Longboard Planet – All You Need To Know About Longboards And Skating

When it comes to transportation, skateboarding isn't usually ones first choice. However, with Zumiez Longboards, traveling in style isn't a problem. Since 1978, Zumiez has catered to all types of skaters; their stores have hundreds of skateboards and longboards on display. When it comes to a skater-superstore, Zumiez is the place to go. Many people don't know the difference between skateboards and longboards. While longboards can perform some basic tricks, they are way better than skateboards when it comes to transportation. Longboards can reach up to 80mph, making them an efficient way to travel in place of a skateboard. With something that can go so fast, durability is a big concern. ZUMIEZ LONGBOARDS Zumiez carries 15 different brands of longboards. Some of those brands include Arbor, DB, Dusters, Globe, Gold Coast, Landyachtz, Santa Cruiz, Sector 9, and Z-Flex. Their more popular brands are Dusters, Globe, and Landyachtz. They also carry longboards from 32 inches all the way to 43 inches long. Zumiez Longboards come in every style and shape, with 99 different longboards to choose from online. When it comes to their complete longboards, they come already assembled in the box. Longboard Styles Zumiez longboards come in a variety of styles. Drop down longboards are popular because it brings you closer to the ground. This adjustment lowers your center of gravity and makes pushing off easier since you don't have to bend your knees as much to gain more speed. I, along with most customers, prefer the drop down longboards for casual skating. Drop through boards have the trucks quite literally dropped through the board. The baseplate of the truck sits on top of the deck with the hanger "dropping through" the bottom. This design lowers the board closer to the ground for more stability and speed. However, carving and turning suffer from being so close to the ground. Top mounted boards are another option. When a board is top mounted, the trucks are connected directly to the bottom of the longboard. This support gives the rider the ability to make sharper turns and a more aggressive skating style. However, due to being higher off the ground, the deck may suffer from stability issues like speed wobbling. Price Range When it comes to longboards, narrowing down, prices may be a bit difficult. Zumiez Longboards range from $100-$400. However, a majority of their longboards are in the $150-$250 price range. The longboards can be found on Zumiez website, Amazon, or in select stores. Accessories and Brand Offers When it comes to Zumiez longboards, most come ready to go right out of the box. However, some buyers may prefer to buy their longboards piece by piece. Luckily, Zumiez offers tons of different wheels, trucks, bearings, and more for a fully customized board. Specific brands come with their specially selected accessories that work the best for their designs. How We Reviewed [amazon box="B01DCRI37E,B014HDGQX0,B07GTFZZY8,B078HSGBG1,B07B6L1QXN" template="table"] Usually, testing every product is impossible. However, I have personally tested a majority of these brands and types on longboards. Likewise, so have a ton of my close friends and community. For a better understanding of favorite decks, though, customer reviews will come in handy. The following list will be from the best-sellers list according to the Zumiez website. When it comes to reviewing individual boards, some designs are custom made and difficult to find reviews for the specific model. Therefore, durability and riding reviews will be based on the deck itself and not the custom design exclusive to prebuilt Zumiez Longboards. [amazon link="B01DCRI37E" title="Landyachtz" /] [amazon box="B01DCRI37E"] A Zumiez exclusive, this Landyachtz board yields a drop down design with a steep concave and maple construction. The deck comes with gunmetal Die grip tape to contrast the candy red of the board. The bottom drawing is a quarter view of a pastel multicolored stripy scull. Candy red as well, the 70 millimeters, 78A Hawgs wheels make speeding downhill a breeze. Abec 7 Bear Space Balls Bearings allow for rolling smooth, straight, and fast. The bearings are perfectly balanced with Grizzly's 8.5-inch reverse mounted trucks for an all-around skating experience. Landyachtz Switch is best for cruising through streets and free-riding. This board is excellent for speed-demons and beginners alike. This deck works great for smaller to medium build riders, with taller framers preferring the 40-inch options. Especially when it comes to those with a wide stance, this board may be too small. However, reviews on Amazon of a Switch deck variation praise the board for being very durable and smooth riding. [amazon link="B014HDGQX0" title="SANTA