesis decks, and a Black Dog Longboard and the longboard wheels they were sliding on included some Orangatang 4 Pres in 83a and Retro Freerides.
It took forever for Sam, 7 years old, to save enough money for something very special.
We were honored when he walked into Motion to purchase his first longboard—an Earthwing Superglider.
Sam saved $150 by doing his chores, selling lemonade, and saving money from his birthday.
This man works hard for the money. He’s no stranger to skating either—he’s been skateboarding since he was 4 years old and spends most days at the skatepark. He says he can’t wait to use his new board on some ramps and to get more speed!
Sam completed his board with Indy trucks and MiniMonster wheels. Pretty fly for a small guy! We are stoked on his setup too. We can see him ripping at Maryhill in no time!
Just wanted to make a quick shout-out to congratulate Motion’s junior teamriders, Ryan Heffernan and Jack Neffner for finishing 1st and 2nd place, respectively, at the Maryhill Festival of Speed this weekend! Our guys were leading the pack all five days and finished strong in the end. Since Ryan held the fastest qualifying time out of all the junior 1’s, he also took home a sweet Never Summer longboard skateboard deck too. Both riders scored TONS of swag during the week long event and we’re stoked for them. They deserve it all!
The weekend was full of big upsets with lots of riders noting that they had bad starts which made it so they didn’t qualify for the next round. Mischo Erban claimed his shoe got stepped on at the starting line and after taking a tumble he wasn’t able to catch up to the pack. Kevin Reimer snagged a new record time on the course but after running off the road during the finals, he ended up in 2nd place, even though he consistently finished first in all his heats. Scoot Smith finished 3rd with venom bushings creator, Zak Maytum, scoring a 1st place finish.
Since the event took place on the 4th of July, I was stoked for America to win! Brianne Davies took first pace for the women and local Portland rider Alex Tongue finished first for the junior 2 division. Thanks for a great weekend everyone! More to come later.
After drilling Nate for some tips on improving my downhill longboarding tuck, here’s what he came up with. Keep in mind these are just the basics designed for someone who has never seriously longboarded faster than 25mph before and wants to know what it’s all about.
1. Move your front foot as far forward as is comfortable for you on your board, but will still allow you to turn. Twist your foot slightly so it’s at an angle.
2. Flatten your back as much as possible, trying to make it parallel with the ground. The less curve in your back the better because this will make you more aerodynamic so you can go faster. If you’re not sure if your back is flat enough, try practicing your tuck in front of a mirror.
3. Hinge at the hips.
4. If you’re regular foot, situate your front foot on the left 1/2 of your longboard deck. Position your back foot on the right rail of your board to leverage turns.
5. Take your back knee and wedge it into the calf of your front leg. The lower your knee is on your front leg, the wider your stance will be making for a nice, stable tuck. If your knee is higher up on your front calf, then you’ll have a short stance which is will allow for nimble, tight turns.
We get tons of questions from newbies wondering about how they can stop on their longboard, and I wanted to address those questions here. Hopefully we can have a full page on our site dedicated to answering beginner longboarding questions just like this one. There’s actually a number of ways that you can slow down or come to a full stop on your longboard and this article from Silverfish lays them out with more details.
1. Carving-This should be one of the first things you learn to do on a longboard not only because it’s fun but because it helps you scrub off some of your speed, especially if the turns are sharp.
2. Sliding-Even though this is the most advanced technique to learn, it will completely stop you in the shortest possible distance. Your longboard wheels will wear down over time from sliding.
3. Speedbraking-If you’re going really fast, you can just stand up from your tuck and open your arms to make yourself less aerodynamic which will slow you down.
4.Footbraking-The most basic and universal method of stopping your longboard deck. Done by dragging one foot along the ground to slow yourself to a gradual stop.
5. Rolling Into the Grass-Not highly recommended (prepare for a potential faceplant!) but will slow you down pretty quickly
6. Jumping Off Your Board-Also not an ideal way to stop because you’ll probably tumble if you’re going too fast, but it works.
Of course there are other ways to stop your deck but these are the most well known methods. Check out our youtube channel in the near future to see tutorials on how to do all these things.
These wheels are just as pretty as they look—smooth and sticky.
Nersh Longboard Wheels are here just in time for Maryhill and the summer race season. Similar to Centrax Wheels, these wheels pack a massive amount of ‘thane ready to grip pavement and drift smoothly.
