Longboarding

The OSO review by California Bonzing CO. Review

The OSO is 38 inches long by 10.25 inches wide with a wheel base of 30.25 inches. It also sports some rad 5/8 inch concave. It’s constructed with extremely solid 9 ply maple. This thing is a beast when it comes to sliding. The deck is completely symmetrical, which I think is a true plus for any freeride board. CBC really stepped up their game with this board. Don’t get me wrong: I loved the STIJL, but the OSO is right up there with some of the nicest boards I’ve ever ridden. Sturdy, spacious, durable, and all around awesome. I am truly impressed with the newest CBC creation, and I’d totally suggest you to check it out.

Here are some of my favorite qualities of the OSO:

Specs:
The specs of the board are superb. Just the right length. This makes it really easy to throw into slides and increase stability at higher speeds. The width is monster. The first time I picked up the board; I was surprised by just how wide it is. The concave really locks in your feet and feels super secure for any type of sliding.

Construction:
Even at first look you can tell this board is well built. The guys at CBC really made a great product. It looks good, it feels good, and most importantly: It rides great.

Graphic:
There are two gnarly looking grizzly bears on the top and bottom of the deck. (So, the board looks completely dope with some clear grip). Also, OSO means bear in Spanish — yo quiero, you guys.

Austin Graziano says, “There is really only one word to describe this board—bonzing. The three of us got together, rocked out and had a great time. It captures the raw beauty of California and skateboarding. The sun and moon gave us a chance to play with the juxtaposition we find in our lives and also the balance skateboarding provides it.”

Words to live by.

I would definitely suggest checking out this board. At it’s price of just $99: it’s a complete no-brainer.

Sk8Pole Review


Overview:

The Sk8pole is an extremely unique riding experience. It really feels completely different than pushing; and gives gliding on a longboard a whole new meaning.  It is really nice to being able to give pushing a break and start using your arms. It’s also quite the workout. The Sk8Pole website has a warning that states: “Consistent use may cause your abs to become incredibly ripped.” Sounds pretty good to me, right? The Sk8Pole is a commuter’s best friend, you can literally skate for miles without ever taking your feet off of the board.


Construction:

The Sk8Pole is made of an ultra-light yet sturdy aluminum. It consists of three sections for optimum versatility and customization. The pole can extend to 6 feet 4 inches or be condensed to just 33 inches. This makes the pole extremely portable; way more than your average Street Paddle. It even attached to my backpack quite nicely.

Features:

The most impressive feature of the Sk8pole is the signature ‘Pusher Tip’. This truly worked wonderfully. The end of the pole is a multi-directional rubber tip which gives you %100 contact with the ground for your entire push. This feature was really ingenious, and it alone put the Sk8Pole in a whole new tier of Street Paddling technology. I have already taken the Sk8pole on multiple long skate sessions, and the bottom of the pole still looks brand new. I am throughly impressed with how durable and functional the ‘Pusher Tip’ is.

Appearance:

The Sk8Pole looks really clean and classy. (My two favorite things!) They kept the design nice and simple, while still looking unique. The Pole comes in both black and silver. I have been using the black model, and so far the pole is still in perfect condition. No scratches, marks or dents. As you all know, I ride my gear hard. So when something holds up this well; you know the product is truly well constructed.

Final say:

With a price of just $49.95, the Sk8Pole is a no brainer. With most other Street Paddles costing anywhere from $90-$250, it’s an amazing product, for an incredible price. If you are looking for a way to switch up your everyday commute, or just want to try something different. The Sk8pole is definitely the product for you!

Check out more about Sk8Pole: here

Like Sk8Pole on FaceBook: here

Watch for a Sk8Pole giveaway soon!

If you have any more questions regarding the Sk8Pole, message me!

