Best and most honest review of anything that I have ever seen. Throughout the years have seen hundreds of reviews on probably thousands of products and they always feel like paid ones. The honesty of this guy is shockingly good and pleasant, explaining and reasoning everything so well, without being afraid to say something negative.
I love and appreciate how much time and dedication you put towards helping the surfskate community. I just started out with a Slide Diamond 32" and after watching most of your videos I was able to hop on and feel confident almost immediately . Thank you for these 🙏 this channel is super underrated
thanks for getting your hands dirty to show us the nitty gritty details of the inner workings of the surfskate trucks. greatly appreciate all your content!
This is both helpful in making a truck choice and very interesting from a design perspective. I love seeing the different methods of creating range of motion. Great video, thanks!
Thank you for a great job on all of your videos! This is really clear and helpful for anyone getting into Surfskates. As you say everyone will be looking for a different feel to suit their size weight and ride. I have tried a good few boards and keep returning to one of the cheapest out there the Oxelo 540 carve from Decathlon at £90 I have been skateboarding since the 70s, am 6'3" and weigh 220lbs This board has a slightly longer wheelbase at 22/23" and runs a cx style truck. I did a bushing swap when I got it and alternate between the wheels which came with it 66mm x 44mm and some nice big 70mm cruisers It just suits me perfectly, great for pumping and maintaining speed whilst carving and cruising around. The most important thing is it puts a big smile on my face every time 😁 winner!! Perhaps you can add it to your review list... Thank once again 🕉💖🛹
Thank you so much Steve for making all these wonderful videos👏..it really helps me a lot in knowing and understanding surfskate which I just got interested in. 💕All the best to you on your SurfSkating. Keep up the Good work.
Dude! its always a pleasure to see how much passion you put into that sport. Hopefully we see us at ISPO 2022 in Munich. It is a big advantage for you, that can talk freely and publish your opiníon. I am pretty sure a few people hates you now ;))) But in the end - i think 90% of what you talking about is true! Big Hug from Germany and the Ministry of Stoke Team.
Well done! We're in the market for a surfskate for our son. This is by far the most informative, comprehensive, and authoritative review of surf skate trucks that I've seen. Possibly the best comparison video ever! All credit to you.
Love this! It's really nice that you show every manufacturers take on approaching that surf feeling and what they came up with (or emulated). I got a Smoothstar/Thruster (great stuff) as my first surfskate a year ago and got a Yow V4.S5 later. Since I'm looking to improve my surfing I am happy to hear your findings confirm these choices. Keep up making the great content! Much appreciated.
Fantastic review. It gave me a clear understanding of what each surf skate truck can and can't do. Extremely helpful. Appreciate you putting together this video.
you really nailed it and you should earn about a million likes for this. Only mention is that the Yow S5 (my personal favorite) got the option to choose 2 different wheelbases, so you can use new decks of Yow with a wider wheelbase as with the original Meraki. For taller riders like me a real deal ;-) go on, its fun to watch.
My mate and I both have a carver CX on longboards. His is a true longboard , mine a 36” cruiser . The truck works so well with a longer board. I ride mine in a half pipe at my mates house even.
Just descovered surf skating from this video. I was looking to explore Gullwing Sidewinder kind of trucks and this is the kind of skating i love to do just never could describe it to nonskaters until now.
Thanks for the trucks review. Right now I'm experimenting with alots of truck setup. I've started with a waterborne, then tried the Carver CX and now riding with the YOW Meraki. Like them all but prefer the Meraki... I've bought a flow used from a friend (real cheap) just to try... It's not that bad. I use more back foot pressure to make it work. Also I've found the flow system is more fun on a shorter wheel base... Keep the great content!!!
Really digging the content Steve! Maybe do a video on rear trucks as well. Obviously everybody is talking about the front trucks in surfskate, but how rear truck setup and looseness affects the overall ride could maybe be interesting as well.
YES! Please do make a video on rear trucks! This is such an excellent idea. I’ve heard several surf skaters say good things about a setup with a surf skate truck in the front and a Gullwing Sidewinder (double king pin truck) for the rear. Apparently this is all the rage in Thailand, and I’ve seen a number of comments under videos by Surfskate Love that attest to this setup too.
To quote someone who knows more than me on this: "You put softer bushings in there, and they're basically Carver CXs but with much more consistent lean/turn. In fact, the Landyachtz surfskate trucks literally have the same geometry as the Carver CXs (~67 degree baseplate angle front truck, and standard TKP back, maybe the Carver CXs have a lower angle back truck but that's super easily transferred to the Landyachtz surfskates with a dewedge). With soft bushings, they feel almost exactly like Carver CXs. Please take it from me: I have ridden my set of CXs for close to four years now as my daily driver. Actually, I would say that they're better because they don't chew through bushings as quickly, have more consistent lean/turn and resistance (doesn't have that "anti-dive" that CXs have), and actually have improved lean range because they use tall bushings. It also doesn't need to be said, but the swing arm systems are way less stable at speed. Regarding the high angle truck systems, the Carver CX does not interface the bushing seat at a 90 degree angle to the hanger, which means that one side of the bushing gets compressed much harder than the other. This does have an advantage since it aligns the boardside bushing downward so that gravity will assist in stabilizing the bushing, but it also means bushings ride much softer in the Carver CX front truck, and also important to note that one side of the bushing will wear out much faster than the other. On the other hand, the brand new Landyachtz surfskates has the bushings aligned at 90 degrees to the hanger, which means that the action of the Landyachtz surfskate is much more consistent. BUT, the stock Landyachtz bushings are far too hard for proper surfskate agility, so you need to get aftermarket bushings - I use 70a Riptide APS tall cones on mine - to get it to carve as well as the competition. You can also mod the Landyachtz surfskates with dewedge risers on the back to make it way more stable but still extremely carvy because of the high angle front truck. Because the alignment of the bushings for the Landyachtz surfskates are almost parallel to the ground however, they don't benefit from gravity helping to stabilize them, so they can feel a bit more "fluttery" than the Carver CXs. Like I said, the Landyachtz surfskate requires modding. You NEED to get after market bushings to get them to carve well enough. They just threw in their stock grey urethane for the bushings, which are way, way too hard for surfskates. I use these: www.amazon.com/Riptide-Tall-Cone-Bushings-APS/dp/B07BR236NS 70a is an insanely soft duro for bushings, and with 70a tall cones, my Landyachtz Pocket Knife carves just as hard as my Carver CX, which I put an 85a Powell Peralta Hardcore Barrel in. From just a technical perspective, the Landyachtz Surfskate truck IS an improvement on the Carver CX, which until now has been the standard for the high angle front truck category (although the design is so easy to cast and rip off). The Carver CX angles the bushing seat in a way that does not maximize bushing compression and therefore stability. Regarding the stability issue this is offset by the fact that the angle keeps the boardside bushing mostly on a vertical axis, so that the weight of the rider and deck + gravity pushes the boardside bushing down into the bushing seat, which compensates the stability. But the fact that it's set at an angle means that one side of the bushing gets chewed up way faster than the other, reducing your bushing longevity by 50%. This also means that the CX has, I dunno how to describe it, but the opposite of dive - since it compresses one side of the bushing much much more than the other, that side of the bushing "maxes out" on compression much more quickly than normal, which means that the truck center feels loosey goosey, but then rapidly increases resistance and rebound the harder you lean into the turn."
