My Board choice for this Summer

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how to slappy nose slide

[@SkateTastrophe]

Rodney Mullen was criticized for the board size he used. Do what feels right to you; whatever reason that is…do it because you enjoy it. At the end of the day, you’re doing this for you… Thank you for taking the time and energy to share it with us. Sincerely.

[@SarahParkMatott]

Totally! I was surprised the 8.25 brought on those comments and not the freestyle boards. So, it was interesting to see the reactions to that video. So, just wanted to have a little board chat 😃 always grateful for your support too!

[@maxxthemelonhead]

"Preference and Priority" - As someone who recently sized up to a 10 inch wide egg board, I couldn't agree with this sentiment more! At the end of the day, skateboarding is about having fun, so ride whatever helps you do that🙂

[@SarahParkMatott]

💯! Oh that’s cool too. Hope you enjoy the big board 😃

[@MrVersatilemind]

Don’t worry about the comments. Whatever feels comfortable to you. I skated a 7.5 or 7.75 as a kid, got back into skating recently and picked the same size. WAY to small for me, I now skate an 8.5 and I am so much more confident rolling around and sticking flip tricks. Definitely need to put more effort in to flip the board but personally slower flips look more stylish to me any way.

[@fearsh4dow]

Stop worrying about the nay sayers, half of them most likely are not even close to your level of skating or even skate at all. This is the internet where people hide behind a screen and get a massive ego boost by correcting others actions when their own life is in shambles. You do what Sarah wants to do. It may be a different board for every day of the week....who cares you are skateboarding. Take care and keep making your videos. They are honestly a very humble experience to watch and your knowledge of skateboarding as well as the physics are impressive to listen to.

[@SarahParkMatott]

Ah thank you! I admit it’s a little odd to get used to so much feedback haha but I always find the reasoning interesting behind some of the comments that catch me off guard. So, I had been thinking on it 😃 I will always ride what I want to, when I want though! So, thank you! Appreciate the support 🙏 And am stoked you like the videos.

[@likeSK8]

I’ve sized up 3 times since I started back 3.5 years ago ! I skate a sea rat 8.75 shovel now and I could not be happier do what FEELS RIGHT FOR YOU and your skating is the way to go ! great stuff as always 🔥🔥🔥🤙🏼🛹

[@ryanrowe1975]

Skating in a long wide of stability to providing more speed and strength to rotating faster and flipping out of a larger skateboard

[@chaseface3784]

Yep-at the end of the day skate what you want. I’m part of the bigger cozy board gang. I skate an 8.5” most days but I have a 9.75” that feels great some days. Also I found a longer wheelbase board sometimes forces me to really focus on leveling my Ollie’s and flip tricks. And I understand the board madness-I just got over it recently!

[@tikotiko5328]

I ride my Waltz for freestyle. My street board is a Heroin 9.5 egg. I like both of them for different reasons. Just ride what makes you happy.

[@h1r1]

NHS(Santa Cruz/Creature) sometimes makes an 8.25 w/ 13.5wb but they also keep a 7.8 w/ 13.5wb in their lineup. I've never tried them but on paper what's nice is that they don't scale down the nose and tail. It always stays a 6.5 tail and 6.8 tail regardless of width and wheelbase.

[@joce_ollin]

Ayyyyyy I'm hyped for this new board adventure!!! I love how it's so specifically inbetween sizes. I feel like there are definitely other boards out there which are funny sized but don't say outright because WHAT WILL THE MASSES THINK D:!! It took me so long to lose the "8.5 is huge, 7.75 is small" mindset. I think it's because all the "beginner" KZbin videos beat that into your head and it kinda sticks. For me it was when I finally converted these sizes to metric that I realised .25 is bugger all and not worth hype :P LONG LIVE BIG BOAT SARAH 🔥

[@SarahParkMatott]

Right?? 8.06 is such a specific number 😂 I love it too haha and that totally happened to me too. I thought an 8.25 would be huge. And its…just not 😂 done a lot of growing myself, so its exciting to see the changes. In my sailor era now 🛥️ 🛥️ 🛥️

[@sloveniesta]

The gatekeeping in skateboarding gets so ridiculous it nearly resembles other sports. Do what makes you happy/comfortable.