Onda Motion Board Review

Length of deck 36”
Width of deck 7.5”
Wheel diameter x width 7” X 1”
Weight 10lbs with Polyurethane wheels, 12 lbs with Aluminum wheels
Deck Material Polyamide + Fiberglass
Wheel material Co-polymer + Polyurethane
Best Uses: Carving •  Cruising • Pushing • Small Downhill • Semi-offroad

Overview:

The Onda Motion board is truly one of a kind. A super unique riding experience. It took awhile to get a hang of, but once I did: It really is a blast! The dropped deck makes it super easy to push long distances, and the large wheels literally ate up cracked pavement and sidewalk cracks. Overall I was very impressed with the whole board. Here are the details.

Design:

The board is designed for comfortable cruising, carving, and pushing: it does just that. Pushing on it is a breeze, even with it being slightly heavier than your usual longboard. Carving on the board is tons of fun, the truck system has two ‘bushings’ sitting side by side with each other. Giving you tons of lean and virtually no slop. Quite an uncommon approach, but still very versatile.

The board is made out of Polyamide and Fiberglass, which makes it feel super sturdy under your feet. The board doesn’t have your conventional grip tape. Instead, the top of the board is just a grippy surface built right on. No need to replace it or anything. One really nice feature about this sort of system was that when I got the board muddy, I could just hose it down. At first, I was fairly skeptical about how this kind of grip would hold, especially when carving at high speeds. After a few sessions on the deck I was very impressed with how secure the board locked in your feet. No need to worry about this unusual technique.

Back to the truck system, the truck is attached by a kingpin that you can actually unscrew without a skate tool. I was also a little intrigued by how effective this would be. I was wrong to doubt it at all. As a matter of fact it was one of my favorite features of the board. The Onda Board comes with four different duros of bushings in the box (quite the plus). I was able to ride the board with the softest bushings around town. Then when I got to a big hill, I’d quickly change out the soft bushings for a harder pair. The system worked flawlessly. The guys that made this board really knew what they were doing.

 
Aesthetics:

The board is pretty aesthetically pleasing, partly due to the fact that it looks so unique. Especially when having the aluminum wheels on, totally spiffy. They also kept the design and graphics simple, not too flashy. Which I always appreciate.


Versatility:

The board is amazingly versatile. Carving, pushing, downhill, and even some sliding. It had many strong suits. The only thing I couldn’t figure out how to do on the board were tech tricks. Not a big deal to me, since the board excelled in so many other areas.


Pros:

The wheels go over everything
Deck is grip tape free
Pushing on the dropped platform is great
Quick changing bushing system

Cons:

A tiny learning curve
Slightly heavier than an average longboard

Final Say:

I would definitely recommend this board to anyone who is looking for a unique riding experience or anyone who rides around badly paved streets.

If you love just carving and cruising, this board will be right up your alley!

Loaded Tan Tien Review - Reblog for a chance to win some bearings!

Specs:

Length: 39”

Wheelbase: 27”

Width: 8.75”

Effective Foot Platform: 25”

Concave: Mild and with Camber

Vertically Laminated Bamboo

Flex: 2

Uses: Carving • Sliding • Tech Tricks • Light Downhill • Pushing

Flex Options: 

Flex 1: Up to 270 pounds

Flex 2: 130-210+ pounds

Flex 3: 80-170+ pounds

The Loaded Tan Tien is a great board. Extremely versatile and light. Easy to push and throw around. Tricks like the Tiger Claw and Ghostride kickfilp are a breeze. Manualing on the Tan Tien is also exceptionally simple. Sliding on the board is really a piece of cake, holding out standies is no problem. The board is a nice length, just the right size for tech tricks, and not too short for dancing.

I really appreciated how light and nimble the board is while still feeling solid enough to really put it through the motions. I did not feel the need to hold back and baby the deck. While jumping on the board, it doesn’t seem like it will snap (Quite a nice feature!). The flex is as close to perfect as it gets. The combo of the nice damp flex while pushing and the drop through mounting makes it crazy comfortable to use in long sessions and for pushing long distances. Downhill on the Tan Tien was actually  a lot better than I had expected. My setup was 8mm fixed InDeeSZ with 87a bushings, Bustin Swifts wheels 82a, and Tekton bearings.

