| Archive for pavedwave longboarding distance longboarding, flatland pumping, cross-country adventuring, boardwalk cruising, and all things skateboarding and good times |
| pavedwave |
OH MY G-G-GALAC!!! ( The Galac LDP Review )The "Galac GTCPLDP"(Glide, Turn, Carve, Pump - LDP) If you ever consider picking up a board from John Galac - a.k.a. "samhell" on silverfish -- prepare to be blown away. I had been eagerly awaiting this package to arrive at my work for a couple months, the time it takes a Galac board to be cut and shaped, and then painted, and coated, sanded, and painted again, cured, sanded, painted, coated, sanded, cured?? painted??? Then treated with images on the top and bottom with perfection that only a graphic artist can pull off -- and using methods that still elude me. 
I really don't understand all the magic that John puts into his decks -- what I do understand and appreciate now is the WOW factor when you unwrap his board and your jaw hits the floor. Another thing John has dialed is, hands down, the most effective clear-coated grip tape treatment I've ever set barefoot and shoed foot upon. The minute I got this board set up with a Bennett front, Splitfire rear, and cushy purple 75mm Avilas all around, it was already nightfall, just enough light to snap a couple pictures, then hop on board and cruise on my neighborhood streets a short while. To top it all off are the little rubber nose and tailguards, that give a soft 'thump' when you stand the board on end. 
The overwhelming impression I got from this board right away was how SMOOOTH it feels. The dampening of the birch, the perfectly flat top, combined with my softest set of big wheels, took me mentally out of my neighborhood and straight to the boardwalk at Alki beach. But my short little ride last night was just a preview for today's commute. Setting off around 6:30 a.m. this morning, I think the vibrant orange of the deck woke up a few passing cyclists on the trail. At least one time in motion I heard "sweet board!" and at one of the stoplights near the UW, a biker commented how it looked like I was riding a surfboard down the path! 
The ride was a very familiar feel -- and everything I'd been hoping for. The board design is simple and the birch is lively. I love the feel of a pure wood board like my "old" Flexdex Pro60. The difference was, the Galac LDP was the perfect length, width, shape, and grip, straight out of the box. John and I had gone back and forth about this design months prior, and he really nailed it in the end. Have to admit, on those parts of my commute where I zing through a construction zone just after the Fremont bridge, flying off the asphalt and over a few patches of gravel for 20 feet or so, I was a little wary of the damage I was already going to expose this beautiful board to. But it's a skateboard, and as much as it looks like a museum piece, my intention is to give it the love it demands. Actually, the flying rocks and crap along the ride didn't do any damage on this maiden voyage into work, nor on the return surf home. After a 25-mile first day on the board, I've gotten some instant feedback as to where to take this baby next. First, I'm going to add one or possibly two longer wheelbases, to give it a flexier option, and a slightly longer stride. I could also see setting this up also with my slightly smaller, harder yellow 84a Bennetts, or 82a green Avalons -- a couple other wheel sets I already have that would fit this board perfectly. Last, I left off the toestop for looks and an experiment in simplicity, but with the flat top, and my habit of zoning deeply into what's on the mp3 and diving off the nose, I'm better off painting a toestop orange and mounting it on. Not sure where I'll find this "construction zone" orange paint though! This board is destined to be my Long Distance Cruise Pumper, the board that goes to Greenlake, to Alki, and on trips. 
Truly, Galac has created an incredible looking board by focusing on the beauty of simple curves and a detailed finish. Summer just got a whole lot brighter 
http://www.galaclandsurfing.com/ 
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| Tookie |
Being a part of this board is dangerous for my wallet! THAT BOARD IS BEAUTIFUL. Waiting on a Pulse to come in the mail....and now the heart yearns for one of these. Not to mention the foot that longs for a board meant for barefoot riding. |
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| stocago |
Nice write-up! Yeah, I want one too, but it'll have to wait 'til next year. wa-chhhh (I guess I'm whipped) 
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| Parson Adams |
How long before we can get a hold of a tangerine dream like yours? | ||
| egret |
Really nice looking.
Is the grip rough or grippy like Hamboards? Also, I'm curious about the flex. It looks (judging my the pics alone) that is is on the stiff side and may work well with carver cx trucks? |
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| samhell |
James, Thank you man.. I really appreciate it.