[@SarahParkMatott]

Always doing my best to 🫡😃

[@Wangertron]

I recently tried an 8.9 egg board, had sooooooooo much fun and I’m gonna stick with it for a while!

[@azzamfs]

I'm glad you've found your board preference. Anything that makes skateboarding more fun is a win. And who knows, maybe in the future, you'll have a bag of tricks that are more suited for the 8" deck

[@pirateninjacat85]

A big wide board is essential for me as I mostly care to do Slappys as much as possible. So I go between a Waltz Yuta model for flat and 9in Primative Franky egg deck for street and curb.

[@Gaz258th]

I've found wheelbase makes a much bigger difference to "feel" than width . A 8.25" with a relatively short 14" wheelbase is probably ideal

[@Skysonix]

I appreciate your insights and your uploads in general. …I got back into skating a couple of years ago after not touching it for about a decade, and skated on a small board - coming back to it, I realized I was uncomfortable and didn’t like how it felt.. so I jumped up to an 8.6 deck and realized that I was way more comfortable! …and I’m a pretty small person too. …Just recently got an 8.25 deck, and I think this is my sweet spot - love it. The way you said you didn’t want to think about board size anymore was relatable… Skating is a creative sport and I try to approach it the way I do other creative hobbies, like music making - when I’m in the process, I just try to “turn off my brain” and stop thinking, just flow. Forget what “internet experts” have to say! …Yeah, a big part of skating is style, but it’s also about fun, freedom, exploration, and non-conforming. It’s the most creative sport there is… it should be fluid. Your preferences > their opinions. No one else knows you like you do. :) Keep doing what you do. (your videos have been super helpful for learning tricks btw!)

[@SarahParkMatott]

Ah! Those are some big jumps too. Im glad you think you found that sweet spot 😃 I’ll probably start skating this in June. Admittedly, I overthink and analyze, but I want to explore more what you’re talking about. I love the flow state I am in when skating, and want to ponder a bit less out of the park about my set up! Enjoy the creativity a little more. Glad you’ve gotten some value from the videos though. Hopefully I can made some more educational chats this summer 😃

[@luger9857]

The best way to improve is to enjoy what you do. In 2005 i was skating a deck size even small for the time 7.25. I was 6 feet tall. Every one wanted to hate on it but i could ollie twice as high as any of them and even tho i ride tight trucks i could turn better than other set ups because the short wheel base. Other setups just felt sluggish. I had the best of both worlds tight stable trucks and turny turns. Now im on a much bigger set up 8.25 an loving it. Dont listen to them

[@mateusds909]

Cant wait to see more about the 8.25!

[@user-fw8ld6eg2y]

ありがとうございます！

[@SarahParkMatott]

ありがとうございます🙇‍♀️

[@iamreptar4534]

i upped board size from 8 to 8.38 and I love it.

[@6to8john]

So glad you went with a chocolate!!!😊

[@timseasytube6237]

Thanks for sharing. Need to check that out. Keep skating!

[@imusic1006]

At the end of the day, it’s whatever you feel comfortable with! Keep skating ❤

[@sasproductions701]

no its not! u ride 8.25 for vert, anyone riding 8.25 for street can't even mongo push switch. its the rules and law in skateboarding.

[@jurerai]

Unless they have bought you the board, people should care about what size they ride. 😀 Me and my daughter love your content by the way!

