SurfSkate Review: Is the Smoothstar Manta Ray the best SurfSkate?

[@SurfskateLove]

Stellar review, Mark. I'm so glad you can highlight the full capabilities of these boards. And I've ridden the Filipe Toledo 77 and can tell you that you're right. If/when you get a Smoothstar, get the Toledo. You'll love it.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

I had one in my online cart, but then I remembered that I already have too many boards. Maybe once I thin the crop a bit.

[@Dscar1]

You’re both tall guys. And you both recommend the Toledo? Over the manta ray which they recommend for us tall people over 6 feet

[@SurfskateLove]

@@Dscar1 If your stance width isn’t wider than 18”. Measured between the arches of your feet in socks, standing in your natural stance. The Manta Ray deck is a unique and very deep concave. I think the Toledo deck is much better.

[@Dscar1]

@@SurfskateLove I have your paid video and it was quite helpful. My normal stance is 17-18”. However I feel more comfortable on a shorter board.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

You were absolutely right.

[@alexlj09]

I am not an advanced rider but I have the medina, arica, 77 and menta ray, as well as a DIY CX. I would say in terns of turnability and stability the order is (Turn) Smoothstar > Yow > Carver (Stable). SS 's long swing arm makes the turn smoother. Yow's arm is shorter so it's a bit more responsive. but on the other hand, the long swing arm is not really designed for airborne tricks which Mark likes to do.

[@michal4862]

Yes I agree… the physics of the Smoothstar thruster might come a sudden end if you rip it too hard including airs. Just guessing.

[@2coolforyourdog]

Keep going Mark! We love your work and everybody loves your rides. 👍👍🔥

[@hbr9427]

I bought this same skate smooth star manta ray. Being a tall heavy beginer, 1,87m tall 85kg, this one was bit hard to start praticing my turns but once you get a grip to it you then gain enough confidence to take the best of this skateboard. It is indeed a really good skateboard. The only downside is that I feel like it is quite demanding to start the pump from a stop position on normal straight line surface. In other words this isn't as "cruise friendly" as sometimes i feel like i wanted to be but at the end of the day I bought this to pratice my surf stance and turns so on that regard this skate is amazing. Speacily on a nice skatepark where you can speed up easily this skate will keep you busy and entertained without having to worry to much with the pumping

[@alecsmith3073]

Loved this Mark..Thank you very much for your effort! I also have both Smoothstar Felipe and Yow Pukas. Love both... For the bowl Smoothstar works better for me but Yow with Meraki on the flat.. but for going from a to b certainly my Soulboardiy with Slide Trucks... Keep them coming bud! Cheers!

[@joeblow2183]

Thanks! I bought the manta ray in San Jose and stowed it in my bodega in Costa Rica . I’ll be hitting the parks at some of the playas so I can get my fix in between surfing!

[@danielmakana]

Thanks Mark! Really respect your opinion. This review is very valuable in making my next Surfskate purchase. Please take care of yourself.

[@ryanvandyl4706]

Glad I caught up on this older video! Great seeing the Gananoque and Belleville skateparks in your vid, around me in Kingston. Hope you've found a bit of that family balance as you continue making great videos. I know the struggle. Take the time you need to put them together, no rush. Keep well!

[@koaballero2794]

Thanks for the review. I will never be able to do one hundredth of what you're doing, but the technical details were crystal clear and to the point. I also appreciated the well-balanced comparison between the thruster and the Meraki, which stand pretty much in the same category. I had always thought Yow and Smoothstar were like briefs and boxer shorts: you had to pick your side...

[@winstonloh1051]

Love your layback carves man! Great style!

[@jcs0009]

You have to keep making these. Everyone in TX is going nuts over your videos. We have a ton of bowls but all the kids do is flip, jump down things and grind ledges. The bowls mostly over vert so surf skating works really well. You should hook up some sponsorship and a team and come down here and tour some shops. They need to know about these. They know longboards kinda and cruisers kinda too but not these surf skates really. Bring back the demo scene. It's warm here in the winter. Bring Andy and maybe DP down with you, they'd come down, pretty sure.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Thanks Curtis! I have fond memories of visiting my Grandparents winter home there. Maybe someday.

