Cruiser with a Surfy feel?

[milogillespie]

Hey guys, the waves have dropped off now and I wanted to get into longboarding/cruising to help my surfing and wondered if anyone knew of some reasonably cheap cruisers that had a surf feel and were good for carving? I live in the UK. Cheers

[oldmansurfer]

Waikikichan can probably answer this one

[waikikikichan]

It's not the Arrow but the Indian that hits the target. Boards don't carve on their own. ( sorry I don't know what a "Surfy Feel " means )

But if you're a shortboarder trying to longboard, make sure to get a modern progressive shape with a 2+1 or thruster fin setup versus a 50/50 railed single fin log.

It would be great if you can post like 3-4 different options that you find, so then we can give our opinions on each one.

[oldmansurfer]

I think he is talking about skateboard longboards

[waikikikichan]

Ahhhh , how many times a customer came into the shop asking for a longboard and then after 10 minutes of talking realized they wanted a skateboard. Terms / descriptions / names .... tomato - tomatoe.

So you want a Skateboard Cruiser that mimics surfing ?

1st choice - Carver skateboard ( don't get the larger ones ) I really like the new Mini-simmons shape
2nd choice - board equipped with the Gullwing Sidewinder truck ( some call it a Double truck ) Sector9 has it on some models
3rd choice - not for flat areas cause it's more fun on slight hills, the old Carveboard ( not Carver ) now known as Streetboardz

but of all the 3, I feel the Carver is the closest to real surfing on land.

awesome land practice

fast forward to :40. This is great practice for cutbacks and flow between maneuvers. I believe he is using a Thruster truck that I only seen in Japan, but it is like the Carver truck.

[pmcaero]

I loosened a truck on an old skateboard, and I will replace the wheels with rollerblade wheels. I'm hoping for a more surfy feel for when it is flat

[pmcaero]

nevermind, I stripped the bolts.
Thinking about this:
http://www.amazon.com/Atom-Longboards-9 ... surf+skate

[BaNZ]

Ahhhh , how many times a customer came into the shop asking for a longboard and then after 10 minutes of talking realized they wanted a skateboard. Terms / descriptions / names .... tomato - tomatoe.

So you want a Skateboard Cruiser that mimics surfing ?

1st choice - Carver skateboard ( don't get the larger ones ) I really like the new Mini-simmons shape
2nd choice - board equipped with the Gullwing Sidewinder truck ( some call it a Double truck ) Sector9 has it on some models
3rd choice - not for flat areas cause it's more fun on slight hills, the old Carveboard ( not Carver ) now known as Streetboardz

wkkk can you give me some advice on what to get? Previously I bought a slide surf board as can be seen from the photo. Not the dog, it's the only photo I could find. I think it was 31" or 32". Can't remember it at all as I think I only got on it twice. First time I was wearing flip flop and needless to say I sprained my ankle badly. I was in pain for nearly a year as I couldn't recover due to surfing weekly.

I think my ankle has healed after a year now. So I'm ready to buy another board!

Are you saying that you the new 27.5" Mini simmons is what you prefer the most? http://shop.carverskateboards.com/colle ... -mini-sims

[Big H]

I have a sector 9 with sidewinders...something like 36-38"....I like it but then again my feet are eu49/us 14. I couldn't fit them on a mini anything.

Good for sliding on flat days...not good if you don't have a skating background (sporty brother in law put one foot on and fell flat on his back). I ride it at the skatepark while the kids tumble around on the vert ramp. Good times.

[waikikikichan]

I have both the Carver Swallow tail and the Mini-simmons. Even though the Mini-simmons is smaller length wise, it's wider by the nose. I like it a lot. You can save a little bit of money by going with the CX truck versus the C7 truck. But the C7 is closer to real surfing.

That Atom skateboard on Amazon is kinda close to Sector9 with the loaded deck. You have to turn from the middle with a narrow stance. Real soul arch style. It's not for pumping like a short board.

[BaNZ]

Well I have no idea what you guys talking about

I also can't find any Mini-simmons (in stock) on sale in UK.

Don't have any skating background and trying to learn it at 32 years old isn't really going that well. I'll try and borrow one to try.

[waikikikichan]

borrow a regular skateboard cruiser or a Carver ?

[Big H]

Well I have no idea what you guys talking about

I also can't find any Mini-simmons (in stock) on sale in UK.

Don't have any skating background and trying to learn it at 32 years old isn't really going that well. I'll try and borrow one to try.

Well you could mimic my personal teenage skating career by falling off (your choice) loading docks, stairs, handrails, etc. I remember a lot of falling down.

Get anything and just ride it around....God knows we didn't have that many choices when I was younger. My last was a tony Alva pool board, wide as heck with warped hammered down bushings that needed constant adjusting to go in a straight line. Good times.

[BaNZ]

borrow a regular skateboard cruiser or a Carver ?

I don't know, whatever is available from the surf shops! Which I assume will have something very similar to surfing.

[waikikikichan]

Don't assume. That's like someone going into a shop and grabbing the first shortboard he sees and assuming he can learn on it. Yes, any skateboard will give you that balance practice and trying to stay upright on a moving vehicle. But if you want to help your surfing, pumping for speed, turning, etc. a "regular" board is not going to give you the best results.

Start watching from about 1:25. At around 2:56 in that segment you can see many types of riders and see the front wheels really driving the board

[pmcaero]

I have a regular skateboard and for some reason always tried to ride it goofy stance, but I tried one of these carver boards at a surf shop and was able to go like the people in the video,in my regular stance. Pumping to propel myself instead of pushing with my foot makes a big difference for me as well, in terms of feeling like I am surfing the pavement.

[Big H]

I just got one of these....c7 trucks, 31.25" and 17 3/8" wheelbase....fits for my 6'1" body and size 14s....just broke it in and really like the feel...Kids tried it too and immediately said "daddy, this feels like surfing".

Perfect, case closed. It's going to see a lot of action between the three of us.

[Big H]

Just spent the last hour on it....this thing rocks!!! Figured out how to pump it and have been cruising the neighbourhood......stoked....curious as to how this will translate to actual surfing, but am having fun on this thing and it's not a bad workout either!

[Big H]

Just an update: If been using this thing (should say enjoying....it is FUN) every day since getting back....recently Wchan shared a drill where you pump the board and keep one hand then the other in your pocket or behind your back then go back to using both hands and I was so stoked about the increase in power due to what I assume is a better awareness of technique I skated after getting off work at night until I finally found a break in the asphalt the hard way and found myself flat on the road.....bounced up again minus skin from knees and elbows.....HaHahahahahaha, he true feelings of youth that have been convienently forgotten....anyhow I just want to share that since getting back from vacation and using this board my surfing has gone to another level (positive movement! )...I don't think it is a coincidence....I get a lot of carryover in feels from one to the other, stance, balance, board feel and control have all improved in a short space of time.....I think it has a lot to do with this board.

[enjoy]

Which one of the carver boards would approximate riding something short and fat like a 6'6" FireWire ADDvance? Or do all of the ones named above (Mini Simmons, Swallow, Stacked) work?

Thanks guys