Being one of the widest wheels on the market, the Nersh Money Hax is designed to provide the best traction with maximum grip for racing.
Not only do these wheels grip, they hold speed and roll over bumps like a bulldozer.
Nersh Money Hax Wheels 75mm come in 3 varieties of durometers: 76a, 80a, and 83a (pictured in order.)
To allow more drift, go for the harder 83a. If you’re looking to carry your speed through a turn, go for the softer 76a.
Made in Huntington Beach, California, Nersh Wheels are made by the same company that makes Sector9, Abec11, and Seismic.
If you’re interested in a pair and don’t have time for us to ship them to your doorstep before the Maryhill Festival of Speed, then give us a call at the shop. We’d be happy to bring a set of Nersh Wheels (or anything else for that matter) down to the race with us with your name on them.
If you haven’t heard already, we just launched an email newsletter with the latest gear, events, and videos from MOBO. Check it out here!
The current promo we’re running is 15% of of Surf-Rodz trucks when you purchase a full price longboard decks. Only until July 4th so you have about a week left to make it happen.
If you would like to receive this newsletter, email shannon@motionboardshop.com.
The Landyachtz Loco Express will be screeching into MOBO on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 2 p.m.
Landyachtz has been carting around the EH Team riders in a refurbished retro red van, taking them to locations like Albuquerque, San Francisco, and Berkeley for different events and filming along the way. Follow their adventures at http://www.locoexpress.ca
If we are lucky, they might bring their mascot, Chewy the African Pygmy Goat.
The EH Team will meet with our very own MOBO team to rip some local hills. Lookout for footage to come. In the meantime, check out this video of the team’s latest adventure: LOCO on the Road Update #4.
We consider ourselves to be super lucky to have snagged a good amount of the first produced batch of Abec11 Centrax wheels that came out just days ago. Perfect timing too! With the Maryhill Festival of Speed just days away (June 29th-July 4th in Goldendale, Washington), they couldn’t have arrived at a better time.
We’d gotten a glimpse of the wheels at different races over the last year as prizes given away for podium spots. Last year at the Festival of Speed, we got a chance to scope out a few of the prototypes for these longboard wheels and couldn’t wait for them to hit the market. After almost a year of anticipation they’re finally here!
So far, they’re only available in the popular lime, 80a durometer right now. With a 68mm contact patch and a 77mm height, these longboard wheels use of more thane than all other wheels out there combined! Their center-set hub and uber wide contact patch make for the grippiest of all grippy, sticky wheels. That means when you’re taking a hairpin turn on a technical course at high speeds, you’ll be able to keep your traction.
There’s no doubt in my mind that these wheels will fly off our shelves, especially since we featured them in our latest newsletter. So snag a set quick at our Seattle longboard shop or on our online store, there’s no telling how long it will be before Abec11 can crank out some more!
We posted a Holesom Longboard Review not too long ago and got a huge amount of interest from that. This deck is just one of those boards that sparks people’s interest and they want to know more about it. Truly, there’s nothing else like the Street Sweeper deck on the longboard market these days. Big ups to Holesom and Longboard Larry for coming up with a unique design in an industry populated with copycats.
We’ve been selling these longboard decks like hotcakes, we can barely even keep them in stock! I think the demo deck at our seattle longboard shop that we keep around at all times really helps solidify how bad-ass the street sweeper deck is.
To follow up our review, we decided to crank out a little video to really show you what the deck is all about. Afterall, if picture is worth a thousand words, then a video must be worth a bazillion words. We decided to do something a little different this time though. Instead of just filming in the shop showing you the ins and outs or each product, we decided to hit the streets a little bit. I hope Nate and Spencer show you how this deck rides on the streets in case you’re not in Seattle to try one for yourself.
Looking for a versatile commuter? MOBO rider Nate Blackburn says the Fullbag Foboo Longboard Deck is a great campus cruiser. If you’re in the market for a board that can carve and bomb hills, than this board is for you. As much as we love decks like the Evo and Demonseed, they’re pretty heavy to carry around during the summer time as you’re hitting the roads and cruising to the beach. A nice light-weight board is where it’s at.
“It has a solid, mellow concave, a wide wheelbase, and is a really light weight board,” Blackburn says. The bottom of the deck features a sweet bamboo veneer. So you’re able to have a deck that looks as nice as bamboo, but is actually made out of maple so you can keep the stiffness you need to be able to bomb hills. It has a mild torpedo shape, similar to the original Topmount deck from Fullbag.