[@SarahParkMatott]

Ah thank you so much! I’m glad you like it 😃

[@Rosapechk]

Oh I was so excited a few weeks ago when I discovered your channel. I'm the same height as you and I started skating recently with the old board a friend gave me, but it felt too big for me (it was at least 8.3 ish). After doing some research I also bought that same deck from There!! For the moment I've been enjoying it as a beginner, I look forward to seeing you skating it :-)

[@SarahParkMatott]

Ah no kidding! You got the same one? That’s awesome 😃 Glad to hear that you like it. I will probably set it up in June. Excited to try it out and see if it’s a happy medium or not

[@Inexpressable]

im riding a blank 8.75 with 9 inch krux trucks and i love it. it's heavy, but if i ride it for a while and then go to a smaller setup everything is so easy. and you're right, it just feels cozy.

[@danielbauer5673]

I don't know if I want to get rid of my board madness. I'm really into old school and shaped decks right now. In the 90s, the popsicle decks and the wheels were always tiny. Now I'm at 8.5" and it feels good and Powell Peralta decks feel really good to me. I feel most comfortable on them. But I can't explain why. It's just like that. But what I really like again is the type of video. Finally, nerd talk again. When you ordered your individual board, you showed so much of your knowledge. I really liked that back then. Just like your other explanations with small graphics and physical analyses. I can watch videos about that stuff for hours. Keep up the good work. Excellent work

[@SarahParkMatott]

Ahh thank you Daniel!! And totally, I obviously do love the stuff. Just ready to take a little step back from looking for new stuff 😃 Embrace it if it brings you joy. If I ever get into shaped decks, it might come right back haha 😂 Glad you’re finding decks you like!

[@Stoney-Jacksman]

Intelligent well spoken woman.

[@SamJantz]

dude, 100% it's all preference. For me personally I don't care about the size as much as the truck height and concave feel. I grew up riding the micro boards of the early 2000s and now I'm on a giant andy anderson shape deck. I feel ridiculous on it, but it does what I want. Def needs more power like you mentioned, but the concave and pop happen where I expect them which is worth soo much more.

[@leifbennett1354]

Skate a 2x4 and roller skate trucks if you need to. But they used to have actual 2x4s. Kick is my first concern. And concave. But, I'll skate classic no nose in boots and rain for a handicap; for progress. Have I earned a new complete? I say I've certainly earned new shoes. 3 holes in my Vans I got in January. Have you tried lakai shoes? But I've had such luck with etnies and dc; I've gotta jump on the 38$ dcs. I slam hard. Your becoming an obstacletor. Careful when you start trying to clear that pyramid. Back trucks can hang up.

[@idmhead0160]

Don't worry about what anyone else says. I'm still searching for the board that is the most "cozy" for me. And I have everything from a 7.75 Mini Logo to a 36" JM Duran deck, plus numerous old school shaped boards. I have one deck with a 13" wheel base which is actually the oldest board that I have which was back from the early 90s. A Ray Barbie deck that has super steep kicks. That board feels nuts under my feet. I do have a Rodney Mullen freestyle deck that I think has a shorter wheelbase, but, that is just a wall hanger. A 13" wheelbase is probably designed for kids and isn't the norm these days. I don't know how tall you are, so, maybe it makes sense, but, anything less than a 14" wheelbase seems pretty unheard of to me and even that is smaller than the ones I normally look at. I was skating larger boards with a 15" wheelbase, but, gave Andy Anderson's new board a try, which if I remember correctly has a 14.25" wheelbase, which I would have thought I wouldn't like, but, I think that one is probably my favorite board currently. It seems like the spacing between the pockets and where the pockets are relative to the trucks feels good (I think he said something about experimenting with that when working on the design in one of his videos). That board is kind of an interesting one because I think it's an 8.25 in the center and then more like a 8.5 at the pockets, or just under. Anderson also has the Mini Cubic wheels that are offset ones that he came out with this past year. Maybe that's something you would like since you are into freestyling as well.

[@thekaratekidpartii2169]

Try the Andy Anderson 289 flight deck.

[@diplenski]

i like a variety of shapes and sizes. i didn't realize the real was a mini.

[@foresterblack]

I have a standard 8.25 and a slightly old school shaped 9.25 that's considerably longer with a longer wheelbase too. All feel small compared to my 10in cruiser or my longboard. I like having a variety. It keeps things interesting. You should have a look at the Heroin Egg decks. They go very wide without getting any longer (rubbish for primo though!)

