It used to be so easy...
Surfers would buy surfskates.
And just as they'd buy a surfboard, with a little honesty about their riding level and goals it would be easy to point them in the right direction.
It was either:
- Needing a little help with balance and speed generation or
- Wanting to hit the lip hard enough to get an audible "ooh" from the crowd.
And now... everyone and their nan wants one and most of their nans don't even surf.
The goalposts have moved.
You've got surfers of every level, skaters looking for a new toy, people wanting to ride car parks, cones, banks, bowls, commutes, pumptracks, those that saw it on instagram and want a go, the occasional nan on the lookout for a birthday gift, and everything in between.
And so after being asked umpteen times about how to pick the right size surfskate, we convinced Rich to get in front of the camera to tell it how he sees it after years of helping people make the right decision:
We always have fun with these - its never a bad day at work when you can pop up to the skatepark for some filming in the sunshine!
We now have a full page dedicated to choosing the right surfskate size - shoot any feedback over while my heads still in the game and I'll make edits as necessary.
But I think we've covered the basics:
- Look for wheelbase, not deck length, as a guide to the size/how the board will perform
- There's no easy chart to look at as everyones comfortable stance and boardsports experience is different
- Big surfskates are awesome fun and probably a good idea for most people
- Those coming from surfing/snowboarding will find this especially true as they'll have a naturally wider stance and more power in their turns
- The best way to work it out is to try some out - which you can do at Vandem!
So with that, and a little leftover swell in the water, I'd best be off to practise my surfskate technique.
Look out for my video on the Carver CX vs C7 in the coming weeks.
Wishing you all dry pavements and wet wetsuits,
Matt @ Vandem
We have tonnes of demo boards as well as demo days for surfskates as well as cruisers and longboards. Hit up our events calendar for more details.
We have tonnes of demo boards as well as demo days for surfskates as well as cruisers and longboards. Hit up our events calendar for more details.
Swells been on tap as of late. Whether its on land or in the water, I hope you've got a few carves in!