[@markgransbury8377]

Ive had a manta ray for a couple of years gathering dust and you have really inspired me to get out again and improve my riding. I am in my 50’s so the learning curve is a bit steeper but great to see what i can achieve with if I preserve.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

It is a very versatile board, glad that I could maybe spark new life for yours Mark!

[@mark2talk2u]

Thank you for all the insights and comparisons. Very helpful. I have a YOW with the Meraki system. Works great but have always wanted to try a smooth star. At the top level, the “winner” is probably what one is most used to.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Really I love both, the YOW is better for street tricks like I do in Unconventional or just sessioning a flat parking lot, but if you are looking to rip up a bowl in the skatepark I'd choose the Smoothstar. Can`t go wrong with either.

[@danielmarks9519]

Coming from a dad with a job and other side hustles who also is 6ft and gets gnarly in bowls, I really relate to your opinions and appreciate the fuck out of your videos. Great insight, great videography, everything is so tasteful and informative. Ive been skating for a few years and had my share of surgeries and injuries so now just ride surfskates and stick to surfing. I started on a 29.5" carver mayhem retro fish C7 and recently got a SS Toledo 77. I think you'd love the toledo. Everything I've ever wanted in a surfskate and much better suited to our weight and height (6' & 80kg, which I think is similar to you). I'd happily donate mine for a review but I'm all the way down in Aotearoa! Keep shredding and bringing the great content. "Unconventional" is a beautiful film too. Kudos and ngā mihi nui ē hoā 💚

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write these kind words. I love Aotearoa, have been there twice since 2016 and considered it as a potential retirement location until I looked up house prices!!! Might have to be a year in a camper van and then off to somewhere new!

[@michal4862]

You put in a lot of work there. This community appreciates it 👍 unfortunately I’m still in love with those Yow boards which are balanced to be the best of it all - cruising and surfing. Right? But I really like the Smoothstar devices too.

[@mellamorodrigo9516]

Another awesome review! I love your opinion on surfskates. I can tell how much effort you put into your videos. I recommend that you do more reviews and tutorials. Those seem to be the most popular, even for other surfskate channels. What we love is not always what sells. It's ok to pander to the audience, if it will get you where you want to go.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Thanks man, will probably keep doing tutorials regardless! Now that I have way more surfskates than any man could need, and given that all my review videos together haven't earned enough revenue to even buy an Oxelo, it is hard to justify continuing with reviews in the long run since they also take more time investment.

[@michalmularski7833]

Great review Mark. I am stocked with your conclusion as it exactly reflects how I feel. I love smoothstar and is my first choice to compare with YOW which I also like but again smosthstar performs better for me. I also think that manta is too big for me as its for you, toledo 77 will be better. the only other system that outperforms smothstar in my opinion is swelltech but I have to learn a lot to ride it on the same level as my manta. Again great review!

[@pinzon74]

Man, love watching your reviews, I have the smoothstar 77 Toledo and it's been amazing to ride so far. Thanks again for the time and effort you out into these videos.

[@benjaminalfred4383]

Mark your channel is great dude! I just got the SmoothStar 34" Toledo #77 and was all bummed after seeing a vid that said SmoothStar sucks for bowl riding :( .. so pumped to get out there and try it now after your review here and your basic + flow bowl tutorials. Thanks so much!

[@benjaminalfred4383]

Even if you make content less regularly or even stop your channel will remain an absolute treasure trove for people like me. You’ve already created the value and that won’t disappear. Absolutely understand balancing priorities. Thanks again!

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

When I was a beginner, I think I would have found it more challenging to learn on than a CX or C7 because the front trucks feel so "loose", but as you become more skilled it actually becomes an advantage. Think you'll like it!

[@jasonmurkin3364]

Mark really enjoy your videos and the effort that goes on behind the scenes to produce them....it's easy to overlook that as a viewer. I guess you need to weigh the benefits of continuing and building up the number of subscribers/views which would make it a bit more financially rewarding, however, at the end of the day can money replace lost time with your family? Fully support whatever you decide to do 🤘🏻

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Thanks for the support Jason! I am really proud of what I have done over the past year, and I haven’t made any definitive decisions yet.