The Foboo is also a great board for garage and downhill riding. This deck is 38 inches long by about 10 inches wide, providing plenty of foot space. It has a top mount with wheel cut outs perfect for lower trucks.
We recommend pairing this board with a nice turn-y truck such as the Randal 180’s, Bear 852’s, or Paris 180’s.
If you want to longboard Seattle, then get your Fullbag Foboo Longboard Deck at MOBO for $149.95.
Here at MOBO we toss the word “great” around a lot. But the Earthwing Supermodel fits our definition of the word. It’s a great board with a great concave. Best of all—it has a great price.
“It’s a ridiculously cheap price for how nice it is,” MOBO rider Ryan Vanderveen says, “especially for being a downhill freestyle board with a ton of features.”
This twin-tip, symmetrical, drop through deck comes in two flexes: 8 and 9 ply (go for 9 ply if you want a stiffer deck). It’s also got a big grab rail, ready for locking you in.
We recommend turny trucks, like Randal 180 trucks (with a 50 degree baseplate), Bear 852 trucks, or Paris 180 longboard trucks. Vanderveen says he’d suggest a pair of Indy’s. Keep in mind that pretty much any truck on the market comes with stock bushings that are sub-par. Venoms are the way to go to dramatically improve the way your trucks feel for only $14. Not sure what durometer combo to go with? Hit us up on Live Chat and we’ll help you dial it in.
Get your Earthwing Supermodel deck at MOBO for $100. With free shipping, what more could you ask for?!
**Update-The 8 plys have sold out for the time being but we have a few more of the 9ply decks still left in stock. It’s an awesome board for a heavier rider or anyone who doesn’t like any flex in their deck.
MOBO team riders Spencer Smith and Max Wipperman placed first and second in the 16 and under group at the 2nd Annual Gold Rush Challenge 2010, a downhill longboard skateboard race in Britannia Beach, B.C., on May 29 and 30, 2010.
“It’s one of the best organized races I’ve been too,” Smith said.
The 2.2 mile downhill course featured 10,000 vertical feet with three hairpins and five hay bale corners. According to UNKLE.ca, the Gold Rush course is “building a reputation as one of the most intense and extreme longboard skateboard races in the world,” and in North America, known as one of the most aggressive.
About 120 riders competed. Reigning champ Kevin Reimer from Vancouver, B.C., took first overall. Unfortunately, a lot of riders hurt themselves during qualifying and had to drop out for the final heats. Despite the wet pavement, Gold Rush was surprisingly fun in the rain, race participant and MOBO rider Chip Wood said.
“Max was rippin’,” Smith said. “He killed it in the juniors and was keeping up with the guys in the rain.”
Smith said the pavement was a little more worn than Washington’s Mary Hill, which made sliding and drifting easier.
His setup for race day? A Rayne Longboards Killswitch, handcrafted trucks made by his father, and Abec11 ZigZags, helping him pre drift and grip corners.
“Lee put on a pretty great event,” Smith said. Smith took home a deck, an Arson sweatshirt, and his first fatty check, for $250.
Look out for upcoming races, including Mary Hill, Seattle Slope Style, and the World Cup IGSA.
MOBO Teamrider Spencer Smith took first in 16 & Under in the Gold Rush 2010 Challenge.
MOBO Teamrider Max Wipperman took second in 16 & Under.
MOBO Teamrider Liam Kearney also participated in the race.
“The Miniglider is an urban assault deck, good for city riding where you need to be nimble, agile and ready for curbs,” Blackburn says. “Its kick tail allows riders to ollie up or down curbs with ease.”
The board is a smaller deck, with wheel wells, and a short, compact wheelbase. Blackburn says the concave works well for human slalom as well, by giving you lots to dig your feet into. This deck is also excellent as a campus cruiser because it’s small enough to strap onto your backpack during class and weave through the crowds like a dream.
We’ve been selling these longboard decks like hotcakes, no joke. If you’re a taller or heavy-set person and the miniglider looks a little dainty for your size, then the superglider is your deck. Think of it as the beefed up version of the Earthwing Miniglider 33. Looking for a good setup? Look no further than randal R11 180s on 50 degree baseplates with 66mm Retro Zigzags and Bones Reds bearings for a combo you can’t go wrong with.