CRUZ" /] [amazon box="B014HDGQX0"] This Santa Cruiz rasta styled deck sports a drop through truck design. The board is an 8-ply maple veneer for a nice flex and outstanding durability. Black die grip tape compliments the vibrant rasta gradient of the crowned lion painted on the underside. On top of the board lies three verticle red, yellow, and green stripes. Red and yellow Road Rider 180 trucks add turning stability where the drop through design lacks support. Road Rider 75millimeter, 78A longboard wheels make the board ride as smooth as possible. Its cambered profile with concave taco design allows for extra control. Customers love how smooth this board rides, leaving tons of positive reviews on Amazon. Customers praise this board for its durability and how well it holds weight. The only negative reviews are those who got damaged packages and one report about it breaking in only a few weeks. However, I feel like the board breaking may have something to do with misuse since many others have held up well for years. [amazon link="B07GTFZZY8" title="Arbor Axis 40 Artist" /] [amazon box="B07GTFZZY8"] This longboard is one of Zumiez Longboards most beautiful bamboo decks. It comes with clear grip tape constructed from crushed recycled glass. An artist named Hannes Hummel did the artwork on the bottom of the board. The design features a mirrored composition of flowers, shells, crossed keys, and insects with a geometrical background. Centerset Arbor Sucrose Initiative 70 millimeter, 78A durometer wheels allow for smooth freeride and cruising. Abec 5 bearings and 180 millimeter Paris Reverse Kingpin Trucks for a faster and more strong riding experience. The board also features carved out wheel wells for cleaner turning. Reviewers on Tactics love this deck. Many customers can't get over how well it handles and how smooth it rides. It has no negative reviews; customers only rave about the deck's durability and how beautiful it looks in real life. However, Amazon reviewers claim that the board doesn't have much flex to it, which some riders require with their boards. [amazon link="B078HSGBG1" title="Arbor Fish 37" /] [amazon box="B078HSGBG1"] This clean wood and mandala design of the Arbor Solstice is simple enough for anyone. The size is perfect for smaller riders that have trouble with the 40-inch Arbor Axis. The 8-ply maple construction and drop through design carve smoothly through all twists and turns. Clear Lucid grip tape houses the logo graphic for a clean look. Arbor Sucrose Initiative 70 millimeter, 78A durometer wheels are also installed onto this board. Along with the same Abec 5 bearings and 180-millimeter Gullwing Reverse Kingpin Trucks for that fast, smooth ride that everyone desires. This board lacks carved wheel wells, so turning may be a bit more difficult since it's closer to the ground. Reviews from ReviewLongboards support the Arbor Solstice Axis' claims of being incredibly stable and durable. Riding fast is smooth with the drop through design keeping top speeds from being wobbly. However, the clear grip spray wears over time, like most grip sprays. This problem is easily fixed by replacing the spray with a grip tape over time. [amazon link="B07B6L1QXN" title="GLOBE Skateboards" /] [amazon box="B07B6L1QXN"] This deck is a beautiful orange fade dye colorway; featuring multicolored dyed veneers that include subtle hues of orange, green, blue and black. The 8-ply resin maple deck is a mellow concave with moderate flex and a kick tail. 180-millimeter Slant reverse kingpin trucks with 1/8-inch rubber riser pads give the most extensive ability range to this board. Its 70-millimeter, 78A Globe wheels, and Abec 7 bearings allow for fast riding, smooth cruising, and beautiful carving. This board also features die-cut black grip tape on the top of the deck with custom logo graphics. Globe Longboards are some of the most durable, flexible, and long lasting longboards one can get. Because of this, Globe doesn't pump out a ton of different longboard collections each year. They don't need to, though, because their boards can last a lifetime. OUR VERDICT Personally, Globe is my favorite brand when it comes to longboards. However, Globe has pretty much stopped making new longboards, making them way harder to come by, especially in Zumiez Longboards. As someone with four different Globe decks, it's safe to say they are my top recommended brand. Though, when it comes to a specific board, the Globe Pinner is still what I'd recommend. Not only does the complete deck come with high-end accessories that cover all possible ways to ride, but the board itself has a very lovely flex and bounce to it that makes it feel durable. You get a bunch of high-end accessories for a very fair price.

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