Surf skateboard trainers, are they worth it?

[caploon]

Hey guys, I am looking to get a surf skateboard trainer in order to practice the feeling of cut backs, snaps carves, etc. I don't get to go surfing quite as much as I would like, so I was trying to find a way to get some more practice in.

I know for turns, especially cutbacks, its all about back foot pressure, getting your fins engaged and really drawing through turns. However on a regular skateboard with loose trucks, you generally steer with your front foot, or at least I do. Are some of the surf skateboard trainers out there good for practicing the motion of turning on a surfboard with an emphasis on backfoot pressure?

I have looked at some of the brands (surf skate, smooth star, carver etc) and it seems like smooth star is the way to go, but I don't really want to shell out $350 for a complete setup, I was just thinking I'd get the truck attachment known as a "thruster" (for $125) that allows the board to pivot much more.

Any thoughts? Are they good for emulating surfing with the backfoot pressure? Should I get a complete setup or take my sub-par cruiser and throw on one of those thrusters? Thanks!

[waikikikichan]

1) Of all the things I've bought to bring my skills up and to teach others how to pump and turn, a Carver skateboard ( and similar designs like Smooth Star or boards equipped with a thruster truck system ) is the very best training tool on land.
2) Sure go ahead and just buy the truck system if your board, grip tape, trucks, wheels and bearings are all fine.
( the other option is to find a used complete board on Craigslist , Gumtree, etc. )
3) It's not about the back foot. It's about what your countering front foot is doing as your back foot is pressuring. It's about your chest / arms opening and closing working in tune with you legs resisting and relaxing. Do it wrong on a leading truck and you go no where. Do it right, and it soo effortless.
4) I feel the thruster system with your truck mounted on top of it, raises you and your center of gravity up much higher than on a Carver. If you want to save some money and be even lower to the ground, search for the Carver CX trucks. They're cheaper than the spring loaded C7 truck. I have both and the CX is just a little less loose, which you might like.

IMG_4428.jpg (48.01 KiB) Viewed 3980 times

[BoMan]

Of all the things I've bought to bring my skills up and to teach others how to pump and turn, a Carver skateboard ( and similar designs like Smooth Star or boards equipped with a thruster truck system ) is the very best training tool on land]

That's high praise. I've always thought of the Carver as a trainer for short boarder's. How does it help your longboard surfing?

The Carver longboard is 10 inches shorter than my long skateboard.
https://shop.carverskateboards.com/collections/longboard/products/35-1-2-riddler-complete-skate

[waikikikichan]

I've always thought of the Carver as a trainer for short boarder's. How does it help your longboard surfing?

You can see in the video after at the 1:18, Tyler himself, who is a very stylish longboarder, rides his Carver the same as other riders on almost every other video. He's not stalling, cross-stepping, nose riding. He's just grooving. Projecting up the banks, getting leaned over and driving back down. Resist Relax. Nothing on the skating clip says "longboarder" or "shortboarder" ( except for one stylish little drop turn where is back toes are on the kicktail ). A lot of videos do show guys doing Snaps and Tail slides on their Carvers. I don't ( can't) on my Carver, i just try to get in to the flow and rhythm.
Note: At the 1:32 mark, it shows Tyler pumping up hill, you really have to be in tune with the board to do that.

Advice: I would get the the 30" Proteus over the 35.5" Tyler Riddler. I have a 29" Swallow and a 27.5" Mini Simmons. I like the wide support on the nose of the Simmons.

[caploon]

Thanks for your input, I'll give it a look. I mostly have trouble with front side top turns/ backside bottom turns. The waves are not the greatest where I live so I don't a lot of opportunities to practice on a nice open face. When I try turning, I notice that most by pressure is on my front foot and even with opening my shoulders and arms I fail to turn the board and subsequently fall off. I think my problems are that my skateboarding background has gotten me so used to putting most my weight on my front foot, not allowing my board to pivot with the fins. I'm sure that I could stand to work on my form which is definitely one of the primary reasons for getting one of these boards. I also have a tendency to not get low enough which I am hoping with some more practice I can work on.

PS: I found a video of MR talking about the importance of the back foot pressure to hopefully bring up my concern.
https://vimeo.com/65029409
I want to make sure if I make a purchase, it will be will be worth it.

[waikikikichan]

Envision the grey concrete as shimmering blue. Look at his eyes as he actually "sees" a throwing lip breaking in front of him. Rolling from inside rail to outside and back. Beautiful slo-mo transition at 1:08 showing the opening and closing of the door. I can hear the woosh of the wheels ( or is it the spray ? )

[pmcaero]

Surfskate is supposed to have a new truck that is loose on the longitudinal axis, to me it seems that's the only way to simulate cutting through water.
So I wouldn't bother with anything else.
https://surfskate.com/new-swell-tech-trucks/

[waikikikichan]

Surfskate is supposed to have a new truck that is loose on the longitudinal axis, to me it seems that's the only way to simulate cutting through water.
So I wouldn't bother with anything else.