I look forward to your post on silverfish. Thanks guys. This is an extremely fun board to ride. On all future decks, I will be drilling extra holes for longer wheelbases. It will have 26 1/2", 27", 28", and 28 3/4" wheelbase holes. The grip is nothing like Hamboards grip, it's very rough and coarse, more like Edger grip used in slalom. It's very grippy and lasts. This board is somewhat stiff, but not a rock at all. But it's definately no noodle either, that is why I'll be including a range of wheelbase holes. These are available now, anyone interested in on, just shoot me an email at: galacsurf@gmail.com Thanks, John |
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| rodgon |
yay!looking forward to mine in teh future. ^_^ |
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| egret |
pavedwave, have you gotten more miles on yours? Opinions? Have you changed up the setup? | ||
| Hanael |
Finally i got mine.
1 word: purrteh~~ i looove the look of the board..i like the shape. The problem is, i need to gain more weight to ride it as i want it. Not a big deal though.. I might be needing longer rear truck for this one board.. Hm, i guess i'll wait until i got my seismic in. For this board, otangs aren't my wheels of choice.. gotta look for something...different. |
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| A.G. |
Wow that is one hell of a nice looking ride. It's like lookiing at a classic hot-rod
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| rodgon |
my new baby. enjoy! |
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| LD skater since 1971 |
Very cool board rodgon all black. it should carve up the bike trails really good. The only thing is watch the black board when sitting up side down while resting. Black absorb light and heats up fast I hate to see the fiber glass delaminate from the board like on all black surf boards. | ||
| rodgon |
its actually a dark purple. not black | ||
| samhell |
Hey guys, just an update.
I have launched my new website. I hope everyone is having a blast on their boards. Theold site is long gone, thank god! http://www.galaclandsurfing.com |
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| jat. |
I've had that web page on my display for the last 24 hours and man .. I just want to send off my paypal and get to the waiting part, but the icey and salted roads outside make me hold off until January or February.
I could start to consider what colour I want it in ... John, would you mind posting some samples of the different colours, excluding the orange, the trio James posted at the start of this topic and the seductive dark purple Rodgon has shown off (leaving blue, black and raspberry to be revealed ... and yellow if there is another type of yellow than Yandal yellow, which is the coolest name for a colour yet)? |
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| jat. |
Just saw the updated pictures on the site.
Great stuff! |
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| samhell |
Jat, here are some shots of the colors of my boards, they aren't all LDP's,
but they are the same colors available. The yellow I offer is Yandal yellow. Telal, pink, blue 
The green 
Black 
I don't have a shot of the raspberry, but it's a cool color somewhere between pink and purple, very bright and happy...
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| pavedwave |
Wow man, yet another question directed right at me which I've completely overlooked...by finally taking some winter vacation i'm starting to do things like clean up the garage, and notice 3-month old posts 
In general, this is a stiffer ride than most of my other boards, so I offset that by mounting my 72a 75mm Avilas, and all soft-angled risers. I also drilled extra WB holes for more flex. If I was really going to make this my long haul, cross-country board, I'd ask John to take out a ply or two to add more flex. The big thing about big rides is getting the vibrations out of the game. In designing this deck the main idea to go more lo-tech, back to basic roots, flat top, and simple surfboard-longboard lines. Galacs designs nail that look and feel. You want to start out with a little more stiffness than you might with a multi-layered carbon-glass composite board, because all-birch or all-maple decks will have more of a breaking-in period where they eventually get a slight but perfect rocker feel to them. They won't snap-back as much as CF, but I don't use this as my high-speed cyber miler board either. This one's my Alki and Greenlake cruiser. The whole LDP thing really started for me on the FlexdexPro60 deck, which was 5-feet of flexy birch. But the thing that was really needed with that board was more width, better grip, and a shorter wheelbase to make pumping actually efficient and sustainable-- which is what this board was designed to do. The grip is holding up amazingly, and this is pretty key because on a flat deck unless you start playing with foam wedges or skyhooks, you need to have that extra grab to your feet. Now that I'm actually taking some time off, I'll get some more time on this baby, in the garages!! Southern Cali may have sunshiney boardwalks in the winter, but we have lots of lightbulbs and security cameras when we cruise
Lovin the new site look John! |
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| Parson Adams |
James and John,
I am really having trouble dialing in my GALAC. I guess I just got used to the mermaid, but I really love this board and want to cruise it more. My set up for the Mermaid is 20 degrees of wedge in front with 4.3 bennett--running blue, white, hanger, orange. 12 Dewedge in the rear with RTS and yellow khiros. I run 1 soft wedge for each at 5 degrees. I also use Purple/Blue combo Speed Vents. I am running the same set up with the GALAC, but I feel like I have no leverage. It also feels like there is way too much effort needed to keep up momentum. Any suggestions? This is really frustrating. I played with bushing combos--what I am using for the mermaid seems to really work, but maybe not so for the Galac. What is funny is that I run the same set up with my Spoon Nose 45 and I go for miles on end. I really want to be able to do this on the GALAC. Another question...is there a correlation between camber and concave (Mermaid) and a flat surface (GALAC)? Thanks to anyone else who may chime in. Jim |
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| Parson Adams |
problem fixedProblem fixed. I lowered my front wedging from 20 degrees to 15 degrees...and BAM...smooth, fast, and sailing. My average speed today actually went up--10mph to 15 mph. |
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| egret |
15 mph average. Damn. Awesome.