[@jeffbrittan1219]

Thanks for a great review. As a surfer feeling out surf skates your commentary on performance and pros/cons was helpful. Loved the overall vibe of your work as well.

[@metsafox2986]

Great review! Love watching skating with the voice over! You rip too!

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Thank you! I'd rather watch skating footage than footage of me talking too!

[@asdourado]

Tnks for the great work man, helped decided for my board, going for the manta ray but realy impressed with the Medina.

[@martysgarden]

Nice one, I bought a Flying fish smoothstar which 32 inches. It surfs really well in the skatepark.I am just getting back into skateboarding again after a 20 year break.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

That was me last year! The muscle memory comes back faster than you might expect.

[@mrnice866]

Lovely bumping into you at The Yard the other night, and as mentioned previously, great content. Keep it up. Quite curious as to the location at 1:55 - 2:00. Hope its in Ottawa. Considering giving suf-skate a try, looks really cool. Looking forward to more videos! -Jeff

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Hey thanks Jeff! Always fun when my surfskate students get to see me treated like a celebrity! That miniramp is in Ottawa. It is at a recreation center and as long as you are respectful and follow the rules and go when they don't have camps and lessons running they let you skate it free. If you are on IG send me a message @surfskateottawa and I'll let you know where it is. Also happy to let you try the surfskate if we run into each other again.

[@translumination2002]

Your videos are awesome mate. Keep up the great work and thanks for the trouble. I own the smoothstar myself and I'm very happy with it. I get curious about the other boards out there but your reviews are good at pointing out the differences.

[@PraiseTheSun_]

I just stumbled upon your channel and I think You just convinced me to buy Manta as my first surfskate. I am tall and this seems to be good for all around carving and pumping and also to do some mild tricks if I dare. And your video was well written, good delivery, pleasant calm voice, and relevant footage of you skating. I don't know if you decide(d?) to continue but you probably should. Sincerely, Another Skating Father. ;)

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Thank you! I have continued, but I am being more indulgent in making content that I want to make. It would be a great board to start out out with I think.

[@PraiseTheSun_]

​@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer Let's hope it is because I have already ordered it. :) Keeping doing only what you like seems like the best approach if this channel is not your main source of income. Good luck.

[@philroubin3282]

Great review Mark, and i agree with all the comments you’ve given this board. I have this model and the yow arica. I surf a few times a month and for me, the smoothstar, does simulate the back foot emphasis a bit more than the yow, particularly when simulating re-entry’s, cutbacks etc. Funnily enough I’m riding the yow better now too as I’m getting more upper body movement from riding the smoothstar😁

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Sadly, I took up surfskating during the pandemic, and haven't seen the ocean since I started. Our December trip to the Azores was just canceled by the travel company so it will be even longer until I get to see if it has improved my surfing (aside from the standing waves of rivers and the slop on the Great Lakes). Can't wait!!!

[@miryanapaloma3317]

Excellent review Mark. Thanks for all your wonderful efforts. I've learned a lot watching your videos and really appreciate all that you do

[@michaelmlue]

Good honest review. I have a YOW and a Carver , but itching for a Smoothstar. I am a Toronto native, so yeah, Smoothstar is pretty hard to come by. Thanks again.Peace. 🤙

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

I spoke with the company and they said you can order one here but have to make sure you are on the .au site. My browser would always take me to the Europe website but then I couldn't add Canada in the shipping options. I could from the Australia site. Not cheap, but about the same as a YOW if there are no surprise customs fees to pay on delivery.

[@inmoyang6372]

Hey man thanks for putting the effort to show us your thoughts on the smoothstar! I wish I saw your review just a little earlier. I've recently bought a smoothstar and was contemplating between yow surfboards as well. I think I might've chosen to buy a yow that has looks better aesthetically after watching this vid haha I'm looking forward to your next vid!