Thanks, great content. I just got into surf skating at the start of the pandemic. I first bought the waterborne adapters online and then when the stores opened up I bought a carver mini Simmons with cx. It wasn’t what I expected and then I decided to put the adapters on the carver trucks and changed the feel for the good. It definitely was a bit higher but in Hawaii we do a lot of skating barefoot.
As a surfer, bushings are way better than springs. I dont understand why people think that surfing is a slow motion twisting wiggle wiggle sport with lots of exaggerated arm movement Good surfing, like any carving sport, is rail surfing and needs to be done with speed. A good carve is when you accelerate out of a turn. Wiggle wiggle slash is not good surfing.
just bought my son a swell tech for his 10th birthday. I borrowed a slide from a friend for the week before just to get the feel for the surf skates. the slide felt great and neither of us had ever ridden surfskates before. we're surfers and we're in the water at a minimum 4 days a week .so I finally brought out the swell tech as my boys birthday came around and when we stepped on it, it almost felt like it was impossible to ride. the trucks are unbelievably loose. I was pissed. I was like "shoot, I just blew my money". i tightened up both of the trucks just to be able to stamd on it at first, and we kept messing with the tensioning through out the weekend, and ended up backing back out the trucks to the original tension. now let me tell you. this board is the sickest thing I've ever felt out of the water. I bought it specifically for surf training for my son. and after riding it myself for the past few days, ill say thatthe slide feels comparatively stiff next to it. I would 100% recommend slide as a great beginner board, we jumped straight on and were off to the races. but the swell tech is amazing once you get the hang of it. it was a baptism by fire. we had to learn to ride it or it would be a waste of money. I would say if you're not afraid to challenge yourself and you want a truley surfy feel, get the swell tech, if not I think the slide as it is really user friendly and a great option. I would definitely buy both and be happy.
i really couldnt hold myself from buying a swelltech as a first surfskate .Its the brnd that tought me surfskating exists.sooo im now waiting for my san o' to arrive :)))))))
Swelltech is my favorite at first hard to ride.. but when mastered it it feels super fun to ride and smooth pumping now when i return to Smoothstar or over brands it feels limited in movements ! Swelltech have new springs more durable now but feels more stiff.. :/ Hamboards is great for landpaddle and slides or pumping but loose speed quickly while turning.. that is why landpaddle is essential with it
Hi steve, love the channel mate. Question, I am an experienced surfer wanting to start to ride bowls and pump tracks. My plan was to purchase a smooth star and tighten up the trucks to start in the bowls and skateparks and then loosen them as I progress. What are you’re thoughts on that? How does the smooth start truck compare to the cx at full tightness? I know allot of people recommend cx or c5 for beginner bowl riders due to the tightness. Appreciate any advice. Cheers.
The Smoothstar Thruster and Carver CX are completely different, even with the Thruster tightened. And unfortunately, I can't tell you which one to go with because it's all based on personal preference and skill level. But if you're an experienced surfer, you might want the Smoothstar just for surf training anyway. You'll really just have to try both.
Hello, I'm starting in this world Surfskate. Because my experience with skate, surf it is small, and I can't trie all truck types, this video help a lot, thank's. I buy my 1st. Surfskate two months ago, A Oxelo 540 from Decatlon, too trie with my 11 years soon. Now I'm seeling de Oxelo. I buy to my soon a 32" Triton by Carver with CX trucks and for me a 32" Slide, New model with 3.0 Trucks. We go a lot to Skateparks. Because that I change the wheels to a harder and smaller ones from Carver 58mm 95A. Now I want one to cruiser with soft wheels. Yow Meraki truck with a 34" deck and large and soft wheels, or take out the trucks from Oxelo and put only the Meraki trucks.
@@SurfskateLove In the video you say that version 1 of the slide trucks have some shortcomings and are not recommended, but version 3 is supposed to be good. Can you make a statement about the V2? I can not find anywhere exactly where the difference between the versions is. I guess the V3 builds a bit flatter than the V2, but otherwise?!! I ask because I have an offer for a brought V2, but unfortunately I can not test it due to distance. If someone knows something I am grateful for answers.
I've been trying so hard to figure out what to get. All your videos have been fantastic. I'm still having trouble finding these things here in the states.
My wife got me a flow deck for Christmas. I didn’t even know what a surf skate was but I’ve been skating for 20 years. I agree the flow is a trash design and it’s my first surf skate 😂 thanks for the video though I’m stoked to get some new trucks I can’t wait to surf the skate park
Great review man. Thank you. I’ve been using SurfSkates since November. Started on C7, then got a Meraki, then I finally got a C5 to bridge the gap in my progression back to skateboarding. It sounds like the CX. I just took it into the bowls here, and more stable indeed, but I’m used to my C7 in the bowls, and actually like it better surprisingly. 🤷🏽♂️ Anyways, thanks for the stellar review.
