Easy guide to choose your surfskate

With this guide developed by the Carving Social Club, we intend to help you make choosing your next surfskate as easy as possible; In it , we answer the most frequently asked questions that you usually ask us, and we add our point of view, based on our long years of experience, daily related to surfing and surfskate.

The good choice of your surfskate will directly influence your evolution, just as it happens with surfboards. Remember our post When should I take the step to the fiber table? , where we just explain this process.

The optimal thing in the long run, as in surfing, is to have several boards and use one or the other depending on the moment or the conditions . And so, having a very stable one for long runs, doing skate tricks, and one with a tighter turning angle to train surf maneuvers, warm up before entering the water or flow in the bowl .

And if you are one of those who prefers to have a single table, the best thing is that you hit the first one with the one that best suits you and is closest to your current needs. We already told you that the boards with adjustable internal spring can benefit you, since in addition to being the ones that offer the most surfing sensations, they offer you the opportunity to have a two in one, that is, by tightening the spring well you will have a very stable board, and by loosening it you will be able to make tighter turns, more surfing .

With so many makes and models, we know it can be hard to get it right; For this reason, we have prepared this easy guide so that you can choose your next surfskate without fail .

There are several factors that come into play:

1. WHAT LENGTH OF BOARD AND WHEELBASE ACCORDING TO MY HEIGHT?

Here we will try to explain the relationship between the length of the board and its performance, as well as the influence of the wheelbase (distance between axles).

a) To guide you with the length of the board , we have prepared this chart so you can quickly and easily identify which surfskate would suit you based on your height and weight. They are approximate measurements, it is not an exact science, but they can help you understand more or less what you should be looking for.

Knowing the length of the recommended board for you, you could already opt for one surfskate or another, but if you know your skills well and you are clear about where you will use it, you could start playing with a couple more pieces of information to refine the search even more. They work the same as with the surfboard, so if you already surf they will be very familiar to you: stability , radicality, speed and acceleration .

The longer the board, the more stability it will offer you, while small boards tend to be more "nervous". Of course, for a tall person of 1.85m, a 32" table, for example, can be nervous, while a short person, 1.45m, the same table can be very stable.

Likewise, with a larger board, the turns and pumping are wider, more like a water longboard feeling , which makes it less radical ; while with smaller boards you will be able to make tighter turns, (although the type of axis also comes into play here, which we will see later). Then, If, for example, you are 1.75m tall, and we recommend 32" to 34" boards in the table above, but you usually surf with a longboard in the water and you like classic surfing, you can opt for a longer board to seek the same sensations than in water.

With regard to speed , with a long board with two pumps it will be easier for you to get from point A to point B, while with a smaller board the speed is lower and it will cost you more effort to complete the same route.

Finally, on the subject of acceleration , with a small board it will be much easier to get going than with a larger one that will cost you at the beginning to generate that inertia.

In the following graph you can understand it quickly and easily.

b) The wheelbase , is the distance between the axles, and it is another piece of information that you also have to take into account when choosing your surfskate, since there may be boards of the same size but with the axles placed at different distances, and this can affect the its performance when using it.

The wheelbase works the same as with the size of the board, the more distance between the axles, the more open turns and more stability, and the less distance, the more explosiveness and radicality. In order to better train your surfing , it is important that the wheelbase of the board you select is not less than the distance you have between your feet when you are surfing.

We recommend doing these two small exercises at home to try to discover what size board and wheelbase would be best for you:

1) stretch a measuring tape on the floor with the highest value that we recommend in the first table, (34" for example, if we recommend 32"-34" boards), stand on it to get a "virtual idea" of the size of the table , and thus understand if it is comfortable for you, or if on the contrary it is too big.

2) with the same measuring tape placed on the ground, separate your feet a little more than the width of your shoulders and measure the distance between them (as shown in the image below), that would be an ideal wheelbase for you if What you are looking for is to train your surfing .

By combining these two pieces of information you will already know what length of board you would feel comfortable with, what approximate wheelbase you should look for, and you would already be quite advanced.

2. WHICH TURN SYSTEM, AXIS OR BRAND?

Here we describe a list of the different front axles, or turning systems, of the surfskate brands on the market.

a) Carver Skateboards CX truck : it is very simple, it does not have an internal spring, and it is ideal for those who are looking for stability in a surfskate, either because they come from the world of skateboarding or traditional longboarding, people who are starting out, people who have never surfed or skated before, or for those who just want the surfskate for riding or having fun. It is the most stable axis we have on our website.

It is an inverted Kingpin axle , without spring , very light, to which you can only regulate the pressure of the rubbers ( bushes ), tightening or loosening the nut that we show in the image. And thanks to its simplicity, it requires little or no maintenance, since it has almost no sensitive parts that can be damaged.

As with any surfskate truck you will be able to generate speed with your body, without the need to give the typical kick of traditional skateboarding, and you will be able to make surf turns but with a very wide angle, more like a water longboard sensation.

b) C7 truck from Carver Skateboards : it is Carver's most popular, it does have an internal adjustable compression spring, and it already offers more surfing sensations , the pump is smoother and the turning angle is closer than the CX.