[@michal4862]

These are my thoughts as well. The Smoothstars look kind of clumsy even if they work good

[@nateross14]

I suspect lot of the difference between how the Meraki and Smootstar feel (as far as divey-ness goes) has to do with the rear trucks, as well as how much lean the board has. When I first got my Merakis, they were very divey and quick for the front to flop over. After inspection, I found the culprit to be that the rear trucks were very stiff and lifting off the ground. I swapped out the rear trucks for some RKP longboard trucks that were much looser and had way more lean. The result of increasing rear truck lean so both wheels stayed on the ground fixed the merakis divey nose flipping over issue and gave the board way more lean when carving than the stock meraki setup. Steve said in his review of the Smoothstar thruster that it had a lot less lean than the Meraki. I'm thinking that the rear truck choice probably has a lot to do with that and that using a rear truck with a lot of lean could make the Smoothstar lean just as much as the Meraki. I really feel like rear truck choice and setup is being over looked in a lot of these surfskate reviews. What rear truck ia being used and how its setup can completely change how the front truck performs.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

That is an interesting note and rear trucks are often overlooked in surfskating. One thing I notice when the rear trucks are loose is that I lose a lot of the forward drive. That is why I like the feel of the waterborne rail adapter on the back trucks going downhill, but find it challenging to use when I have to pump for any distance. But a really good point to play around with the settings before passing judgement.

[@SasoCasablanca63]

Fantastic content as usual. Thank you so much for all the joy you give us and great information. I just got my Manta Ray today and boy it is incredible. I have a slide which I love, but this is the next level up. It just "floats" in the skate park and extremely flowy when doing bowl. Awesome review , thank you. Question. If I place my front foot at the typical, 1/2 inch behind the 2snd set of screws it stills looks like my foot is on top of the wheel and scares me . I decided to bring the foot back be right behind the wheels,. What is your experience with that? Thank you again

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

I returned this board to Steve a while ago so my Memory is a bit hazy but it is a board you can jackknife so definitely you don't want to get your weight beyond the Axels up front. Have a look at where the Axels line up as a visual cue, you could even draw a chalk line to start, and as long as you stay behind that point you should be fine!

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

As you get used to it don't be afraid to try shifting your weight forward more. There is a sweet spot that will vary based on your height and stance.

[@goofyfootgreg]

Potato Chip 🤣. Solid info, Mark. You keep making vids, I’ll keep watching them ✌️

[@pokeypickle3]

If you make videos, make them in your own time, whenever it’s fun for you. No one in KZbin should put pressure on you, especially when us internet warriors have no content of our own.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Thanks, I really appreciate that you are such a dedicated viewer and commenter!

[@krzysztofsmyla3769]

thx for the video. It's realy inspiring:) greetings from other manta.ray rider.

[@joeblow2183]

Fantastic skating. Helps me see where I might want to goin the future!

[@Millio_4_reallio]

Great review glad I found your channel!

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Glad you are enjoying it. Some really good stuff to come once the snow melts.

[@fattigmanskultur]

i like your style and your videos are among the best. thanks

[@treydamonlee]

Please continue!!

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Couple more coming up this Spring... no retirement yet!

[@Mbeat001]

Keep up the videos please!!! They’re awesome.

[@BillJacaruso]

Thanks for a solid review - I started with a Carver C5 - not enough movement for me so I went all the way to the C7 - too much. I am now skating the CX trucks in a bowl on a regular basis. The issue with the C7 was it felt unstable to me dropping in - once in I was ok, but that drop sometimes just felt uncontrolled. I just got my Smoothstar - using it exclusively on the flat ground - you mentioned jackknifing which sounds scary…I have not experienced that yet with the Smoothstar but like I said I have only had it for a couple of weeks. Are you talking about pinching the wheels or just getting the trucks so far around they act as a stop?

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Jackknifing is when the deck bottoms out, like the rail either hits the ground or hits the wheels causing you to stop, typically this happens if you have your front foot too far past the front axels.

[@qaqafishkeeping7358]

Thank you for your videos and effort. Really appreciate it. Learn alot from your tutorial. Cheers! from Malaysia.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Glad you are finding it useful!

[@antonybliss5023]

Always enjoy watching your excellent content Mark. I’ll be sad if it’s no more but totally understand the reasons. It’s been extremely helpful and your riding skills and style is inspiring.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Thanks Tony! Definitely will still be some content no matter what, but the review videos (the way I do them anyway) are a lot of work, especially when it is a board that I don’t like but I feel obliged to give them a fair amount of riding time before making conclusions. And they just don’t seem to generate a lot of ad revenue. My Oxelo review with 120,000 views has gained me a ton of subscribers, but it has earned less than $5 in total revenue even though it is still getting around 5000 views per month. I don’t really get it, but I am still glad that people have found them helpful, which was my initial goal for making it!