I just got into surfskating after trying a surfskate for the first time in Portugal at a surf hostel. I bought a cheap Flow wedge for a bargain, 70 dollars. I like everything about it except the front truck which is not smooth at all. But buying a better front truck would solve the problem
There must be a way to redesign the trucks so that there’s less stack height. Surely, the levers and springs could be mounted, flat on the underside of the board (no shortage of space). What if the wheels on each side of the board could be interconnected? The same amount of turn, but without an exaggerated vertical movement Or would that defeat the purpose (like carving a wave)? Fascinating😊😊😊
This is a great video, thank you for making it. I have the Waterborne adapter with the rear rail adapter too and I really like it. Which of the dedicated surfskate trucks run close to the feel of the Waterborne, I'd like a little bit more resistance towards the limit of motion (I guess you'd call it the flop). Without losing tonnes of turning radius. Thank you.
Absolutely love my Slide, put it on a longer YOW deck and it is magical in the bowl, have worked my way up to doing 8ft drop ins on it. Nearly as good a surfing 😎
Hi Steve! It would be very interesting if you could make a comparison between the CX, and its quality competitors. I think they are: - ABIAN TECHNIC - MILLER XRKP II 6,5". - SURFSKATE TRUCKS HYDROPONIC 2 - GRASP PADO.23 Especially with the first three, as they seem well designed and built and has a good price. Thank you very much!
As a rule, I don't review or support clones. The Abian Technic, Miller, and Hydroponic are all CX clones. I do have a Grasp review on the way, however.
Love your videos! I recently started surfskating thanks to them. Where I live there’s almost 0 surfskating knowledge so I had to buy the only thing available. I got a Globe complete with revenge alpha II trucks, have you reviewed them yet? They don’t look anything like the usual trucks and I can’t find much info online
@@SurfskateLove yo! Thanks for the quick response! Yeah, I thought so. They look very gimmicky, I even broke one in the first week of riding and I had to replace them
I would like to know if you have heard of the new Genesis trucks made by Lean? The trucks are made for the Long Island brand which comes from HLC, the same company producing Yow surfskates. I am looking seriously at the Long Island Mossel. I saw a review in French and it was really positive. The truck looks like a Meraki just with bushings. It is supposed to be a cross between a CX and a Meraki. They were said to be smooth but with a deeper Lean than the CX. Thanks for your review and your help. Regards, Hayward Butler
what if you combine the SwellTech and a tandem axle wheel kit to make up for the instability? also the surfeeling truck looks kinda simular to revenge trucks.
I ride bowls over anything, started on Carver C7 but switching to YOW S5 (came stock on my La Santa) absolutely love In the bowl and out. Bummed I just had the system break. Also I didn’t know anyone else in st. George had a surf skate. Every time I visit my parents down there I see none at the park.
Great video. You are starting to mix & match trucks, decks etc. which also creates value. Lots of great deck builders creating more premium products then what the surfskate manufacturers are putting out there so it may be worth it to review products from Soulboardiy, or Koabär (you would probably love their biggest board) or even surfpuro from Brazil. Also I have a suggestion and that is trying out the waterborn REAR rail adapter (if you got it) with some of the other front surfskate trucks like yow/smoothstar etc. It may affect the overall behaviour of the system and since you are used to disassembly and reassembly by now, why the hell not :)
What about using two front Waterborne trucks on a Surfskate (putting a front truck on the rear)? Wouldn't this give a much tighter turning radius? I like the feel of having a really long 4ft board under my feet, so maybe this would work to make a long board have a tight turn radius. Maybe also bring the trucks closer together under a longer board. I'd like to experiment making longer tighter turning boards, as well as wider like 12" wide boards. Wider trucks might also add some extra stability and look cool. I might have to bust out my welder and build some custom extra wide Surfskate trucks and do some experimenting.
Steve would be nice if you could make a small update on what TKP truck to use with especially the YOW S4 S5 and Smoothstar adapter. The Yow Meraki comes with fix truck, what’s the Axle width. There is basically no information out there.
@Surfskate Love Thanks for your helpful videos. I am 50+ and just got a yow surfskate and love it. I wonder how do you set the hardness of your trucks/bushings? On my longboard I set them as loose as possible but still firm to go back in middle position, and hard enough to not get wheelbite at any manoeuvres I do. But with the front truck of for example the meraki system that swivels around I have no real clue yet, how loose to set the truck or when to put softer/harder bushings. Is there any guideline/consensus on this? Thanks
This is such a great comparison, so comprehensive! Do you have a preference in bearings or bushings? I have heard that using cones as bushings is supposed to make your trucks better for carving. I would also be interested to know if you have tried the Zealous bearings. Longboarders seem to love them, but not sure if they are good for surfskates.
Thank you - this is the most comprehensive review I've seen by far. I'm sold on YOW Meraki . Tried buying Yow Meraki - I live in the US - anywhere I look it's out of stock (same for Carver). Do you have any tips/website(s) as to where to order these Yow or Carver surfskates for those who live in the US (completes or trucks - at least something)?
Another more review you can take a look at is Chinese ssytem. There are lot more out there waiting for you to explore and make a wonderful review like this one with a friendly price.
I do think it works well for that. I don’t know if it’s the best for that. As far as that goes, to me the top four are Waterborne, Carver CX, slide, yow.
I really don't no what you mean with Meraki, I can just find Meraki s4 & s5, can't find any single named Meraki truck 😅. Can someone help me understand? I'm new in Surfskating. But so far I can tell, it's fucking awesome and exactly what I was searching for in my older days as a skater in my youth!
There's about a quarter inch difference. YOW Meraki is 8.75", Carver C7 9". The only difference it makes is that the YOWs have less thread for the bolt, which means you'll see that bolt stick out a bit more on the C7. Make sense?