Is your opinion coming from real world hands-on ( well actually feet ) experience ? Or are you just reading the marketing hype ? Have you ridden a Surfskate ? I have. The newer Jamie O’brien was an improvement over the missle / dragster wide rear wheel original. The Surfskate are good for progressive Nose-pick 180 reverses. But for pumping and carving in a tight drive way, I’d go with Carver.

[pmcaero]

But for pumping and carving in a tight drive way, I’d go with Carver.

Nah I have the cheap discontinued Atom clone and rode a Carver once.

I don't see how much value practicing in a tight driveway can add to surfing. I am lucky to have a sloped parking lot with a V shaped cross section behind my building which simulates waves better so I based on what I read and my current location I would go with the Surfskate.

Of course not everyone has access to something like this so Carver might be the better option for small footprint practice areas.

[Big H]

I got a longer carver for cruising....ride around Bali collection, probably 2-3km at a clip.....I got the point break model with Cx trucks which for my size (6’1” size 49/14 shoes)is a good fit. I also have a stacked model with the c7 trucks which is a little shorter and a little more flowing, a little less stable to ride but pretty much the same feel. I am a big carver fan and you will find that you have to ride it different than a refular skateboard and will use you back foot more mainly because you never have to push; your feet are on the board always.

[Big H]

The roundhouse concaves are for real....hold in better than the wheels that came with the stacked.

Get a carver! They rock!

[BoMan]

I got the point break model with Cx trucks which for my size (6’1” size 49/14 shoes)is a good fit. I also have a stacked model with the c7 trucks which is a little shorter and a little more flowing, a little less stable to ride but pretty much the same feel.

I'm 5'7" and like to ride the hills.

With a 45" longboard, I'm forced me to carve most turns on the steeper slopes and would love to trim them! Will the basic Point Break work for this?

https://shop.carverskateboards.com/products/point-break-complete

[caploon]

Ok, I think you guys convinced me, I am going to get the prosthesis with CX trucks, the one in the video that @waikikikichan posted. From what I have found, it is clearly good for pumping, cruising, and carving tight turns with that surfy feel. It also seems to provide more of a skateboard element than the C7 trucks, and seems like it could be ollied and possibly usable for practicing airs. I will make sure to put an emphasis on backfoot pressure, good form, bent knees, opening my body up, and really leaning into turns. It really seems to shine for carving type maneuvers where your "fins" are engaged throughout the turn such as cutbacks, wraps, bottom turns etc. I'm not sure how helpful they will be for snap type maneuvers as that seems more of a move where your hitting the lip and busting your fins from the water. If anyone has any more feedback\tips, feel free to let us know!

[waikikikichan]

I'm not sure how helpful they will be for snap type maneuvers as that seems more of a move where your hitting the lip and busting your fins from the water.

Usually this type of Carver skating scares away people, but since you wanted to see blow tail snaps.

[tomthetreeman]

Old school meets new school, that is awesome!

[Big H]

I got the point break model with Cx trucks which for my size (6’1” size 49/14 shoes)is a good fit. I also have a stacked model with the c7 trucks which is a little shorter and a little more flowing, a little less stable to ride but pretty much the same feel.

I'm 5'7" and like to ride the hills.

With a 45" longboard, I'm forced me to carve most turns on the steeper slopes and would love to trim them! Will the basic Point Break work for this?

https://shop.carverskateboards.com/products/point-break-complete

Yeah but ancarver for your size Is go smaller like the 30” WWK mentioned. That will be plenty of length for stability esp with the cx trucks and still short enough to throw some nice combos together.

[EDUARDOX2019]

HI, Mi name is Eduardo. I started to surf a year ago, and I want to improve my surfing. I searched for some surfskate to improve my surf, however, they are so expensive in Peru. I found Quiksilver New Wave surfskate for $130.00 in my alternatives, did you test it? or Could you tell me if it is a good skate? Thanks

[Liam9653]

Really useful information! You need to take a skate from a friend for more practice.

[caploon]

I've had a Caver Cx Skateboard for a little while now, It's been good. Just about what I expected, better for cutbacks than snaps unless you have a nice rampy area and your willing to take some falls. Also it doesn't ride totally like a surfboard, I think its important to emphasise backfoot pressure and body movements to imitate surfing, but it sure beats anything else I have tried. I also snowboard, and its nice for keeping muscle memory for that during the offseason, and working on switch riding. I also use it for warming up pre surf sometimes, practice/maintaining maneuvers, and cruising around. Its generally just fun to ride around when the surf or snow is no good (not nearly as fun as surfing/snowboarding, but still fun), I think it's worth it if you can afford it, don't expect any miracles though.

[surf patrol]

Hi, I am also looking for a surf skate to improve my surf, and more than $ 100 is expensive for me because I lost my job and am now in a difficult financial situation. But I don't want to lose my skills, so I need to train. Do you think if I write on social networks that I'm looking for a skateboard for free, it will be very embarrassing? I also need skate shoes