[@splats6421]

I completely agree with you bc I ride a 7.75 and I tried my friends 8.25 for a while and I enjoyed it way more than my board

[@trolli9164]

I recently sized down from 8,25' to an 8' and my hardflip feelt to hard because the deck was smaller. A few days later I put my 8,25' on and my Hardflip came back immediately. I wear shoes size 9,5 and for me it's the perfect size.

[@SarahParkMatott]

Ahh yeah? That’s the thing, right? Skateboarding is funny like that

[@gabrielviero]

people roughtly your height ride big size boards, lucas rabello for instance, rayssa rides 8.125, kyanosuke rides a 9+inch, it`s a matter of getting used to. also lots of tech guys ride 8.25 such as carlos ribero. 8.25, for me is what people should recomend as an all around board instead of 8. anyway, love your vids keep it going

[@AB-rh5yq]

Sometimes I think that just switching up my set-up feels good and can help in ways you don’t expect. I rode a 7.75 popsicle for probably about the last decade or so, but I just switched my set-up to an 8.5 egg shape. I’d recommend trying an egg sometime because they are fun.

[@HowlingMad86]

Still rolling my Almost Deck.

[@swr410]

Stoked you had so much fun on the board! Interested to hear how you feel about the slightly short wheelbase, too. I am currently on an 8.25” x 14” WB, and I find myself just not quite feeling as comfy as I did on my 8.38” x 14.25” WB. A huge goal is to eventually get a treflip, but I’ll probably go back to the slightly longer deck for my next board.

[@SarahParkMatott]

Ah the next true fit board? Yeah! I am excited to try it. Hopefully this June I can set it up 😃 And totally! That’s the thing right? Slightly smaller wb could potentially help, but I rather skate the board I have more fun on in general. Hope you can get a little closer and closer to the tre. Sending good skate vibes🙌

[@swr410]

@@SarahParkMatott yes, interested in your take on the true-fit board! Thanks for the good vibes, and have fun out there!

[@TheBeefySkater]

I skate an 8.5 now. Getting old and I need that stability that a wider deck gives me. Have fun on your new setup, and don't listen to the internet, skate what you want. 😆

[@zoeythornshofar4992]

Okay legenddd, with the There board 👏👏👏💖

[@SkateboardEnjoyer]

Love how well you articulated this. Real talk though, skate whatever size you want. I love the different shapes and wheelbase lengths and all that so much so that I have a few setups floating around. You can still do everything you can do on any board no matter the size and length some parts of each trick will be a little different, so there really is no "too big, or too long/wide". They all have benefits and aspects that are the balance to the good. Personally I enjoy thunder 148's and you get the option to skate 8.25 and 8.125 on the same trucks and wheels.

[@SkateboardEnjoyer]

Side note - You'll really enjoy that new board with that shorter wheelbase, the chocolates always felt super long to me, Though I am a big fan of 14 inch wheelbase but that's seemingly rare these days.

[@SarahParkMatott]

Yeah! I am really hoping its a nice little in between 😃

[@bryantelesz7204]

Try out creature stumps decks if you want to try big but short and short wheelbase

[@jollySnowman]

I'm 5'4" and I just set up a Krooked Zip Zogger. I don't think that's the "ideal" board for anyone lol

[@SarahParkMatott]

😂😂

[@lngyki]

Fuck em! You do you, I've never been comfortable on anything less than 9" and still get shit for it!

[@JeffreyPappas786]

Maybe you could experiment with larger wheels and riser pads too. It seems to increase “pop”factor because of the greater distance between the tip of the tail and the ground. It also broadens the possibilities of skate spots. 👍

[@googleuser298]

Wish I had friends to skate with.