Thanks dude! That's was pretty thoroughly. Would You give an advice.. I need someone track to train to add pressure the body weight to the board edges.. like the snowboard.. to make that using the ankles only is not enough.. What of that trucks should i take?.. any tuning? Thanks!
Hello Steve, thank you for your great review. I have a board with DSTREET trucks under it and I am intentioned to change them with trucks that allow me to descend steep streets with sharp curves. Could Meraki be a good choice? I read that someone says that Meraki S4 are only for kids or people under 50 Kg (110 lb)weight. Is that true? I weigh 67 Kg (143 lb) should I choose Meraki S5? I am not a fan of high speeds. Best regards, Franco (Italy)Meraki
Hey Steve, thank you for your great research and testing work! I want to upgrade my old Skatesurfer from Jucker Havaii (3 wheel system) into a surfskate. What do you think, should I go for the Waterborne Surfscate Adapter or the Silde 3.0 front truck? They both cost nearly the same (Waterborne front Adapter 60€ and Slide Front truck 62€) and I already have wheels and a longboard truck. Thanks again
Hey what do you think about the YOW S4 System? It even has the option to lock the truck and use the board as a cruiser. Better go for that or for the new meraki? Im 84 kg, 183 cm.
Hello! Thanks for all your vids and experience. I have a question about the Globe surfskate and the trucks that they use, called REVENGE. They are kinda old and I pretty weird about why you didn't make any reviews about them. What's your opinion? ohh grand master guru of surfskate =) Thanks in advance
I don't like them at all. They have the same truck on front and rear, so it's a different feel than a typical surfskate. What makes a surfskate generate thrust is the combination of a swiveling front truck with a stable rear truck. When both trucks are the same, pumping feels much different and it's not nearly as efficient.
I started on a board with (I believe) first generation HST trucks very loose carves really well as it stands I like it better then my smoothstar with the new generation of HST trucks whose back truck be changed from 40 20 to 10 making it more stationary does that help with pumping ?
You're comparing Hamboards HST trucks to Smoothstar? That's very confusing to me because they're not even close to each other. Smoothstar is WAY better for carving than the HST. And yes, changing the back angle of the HST trucks does help them pump better. But even still, they don't pump at all like a normal surfskate with a radically turning front truck combined with a stable rear truck.
Best and most honest review of anything that I have ever seen. Throughout the years have seen hundreds of reviews on probably thousands of products and they always feel like paid ones. The honesty of this guy is shockingly good and pleasant, explaining and reasoning everything so well, without being afraid to say something negative.
I love and appreciate how much time and dedication you put towards helping the surfskate community. I just started out with a Slide Diamond 32" and after watching most of your videos I was able to hop on and feel confident almost immediately . Thank you for these 🙏 this channel is super underrated
Thanks so much, Barry! I really appreciate it. I'm just trying to give people what I wish I had when I was starting out.
thanks for getting your hands dirty to show us the nitty gritty details of the inner workings of the surfskate trucks. greatly appreciate all your content!
You're very welcome!
This is both helpful in making a truck choice and very interesting from a design perspective. I love seeing the different methods of creating range of motion. Great video, thanks!
Great to hear! Thank you!
Thanks a lot for this comprehensive video about all the choices - from the in and the outside. And for all the work taking your boards apart!
My pleasure, my friend! Just trying to give people what I wish I had when I was starting out.
Thank you for a great job on all of your videos!
This is really clear and helpful for anyone getting into Surfskates.
As you say everyone will be looking for a different feel to suit their size weight and ride. I have tried a good few boards and keep returning to one of the cheapest out there the Oxelo 540 carve from Decathlon at £90
I have been skateboarding since the 70s, am 6'3" and weigh 220lbs
This board has a slightly longer wheelbase at 22/23" and runs a cx style truck. I did a bushing swap when I got it and alternate between the wheels which came with it 66mm x 44mm and some nice big 70mm cruisers
It just suits me perfectly, great for pumping and maintaining speed whilst carving and cruising around.
The most important thing is it puts a big smile on my face every time 😁 winner!!
Perhaps you can add it to your review list...
Thank once again 🕉💖🛹
@@edhumm Yessir, that smile is the only thing that matters! Unfortunately that board is not available in the US.
@@SurfskateLove that's a shame, excellent value and fun.
Stay safe 🕉💖🛹
Thank you so much Steve for making all these wonderful videos👏..it really helps me a lot in knowing and understanding surfskate which I just got interested in. 💕All the best to you on your SurfSkating. Keep up the Good work.
Thanks so much! I really appreciate that.
Dude! its always a pleasure to see how much passion you put into that sport. Hopefully we see us at ISPO 2022 in Munich. It is a big advantage for you, that can talk freely and publish your opiníon. I am pretty sure a few people hates you now ;))) But in the end - i think 90% of what you talking about is true! Big Hug from Germany and the Ministry of Stoke Team.
Yeah I’m not exactly endearing myself to companies. 😂😂
Well done! We're in the market for a surfskate for our son. This is by far the most informative, comprehensive, and authoritative review of surf skate trucks that I've seen. Possibly the best comparison video ever! All credit to you.
Love this! It's really nice that you show every manufacturers take on approaching that surf feeling and what they came up with (or emulated). I got a Smoothstar/Thruster (great stuff) as my first surfskate a year ago and got a Yow V4.S5 later. Since I'm looking to improve my surfing I am happy to hear your findings confirm these choices. Keep up making the great content! Much appreciated.
Fantastic review. It gave me a clear understanding of what each surf skate truck can and can't do. Extremely helpful. Appreciate you putting together this video.
The best video on the best channel about surfskate ever!
Thanks so much! Just trying to give people what I wish I had when I was starting out.
@@SurfskateLove Dude, you nailed it! Keep on riding!
you really nailed it and you should earn about a million likes for this. Only mention is that the Yow S5 (my personal favorite) got the option to choose 2 different wheelbases, so you can use new decks of Yow with a wider wheelbase as with the original Meraki. For taller riders like me a real deal ;-) go on, its fun to watch.