I haven't been keeping much track of my speed lately. 10 for me is a sprint. I decided to stop caring and just cruise and enjoy the ride. 7 or 8 mph is my average last time I checked. I wish I could see examples of techniques cuz ya'll must be doing something I haven't figured out. My LDP decks are the Pulse and Galac. Such different feels but both effective. I start favoring one and the next day I favor the other. I prefer the nose on the Galac because I can put my foot light over the front truck for quick acceleration. Only problem with the Galac is it is too pretty. I chipped the paint a little and I'm crushed. No more attempts at cross stepping on it for me. My pulse is all dinged up and it doesn't bother me, go figure. |
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| Parson Adams |
I couldn't believe it either, but the GPS doesn't lie. I wonder what will happen if I lower my Mermaid's front truck too. It is still at 20 degrees. Mind, I still have the rear RTS dewedged at 12 degrees. So, 15 in the front and 12 in the rear make me go fast with little effort. I'll try it out on the Mermaid this eve. I only have a 8-10 mph average on the Mermaid. I wonder if 15 degrees is just a Sweet Spot for me. | ||
| pavedwave |
Nice Parson, sorry to miss your post the first time. To be quite honest, I don't know what all my angles are on my boards, I should spec that some time but as much as I like to geek out, I just throw together a soft angled riser and one of the bigger Khiro wedges and go -- I'd guess it to be in that 12-15 degree range.
Sounds like you might want to submit a Cyber Mile soon! |
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| samhell |
There is a new flavor avaialble now of the GTCPLDP,
called "Grape". Here's a teaset shot.. I have a few new colors I will be doing this year. 
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| jat. |
Wow ... Looks dreamy! | ||
| northcoast |
how's the concave on these? | ||
| jat. |
Non-existent. The galac boards are all (if I'm not mistaken) flat. | ||
| sleeveless |
Yup, Galac LDP decks are flat as, well, a board. I really like flat decks. I guess it comes from learning to skate in the sixties. I put about 25 - 30 miles a week on my Galac and love every minute of it. John's putting the finishing touches on on my son's deck right now. It's the purple one posted above. It will be setup with a Bennett front, Tracker RTS rear, and orange Orangatangs. It's the opposite color scheme of my own deck. If you get a Galac LDP I don't think you will be disappointed. | ||
| jat. |
Mine won't be here until March-ish. And the main offender is Norwegian post service. Hoping they have the decency not to question the content, having me call them up, send them a copy of the receipt (not sure if I actually have one ...) and sending it to them ... then waiting for them to act.
However I'm sure this is just my nerves as Mr Galac himself assured me that he sent a Balboa to another Norwegian skater (as myself) and was told that everything arrived on time without any hiccups. The snow however, Mr Galac. What about the snow? |
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| samhell |
Here are a few shots of the new grape color,
setup complete... 
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| petary791 |
GOD I want that grape SO BAD. Soon I'll sell my Roggs and hop on that.
Grape is so nice. 
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| RiPPer |
Wow. The grape with orange and orange with purp, hot hot looking boards. Those are going to be pimp combo for 09. Beyond that the shape of the deck, the finish, the size and set up.......just look so perfect. I'm starting to save my pennies for a galactic grape galac ldp with some big juicy orange wheels and the steering of a slalom racer...and the soul of a surfer. Looking forward to being able to get my feet on the product of the Peters/Galac coloboration. |
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| petary791 |
Where does one purchase a black Tracker by the way? I have a 129 and maybe I should find a way to paint it? |
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| sleeveless |
Thanks for your interest in the black Trackers. Both the orange and the purple decks have them. The orange deck is mine and the purple one is my son's. I wanted to have matching black trucks on the orange deck. It was the first one John made for me. So, I decided to paint the Trackers. My son decide they would look good and his deck, too.
