Surfskate x Longboard. It's not easy to find the board of your dreams when you're just starting out. With so much on offer, it's hard to make sense of it all. Today, we'd like to explain the key differences between a Surfskate and a Longboard. In video!
Surfskate or Longboard: my heart sways
Now you've decided to (re) try your hand at an urban board sport. What a great idea!
Sure it won't be skateboarding? Okay, okay...
So, between a longboard and a surfskate, the choice is difficult. The difference between the two isn't really clear? We decided to organize a little test to get some advice to help you choose your board.
Truck: Carving, Pumping and Stability
Articulated truck for curves or trucks RKP for carver precision?
Just get on a surfskate board and you'll immediately understand the difference with a longboard. surfskate 's truck front end gives the board its character, and immediately offers insane pumping potential. That's THE big advantage of this kind of board.
On the other hand, when you get on your good old longboard, you'll notice just how stable trucks is, allowing you to tackle even the smallest slope with serenity.
Of course, if the board isn't dedicated to this program, it's pretty hard to generate speed by pumping with a longboard. In the video, Mikael uses a LOADED Tan Tien, a versatile board for cruising, carving and a bit of freeride. At high speed, all the pleasure of carver in control is revealed. But at low speeds, to get back to pumping sensations, you need to expend more energy, or opt for a special board, like the LOADED Vanguard for example.
> See also our article Choosing your LOADED longboard
Tray: Flex or no Flex?
Another big difference is the tray. I'd even go so far as to say the size of the chainring!
In general, on a surfskate, we find average sizes of 30 to 34" for adult gauges. At Longboard, we used to talk about average sizes between 38" and 40", with a much wider overall range of around 35 to 45".
As a result, there's a lot more foot room on a longboard. This greatly improves comfort in certain disciplines, especially for dancers, or simply for cruising.
As for the board's flex, there's another big difference.
While most Surfskates feature stiff, short, highly responsive decks for maximum maneuverability and plenty of response for surfing moves; in longboarding, you can find very Flex boards. This is the case of the LOADED Tan Tien used in the video, but also of many other models in the range.
The result: plenty of comfort to absorb road imperfections at cruising and plenty of recovery at carver.
That's what a longboard is all about. And even if Flex isn't found on all decks, those looking for a comfortable board to ride for a long time, without sacrificing speed, while retaining rebound potential for carving will opt for a fairly Flex longboard. On a surfskate, it's the front truck that will play the role of "pumping machine" when the board is usually quite steep.
Finally, the shape symmetrical longboard offers the possibility of using the board in both directions. A must-have option if you want to get started on freestyle, but kicktails are not only useful for technical tricks, but also for getting around on a daily basis, especially in town.
Thrust and acceleration
When a beginner rides a surfskate for the first time, the verdict is clear: it's very unstable!
Clearly,a longboard offers much greater stability and pushability, also thanks to the deck's proximity to the ground.
But surfskate 's instability is also its strength. It's the manoeuvrability of the articulated truck that makes it so interesting, and you quickly get used to placing your foot in the right place to push without getting scared.
Our advice: don't rely on first impressions, because you'll always get used to your board, whatever it is. After a few hours of practice, the "instability" effect wears off.
Once you've got the board in your hands (or feet), you start looking for speed, on a more or less steep slope, and here the longboard logically stands out for its stability and ability to take precise turns. You'll feel safer tackling speed, and that's only to be expected - it's longboarding's premier discipline.
Except that... Except that the Surfskate with articulated truck is an extraordinary tool for limiting speed when tackling a descent. In fact, thanks to the pivoting truck, you can easily make very short turns to control your speed, and over an even smaller area than with a longboard (half a road, for example). The Surfskate is therefore a real pleasure to ride as soon as you hit the slopes, even if the longboard remains the ultimate weapon for "real" speed, provided you learn how to powerslide!
Surfskate VS Longboard: put it to the test!
Of course, it's all a matter of taste, and the most important thing is to find the board that suits your program and your daily needs. So the best thing to do is to try them out for yourself!
Don't hesitate to come and meet us at our Aix-en-Provence skateshop to try out the different models featured in the video for yourself.
For more information and advice on choosing your longboard or surfskate, please contact us!