I enjoy your videos a lot!! best surf skate channel by miles!!! keep on bringing this amazing info to the masses!!
Much appreciated, Carlos. I’m just trying to give people what I wish I had when I was starting out.
Excellent review,I love it and I hope to see another review in other surf-skate brand such as Spiceskate and Wood detail etc.
Very comprehensive video! A lot of work went into that one! Nice job and thank you! 👍🤙
Thank you! And you're very welcome.
Thankyou sooo much for taking the time to make this great comprehensive video.
You're welcome! Thank you! I just try to give people what I wish I had when I was starting out.
My mate and I both have a carver CX on longboards. His is a true longboard , mine a 36” cruiser . The truck works so well with a longer board. I ride mine in a half pipe at my mates house even.
This is the very best video about surfskate trucks & adapters on the web. I have never ever seen anything like that. Congrats Bro! 👊
Thank you! Very much appreciated. Just trying to give people what I wish I had when I was starting out.
Just descovered surf skating from this video. I was looking to explore Gullwing Sidewinder kind of trucks and this is the kind of skating i love to do just never could describe it to nonskaters until now.
Man you are the legend now. Thank you for working hard with this video.
Thank you! Just trying to give people what I wish I had when I was starting out.
Very good review as I expected 😊
hey! you are the best surfskate lover on youtube! thank you for short and intense videos!
Thanks for the trucks review. Right now I'm experimenting with alots of truck setup. I've started with a waterborne, then tried the Carver CX and now riding with the YOW Meraki. Like them all but prefer the Meraki... I've bought a flow used from a friend (real cheap) just to try... It's not that bad. I use more back foot pressure to make it work. Also I've found the flow system is more fun on a shorter wheel base... Keep the great content!!!
Really digging the content Steve! Maybe do a video on rear trucks as well. Obviously everybody is talking about the front trucks in surfskate, but how rear truck setup and looseness affects the overall ride could maybe be interesting as well.
Smart! Thanks for the suggestion.
YES! Please do make a video on rear trucks! This is such an excellent idea. I’ve heard several surf skaters say good things about a setup with a surf skate truck in the front and a Gullwing Sidewinder (double king pin truck) for the rear. Apparently this is all the rage in Thailand, and I’ve seen a number of comments under videos by Surfskate Love that attest to this setup too.
This is an excellent review, extremely helpful. As far as I know, there is nothing like this out there. Awesome job :)
Thank you! I just love it!
To quote someone who knows more than me on this: "You put softer bushings in there, and they're basically Carver CXs but with much more consistent lean/turn. In fact, the Landyachtz surfskate trucks literally have the same geometry as the Carver CXs (~67 degree baseplate angle front truck, and standard TKP back, maybe the Carver CXs have a lower angle back truck but that's super easily transferred to the Landyachtz surfskates with a dewedge).
With soft bushings, they feel almost exactly like Carver CXs. Please take it from me: I have ridden my set of CXs for close to four years now as my daily driver. Actually, I would say that they're better because they don't chew through bushings as quickly, have more consistent lean/turn and resistance (doesn't have that "anti-dive" that CXs have), and actually have improved lean range because they use tall bushings.
It also doesn't need to be said, but the swing arm systems are way less stable at speed.
Regarding the high angle truck systems, the Carver CX does not interface the bushing seat at a 90 degree angle to the hanger, which means that one side of the bushing gets compressed much harder than the other. This does have an advantage since it aligns the boardside bushing downward so that gravity will assist in stabilizing the bushing, but it also means bushings ride much softer in the Carver CX front truck, and also important to note that one side of the bushing will wear out much faster than the other.
On the other hand, the brand new Landyachtz surfskates has the bushings aligned at 90 degrees to the hanger, which means that the action of the Landyachtz surfskate is much more consistent. BUT, the stock Landyachtz bushings are far too hard for proper surfskate agility, so you need to get aftermarket bushings - I use 70a Riptide APS tall cones on mine - to get it to carve as well as the competition. You can also mod the Landyachtz surfskates with dewedge risers on the back to make it way more stable but still extremely carvy because of the high angle front truck. Because the alignment of the bushings for the Landyachtz surfskates are almost parallel to the ground however, they don't benefit from gravity helping to stabilize them, so they can feel a bit more "fluttery" than the Carver CXs.
Like I said, the Landyachtz surfskate requires modding. You NEED to get after market bushings to get them to carve well enough. They just threw in their stock grey urethane for the bushings, which are way, way too hard for surfskates.
I use these: www.amazon.com/Riptide-Tall-Cone-Bushings-APS/dp/B07BR236NS
70a is an insanely soft duro for bushings, and with 70a tall cones, my Landyachtz Pocket Knife carves just as hard as my Carver CX, which I put an 85a Powell Peralta Hardcore Barrel in.
From just a technical perspective, the Landyachtz Surfskate truck IS an improvement on the Carver CX, which until now has been the standard for the high angle front truck category (although the design is so easy to cast and rip off).
The Carver CX angles the bushing seat in a way that does not maximize bushing compression and therefore stability. Regarding the stability issue this is offset by the fact that the angle keeps the boardside bushing mostly on a vertical axis, so that the weight of the rider and deck + gravity pushes the boardside bushing down into the bushing seat, which compensates the stability. But the fact that it's set at an angle means that one side of the bushing gets chewed up way faster than the other, reducing your bushing longevity by 50%. This also means that the CX has, I dunno how to describe it, but the opposite of dive - since it compresses one side of the bushing much much more than the other, that side of the bushing "maxes out" on compression much more quickly than normal, which means that the truck center feels loosey goosey, but then rapidly increases resistance and rebound the harder you lean into the turn."
I'll give it a shot!
Thx for all the videos. Really good work, keep going!
Thanks so much! I'm having fun. 😀
You’ve done a great job for the surf skate community.