[@tuckerwyatt9940]

Dig that 1980’s deck shape!

[@fishplanxcustomboards]

Nice Vid and good feedback on this board.

[@morganhurley]

Love the review!

[@Billhetfield333]

Hi! Loved the video but what is the wheelbase of the board? The smooth star website doesn’t say

[@danielveiga7750]

2:34 This is the best part for me. Really can see how it works

[@davidcondes]

Amazing review!

[@SunriseSessions]

Hi Mark, thnx for the review! I was wondering if you tightened the trucks before bowl riding vs flat land? On another note; (and I know this one has come up before) I was wondering about your C5. I've had mine now for a while and it kind of feels like the best of both worlds but also missing out on both worlds😂. On flat land I always go for the smoothstar and in a bowl (or mainly mini ramp) I get my 'normal' skateboard (santa cruz reissue) out. (I accidentally started normal skateboarding) I was wondering about your experiences after so many boards. And mainly what your go to bowl board is right now.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

I used the smoothstar without changing the spring tension. I know what you are saying about the C5 being a double edged sword... It makes compromises to merge two things and some days it might feel like the best of both worlds, other days like the worst of both. Right now for the bowl I am gravitating towards the YOW and the Curfboard.

[@ronaldcachoo]

Hey bro, could you do a review on the swelltech? Loved this review

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

That is the next one on the list, followed by Sixty-Six, and then a decision on whether I keep reviews in my rotation.

[@pokeypickle3]

I love my SmoothStar Toledo #77. It’s my first and only board.

[@pokeypickle3]

So glad that I live in Australia. SmoothStars are a bit more easier to get here.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

I'm sure I'll try one eventually!

[@guillaumewuthrich2889]

That was very useful. Thanks 👍.

[@magnetmountain33]

Yes pls do after surfskate love your the man

[@fredericpassaniti]

Great, thanks a lot !

[@davidmason2753]

Hi mark, great review mate thanks. In one of your earlier videos you were preferred the carver c5 truck for bowl riding, have u now changed you’re mind? Do u prefer the ss now.? Cheers.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Hi David. The C5 and CX are great choices when learning bowl riding and advancing from beginner to intermediate. For more skate style tricks on the coping, C5 are best, but for just riding around the walls, once you are an advanced rider The SS thruster and YOW Meraki give you a bit more than the tighter bushing based systems.

[@davidmason2753]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer Thanks again mark, I am a beginner bowl rider but advanced surfer. My aim at this stage is only to be able to ride around the walls of the bowl and pump track with speed and flow. My thoughts were to get a SS thruster and tighten up the trucks whilst learning and then loosen them off as I progress. Keen to hear your expert opinion on that plan? Cheers.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

@@davidmason2753 That could probably work. I basically tuned the spring on the board I used for this review to a tension I liked after a few test runs and just left it, never really finicked with it after finding what I liked, but when I first received it it was quite tight, and probably similar to my C7, so that strategy could work if you don't mind adjusting it each session to your terrain.

[@davidmason2753]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer yeah ok, so even full tightness it sounds like the trucks are still looser then the cx and c5?

[@ranibearsilva5883]

your material is awesome , do you have any videos on grinding the copping ?

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3-uaGSofLN4eJYsi=LEmZyydJnKdcH5Qm Sort of!

[@bratPedal]

Hi, you mentioned the wheels. I have a yow with standard wheels and I find it hard to to tail slides (as a beginner). Do you recommend any wheels that may help me with that? I watched surfskate love’s video and I think orangutan stimulus seems to be good for practicing slides. What do you think?

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Pavel! I remember now that we were messaging when I was in the emergency room and I forgot to get back to you about a lesson where we could work on slides. You are a fast learner, and we can definitely get you there in technique. The 84a wheels make it a bit smoother and allow for extra extension, but learning the fundamentals is a better step before buying new wheels. I'll send you a message.

