A Quick Quiver Quiver Snapshot

I own 13 completed skateboards. It’s a lucky number I should stop there, but I definitely won’t. When people find out about that, they normally ask why, or when the museum is opening up. It is a lot of decks, after all. Why do I keep buying skateboards? There are a few reasons. First, I write a blog with reviews, and I want a wide range of experience to be able to rate, review, and draw comparisons or alternative setups. It takes a lot of experience and editing to reduce the total feel of a setup down to easily digestible parts. Secondly, it’s fun trying out different setups. Keeps me on my toes! But honestly? I assembled (or, in a few cases, bought) each board for specific reasons. Those reasons may have changed over time, and I know of a few of them that I plan to change in the coming months.

So why share this? Well, I’ve got a lot of setups, maybe it’ll give you an idea for something, or help you figure out why you should get another deck. Maybe it’ll just give you a response when someone asks you why you have so many skateboards. You could start making your own longboard museum!

Sector 9 Meridian

This was my first “real” skateboard, besides the cheap big box store board I had as a kid. I moved to an area with a dearth of public transport, and walking is boring. I saw people skateboarding and thought it would be fun to get a longboard, something for cruising my neighborhood. I picked one with a long, wide platform, to make learning easier. It didn’t go well, and it was so big and I was so bad I felt awkward carrying it anywhere. I didn’t learn to skate on this after all.

Today I’ve got it set up with the Bear Grizzly trucks that came with one of my other boards, as I prefer them to the Chargers it came with. I flipped the hangers to lower the ride height and make the platform more slow to turn in, more steady. That larger dull center spot of the trucks has made it better for longer distances and moving your feet around a lot. The plan was to use it for more downhill/freeride, but I didn’t do it very much. The wheelbase didn’t work for my often narrow and crowded roads. It’s not a bad setup, but it could use work. I almost think it would be better for learning some freestyle or dancing at this point. It features some of the most beautiful artwork in my quiver, great for a dancer.

I prefer Paris’ RKP trucks to Bear’s for faster freeriding or downhill. There’s a deep bushing seat, but they don’t fit with washers boardside, which gives the trucks some slop along with too much lean, and non-linear lean at that, as the bushing wraps around the truck’s baseplate slightly as it turns. It’s just kind of unreliable at speed, so I don’t like to use Bears for that. I’ve considered other RKP trucks for this, including cast Arsenal trucks or even Caliber II’s. Very different trucks, but both offering something new to play with, a platform to test new setups.

It’s a better board than I’m treating it though, and I’ll likely keep it as a low cruiser/freeride deck. I never reviewed it not only because I didn’t skate it much, but also because it’s not offered anymore. Maybe one day I’ll write down some thoughts on it, as Sector 9 does still sell similar decks, and this one will always be special to me.

Dinghy

My first Dinghy. This got me into longboarding, despite being a short cruiser. It was the first deck I could take anywhere and everywhere, and I did. I learned fast from skating everywhere, from work to bars to the movie theater, a habit I still haven’t lost.

I like to use it when I need my go-to cruiser. A short deck, wide, soft wheels, and good foot positions make the Dinghy a better board than it gets credit for. It’s not my favorite commuter, nor is it my smallest board, but it’s a fun mix of what I need when I’m out on the go. It’s small, but with just enough deck to be comfortable.

My go-to isn’t stock anymore. I’ve got Riptide replacing many of the soft bits in the trucks. Pivot cups are WFB pivot cups from Riptide, short street cone is a 90A Krank formula bushing, and the barrel is stock currently. I may get another set of Orangatang knuckles in a soft durometer to use boardside. I also swapped out Landyachtz’ large 1/4″ hard riser for a 1/8″ soft riser for a smoother, lower ride. The wheels are still Fatty Hawgs. Unless you swap out the 105mm Polar Bear trucks for something in the 130mm range, centerset or more average-sized offset wheels aren’t going to fit right.

Penny Board

I can’t remember if this was my third board or not. Regardless, I wanted something that I could easily fit into my carry on bag, and the Penny was it. I don’t really use it for any other reason though. It’s a very small board. Traveling by train or car? Most longboards will fit, though I usually take a cruiser. But flying? That requires either checking my bags or my board, and I don’t trust either with airport personnel. So a skateboard that could fit inside my carry on with my clothing and other incidentals? That was a must.