Holesom Longboards is a new, green-friendly company based in Laguna Beach, California. The company uses fresh bamboo, hemp and 8 holes along each side. Holesome joined up with legendary custom longboard shaper, “Longboard Larry” to perfect the shape and construction. The idea for the Street Sweeper longboard deck was inspired by everyone’s favorite youtube classic, the Whirling Dervish, with Adam Colton.
It took about 15 months of going through 16 different prototypes and playing around with various hole placements before they finally agreed on the final product. Wonder what the holes are for? They decrease weight, add extra grip for your feet, lock in your feet during standies, and make for a snappy rebound.
Nate says the board rides similar to a Dervish but is able to carve more. Top mounting gives more vertical leverage to your wheels during turns, increasing grip, and really powering you out of the turn with its balanced flex pattern—which means the board doesn’t want to slide as much.
“It’s a super nice, versatile board,” Blackburn says. “ Multiple wheel base options also makes it easy to customize.”
Thirty riders packed the house at Motion Boardshop for the Shoreline Outlaw at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 22. Luckily the sun was out all day for some Downhill and Old School races.
The race was held locally in Shoreline on Andrews, Sherrill and Ya Gotta Listen Hills. After warming up with two practice runs, riders took to the streets for seven heats of downhill pavement. Each heat featured four riders, with six riders in the final two heats.
The final heat standings:
Max Wipperman
Trevor Preston
Gabe Trainer
Nate Blackburn/Ryan Heffrenan, Kaleb Haddish
First place rider Max Wipperman walked away with a brand new Comet VooDoo Doll longboard deck. Other prizes included a set of Lime 70 mm wheels, and set of bushings. Prizes were hooked up by Motion Boardshop
We do, everyday! Here’s one of our most recent videos featuring two of our local teamriders, Erik “EK” Kristjannson and Jordan “Uberbombs” Lemmel, shredding it up. Erik is riding one of the Black Dog Longboards. These are two super talented riders that represent our shop well and we’re stoked to have had them on our team for the last year. Even the best riders take some spills though. Watch through all the way til the end where one of them hits a man-hole cover going about 40-45mph. It ain’t pretty!
On another note, we’re fully stocked on Black Dogs and lots of other longboard skateboard decks. Tis the season to be skating! The sun is out and the pavement is dry. Huzzah!
Thanks for being so patient! We’ve been working hard with long hours at home to keep pumping out the videos. It’s not uncommon for Jason to stay up until 2 in the morning working on the latest vid. We have so many manufacturers these days knocking on our door to make a video showcasing their products. Can’t complain though, it’s actually a lot of fun.
Black Dog Longboards is our newest brand and happens to be a Motion Exclusive product. You can’t find them anywhere else.
Some of the names have been updated so the lineup now is the Chica Esquela (with or without wheel cutouts), El Pescador and the Pussy Gato. Duane (Black Dog shaper) has also perfected the big boy model that we call the El Gordo. It’s basically a 12ply tank that’s perfect for the guys over 220lb. It’s been put to test by getting abused by our biggest riders and it passed with flying colors!
The Pussy Gato deck has been a unanimous favorite longboard deck out of the lineup and best of all, they dropped their price to only $120 with grip!
Woop woop! Yeah that’s right. Bear Grizzlies are in the HOUSE! We got a huge shipment from Landyachtz and unpacked a case of their improved 2010 Bear 852 Longboard Trucks. Our teamrider Trevor said it best: “Landyachtz is one of the few companies that’s always moving in the right direction with their products. They listen to what people say and make the improvements.” Amen. These trucks are super sexy too, even the new baseplates look like the hourglass shape of a woman’s body.
According to Landyachtz, “The new geometry and bushing seats will give you the best combination of lean, rebound, and response possible. All the goods of the 2009’s are still here, including the sweet-spot 181mm axle width, flipable hanger for cruising and bombing options, and a baseplate shape/hole pattern to mount to just about any board out there today including drop-through’s.”
Skate[Slate] did a comprehensive report on the trucks (here) and found that they are….
-10 grams lighter than before
-twice as strong (less chance of bending your axles)
-wider bushing seat to accommodate any bushings
-thicker pivot cup wall
-graphite impregnated pivot cup
-oval shaped bushing seats for better turning and less restriction
The best part is that they’re still only $47 for a set of these longboard skateboard trucks.
At Motion Boardshop, we’re on a constant mission to find the best products available. We look for longboard gear with amazing performance, long-lasting durability, a great warranty, and an affordable price. Our latest and greatest find are Surf-Rodz trucks and we’re super stoked to carry them in our shop. They’re one of the few companies out there using an eco-friendly manufacturing process to create technically advanced and innovative products.