One of the best skate channels. Incredible content.
Thank you! I really appreciate that. Even if I don't know how to pronounce Teahupoo and Wahine. 😂
Thanks, great content. I just got into surf skating at the start of the pandemic. I first bought the waterborne adapters online and then when the stores opened up I bought a carver mini Simmons with cx. It wasn’t what I expected and then I decided to put the adapters on the carver trucks and changed the feel for the good. It definitely was a bit higher but in Hawaii we do a lot of skating barefoot.
As a surfer, bushings are way better than springs. I dont understand why people think that surfing is a slow motion twisting wiggle wiggle sport with lots of exaggerated arm movement Good surfing, like any carving sport, is rail surfing and needs to be done with speed. A good carve is when you accelerate out of a turn. Wiggle wiggle slash is not good surfing.
Great comparison video
just bought my son a swell tech for his 10th birthday. I borrowed a slide from a friend for the week before just to get the feel for the surf skates. the slide felt great and neither of us had ever ridden surfskates before. we're surfers and we're in the water at a minimum 4 days a week .so I finally brought out the swell tech as my boys birthday came around and when we stepped on it, it almost felt like it was impossible to ride. the trucks are unbelievably loose. I was pissed. I was like "shoot, I just blew my money". i tightened up both of the trucks just to be able to stamd on it at first, and we kept messing with the tensioning through out the weekend, and ended up backing back out the trucks to the original tension. now let me tell you. this board is the sickest thing I've ever felt out of the water. I bought it specifically for surf training for my son. and after riding it myself for the past few days, ill say thatthe slide feels comparatively stiff next to it. I would 100% recommend slide as a great beginner board, we jumped straight on and were off to the races. but the swell tech is amazing once you get the hang of it. it was a baptism by fire. we had to learn to ride it or it would be a waste of money. I would say if you're not afraid to challenge yourself and you want a truley surfy feel, get the swell tech, if not I think the slide as it is really user friendly and a great option. I would definitely buy both and be happy.
Perfect video for anyone to learn about surfskates
Very good video. I didn’t expect that there was so many surfskate trucks on the market. Keep going. I wanna try other trucks than my Cx and C7 now.
Great video. Solid breakdowns and good comparison.
i really couldnt hold myself from buying a swelltech as a first surfskate .Its the brnd that tought me surfskating exists.sooo im now waiting for my san o' to arrive :)))))))
Swelltech is my favorite at first hard to ride.. but when mastered it it feels super fun to ride and smooth pumping now when i return to Smoothstar or over brands it feels limited in movements !
Swelltech have new springs more durable now but feels more stiff.. :/
Hamboards is great for landpaddle and slides or pumping but loose speed quickly while turning.. that is why landpaddle is essential with it
Hi steve, love the channel mate. Question, I am an experienced surfer wanting to start to ride bowls and pump tracks. My plan was to purchase a smooth star and tighten up the trucks to start in the bowls and skateparks and then loosen them as I progress. What are you’re thoughts on that? How does the smooth start truck compare to the cx at full tightness? I know allot of people recommend cx or c5 for beginner bowl riders due to the tightness. Appreciate any advice. Cheers.
The Smoothstar Thruster and Carver CX are completely different, even with the Thruster tightened. And unfortunately, I can't tell you which one to go with because it's all based on personal preference and skill level. But if you're an experienced surfer, you might want the Smoothstar just for surf training anyway. You'll really just have to try both.
Hello, I'm starting in this world Surfskate.
Because my experience with skate, surf it is small, and I can't trie all truck types, this video help a lot, thank's.
I buy my 1st. Surfskate two months ago,
A Oxelo 540 from Decatlon, too trie with my 11 years soon. Now I'm seeling de Oxelo. I buy to my soon a 32" Triton by Carver with CX trucks and for me a 32" Slide, New model with 3.0 Trucks. We go a lot to Skateparks. Because that I change the wheels to a harder and smaller ones from Carver 58mm 95A.
Now I want one to cruiser with soft wheels. Yow Meraki truck with a 34" deck and large and soft wheels, or take out the trucks from Oxelo and put only the Meraki trucks.
A fantastic overview for the inclined surfskate beginner. Thumbs up!
Thanks, Johannes!
@@SurfskateLove In the video you say that version 1 of the slide trucks have some shortcomings and are not recommended, but version 3 is supposed to be good. Can you make a statement about the V2? I can not find anywhere exactly where the difference between the versions is. I guess the V3 builds a bit flatter than the V2, but otherwise?!! I ask because I have an offer for a brought V2, but unfortunately I can not test it due to distance. If someone knows something I am grateful for answers.
@@Stepptanez No, I’m sorry but I’ve never seen a V2.
I've been trying so hard to figure out what to get. All your videos have been fantastic. I'm still having trouble finding these things here in the states.
My wife got me a flow deck for Christmas. I didn’t even know what a surf skate was but I’ve been skating for 20 years. I agree the flow is a trash design and it’s my first surf skate 😂 thanks for the video though I’m stoked to get some new trucks I can’t wait to surf the skate park
Great review man. Thank you. I’ve been using SurfSkates since November. Started on C7, then got a Meraki, then I finally got a C5 to bridge the gap in my progression back to skateboarding. It sounds like the CX. I just took it into the bowls here, and more stable indeed, but I’m used to my C7 in the bowls, and actually like it better surprisingly. 🤷🏽♂️ Anyways, thanks for the stellar review.
Do you prefer the c7 over the meraki?
@@solomonpayne5678 Meraki hands down.
I just got into surfskating after trying a surfskate for the first time in Portugal at a surf hostel. I bought a cheap Flow wedge for a bargain, 70 dollars. I like everything about it except the front truck which is not smooth at all. But buying a better front truck would solve the problem
Great review as always. Thank you. ^_^
Great video great knowledge🎉
Amazing detailing! Thank you
Awesome review and really useful information as the same SIR.Thank you very much SIR!!!!🙏🏼👍
You’re very welcome, my friend!