Function: 7/10

I give the Tan Tien a 7 out of 10 for function. It really is an amazingly functional board. The tails are a nice size, and not too flared drastic. I have only one little quibble with the boards dimensions: the EFP. I usually like riding with a very wide stance, and had to adjust a little so I wouldn’t hit the wheels.

Cosmetics: 10/10

The Loaded Tan Tien is flat out gorgeous. The laser cut grip tape is so classy looking and the woven bamboo print on the bottom is extraordinary. One thing I really appreciated about Loaded’s boards is the fact that they don’t feel the need to have intricate graphics or their name and logo all over the deck. The boards are so good looking; they speak for themselves.

Price: 

The Tan Tien’s price is really the most off-putting thing about the board. Checking in at $187 for deck only. Don’t let this discourage while looking at the Tan Tien. In my opinion; the board is worth every penny. 

Durability: 8/10 

I have been riding the Tan Tien for only a few weeks, but the wear on it is minimal for how hard I’ve been riding it. The grip tape is really high quality and still looks brand new, even after riding with muddy shoes. There are almost no scratches on the bottom of the deck, even after a good hippie jump session.

Final opinion: 9/10

The Tan Tien is definitely a board to check out if you are looking for a great all around deck with major style points! I would for sure recommend it.

BIG THANKS TO SICKBOARDS FOR SPONSORING THIS REVIEW.

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Watch for a review of the Loaded Tan Tien. Courtesy of our good friends at Sickboards!

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Board: Apex 37 Carbon by Original Skateboards

Length: 37”

Width: 8.75 “

Wheel Base: 26.5” - 28.5”

Middleweight Flex: (120lbs to 175lbs)

Best used for: Sliding • Carving • Tech Tricks

My setup:

Apex 37

Original S8 200mm and Paris 180mm trucks

Orangatang 80a Stimulus

I have gotten about 3 weeks of ride time on the Apex: 2 weeks with Original trucks and 1 week with Paris. I’ll do a overview of the board’s performance with each kind of trucks: Spring vs. Bushing.

Overview with Paris Trucks:

The Apex 37 is a really versatile board. The carbon core makes it extremely thin and fairly weightless. The first time I picked it up I was amazed by how light the deck was. This makes it super portable and easy to lug around. Original has really jumped into the freeriding game with this deck. That’s why they are offering bushing style trucks along with their spring loaded verities.

I set up the board so the wheel base was smaller, but had larger tails. This made the board really easy to shuvit and manual. With the smaller wheel base, the board had very little flex. This wasn’t a bad thing at all, it fit the feel of the board and it’s uses perfectly.

Overview with Original Trucks:

I had never ridden Original trucks, and was really surprised by how differently they rode from bushing style trucks. They took a few minutes getting used to, but once I got the feel for them: they really are a blast.

Spring trucks definitely have their pros and cons. They made carving and turning amazingly quick. You can literally turn on a dime, really convenient for sidewalk riding and cruising. They also were super easy to slide out, especially stand up 180s. I had a bit of a hard with shuvits and dancing. I’d like to try higher tension springs; that would most likely fix my problems.

Overall, I really enjoyed the Original S8 trucks. I would highly recommend them to people that are looking into a nimble truck for carving.

Design: (From Original’s site, I couldn’t say it better)

Forged Carbon technology is key to the composite sandwich that makes up the new 2011 Apex. Forged Carbon Bars are CNC’d and then dropped, with precision, into the custom woven quad-axial base. Additional Carbon layers are then added focusing strength to certain areas of the board and lending flex to others

Graphic and Grip Tape:

The Apex 37’s  graphic is really sharp. The bottom of the board has a small graphic of a cityscape resting on top of the carbon bar. Original really took a lot of time making this board look as good as it rides. The laser cut grip tape is really attractive. I always appreciate boards that have a creative and unique grip tape. 

Final say:

I would absolutely recommend the Apex 37 to anyone who is looking for a shorter freeride board, nimble cruiser, or trick and slide deck… that goes to show how truly versatile this deck can be.

It is tons of fun, and definitely worth trying out.

Check out the Apex 37: here