I was surprised to find out that they also make highly technical parabolic snowboards designed specifically for serious carving. Not only that, but they also produce classic 9′ and 10′ longboard surfboards. Most of you probably know Surf-Rodz by their axle extension products which will transform your average randal longboarding trucks into wide, stable, downhill machines. You can also convert that dusty pair of slalom trucks into something more useful now too.
Surf-Rodz are precision, CNC’d trucks made in the US of A. With 6 different colors, various finishes, 8mm or 10mm axles, and 3 different baseplate degrees, the combinations are endless!
Here’s what Surf-Rodz and Motion Teamrider Trevor Preston had to say about their trucks:
“Surf-Rodz are cranking out of Seymore, Connecticut and model themselves on their motto, “performance, adjustability, and availability”. When I got a hold of their product, they did just that. The performance was fantastic. Created by some of the greatest engineers and machinists in the country, with a mind set on skateboarding and skills worthy of Dragster racing parts (which they do), they have created one of the highest performing trucks on the market. They are one of the first companies to create a precision truck that has racing in mind but is actually designed for carving, freeriding, and aggressive skating. With this all-around skating mentality, Surf-Rodz has created a truck that is not only stable, high traction, smooth and predictable, but FUN. They have the turning radius of your favorite carving trucks, and the stability of your favorite downhill trucks. With bushings seats that are set deep within the hanger you get unparalleled rebound out of your bushings, making high speed cornering feel extremely comfortable. The axles of the trucks are incredibly true and the pivot cups are 100% slop free, leaving no room for error and giving the rider’s wheel full contact on the pavement which results in superior traction. Whether you’re a downhiller or a soul-carver, these trucks are you!”
If not, you’re missing out! Our Youtube Channel has 35 videos and just under 175,000 views so far and that number is growing every day. We try to offer a mix of all things related to longboard skateboard. You’ll find instructional videos to learn more about precision trucks, bushings, wheels and decks. There’s also videos dedicated to specific products like the Rayne Demonseed and the Eastside Rocky Bomber in case you’re thinking about buying one and want to learn more about it. And then of course you’ll find lots of action-packed videos of our teamriders bombing local suburban hills at 50mph, freerides and events at the famous Maryhill, and our team cruising down Alpental’s mountain roads. So there’s obviously something for everyone. We encourage comments and try to get back to everyone who leaves specific questions.
Subscribe to our channel and you’ll be the first to know when our latest longboard videos drop!
Here’s our video documenting last month’s Maryhill Freeride:
We are so super crazy stoked to finally reveal the latest MOBO Exclusive! Drum roll please…… Black Dog Longboards! These decks are made by Seattle shaper Duane Boschee who loves surfing and skiing along with his passion for longboarding. He’s been handcrafting and pressing these boards for a little over a year now, using his background in surfboard shaping to good use. Duane has worked closely with our teamriders to tweak and perfect his designs.
Not only are these boards practically a work of art but each deck is absolutely one-of-a kind. Everyone is really stoked on the topmounted Swallow Tail Longboard but my personal favorite is the Chica Esquela (School Girl) which is a comfy cruiser with a nice drop to it. I think it’s the perfect longboard skateboard for anyone getting into the sport that just wants to roll ride around without getting too extreme.
Oh and did I mention they’re only $130 for the deck AND they come with Gnar Grip. Hmmm, sounds like a no brainer to me! If you’re local, come by the shop and demo some out firsthand.
We’re working on finalizing the editing of our Black Dog Longboards Video so you can expect to see that soon.
The new Rayne Isis longboard is quickly becoming a Motion favorite here in the shop. Why? Here’s some of the features on the Isis:
Slim-cave (a downhill concave specifically developed for smaller feet), a 1/2″ dropped riding platform, it’s topmounted like the avenger for tons of traction, and it has a “flat top pleasure dome” which is specifically dialed in for stand-up slides and cornering high speed turns.
With such features, the Isis longboard is a perfect board for just about anything. Being a Rayne longboard, it obviously features that famous Rayne construction of a bamboo core and fiberglass sandwiched on top and bottom, giving it that perfectly stiff ride, and an incredibly durable board.For those riders who are looking for one board that does it all, this board will surely make a good addition to the quiver.
