The Loaded Ballona - a carefully crafted answer to the mini cruiser market, and we'd expect nothing less!
At 27.75" long this is one of the shorter mini cruisers available, but Loaded have increased the girth to a fat 9" that sits the Ballona in a unique spot, short and fat, a shrimp of a board for a whale of a good time.
The extra width offers plenty of leverage and control for anyone with adult-sized feet but still wanting the smallest board possible.
The "whale belly" spoon nose wedges the front truck slightly for improved steering and enhanced agility, allowing the rear truck to follow the front and feel nimble and stable all at once.
Perfect for everything a minicruiser is perfect for - urban commutes, people-slalom, pumptrack ripping, driveway slashing and general good times. Easy to carry and easy to stash.
Graphics created by Tomás Güereña, inspired by cosmological geometry and the marine environment. Two graphics available - the Moby being everyones favourite whale in geometric simplicity against a beautiful blue woodstain, or the Willy - keeping that whale theme but with a more abstract vibe.
"Loaded Ballona offers comfort and security previously only found in medically prescribed weighted blankets"
The Rumblebee
The Loaded Rumblebee is a new configuration of the Ballona, featuring the all-new Orangatang Bees Knees wheels. They're 90mm in diameter, so it does mean a few extra risers! Half an inch, to be exact.
If you're wanting to ollie your Ballona, you'll be best off choosing one of the other setups with smaller wheels - the Bees Knees add over a kilo in weight to an otherwise very light setup.
However there is certainly something to that "monster truck" type of cruiser. If all four wheels are staying firmly planted on the floor and you don't mind a bit of extra ride height, it can be fun to cruise around - especially if you have a lot of gentle downhill flowing roads and pathways like they seem to in all the Loaded videos!
Other cruisers like this are the:
- Landyachtz Dinghy Fender (70mm wheels)
- Lush Nomad HighRoller (74mm wheels)
So the Rumblebee really does take it to the next level with 90mm wheels under there.
As per Loaded themselves, it's right for you if:
- You’re looking for a unique mini “longboard” with big, comfy wheels, meticulously sculpted curvatures, finely tuned steering, and responsive handling.
- You are drawn to big performance in a small package; a setup that is zippy, nimble, and rolls for days.
- You are looking to experiment, and you trust the crazy crew at Loaded with what they think is a very unique, lively, monster truck of a ride.
- You want to roll over everything—cracks, curbs, pebbles, childhood trauma—but still fit your board under a café table.
- You love the chaos of slapping the biggest wheels on the tiniest deck you can find.
The Loaded Ballona Precision complete is the absolute crème de la crème for a mini cruiser, with a focus on deep carves, pumping and speed. A pumptrack champion, a sea front wizard, a commute on clouds.
The Ballona Elite complete features juicy aftermarket components for a lifetime of fun, geared towards surfy turns, driveway drifting and smooth rolling.
The Ballona Pro gives you a full Loaded Longboards complete at a more affordable price. Nippy and light, leany and nimble, she'll get you from A to B via Big Fun on any urban journey.
Loaded's recommended setup for the Ballona depends which graphic you go for.
The Willy comes with Paris V2 Raw 150mm trucks and Orangatang Love Handles in 80A - perfect for grip and speed!
The Moby comes with the same Paris V2 150's, but rolls on Orangatang Fat Free's in 86A. A bit more of a looser, faster rolling and slightly lighter setup!