pavedwave longboarding

rosan · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 4

Hi guys,

I was looking to get a skateboard to ride to improve my surfing and just for fun, and look what I stumbled upon... Now it`s been two straight days researching what LDP is about, and trying to figure out some things. I have some questions hopefully someone can help out with...

First of all, I was considering getting a board like a Carver or a Smooth Star http://www.smoothstar.com/ because I was under the mistaken impression that you needed one of those "revolutionary" trucks to pump on flat ground... how wrong I was. From the looks of it, the Smooth Star can pull thruster moves way better and would probably be better for helping that style of surfing... But it seems like it would be an inefficient distance rider.

But now, having read your discussions on this forum, I am leaning more towards an LDP setup. I don't plan to go great distances, I just enjoy carving. So I guess I am wondering if LDPs improve your surfing much? And is it anything LIKE surfing?

BTW, I have been riding mostly alaias (finless wooden planks) and would not call myself a thruster rider, though I'm considering getting into it. So "surfing" could mean a lot of things.

I guess what I'm asking is, can you pull moves on an LDP that are like surfing moves, or are they basically only for pumping and going long distance? I'm looking for something that is like surfing but also good for pumping. It seems like perhaps the Smooth Star and LDPs are at opposite ends of this spectrum, perhaps?

Peace~

Anton

pavedwave · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 1120 Location: seattle wa usa

Welcome Anton! The good news is the only thing you really need to do with good old regular trucks, is just play with different bushing durometers. I'd suggest you set up like an LDP but just loosen/put softer bushings in the back. You'll get a very similar effect to one of those "surf specific" trucks, but if ever you want to, you could also just swap back to harder bushings and go bomb some hills. Another tweak to make it surfier is throw a slightly narrower hangar in the back. My favorite rides are pumping up inclines off the nose, then stepping back a full stance and tracking and powering from the rear of the board as you carve and glide down a long gradual slope.

Note too that those trucks usually demo on wheels around 65mm, and most of the time we're setting up LDPs with wheels between 70--75mm, with the decks at the same height.

I think the biggest difference between LDP and that smoothstar video is wheelbase. If you moved trucks off a dialed LDP board, over to a short board and loosen them up right, you can still get a really similar surf feel. I'm not knocking Carvers or Smooth Star type of products, fun to have around, it's just that they tend to lock into that type of slow surfy ride without much adjustability, whereas a more traditional pumping setup with minor tweaks opens up to a wider range of style and terrain.

rosan · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 4

Hi Pavedwave,

Awesome site, and thanks so much for your response! It's just what I wanted to hear, sounds like it's possible to have the best of both worlds without having to get different boards.

So that decides it- setting up like an LDP. I'm gonna go with either the GTCPLDP, Subsonic Pulse, or Mermaid. I understand people often have a hard time choosing... I probably shouldn't even be asking but... any suggestions? I'm pretty light at about 128 pounds, if that helps any. Does anybody know if there's less wait time for one of these...

Also, what about shorter boards like the Flexdex 29 on the gear page? Is that more like a board for doing cutbacks and stuff, less for pumping? Is it just more tiring to pump on a shorter board like that? Sure looks like fun...

rosan · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 4

Well, thought I'd fill people in on what I went with. Almost ordered the Mermaid but had some ordering issues and ended up going with the Sector 9 Trylam based on what people said about it here, with Bennet 5.0s and Randall 125s based on what PavedWave was saying about his friend's setup. Hopefully it will be arriving soon here in Okinawa, I'm sick of thinking about surfing all the time and not being able to go/crappy waves etc. etc.

Also heard back from Flexdex, I emailed them asking how the 29 would be for pumping, since I want a board that I'll basically never have to push. They wrote back "The 29 will pumnp 4 miles dude. no board is better."

Could that be true? Haha. Maybe I'll have a chance to see later on.

LDPanda · Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 418 Location: Seattle, WA

Pumping a 29 inch deck for any real distance sounds exhausting. I have no doubt it pumps like crazy but you wont get much out of each pump. I think youd end up working much harder per mile. The Trylam on the other hand is one of my all around favorite decks. It has a great snappy flex and the shape is decent for pumping. Even if you do decide to replace it someday with a dedicated LDP deck, the Trylam is an awesome carver.

pavedwave · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 1120 Location: seattle wa usa

"The 29 will pumnp 4 miles dude. "

I agree. That board will pump for 4 miles. Then you will die. Very Happy

Flexdex are great boards, for what they do, which is CARVE hills and do some mellow surfing. I've seen pics of the owner EBone Rabin surfing some serious waves, the guy can shred on a surfboard. His boards are really not pumpers IMO, in terms of providing snap and response and returning energy. They start out flat so when you stand on it, it turns to a flexy rockered board. While its entirely possible to pump a flexy rockered board, its far from optimal. I still own a few Flexdexes and I really like them -- for carving cruising and sidewalk surfing.

Nice choice on the Trylam! And the 125-5.0 combo should be awesome. The real fun's when you start playing with bushings.

Okinawa!? At least your waves don't require a 5-mil wetsuit!

rosan · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 4

Hahaha- I thought he meant a 4 mile limit at first.

'I know, I should be grateful for the waves we get, and for the water temp. too.