Powell Peralta Dragon Formula 56mm 93a Review - Skateboard Gear Review

[@ThorneBenatar]

If you have these wheels, what are your experiences with them? Curious to see if anyone has a different experience than me with skating these wheels.

[@LaBaticuerva]

Agreed. These are not for skateparks. Definitely hyped up. It’s a cruiser board wheel for streets

[@ramrunsfast]

I would respectfully disagree these aren't for skateparks. I just tested these out at a couple skateparks in Brazil where I live one where the park is almost 30 years old and another that had worn out concrete in the bowl due to bikers falling out of tricks and they rode super well. The same park also had a asphalt pump track and the dragon wheels did super well for the type of terrain. I have only been riding the wheels for about a month so only time will tell how they will get as they get more broken in. I just moved to Montreal,Canada a few days ago and just riding on the sidewalk wasn't exactly enjoyable. Perhaps it's a mix of the big cracks every 3 feet, but I will definitely share an update if you do one yourself down the line. For softer wheels the OJ Mini Juice,Slime Balls 78A for both durometers and the G-Slides from Powell have been some of my favorite softer wheels currently on the market. G-Slides especially on an Old School set up for riding bowls.

[@AnjoK84]

I haven't had any issues with them screeching like yours did. Have you used bearing spacers with yours by the way?

[@idmhead0160]

Good news. Powell has you covered. They have these in Rat Bones 60mm, G Bones 64mm, and Rat Bones II 58mm now. Additionally, the X97s which are harder are now out too. If you thought the 56mm ones slide out to much on rough ground, try the Rat Bones Dragons. They have a wider contact patch. They still slide, but, are a little sticker than the narrow ones due to the wider contact patch. Note, they are narrower than the original Rat Bones though. They did the same thing with G Bones. They are narrower. I think they're actually better that way. Less wheel covering the truck on the inside.

[@idmhead0160]

@@AnjoK84 I think it depends on the surface you are sliding on. Also, I think it depends on the width of the wheel. I have the 56mm widecuts as well as the 59mm Rat Bone IIs. I found the widecuts have a better sound because they have a wider contact patch, even though the Rat Bone IIs are taller. The Rat Bone IIs are noticeably quieter. I also have the Dragon formula Rat Bones (not II) and G Bones. Both are louder at slides due to wider contact patch.

[@michaelgrier6365]

Impressed with your skating dude! Didn’t expect such a soft-spoken person to skate with so much power 💪💪

[@diddymelone2265]

full disclosure: I am a beginner skater from germany, I have 0 ties to anything and I have skated these wheels for like 9 days now. short summary: they are great, I love them! now I didnt ride them on our smooth concrete skatepark (there is only 1 of those around), because I have my spitfire setup for it, which I like. I am sure they'd be good there, but not remarkable and I'd miss the sound. anyway these wheels shine on rough ground. it is quite literally a hybrid wheel, that is able to ride over shitty ground, absorb vibrations very well AND slide like crazy. I dont even mean still slide, like with more effort, I mean they slide better than anything else I ever rode. they slide better on rough ground than F4's do on smooth concrete, which is crazy. so basically before I had a dedicated cruiser setup with OJ mini juice, that are great for commuting, but quite impossible for a beginner like me to slide. and I have my trick and park setup, with 54mm spitfires 99A. once I rode my spitfire setup from the train station home, which is like 45 minutes (30 minutes with my bike), some roads are alright, some are very bad. when I came to that incline down the university, I was a bit scared I'd be too fast down there, so I took it slow, but the asphalt is so rough, I actually almost stopped and had to push while riding down the hill ... and spitfire conicals are already a wheel, that handles such ground better than many smaller street wheels. Still no chance there. now the dragons, you can imagine, they were a different story entirely. I made the same way from the trainstation, took me like 10 minutes less, my feet didnt hurt and that hill, I had to be careful and practiced my slides alot there. even copplestone was totally possible with them and I havent been stopped by a pebble yet. finally I can skate streets and parking lots during the week, with my hard wheels I always feared being thrown off by the roughness, but these wheels just carry me anywhere and I am able to skate like I am on my normal setup. srsly try them. I didnt buy into the hype at all at first, thought this hyperbolic shit couldnt be anywhere near the truth, changing skateboarding forever blah blah whatever, then I saw a video of them sliding and thought, OK they cannot completely make that up now can they? my expectation was that they'd slide a bit better than the nomads, which disappointed me personally and still be softer. in reality they are still not super silent like cruiser wheels, but the difference is very stark, they absorb vibrations much better than, you'd think, since they are not as silent, but I can skate pretty much any ground and the slide as I said is amazing, at least on rough ground. smooth ground so far is pretty good, but it takes some time to get used to, because these wheels actually slide better the rougher the ground is, which is counter intuitive. slipped out on crusty streets a few times on the first day. anyway, I talked alot, but I had alot to say, mostly the same again and again; for once I think the hype is justified, these wheels really are a game changer for me and I am very happy with them.