Paint your own trucks is really easy. First head down to the hardware store, auto parts store, or hobby shop and pick up some spray paint and primer, a can of each. I used black to match the Bennetts. But, there are so many choices of colors one could get quite creative. I like to use enamel paint as I find is fairly durable. Next, take your trucks apart and scrub them with a green scrubber and some soap and water. You don't want any dirt or grease to ruin the paint job. After the trucks are dry tape off the axles with some masking tape. Now you're ready to paint. First, give the trucks a coat or two of primer. You will need to flip the trucks over to cover then completely. I like to suspend them by the axles on a couple of paint caps. When the primer is dry you can spray on the color coat. Use several light coats rather than one thick one. Again, move the trucks around so that you cover them completely with paint. I think it is important to follow the instructions on the paint can. Some paints are fussy as far as recoat times. You could apply a clear coat but I never have. If you do make sure it is compatible with your paint. When the paint is thoroughly dry assemble your trucks, skate and enjoy! |
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| samhell |
A little update.
The GTCPLDP for the rest of 09' will be a cleaner machine, it will now be sans white stripe down the middle... (no more stringer stripe) And I'm now offering Boardwalk style wheel wells in the front as an option on the GTCPLDP. And I will doing a couple of new colors this summer, I'll be announcing them soon, they will be a departure from my normal bright candy colors. |
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| samhell |
Here is a shot of the wheel cutouts I'm offering on the GTCPLDP now..
They're perfectly sized, shaped and positioned and add 1/4" of clearance where you need it... 
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| RiPPer |
I like that, very functional. That will allow 75mm wheels, low ride height and no wheel bite. Great job. | ||
| aschmidt |
Perfectomundo! Love it John!! | ||
| samhell |
Thanks guys!
I'm working a new deluxe version of the GTCPLDP, it will have routed wheelwells in the front, and a routed wheel channel in the rear. I'll be posting pics soon. Also, i just opened upa Cafe Press store, right now I only have mens t shirts and hoodies up, but I will be adding more products soon. Here is the link. http://www.cafepress.com/galaclandsurf |
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| samhell |
Here are some shots of the upcoming
GTCPLDP Deluxe. The rear wheelwells are going to add a slight bit more flex in the rear third of the deck, and the front will add a hair more flex in the front third. Not to mention 1/4" more clearance. The deck in the photos is a board my bicycle hookup ordered last week. It's going to be getting a seriously custom paint job which I wil be posting as it progresses. 
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| peppermint rhino |
I'm still not completely sold on a flat surfaced board. I think the concave on the my pulse V2.0 really helps me pump so I'm not sure how well I'd fare with something that has 0 concave. | ||
| samhell |
A lot of people can't even imagine riding a flat board...
It's OK.. Choices are free... I personally can't stand even a little bit of concave for extended periods of time.. As far as pumpability goes, I can pump just effortless on my flat boards as I can on a concave deck. I think you'd be surprised after a day of riding a GTCPLDP, supreme comfort and powerful pumping.. |
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| Shaine |
IMO seems there's more of a sense of security for some when riding concave. I personally have never had a problem with flat decks even when sliding. Unless you ride tight trucks (don't), there's enough board tilt & grip to lock you in. | ||
| peppermint rhino |
I mean I wouldn't be opposed to trying one if I got the chance. I'm just not about to order something like that though just to see what it's like. I do love the design of the board and all the colors you produce it in but I just don't have enough disposable income to buy something like that without knowing whether or not I'd like it enough to keep. |
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| samhell |
Cool man, if you're ever in the SD area, hit me up and
you can ride a GTCPLDP for the day....
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| johnxyz |
Are Galac deck holes drilled on an angle for wedging?Total noob but love the look of these new Galac LDP decks.Question: Do the decks come pre-drilled w/. angled holes? If not how the heck would you line up the bolt through the angled risers and finally into the Bennett or Tracker base plate? Is the bolt at a stressed angle? Is the lock nut not flush with the baseplate? I haven't read anything about this and its difficult to tell from the photos? Also with the routed out wheel wells front and rear on the Deluxe model - is wheel bite completely eliminated? Are Khiro's considered the best supplier of the wedge risers? Do you prefer a full riser or just thoses side track types? Hard soft or combo? Before I purchase I just want to understand how to install the unique LDP set-up. I have read and done searches. Thanks a lot. |
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| LDPanda |
1. To my knowledge, all manufacturers drill their holes straight, not angled. When you add wedges, yes, you will change the way the bolt sits slightly but it isnt normally a problem. Usually, the bolts will bend slightly with use and conform to the shape of the wedging. You *could* drill out your holes slightly larger or slightly angled to reduce the bending but i wouldnt suggest it, the bolts bend just fine (usually, sometimes the heads pop off if you tighten them down too much or too soon).