[@brianlambert6120]

Sarah in the streets keep working on those slides before you know it you have a hybrid line freestyle and street combo

[@theghostfacekza4549]

Shhhh you might anger the Ben Degros viewers! There are a lot of people who overthink gear and mm and a few grams and will demand its noticeable but sometimes things just dont matter that much and in practice its just a mindgame. Dont catch gear madness, takes time away from skating

[@SkateTastrophe]

I understand whom you’re referring to… Nonetheless, just figured I’d say I imagine Ben would 100% support her. Obviously, it shouldn’t matter to her what any of us think. I’m just glad she shares this with us.

[@mateusds909]

Ben would totally agree with her. His preference is defined by numbers and he has even admited has, can and will change.

[@SarahParkMatott]

Haha I am one of the overthinkers myself. But it’s partly because I think it’s rad. The little details. Ready to pull back for a while though! 😃

[@JohnAvillaHerpetocultural]

Sounds like a bunch of hate from freestyle supremacists. For me, I am finding that a 31’’ ish 7.75 street deck works best for most things. I wanted to like the freestyle decks but they feel cramped. The Yuta Fuji isn’t bad but I just use it to learn freestyle tricks that don’t come easy on longer decks like nose hook impossibles. That’s me. I wouldn’t suggest it for someone else.

[@Spurt_Propane]

There's a literally 13.5" deck people ride, yet some are talking smack about an 8.25? What are they on?

[@SarahParkMatott]

😂😂

[@d2h655]

Amazing content! Sorry it took so long for me to finally subscribe lol

[@SarahParkMatott]

Ah thank you! Glad you like it 😃

[@michaeldavid1471]

Do what feels most comfortable to you but remember a bigger board means more to land on. Also I feel like with a bigger board you can just schralp it up, you gnome sane? Like just straight up barge on shit,you feel?

[@diddymelone2265]

funny, how some people seem to think they can and should tell women how they should be doing things with their bodies and base that on how they looked to them. would be funny if it wasnt so messed up. thats why we smash patriarchy

[@SarahParkMatott]

Thanks Dude 💪 Will keep skating what I want for sure. Hope the right knee feels better soon!

[@johannesschneider2367]

I ride 9" and up to 10.75". Funny how 8.25" is considered big.

[@SarahParkMatott]

Depends what you’re used to, right? Its all relative 😂

[@RikRiorik]

Meh. I skated 8-8.25” boards with 14” wheel bases a lot despite being 6’5” with size 11.5 feet. Who cares? I will say I enjoy the bigger boards now though. I say experiment. I’ve done so A LOT and if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have found the setup I enjoy the most and skate the best with.

[@rimtism123]

The people judging your skateboards are jabronis. Experiment and see what you like and don't like. That is part of what makes skateboarding accessible and fun.

[@SarahParkMatott]

💯 I always think I learn a lot from what I don’t like too 😃

[@Bamdoozler]

oh boy.. thinks shes out of board madness and still thinks overall length matters...WHEELBASE and fingers of flat- wait till you start swapping high and low trucks and really start tinkering with kick angle and wheelbase.

[@thebrokenskater]

how dare you try something new and have fun doing it. youre supposed to do what we say and be miserable in life like we all are. you really want to piss people off, use a 9.5 - 10" like do.

[@SarahParkMatott]

Hahaha Hard flipping the 10” board should be my ultimate goal 😂

[@thebrokenskater]

@@SarahParkMatott im sure its doable. these larger boards were the norm back when street skating was at its peak. mid to late 80s most likely.

[@sasproductions701]

omg that skateboard is huge on u u should get a 7" width and go real plank of wood old school with roller-skate trucks sick!

[@SarahParkMatott]

😂😂

[@bruce_daddy]

Sarah, have you seen a skater named Swampy on the Heroin boards? Also these commenters are just bored and don't have anyone else to pick on.

[@SarahParkMatott]

Yeah! I’ve seen swampy. He’s pretty rad! One day as I get better at park, curbs etc, I’ll probably have to try a heroine board 😃

[@user-fw8ld6eg2y]

ありがとうございます！