Element Classic 92

I’ve got a street deck for tricks and such. But I also threw on some Ricta Clouds. It’s a soft wheel with a standard skateboard shape. Now this deck is also great for crazy slides, though the footing isn’t as nice as my decks made for that kind of downhill fun. The size of the wheel being small means cracks and bumps can make a huge difference too. Furthermore, being so soft allows you to build up speed, and turning without sliding gets tricky after that.

I completed the thin, light setup with some Independent hollow kingpin trucks, for a little more weight savings. The end result is a good amount of pop for tricks.

If only I was better at tricks!

Penny Nickel Board

I didn’t get this because I’m in love with Penny, I got it because it seemed like the best platform for a rain cruiser. It’s currently sidelined for my other rain deck, but I plan to get more grooved wheels and keep it as a rainy day cruiser. Something smaller and lighter than my new rain board. The fact is, I’ve been disappointed with just how heavy the larger setup is, despite being perfect for skating in the rain otherwise. I may still revive this if I can find smaller grooved wheels I like. With the Paris Street trucks and 70mm wheels, it sits a little tall. That’s not great when your foot slips when you push or try to stop. So I’ll be looking for a smaller cruiser wheel with grooves, if I can find them.

Pantheon Ember

I wanted a soft and safe cruiser to ride while I was injured. The Ember became that board. This has Paris TKP trucks, 149mm, and Orangatang’s 85mm Caguamas, 77A. It’s a big soft wheel. I only really use this for cruising and long distances, as those Caguamas aren’t great for slower freeriding, and the highly flexible deck isn’t great for anything much faster. I replaced the bushings with Riptide’s APS boardside and Krank on the roadside for some fast turning with a side of snappiness. It’s a great commuter or beer runner/grocery getter. You can easily balance on it if you’re carrying things, giving you a safe way to get around when your balance isn’t quite right. I’ve used it when bringing a stuffed backpack and luggage to the train station for out of town trips. When I’ve been injured, it’s my go-to as well.

Another Dinghy

I loved the design on my Dinghy, but it was a 2016 design, if memory serves, and I couldn’t get my hands on one. When Landyachtz re-released the design, I grabbed a deck, thinking I could use it as a backup to preserve the design or hang it up. They accidentally shipped me two. I had an extra deck to play with. I grabbed some Bennett Vector trucks and Orangatang Fat Free wheels for some carving and cruising. It’s a fun setup, but not one I trust at speed. I’ve got 4º angled risers on the front right now, giving it a bit more turn, and I’m excited to try it out. However, I think in the end I’ll have it set up as a nimble carver with some Ace 11 trucks and cruiser wheels. Remember Collective does make a 66mm version of the Hoots that would be fun to try….

Bustin Boards Bonsai

A complete for $100? It seemed like a great way to try out a Bustin Board. I was hoping for their Maestro Mini, but I got a Bonsai. Ah, the fun of mystery boxes! Still, it was a great opportunity to play with their unique deck construction and a cruiser that’s close to the Dinghy in size yet with a completely different feel under the feet.

It came with Ace trucks, but I liked it more with their 66mm wheels and my Bennett Vectors. The wheel arches combined with sanded wheel wells gave it a lot of tolerance for larger wheels and turny trucks. That was a good formula for my Bennett Vectors and those large cruiser wheels. Eventually, I’d get a surf adapter, and use the Bonsai Platform for a short surf cruiser. A bit too short though, which is part of the reason I haven’t shared a Waterborne surfskate adapter review yet. It’s fun, but not enough flex or wheelbase to pump. I intend to get a longer, more flexible board for surf skating, and put the Bennetts back on my Bonsai, and the Ace trucks on my Dinghy. I like Ace’s 11 trucks. It’s a good size and the slightly higher profile makes for a good cruiser truck with a slightly surfy, mellow feel. For the Bonsai, I’ll have a short, nimble, divey platform, that I think is going to be true to its design.