2. Wheel bite is a culmination of several factors: truck type, bushings, wheel size, wedging, risers, etc. Nearly any deck will still have the potential for wheel bite but the cutouts give an extra 1/4 inch where you need it. I havent tried the deluxe model but I imagine if youre using a pretty standard setup then wheel bite wouldnt be a problem. Id also imagine that if you put 97mm flywheels on your bennett with white khiros, you could still get bite. 3. The khiro wedge kit is an awesome deal. You will have tons of options and enough risers for several boards. Moreover, unlike most other wedges, the 'skinny' end of the khiro wedges are quite short, allowing you to add lots of wedging without adding lots of height. Id say its a safe investment for any level of experience. I prefer a soft wedge (80a) with 15* rail wedges for a total of around 21* but its really a matter of personal preference. |
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| egret |
The Galac LDP is also the widest of the LDP boards and that adds tonte comfort. Your feet feel no edges, at least for a size 11.5 shoe. Very good yet overlooked feature, IMO. | ||
| johnxyz |
Thanks LDPanda and egret - spot on info - really helpful.
If I were to put a Bennett 6.0 on the frt. of an LDP deck which Tracker model or other brand truck model would mate well with it for the rear? Does anyone ever use a pair of Bennetts on an LDP deck or is that just not advised? Thanks again |
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| LDPanda |
Two bennetts is generally not advised (for LDP). It makes for a tight turning, carvy, fun ride but you lose a lot of efficiency for pumping. The bennett 6.0 seems to pair well with the tracker rt-s 149mm or the seismic 155mm stable turn. A randal 150 would be the right size as well but it seems harder to get the angles right with randals. | ||
| samhell |
Starting today through the rest of July,
I will be offering a $10.00 discount on all GTCPLDP orders for Pavedwave forum members. Which depending on where your at in the continental US, will basically take care of most of the shipping costs. This discount is offered through this thread. If you email or PM me, include GTCPLDP $10.00 Discount in the email or PM for the discount. This includes the GTCPLDP Deluxe. *This deal is on silverfish also. My decks are drilled straight, as stated, there will be some bending of the bolts due to the heavy wedging, but this is not a problem. The routed wheelwells on the deluxe do add the needed cleareance to eliminate wheelbite if you run the standard wedging setup. |
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| samhell |
I have started a Facebook page for Galac Land Surfing,
(well my wife started it) Here is the link, join up and feel free to post away. http://www.facebook.com/profile.p...-Land-Surfing/130841565855?ref=nf |
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| samhell |
Just to let people know I'm extending the $10.00
off deal through the month of August.. Happy Pumping! |
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| samhell |
I have been working lately on the website, and have made many
changes and updates including a live Fecebook feed embedded on the home page, and new media.photo/video sectionof the site. Now FLASH FREE! It;s almost where I want it, but there is still more work
to be done. I have also started a Facebook Galac Land Surfing Fan Page at: Facebook Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Galac-Land-Surfing/130841565855 Website: http://www.galaclandsurfing.com |
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| samhell |
Website update:
I have been doing a lot of changes and updates to the galaclandsurfing.com website. I am also in the process of switching to a new server. There will be two ways to get to the website now. http://www.galaclandsurfing.com or http://www.galaclongboards.com Right now galaclandsurfing.com will take you to the old server and galaclongboards.com will take you to the new server. Hopefully by tonight or tomorrow, both URL's will take you to the site on the new server. I'm in the process of streamlining the site and adding a lot of things and making it better. But as you can imagine, it's an ongoing project. |
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| samhell |
I just released a mini pumper called The POD..
it's 22" x 8 1/2" with a 15 1/4" wheelbase.. It's a super portable board for commuting, lockers, under your desk, in your office, strapped to a backpack/in a backpack or a rack on a bicycle. This should be a fun little board you can take with you anywhere you go.. It has wheelwells, and routed out hand groove grips for easy carrying... I tried to create a wide platform with a maximized wheelbase and wide nose and tail, so it will bigger than it actually is underfoot... It's basically a super tiny slalom board.. I'm really excited about this little beast.. These are selling for $75.00 including shipping in the continental US.... I think set up with Bennett 4.3 and RTS 106mm with Alligator 62mm, Cambria 62mm or even Zig Zags 66mm, and some wedging/dewedging it's gonna be a blast... Tracker Midtracks would be awsome on it too... Consider this a micro distance pumper.. Here's a shot of the first one..
info@galaclongboards.com 
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