[@randomcookedbloke399]

I love my smoothstar (32.5'' defay).. but man its an ugly deck haha i recently bought a PP 80s reissue with the plan to drill new truck holes to match my smoothstars wheel base.. but being on an actual 'skateboard' just felt too weird for me.. deck felt too narrow and the kick was too aggresive. My plan is to get the saw out and reshape the nose n tail of my smoothstar. Theres a lot of useless space at either end and i think a more surfy nose would help me love my board even more. I changed out my smoothstar trucks for some slightly wider indy 159s and was pretty impressed by how they performed. i just thought they looked cooler but didnt expect to be able to feel the added quality of the indys. Im so grateful to have found this hobby!

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

I know someone else who did the same with the indys and was equally impressed

[@randomcookedbloke399]

Yeah im not a skater and i just thought trucks were trucks.. but you can really feel the difference! I'd say upgrading your bearings is worthwhile on the smoothstars aswell! Anyway.. its a nice spring morning here in Tasmania.. definately gonna have a boogie at my local park at some stage! :)

[@lukepoggi9626]

Very useful, thanks

[@allodapos]

Awesome review! Hope you figure out balancing making videos and living life to the fullest.

[@YourFault]

Thank you for this great content Mark! How would you compare manta ray with yow meraki when generating/maintaining speed for cruising for point A to point B? Im aware that yow is awesome for long distance cruising but I like the smoothstar and it’s potential in skatebowls as well. Looking to get manta ray for both skatepark and cruising do it all board.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

I'll be honest that I didn't really test for this. I've done an 8km trip on the YOW and it was a good workout but I never really tried that on any other board for comparison. The YOW spring tension isn't adjustable while the Smoothstar's is so theoretically you could adjust the tension on the SmoothStar to be less surfy and more long distance pump feeling, but I haven't actually tried doing so.

[@YourFault]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer thank you for responding Mark. Yes theoretically it might be doable, I’m already impressed at 4:30 how you pumped in a short distance. So glad that you reviewed the manta ray! Looking forward to your Toledo #77 review someday 😆

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

@@YourFault Just need to convince Smoothstar to send me one to test! My wife says that I am cut off from buying $400 boards to earn $9 in ad revenue 😂

[@matdavy2290]

Hows it going fakie? Rock. To fakie? Hang ups? Great vid thx!

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

It is pretty skitterish going fakie, more so than the YOW I would say because of the longer swing arm. Definitely not one I would try a rock to fakie on!

[@MikeHoncho69420]

What surf skateboard do you recommend for someone newish to skating who also wants to learn to surf? I’m 6’1”, 200lbs.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Wow, there are so many options. The more I try the harder this question gets. What are your main goals, primarily surf training? Are you looking for a board that is more beginner friendly, or one that you can grow into which will still be a great option as your skills become more advanced?

[@surfskatejd]

I Love Smoothstar ⚡️👍🤟🏼

[@vznquest]

great review thanks a lot. how does the Manta Ray perform in basic cruising around town? i suspect 80% of the time i'll be using the board to go around the block to pick up some milk or eggs.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

I find that such endeavours don’t work well on any surfskate as the weight of the milk in particular throws off the pumping technique, but for cruising the Smoothstar pumps well and the wide deck and long wheelbase would probably make it a decent choice.

[@danielmarks9519]

If you're cruising anything longer than 15mins commute, get a carver with cx or C7 trucks or soulboardiy with slide or cx trucks. Smoothstars take alot of energy for commutes and cruising but are so fun! If I'm going across town, I'll take my C7. If I'm hitting the park, schoolyards, bowls, driveways and parking lots and anything under a couple kms skating, I'll take my toledo 77. Hope this helps answer your question 🤙

[@vznquest]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer ok thx one last question on the smoothstar. can you tighten the trucks for a more stable ride when cruising? i'll be doing more pushing than pumping, i suspect.

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

@@vznquest You can adjust the spring tension on them. When I first received mine it was quite tight so you are correct that doing that would be an option.

[@mdubleyew7924]

How do you find this compares to the 33.5 yow medina camo that you reviewed earlier? I saw in your yow review that the trucks bite the coping so you can't grind, so I am interested to hear how these compare because I am tossing up between this or the mick fanning x yow 33.5 that is coming out in june (I am 6ft 3 btw if that's any consolation).