Landyachtz Drop Cat 33

I did not expect this to become one of my favorite boards, but it surprised me. It’s low, has a ton of rocker, it’s nimble, and the shape is actually great for locking you in. It became a fun slower freeride board and commuter, and I love it. It’s low, which makes it good for pushing (I pushed my way through the 8.5 mile Broadway Bomb this year on it). However, it’s also a short wheelbase, and I’ve got it with freeride wheels and Paris trucks. I threw in some stiffer bushings with a bit more rebound and a bit of a truck insert for some more reliability at speed. It’s nimble, low, and, at <20MPH speeds, really locked in and stable without even trying.

Landyachtz Bamboo Pinner 44

Landyachtz stopped making these and my local shop never got them in. But a Zumiez did. I felt a little dirty going to Zumiez, as it’s a chain and they tend to take advantage of beginners without fostering a skate community, but I just had to try it before I bought it. They still had the older model in stock (the new model doesn’t have bamboo, and I liked this design for its surfy vibe and simplicity). It’s my “boardwalk cruiser.” Here, fast responsive Bear 852 trucks aren’t bad, and it’s fun to pump the asphalt waves. Going anywhere on this is almost relaxing, but it’s still capable of some quick speed checks and low speed slides. I really just use it as my little zen cruiser. For a relaxing, peaceful ride to a nice place, like a park. This is the kind of board you ride when you don’t care where you’re going, don’t care when you get there, and just want to breathe in the air of freedom while carving down the asphalt waves. If you surf, you know the difference between riding a shortboard and a longboard. This is definitely the latter.

Beercan Boards Hard Cider

I got this to complete my Rain Board 2.0. Aluminum, plastic, carbon fiber, these materials don’t rot and split like layered wood can. Therefore they make for better rain boards. It’s a heavy board, which defeats its purpose a little. While it’s great at skating on wet surfaces, the added weight and lousy weather often sap the will to skate right out of me. Skating in the rain and cold is one thing, but having to lug around a heavy board just adds one more point of difficulty to the process. Still, it’s a great solution for skating in rainy weather. Maybe as the weather warms up it won’t be so bad.

Pantheon Gaia

Due to the weather, I’ve skated this only a few times. But I’ve loved it. The first time I took it out, I got distracted on one hill and just did toeslides and pendies for an hour. I’m looking forward to reviewing it more completely. I’ve got this set up as a faster freeride/downhill board. It’s got Paris Savants in 165mm, at a 43º angle, RipTide Magnum and Canon bushings (Krank and APS, respectively), for fast turn in and a snap back to center, and Powell Peralta Snakes, 69mm, for some extra sliding fun. This is a board that skates as well as it looks, and I can’t wait to skate it for a few more hours to review it.

Landyachtz Dugout

This is another board I haven’t reviewed yet. It’s also my latest. Due to uncooperative weather, and the fact that it’s better for commutes, I’ve ridden this more frequently than my Gaia, but I haven’t quite reached the point where I’m ready for a review. I didn’t really need this one. However, after writing about Landyachtz’ new decks, I thought it might be cool to have a longer Dinghy-like setup with wider trucks, a wedged front, and new shape. I was right. This might end up becoming my go-to cruiser, but I have to spend a lot more time on it to be sure. I’ll be trying this with a few unique setups, from the stock complete configuration to one with RKP trucks. It’s going to be a lot of fun!

Next…

I’ve already got plans for a new deck for a surf skate setup. Beyond that, I might be happy for a while. The Gaia is a versatile platform, and I can downhill it around me as well as freeride it, with minimal tweaks. I’ve got my cruisers, my pushers, my test decks, and even a zen board for skating when I want to “find myself.” For now, I’m content. I think most of my purchases will be bearing upgrades, bushing upgrades, and new wheels for at least a few months. But I’ll be sure to fill out reviews for these setups.

But now the next time someone asks you why you need another board, you’ve got plenty of reasons to give them. It could be an experimental cruiser, a long distance pusher, a commuter, a park and pool board, a beach board, who knows? There’s lots of reasons to use a new board for something you don’t currently do.

I like to skate in a variety of styles, and I love having a different setup for what I plan to do. Some days I want to hop on and off curbs, others I want to bomb a hill on my way in to work. A versatile quiver helps me with that. I’ve never been unhappy investing more money in a setup if it means trying something new.

I’m totally not just some board hoarder.

Though I don’t know who I’m trying to convince.