There must be a way to redesign the trucks so that there’s less stack height.
Surely, the levers and springs could be mounted, flat on the underside of the board (no shortage of space).
What if the wheels on each side of the board could be interconnected?
The same amount of turn, but without an exaggerated vertical movement
Or would that defeat the purpose (like carving a wave)?
Fascinating😊😊😊
This is a great video, thank you for making it. I have the Waterborne adapter with the rear rail adapter too and I really like it. Which of the dedicated surfskate trucks run close to the feel of the Waterborne, I'd like a little bit more resistance towards the limit of motion (I guess you'd call it the flop). Without losing tonnes of turning radius. Thank you.
YOW Meraki.
Absolutely love my Slide, put it on a longer YOW deck and it is magical in the bowl, have worked my way up to doing 8ft drop ins on it. Nearly as good a surfing 😎
Nice!
This gives me hope! I have the slide neme pro because I’m a big guy and want to start some light park riding
Hi Steve!
It would be very interesting if you could make a comparison between the CX, and its quality competitors. I think they are:
- ABIAN TECHNIC
- MILLER XRKP II 6,5".
- SURFSKATE TRUCKS HYDROPONIC 2
- GRASP PADO.23
Especially with the first three, as they seem well designed and built and has a good price.
Thank you very much!
As a rule, I don't review or support clones. The Abian Technic, Miller, and Hydroponic are all CX clones. I do have a Grasp review on the way, however.
Love your videos! I recently started surfskating thanks to them. Where I live there’s almost 0 surfskating knowledge so I had to buy the only thing available. I got a Globe complete with revenge alpha II trucks, have you reviewed them yet? They don’t look anything like the usual trucks and I can’t find much info online
Yes, I have tried Revenge trucks and I don't like them at all. Much different than surfskate trucks.
@@SurfskateLove yo! Thanks for the quick response! Yeah, I thought so. They look very gimmicky, I even broke one in the first week of riding and I had to replace them
Thank you for sharing your work!!!🙏
great overview - thank you!
Another great video! Thanks for your hard work.
Have you tried the Revenge Alpha 2 trucks? I would be interested to hear your feedback and comparison.
Thank you! I haven't tried those yet.
Excellent ! Merci pour cette belle et sérieuse présentation.
Hey Steve, thank you for the video!
Could you possibly make a review on the NKX surfskate and on the Triton one by carver?
Thanks again
czcams.com/video/U5ey5G_YD_I/video.html
I would like to know if you have heard of the new Genesis trucks made by Lean? The trucks are made for the Long Island brand which comes from HLC, the same company producing Yow surfskates. I am looking seriously at the Long Island Mossel. I saw a review in French and it was really positive. The truck looks like a Meraki just with bushings. It is supposed to be a cross between a CX and a Meraki. They were said to be smooth but with a deeper Lean than the CX. Thanks for your review and your help.
Regards, Hayward Butler
Yes, I've heard about it but haven't been able to get one yet.
what if you combine the SwellTech and a tandem axle wheel kit to make up for the instability?
also the surfeeling truck looks kinda simular to revenge trucks.
That would be for people with more skill and expertise than me to try out.
Awesome! Great overview :-)
I ride bowls over anything, started on Carver C7 but switching to YOW S5 (came stock on my La Santa) absolutely love In the bowl and out. Bummed I just had the system break. Also I didn’t know anyone else in st. George had a surf skate. Every time I visit my parents down there I see none at the park.
There are a couple guys other than me who have surfskates, but I'm pretty much the only regular down here.
@@SurfskateLove next time I visit my parents I’ll look out for ya! Would be fun to rip :)
Great video. You are starting to mix & match trucks, decks etc. which also creates value. Lots of great deck builders creating more premium products then what the surfskate manufacturers are putting out there so it may be worth it to review products from Soulboardiy, or Koabär (you would probably love their biggest board) or even surfpuro from Brazil. Also I have a suggestion and that is trying out the waterborn REAR rail adapter (if you got it) with some of the other front surfskate trucks like yow/smoothstar etc. It may affect the overall behaviour of the system and since you are used to disassembly and reassembly by now, why the hell not :)
Yep, you're right, customization is the next level. And IMO, there are no stock decks that are really amazing as is. Things I'd change on all of them.
@@SurfskateLove I'm just glad someone is doing what I don't have the time & resources for :)
What about using two front Waterborne trucks on a Surfskate (putting a front truck on the rear)? Wouldn't this give a much tighter turning radius? I like the feel of having a really long 4ft board under my feet, so maybe this would work to make a long board have a tight turn radius. Maybe also bring the trucks closer together under a longer board. I'd like to experiment making longer tighter turning boards, as well as wider like 12" wide boards. Wider trucks might also add some extra stability and look cool. I might have to bust out my welder and build some custom extra wide Surfskate trucks and do some experimenting.
No, that wouldn't work. What makes a surfskate work is the stable rear truck combined with the front truck.
Steve would be nice if you could make a small update on what TKP truck to use with especially the YOW S4 S5 and Smoothstar adapter. The Yow Meraki comes with fix truck, what’s the Axle width. There is basically no information out there.
Awesome video! 👌😀 Thank you!
You're so welcome. And thank you!
@Surfskate Love Thanks for your helpful videos. I am 50+ and just got a yow surfskate and love it. I wonder how do you set the hardness of your trucks/bushings? On my longboard I set them as loose as possible but still firm to go back in middle position, and hard enough to not get wheelbite at any manoeuvres I do. But with the front truck of for example the meraki system that swivels around I have no real clue yet, how loose to set the truck or when to put softer/harder bushings. Is there any guideline/consensus on this? Thanks
thank 4 yoour review, have you review truck from china produck, like cx7?
I like the Seismic G5 trucks, but you didn’t review them!😜😔
thank you sir for me helping me out with my decision! greetings from a decend snowboarder who skates in summer needs some funky turns :)
You're welcome! And thank you!
This is such a great comparison, so comprehensive!