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

They are both excellent boards, and I have since figured out how to grind without that happening on the Meraki (I made a video about it but basically, staying backfoot heavy is crucial). It can happen on smoothstars as well but I find it is a little less prone to doing so. You will want to pay attention to your surf stance and the wheelbase and that might be the best deciding factor. Have a look at surfskate love video that goes into detail.

[@mdubleyew7924]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer Thanks for the quick response, I checked out his comparison video and he's basically saying to take the smoothstar board/thruster mechanism, but replace the risers, replace the trucks with yow trucks, and replace the wheels. How do you find this advice? Do you think it could make the overall setup nicer?

[@matseys499]

If i use harder wheels will i have to wiggle around so much?

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Harder wheels are faster because they don’t lose as much energy - imagine a ball bearing vs a rubber superball. But the sacrifice comes in the form of less grip. With a surfskate you need to find that balance of enough grip without sacrificing speed or the ability to do intentional slides.

[@ayadal]

Which is board is best someone looking to get better at snowboard carving? I’m 1.83m and 88kg. I’m considering the Yow pukas dark and smooth star manta ray. Should I be looking at something else?

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Either could work but the extra space on the deck of the Manta Ray might accommodate your snowboarding stance a bit better. Also the Smoothstar front truck can be tightened up if you want to try some downhill carving.

[@ayadal]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer thanks!! I’m ordering one now.

[@guysirois9798]

Moi j’ai une s.s. Filipe Toledo 77. Avec le ressort ajustable je le resserre pour aller à la même vitesse qu’une yow en ligne droite d’un point À au point B. Pour enchaîner les virages à basse vitesse je desserre le ressort au maximum. Présentement quand il y a une comparaison entre ces deux types de planche la yow est pour les débutants a avancé, et la smoothstar intermédiaire a avancé . En resserrant le ressort sur la smoothstar, ça ajoute de la stabilité, et un débutant pourra acheter une smoothstar sans risquer de se blessé.. Donc la smoothstar a une longueur d’avance sur la yow car avec la s.s. c’est comme un deux pour un. Très très nerveuse pour simuler le surf, très stable et rapide pour rattraper sans difficulté une yow en ligne droite. Tout ça grâce à l’ajustement qui est indispensable. Plus besoin d’avoir deux planches. J’ai hâte au printemps. Guy sirois Quebec Canada

[@abreefproductions]

Hey I’ve been watching your video. What surf skate do you recommend me? A CX or C7? I’d like to ride it on the flat and in the skat parc. To better my shortboard surfing skills and have fun! (I’ve been surfing for 7 years and have surf skated before). And what size too? 1.83 m for 68kilos. I can’t decide !! Thanks !

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Question for you, is there a reason you have decided on one of those two, like they are the only ones available? I do have both, and they are fun to ride, but they are not the most surfy feeling to me.

[@abreefproductions]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer i feel like their the most robust skates. What would you propose instead ? I’m kind of lost there are too many brands I don’t know what truck to get or size really. Maybe 31

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Carver do make robust products. Yow, Smoothstar, and Swelltech are more surfy feeling but a touch harder to learn on. CX use a bushing based system so if going for big air, they might be the least susceptible to breakage. For size, the most important thing is wheelbase. You should check out Surfskate Love’s website with his surfskate selector tool to find a good match based on your stance.

[@abreefproductions]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer I’ll check it out !!

[@jbdoingstuff7015]

how do they compare to the waterborne system?

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Way better. The waterborne is a fun addition to a longboard to make a longboard more fun. But for my current style of riding it is too heavy and bulky for me.

[@christophdangelmaier1546]

I had a Smoothstar and sold it. The quality of the parts is a joke for the high price. I'd rather buy a YOW for the money because the quality is right.

[@MrRamRam3rd]

The best surfskate is the Swelltech Premiere Blackout :p

[@ronaldcachoo]

How woild tupu compare the smoothstar to the swelltech?