Since it can be easily adjusted through the nut that we show in the image, it would be almost like having 2 axles in 1 , since if you tighten it you have a very stable board like the CX, and if you loosen it, an axle that will allow you to make tighter turns. . In addition, you can adjust it a little more to your liking by tightening or loosening the bushing nut.

It is already a more sophisticated axle that could require a little more maintenance, since it has more parts that are sensitive to damage (such as the spring itself, for example), but they are damaged very little, their useful life is very long. All parts are very easy to replace.

It is ideal for people who have already done some surfing, or those looking for stable but surfing sensations.

c) Slide Surfskates 3.0 Axle: Slide, unlike Carver, only has one front axle, which is the one that all its board models have. It is an axis that they have optimized over the years, and today it offers incredible sensations , very surfy . By having an internal compression spring, it would be comparable in structure and feel to the C7 from Carver Skateboards.

It is also a 2 in 1, thanks to the internal spring, you can easily adjust the front axle , you just have to rotate the nut shown in the image. Which will allow you to keep it tight for daily use, and loosen it more when you want to train your surfing .

It is ideal as a first board for someone who wants to start surfskating, or for more advanced surfers looking for a more economical surfskate.

d) Smoothstar's Thruster turning system - preferred by surfers of all levels. It allows very tight turns, ideal for training cutbacks, and emulates surfing almost perfectly.

The Smoothstar thruster is a turning system that has an internal compression spring , and where a conventional skateboard truck is attached. The spring can be tightened or loosened in a simple way with a key that all models bring, inserting it into the slot of the nut that we show you in the image. Thus, you will be able to regulate your surfskate according to the use you are going to give it (ride or training) , or as your level evolves . In addition, you can also regulate the pressure of the bushings .

The sensations when generating speed (pumping), are very soft, very smooth , very similar to when we are riding a wave . It is one of the axles that rotates the most, and thanks to the fact that it can be adjusted, it is ideal for all levels, you simply adjust it as you progress and feel comfortable.

e) YOW Surfskates Meraki Truck : After several years of development, trial, trial and error, the guys at YOW bring us this new truck. A very surfy truck that turns more than a Carver with a C7 truck, and offers similar sensations to Smoothstar.

With this new axle they have simplified the turning system that they previously had in a single piece, achieving a lighter, more robust axle, but with the same sensations as before.

For the Meraki they have opted for their thickest spring , the 5mm ( S5 ), now they all come with that. A resistant torsion spring, with the only drawback that it does not allow adjustments or regulation. Yes, you can adjust the sensations of your surfskate a little by loosening or tightening the nut of the bushings .

A very good option for surfers with some level, and most importantly, it is national production ( Spain ).

f) SwellTech Surfskates axle: it is the which offers the largest turning angle on the market, rotating up to 360º, and pivoting 60º from edge to edge . The learning curve is a little slower, at first it is a bit difficult, but once you master it it is very fun and has very surfy sensations.

Since its launch, several modifications have been made to it in search of more stability, and even so, it continues to be the one that conveys the most sensation of instability at first , and once you get used to it it is not so unstable.

Despite having both internal and external springs, none of them can be adjusted so you have to little by little adapt to surfskating.

It is ideal for very experienced people in both surfing and surfskating who want to try new sensations and go a little further.

3. WHAT TYPE OF WHEEL WILL SUIT ME BEST?

The variants that come into play around the wheels of a surfskate are: size , hardness and shape .

Regarding its size , in the world of surfskate, wheels usually range from 58mm (the smallest), to 75mm. Size basically influences grip , acceleration and speed . As a general rule, on a rough surface ( asphalt ), the bigger the wheel, the more grip it will offer you, it will give you a lot of stability when generating speed, confidence when making very tight turns and your feet will notice less the imperfections of the ground; in terms of acceleration they are slower, but once you get good inertia and a good rhythm they reach more speed than the smaller wheels. The larger wheels are ideal for long rides and for training surf turns without the surfskate skidding.

If you will use your surfskate more on smooth surfaces , such as a skatepark, smaller wheels will be better for you, since on this type of ground the smaller ones generate more speed; On the other hand, on rough floors you will notice more damage and it will cost you more to get from point A to point B. Bearing this in mind, depending on the use you are going to give it, search our website for surfskates that have larger or smaller wheels. . In the "technical specifications" tab of each surfskate model you will find this information.

In the following graph you can visualize this information more easily.

The other data to take into account is the hardness of the wheels, this is measured on the Shore type "a" durometer scale, and on our website you will find them from 78a the softest and most common, to 90a the hardest.

As with the size of the wheels, the type of ground where the surfskate is going to be used will influence, thus, softer wheels in contact with a rough surface are faster, offer more grip in tight turns, and absorb better. ground damage, while on smooth surfaces like the skatepark they are slower. The hardest ones, for example in the skatepark, go very well, very fast, but you notice more imperfections when going on rough floors and you could easily skid in turns without looking for it.