Do you have a preference in bearings or bushings? I have heard that using cones as bushings is supposed to make your trucks better for carving.
I would also be interested to know if you have tried the Zealous bearings. Longboarders seem to love them, but not sure if they are good for surfskates.
I haven’t played around too much yet with either.
Thank you - this is the most comprehensive review I've seen by far. I'm sold on YOW Meraki . Tried buying Yow Meraki - I live in the US - anywhere I look it's out of stock (same for Carver). Do you have any tips/website(s) as to where to order these Yow or Carver surfskates for those who live in the US (completes or trucks - at least something)?
All you can do is sign up for the waiting lists and hope and pray. 🤷♂️
Very very very helpful, thanks a lotttttt.....
Another more review you can take a look at is Chinese ssytem. There are lot more out there waiting for you to explore and make a wonderful review like this one with a friendly price.
I would love to. Unfortunately there are many brands that are not available in the US.
Unfortunately the smoothstar isn’t sold separately any more
Great video! Is yow the best option for long distance rides, without pushing just pumping?
I do think it works well for that. I don’t know if it’s the best for that. As far as that goes, to me the top four are Waterborne, Carver CX, slide, yow.
Cx truck is the best for radical stuff on bowl, and on flat is the most technical cause it force you to pump with the back foot.
Obrigado pelas explicações e experiências usando cada um deles, Uso um CX para o rolê na Rua e Skateparks , Bowl etc....TMJ
CX for bowl riding.
REVENGE ALPHA II - 175mm Have you check them out?
Nice breakdown (literally) of the surfskate designs! How’d you score a Meraki truck in the US? Can’t find any place that has em👍🏽
You put your name on the waiting list. And when you get the email, you drop everything and buy it. Even if it's 2 a.m. 😂
I personally ride smothstar carver slide and yow. Carver C7 is the one I keep
I like how I told you I'd like to see all the adapters from inside and after few days boom this 😅❤️🤙
Heck yes! 😀
I really don't no what you mean with Meraki, I can just find Meraki s4 & s5, can't find any single named Meraki truck 😅. Can someone help me understand? I'm new in Surfskating. But so far I can tell, it's fucking awesome and exactly what I was searching for in my older days as a skater in my youth!
Nice review!!
Are the widths of trucks yow and carver c7 the same? Which one is wider?
There's about a quarter inch difference. YOW Meraki is 8.75", Carver C7 9". The only difference it makes is that the YOWs have less thread for the bolt, which means you'll see that bolt stick out a bit more on the C7. Make sense?
i would love to hear about surf rodz, find them soft gliding , and seismic trucks ....what do you find about them🤩💖
Thanks dude! That's was pretty thoroughly. Would You give an advice.. I need someone track to train to add pressure the body weight to the board edges.. like the snowboard.. to make that using the ankles only is not enough.. What of that trucks should i take?.. any tuning? Thanks!
I would use Carver CX for that.
@@SurfskateLove Thank a lot Bro! Keep up the good work 👍. Seems You made +1 to the surfskate lover... 😁
Great video !! My current custom surf skate is length 33.5 cm
wb 18
cx truck
I feel its perfect for me my height is 5.7 feet
Anither great review, could u tell us about the bearings.
A bearing review.
Thanks
Great review indeed. If possible, can you review GBomb for me as well? Some people said it's good but it's so pricey to me.
My understanding is that GBomb is for long distance pumping. But I’ll look into it more.
Hello Steve, thank you for your great review. I have a board with DSTREET trucks under it and I am intentioned to change them with trucks that allow me to descend steep streets with sharp curves. Could Meraki be a good choice? I read that someone says that Meraki S4 are only for kids or people under 50 Kg (110 lb)weight. Is that true? I weigh 67 Kg (143 lb) should I choose Meraki S5? I am not a fan of high speeds. Best regards, Franco (Italy)Meraki
Personally, I would choose Carver CX for that.
Hello,If I weigh 70 kg what type of truck would suit me? the maraki but with what thickness of spring if it exists
Hey Steve, thank you for your great research and testing work!
I want to upgrade my old Skatesurfer from Jucker Havaii (3 wheel system) into a surfskate. What do you think, should I go for the Waterborne Surfscate Adapter or the Silde 3.0 front truck? They both cost nearly the same (Waterborne front Adapter 60€ and Slide Front truck 62€) and I already have wheels and a longboard truck.
Thanks again
I would definitely go with the Waterborne over slide.
Hey what do you think about the YOW S4 System? It even has the option to lock the truck and use the board as a cruiser. Better go for that or for the new meraki? Im 84 kg, 183 cm.
New Meraki is much better.
Pumpable longboard cruiser 😌
Thanks !!!!
I saw you love the carver green room deck in other videos. Can you list your top 3 favorites deck shape & concave.
1. Soulboardiy Revolution Adam.
2. Carver Greenroom.
3. YOW Malibu (but this is just for longboard cruising)
Hello! Thanks for all your vids and experience. I have a question about the Globe surfskate and the trucks that they use, called REVENGE. They are kinda old and I pretty weird about why you didn't make any reviews about them. What's your opinion? ohh grand master guru of surfskate =) Thanks in advance
I don't like them at all. They have the same truck on front and rear, so it's a different feel than a typical surfskate. What makes a surfskate generate thrust is the combination of a swiveling front truck with a stable rear truck. When both trucks are the same, pumping feels much different and it's not nearly as efficient.
I started on a board with (I believe) first generation HST trucks very loose carves really well as it stands I like it better then my smoothstar with the new generation of HST trucks
whose back truck be changed from 40 20 to 10 making it more stationary does that help with pumping ?
You're comparing Hamboards HST trucks to Smoothstar? That's very confusing to me because they're not even close to each other. Smoothstar is WAY better for carving than the HST. And yes, changing the back angle of the HST trucks does help them pump better. But even still, they don't pump at all like a normal surfskate with a radically turning front truck combined with a stable rear truck.
I've three Yows and a carver cx, def prefer the Yow.