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Swelltech is just so different from all the others. I think that Smoothstar may be better for surf training in the way you execute manouevres, but Swelltech feels more like surfing when riding it in general, including the part about it being way harder. I like to ride barefoot but the Swelltech is the only board where I feel more in control barefoot.

[@ronaldcachoo]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer ooohhh, yeah i have the carver and the swelltech. I find the carver to have almost no lean when doing turns, and the swelltech i feel it has too much lean that when committing to a hard carve it sometimes nose dives, and thought maybe the smoothstar could be that sweet spot in the middle that had enough lean, but not too much so that i can do hard turns with confidence. But maybe its just that i gotta get better at controlling the force i put on my front foot when transferring to it on turns haha. Also was wondering if ghe smoothstar is smoother (no pun intended😂) when cruising/pumping than the swelltech?

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

@@ronaldcachoo This might be the perfect middle ground for you!

[@surfskateaddict5253]

bro keep it going pls 🤙🤙

[@sshouser31]

Yewwwww! 🙌🏼😎🙌🏼

[@Weavesurfskate]

nice!

[@MartinSeiz]

Danke!

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

Thank you so much for the support!

[@MartinSeiz]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer no worries fair an square 🤙🏽 one question …I have a yow pukas dark ( I like it ..learned on it …flat street perfect) bur it’s not perfect for the bowl I guess ( deck to flat and front wheels a bit to shakie ) …..I am 190cm and around 94 kg …is there any other option 4 me then the smoothstar Manta Ray ??…..I tried already and like alot …Toledo 77 as well …but for the foot position and grip / space an the deck ….the manta is supposed to be better !?? Just want to check everything bocktet buying the second boards ……. Goal: improve surfstyle and bowl riding 🏄‍♂️🤙🏽 thanx a lot Martin

[@MartinSeiz]

And thanx a lot for all the work an great tutorials!! We go more for it if I find the time ….and board 🤪🤩

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

@@MartinSeiz Hmm, with your height, the Manta Ray would probably be slightly better, but if you are interested mainly in riding bowls, you might be interested in some of the newer Carvers like the Kai Lenny Dragon with either a C7 or CX truck. It is a bit shorter than the Manta Ray but still has a long wheelbase and lots of concave. And Though Carvers feel somewhat less rail to rail lean than YOW or smoothstar, for bowl riding, this is usually helpful where you are doing more transition pumping than surfskate pumping.

[@MartinSeiz]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer thanx ….that’s were I landed yesterday as well ….. and now ?? CX or C7 …..?? Let’s say I only use it for bowl or Pumptrack….got the yow for street (-; CX ???? Thank u so much for ur help 🙏🙏🙏

[@s.kornatowski9787]

Maybe try to reach out to conventional skaters? I bet not many of them have heard of surfskating and your way could be appealing to them

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

My wife and I were just talking about this - how I am kind of stuck in surfskate no-man’s-land. Skateboarders who have never tried a surfskate don’t appreciate how difficult it is to do what I do, like “oh big deal, I can 180 down a three-stair too and my landing won’t be so sketchy.” A few times I have let local sponsored skaters try my SurfSkate and only then does it click for them. Meanwhile the hardcore surfers don’t see how what I do translates to surf training and so they aren’t really interested either - “Why are you doing a 180 down a staircase? There are no staircases in the ocean”. I can appreciate that if your only reason for surfskating is to train for surfing, but I find it sad that some people cannot see outside the very limited boundaries of surfing… We don’t need to be restricted to waves anymore. If you could do a kickflip on a surfboard, why wouldn’t you? I don’t recommend doing a backside board slide on your surfboard, but with a surfskate, you can do it over and over without damaging your ride.

[@s.kornatowski9787]

@@MarktheLandlockedSurfer I think is a matter of prejudice and narrow mindedness . It could be used as a surf trainer or it could be used as anything you want it to be. That's the beauty of it. Maybe we are not there yet as a surfskate community, it was invented as surf trainer after all. It slowly becomes something more, but I think this is just a beginning

[@alexmora2723]

Hello pal, which wheels are you using for the video? the original wheels seems a little generic to me

[@MarktheLandlockedSurfer]

These wheels: smoothstar.com.au/product/smoothstar-wheels-large-blue/ I really really liked these wheels, just the right balance of grip and slide.