I’m sure you have all heard about the Killswitch by now, nut if you haven’t, it is time to hop on to the downhill board of the future. The Rayne Killswitch Longboard is the brainchild of Rayne team rider, Kevin Reimer. As Kevin says, the Killswitch longboard is designed to work around the way a human goes downhill skateboarding. Kevin has taken the time to think about every movement that happens while you are downhill or freeriding longboarding, and put a feature to make that movement easier and more comfortable while riding this board, giving the rider that “locked in” feeling at all times. Some of the features include:
1: 3/8″ Radial Drop Platform: subtle drops in the front and rear so as to cradle the life that it is stealing you from regular monotonous board design.
2: K-Rimes’ own Pleasure Dome concave with a subtle feel that is enough to lock you in, but not enough to become bothers ome on long bombs or pushes. The W concave also allows for butter toe-side pre-drifts and heel-side stand up checks by keeping your rear foot in place.
1+2 = 3: Where the small drop morphs into the flat-topped Pleasure Dome concave, you place your foot in that “special spot” where the two lovers meet. You will find your foot and toes are dropped into an aggressive forward facing stance that is similar to that of a runner on a starting block. This allows for pushing bad’assery and major comfort when you’re out on the track.
4: Three-dimensional wood bending was used in this deck to give a full, cupped feeling for the front and rear toes. This allows the body to lean far away from the board while still maintaining full contact of the front foot. The rear foot will find a pocket specially designed for those who tuck, and tuck fast.5: The “Drop-Lock”. When you stand on this s deck your front foot will naturally position itself into the “Drop-Lock” where the toes sit beside the drop rather than behind it. This makes for a complete and total lock of the front foot for toe-side drifts.
Along with those futuristic features listed above, the board features a 38-inch deck, with 10 inches of width at its widest points, and alternate wheelbases of 31 and 32 inches. With its functional nose and tail, the board truly maximizes the amount of deck space that useable for you feet while you are bombing your favorite hill or cruising to the grocery store. Not to mention the construction, with a solid bamboo core, and fiberglass sandwiched on top and bottom, this board is one solid downhill and freeride machine! All in all, the Rayne Killswitch is one board that you have to see to appreciate the truly genius design.
Earthwing Skateboards finally released the new, highly sought after, batch of the Supermodel Longboard Deck. It’s still available in an 8ply and 9ply version, depending on if you want a soft, flexy ride or a stiffer deck. Of course, your weight and riding style will determine which ply will suit you best. As you can obviously tell, this latest batch is much lighter in color but still has the same routered channels for torsional flex, drop through cutouts, deep concave and wheelwells. In the picture below you can see there’s a faint brown outline around the channels and wheelwells. The decks come with either brown, red, green, blue, or purple. We only have a few Supermodel decks left at this point and Earthwing themselves are already sold out so we won’t be far behind! We found they ride especially nice with the new Venom SHR bushings.
Sorry for the long blog title! I’ll have to figure out how to shorten that up a little bit for the future. We’ve been cranking out more episodes of our 60 Seconds of Tech Series. This one features the Rayne Demonseed Longboard. Nate talks about it’s specs and how to optimize this speedboard as a downhill longboard, especially if you’re a heavier rider that can take advantage of the premium footspace on this deck. At 44″ long with a 1″ drop, this board is as stable as it gets for bombing hills. Here’s some of the components we recommend but obviously you may way to customize it to better fit your size and riding style.
I know, I know. We just had a Rocky Bomber Longboard video just a few posts ago. BUT, that was the one made by Eastside Longboards, the manufacturer. That one’s a lot more fun to watch since it’s action packed with Eastside’s team riders. This one’s a little different since it’s a video that we produced ourselves. It’s actually the first of many videos we’ll be pumping out as new products hit the market. For all of you longboarders out there without a skateshop nearby where you can touch and feel things firsthand, this is for you. We want you to feel like you’re right in the shop with us and you can see the concave, rocker, drop etc. instead of just looking at a picture of the deck’s graphic.
We’ll try to offer some insight for you on how to complete the deck for different riding disciplines. For the newly redesigned Eastside Rocky Bomber Longboard, we recommend:
Randal RII 180mm Trucks (42* or 50* depending on if you’re using this super versatile deck for downhill or freeriding)
Let us know what you think about the video. We’re totally open to suggestions on what we can do better. These videos are to help you out afterall, not us. Check it out on youtube, give it a quick rating and leave us a comment. We do our best to respond to all of them.