Regarding the shape of the wheel, we will find three different types in the vast majority of surfskates: square edge , beveled or round . The most common are the first two.

Square-edged wheels are those that end at a right angle, which is why they offer more grip and resistance, making them the most stable. They are ideal for exerting more power in turns and maneuvers without losing grip; By having more surface contact with the ground, they support more load from the vibrations of the asphalt and are appreciated on long journeys, which is why they are the best for moving around the city.

Bevelled edge wheels end with an angular cut which helps you gain turning angle, acceleration and facilitate skidding. They are ideal for short distances since they do not generate as much speed, for training in small places and skateparks. They are less stable than those with square edges.

Those with a rounded edge are usually smaller and harder, designed for children, skateparks or freestyle skates.

4. DOES THE SHAPE OF THE TABLE INFLUENCE?

While in a surfboard the shape plays a determining role and the sensations vary a lot from one to another, in the surfskate it does not influence the performance of the board.

A fishtail or diamond tail on the surfskate is simply aesthetic , since it is designed in order to give it that surfer spirit.

The things you should keep in mind when choosing your surfskate regarding the shape is that the wider the area where you place your feet, both in the tail and in the front, the more comfortable they will be and the more stability you will have. they will provide. So if you are starting out you may be interested in wide boards.

And finally, if you plan to jump off the coping (curb) of the skatepark, you will be interested in a board with a good tail that allows you to support yourself well, gives you stability, and that does not slip away. In this sense, the squarer and wider the tail, the better.

5. DOES IT INFLUENCE MY SURFING STYLE?

Yes, your surfing style is something you should consider when choosing your surfskate. How is your surfing: explosive, radical, modern, or are you more of classic surfing, drawing lines, flowing?

If you are more into explosive surfing, short boards will be better for you (always try to respect the minimum distance between your legs that we recommend in the first section), and axles or turning systems with a tighter turning angle.

So for example, if a person is 1.75m tall, and likes explosive surfing, for example the 33" Holy Toledo from Smoothstar would be great for them.

If, on the other hand, you are more into classic and single-fin surfing, we recommend longboards , with which you can draw wider lines and get more water longboard sensations.

For example, using the same case of someone who is 1.75m tall, to have those sensations, the 35" Spatial from Slide Surfskates would be very good for them.

6. DOES MY WEIGHT INFLUENCE?

In our experience, it is not a very important factor that you should take into account.

Surfskate boards are generally boards with between 6 and 7 layers of robust wood, with little flex and very little chance of breaking. We consider that it is not a fact that you should give too much importance to , except in the case of children or people weighing more than 120 kg; In the first case, they will find it easier to move small boards of 28 inches or less and, in the second, they will feel more comfortable with boards larger than 35 inches and a very stable truck.

Otherwise, we recommend that you be guided by the first table in point 1, and look for a table that adapts to your weight and height. If the data does not match because your weight is higher or lower than indicated, give more importance to your height.

7. WHAT IS MY BUDGET?

If you have already answered the other questions in the guide and you are already more or less clear, you only have to define your budget, the last factor that will decide your purchase.

To facilitate your choice, we have divided surfskates into two groups: high-end ( more than 200 euros ) and mid-range ( less than 200 euros ).

In the high range , we have:

a) Carver Skateboards : They owe their high price to several factors, the main one being that they are made and assembled entirely in the United States with top quality materials; They also have the added seniority of being the first surfskate brand to hit the market, the precursors; and finally because they have among their riders professional surfers of the stature of Courtney Conlogue , Taylor Knox and Yago Dora among others, all of this we imagine increases the price of the product.

b) Smoothstar : It is the second brand that came onto the market, so we imagine that its long history has increased the price; They are manufactured in Taiwan; and they also have professional surfers such as Filipe Toledo and Johanne Defay who will mean large outlays for the brand.

c) SwellTech Surfskates : this brand, despite being younger than the previous two, is also among the high-end, coincidentally they also have a top surfer as an image, in this case it is a free surfer, but very controversial and very known Jamie O'Brien .

d) YOW Surskates : another young brand, but one that has come out very strong. It is manufactured in Spain, and by having all the machinery in their facilities, they have been able to evolve very quickly, any damage they detect is solved immediately and the process has involved a lot of research and development.

Because of all these processes and also because they have renowned surfers like Aritz Aranburu , they enter the high-end section.

And in the mid-range we have:

a) Slide Surfskates : despite also having been on the market for almost 20 years, it is a brand that is manufactured in China and also does not have any professional surfers among its ranks, these two aspects allow it to remain well priced. EYE! The quality is good, of course lower than Carver for example, but it is not "Everything at 100" let's say.

b) Triton by Carver : it is the white brand of Carver Skateboards, they use the same CX axle, (except the two smallest models that use the C5), and the high-end Roundhouse wheels, only the board is made in China and they don't have any pro surfers either. With these two aspects they have managed to place this young brand within the mid-range surfskates.

Think that you buy a surfboard for the days when there are no waves , one more board for your quiver . And remember that, if you can have several, it would be excellent; If not, try to refine the one that best suits your current needs and little by little move forward.

Health!