Plan_B 702
08-29-2007, 08:50 PM
This guide should answer all your questions about decks.
Concave
First things first, "Pop" or "Flip" isnt exactly real. The only thing that would affect your height on tricks is the concave of a board. The concave is the raised nose, tail, and sides of the deck. Some decks have lots of concave, some have mellow, and some have medium. I prefer lots of concave, but thats just personal preference.
If your looking for a deck with just the right amount of concave try a habitat or a popwar, those are my personal favorites.
Shape
Another thing that affects your skating is the shape of your board. There are lots of different shapes of decks. Sqaured tail, smaller tail, bigger tail, thinner tail. There are many, many different shapes of decks. To find the shape that you like best you'll probably just have to try out different kinds of decks and stick with whichever one you feel most comfortable with. http://www.elementskateboards.com/skateboards/shapenumbers/ that shows some different shapes that are available. Its just an example, most deck companies will have different shapes as well, not just element.
Size
This is probably the most personal part of choosing a new deck. Size is the width of the deck. Almost all decks are between 7.5 inches and 8.5 inches. It seems like a small difference, but if you go from a 7.75 to an 8 it is very, very different. Generally the average size most people use is between 7.75 and 8 for street skating. It depends on height, your shoe size, etc. You dont see very many 6'5 people ridin a 7.5 deck. Generally smaller kids ride 7.5's because smaller feet feel more comfortable on it. Also you dont wanna buy an 8.5 deck if your skating street. Bigger decks, above 8 and usually for vert, but sometimes people will just like to skate bigger decks.
Materials
Most decks are made from Canadian maple, although some other companies are using alternatives. An example, you were at the skateshop, and saw this deck being advertised as being made from "Hemp" and another made from "Bamboo" Well the decks obviously not made from solid hemp, some layers are made from hemp and the rest plain old maple. The reason companies are doing this is hemp and bamboo are much, much cheaper than maple. Plus bamboo can grow something like 6 feet a day so it doesnt look like we're gonna run out of bamboo any time soon. Another reason for this is it makes the decks a bit stronger, but dont go out and buy one expecting some super deck that lasts 6 months. Its kinda just a marketing gimmick.
There are several other new deck "technologies" out like the mullen uberlight. I havent skated one, but i'v heard there nothing special. Again just a marketing technique.
Durability
Most decks are gonna last you just about the same amount of time as another. There isnt one super deck that lasts soo much longer than another, maybe some decks will last a bit longer, but not too much longer than any other plain old deck.
Layers
All decks have between 5-9 layers of wood that make up the deck. There a little under a millimeter thick each. The reason decks are made from layers rather than one solid peice of wood is that it makes your deck stronger, and if one layer cracks you have another 6 to reinforce it rather than if you have one big peice of wood if you crack it, its done.
Blanks vs. pro models
This arguement has been going on for years, and it will continue for years. Blank decks are generally 15-25 dollars cheaper than pro model decks and in my opinion are basically the same thing minus the graphic and the special bamboo technology or whatever. There are different concave blank decks, mellow, steep, all that. There are different shapes as well. If you want to pay the extra 20 bucks for a graphic thats gonna get scratched off in a week, go for it.
Accessories
Risers, rails, all that stuff is pretty much for old school skating. Unless your gonna be shredding up the minibowl at your park none of that is really necessary.
Hope that answered all your questions about decks.
If you have anythng else you think I should add let me know!
Concave
First things first, "Pop" or "Flip" isnt exactly real. The only thing that would affect your height on tricks is the concave of a board. The concave is the raised nose, tail, and sides of the deck. Some decks have lots of concave, some have mellow, and some have medium. I prefer lots of concave, but thats just personal preference.
If your looking for a deck with just the right amount of concave try a habitat or a popwar, those are my personal favorites.
Shape
Another thing that affects your skating is the shape of your board. There are lots of different shapes of decks. Sqaured tail, smaller tail, bigger tail, thinner tail. There are many, many different shapes of decks. To find the shape that you like best you'll probably just have to try out different kinds of decks and stick with whichever one you feel most comfortable with. http://www.elementskateboards.com/skateboards/shapenumbers/ that shows some different shapes that are available. Its just an example, most deck companies will have different shapes as well, not just element.
Size
This is probably the most personal part of choosing a new deck. Size is the width of the deck. Almost all decks are between 7.5 inches and 8.5 inches. It seems like a small difference, but if you go from a 7.75 to an 8 it is very, very different. Generally the average size most people use is between 7.75 and 8 for street skating. It depends on height, your shoe size, etc. You dont see very many 6'5 people ridin a 7.5 deck. Generally smaller kids ride 7.5's because smaller feet feel more comfortable on it. Also you dont wanna buy an 8.5 deck if your skating street. Bigger decks, above 8 and usually for vert, but sometimes people will just like to skate bigger decks.
Materials
Most decks are made from Canadian maple, although some other companies are using alternatives. An example, you were at the skateshop, and saw this deck being advertised as being made from "Hemp" and another made from "Bamboo" Well the decks obviously not made from solid hemp, some layers are made from hemp and the rest plain old maple. The reason companies are doing this is hemp and bamboo are much, much cheaper than maple. Plus bamboo can grow something like 6 feet a day so it doesnt look like we're gonna run out of bamboo any time soon. Another reason for this is it makes the decks a bit stronger, but dont go out and buy one expecting some super deck that lasts 6 months. Its kinda just a marketing gimmick.
There are several other new deck "technologies" out like the mullen uberlight. I havent skated one, but i'v heard there nothing special. Again just a marketing technique.
Durability
Most decks are gonna last you just about the same amount of time as another. There isnt one super deck that lasts soo much longer than another, maybe some decks will last a bit longer, but not too much longer than any other plain old deck.
Layers
All decks have between 5-9 layers of wood that make up the deck. There a little under a millimeter thick each. The reason decks are made from layers rather than one solid peice of wood is that it makes your deck stronger, and if one layer cracks you have another 6 to reinforce it rather than if you have one big peice of wood if you crack it, its done.
Blanks vs. pro models
This arguement has been going on for years, and it will continue for years. Blank decks are generally 15-25 dollars cheaper than pro model decks and in my opinion are basically the same thing minus the graphic and the special bamboo technology or whatever. There are different concave blank decks, mellow, steep, all that. There are different shapes as well. If you want to pay the extra 20 bucks for a graphic thats gonna get scratched off in a week, go for it.
Accessories
Risers, rails, all that stuff is pretty much for old school skating. Unless your gonna be shredding up the minibowl at your park none of that is really necessary.
Hope that answered all your questions about decks.
If you have anythng else you think I should add let me know!