[@aj1604]

One of my local parks is so damn slippery that I can't stand skating it but the dragons can grip just that little bit better and make me more comfortable

[@Skybij]

So, now we need Spitfire 97a, Slimeballs, PP Bombers comparative reviews and we would get pretty good assessment of what's available on the market today for softer hard wheels. Thanks man

[@Skybij]

@Daniel S I have box full of wheels my dude, can't have them all.

[@ramrunsfast]

Besides the Powell Peralta Bombers I have ridden the Spitfire 97A and Slimeballs 97A and also currently have the Dragon formula 56mm V6 shape. Out of the three the Dragons have been my favorite to ride for bowls. The Spitfire 97A have been a great wheel more for street and flatground and the Slimeballs a pretty similar experience. My biggest complaint with the Spitfire 97A on bigger transition is they start to feel almost too soft and roll slower. The Slimeballs also seem to roll a bit slower with bigger transition versus a 99A wheel. The dragons have been my favorite of those particular three and I think it's overall a great wheel, especially if you live in a place with rougher asphalt but not so rough you can barely ride it on regular wheels just as on the dragons.

[@Skybij]

@@ramrunsfast Thanks man! That helps to narrow down my next wheel set 👍

[@asthen5332]

@Daniel S grow up, oh wait

[@eVerProductions1]

I like them a lot, I prefer a softer wheel for more control but I still want the option to slide if I gotta bomb a hill or catching speed, dude you’ve gotten better with your skating! Faster more steeze and finness! Can’t wait for the new bones experimental 97a

[@ittwsasvi]

Dude, you`re a ripper!!! Ahead in the game of those who skates for fun, greetings from brazil man, thanks for the review and the attention to put chapters

[@calvinkenney241]

I really enjoyed watching this review to tell you the truth I don’t care how many technical trick someone can do until I see them do a Bartleman slide then I know that they understand skateboarding’s roots and at it’s core

[@simonf1657]

On rougher ground they are really nice and I think they feel like having a lower durometer like 87A. Slides are also really nice

[@aaronsejas6442]

that yakuza 0 intro was on point!

[@Treversoncorey]

I notice these wheels are like that corn starch and water experiment where it’s soft when it’s moved around slow but solid when there’s fast pressure applied, the faster you skate on rough ground makes them louder and slide better than when you are skating slow or on super smooth ground

[@jeffli480]

After a month i like them for the places I’ve been skating, definitely easier on my knees now that I’m a bit older. Also had a new set of spitfire F4 99’s come in around the same time, I thought I would like those more but ended up going back to the dragons. Hopefully they become more accessible, seems like it’s not exactly the easiest wheel to find after that first hyped up run…..

[@Lucy-lx3dn]

help the intro edit and the other KZbinrs not disclaiming section was so funny 💀

[@jaredmciverimagery]

thanks. i agree with the consolidated setup idea. these are great for that. i haven't been this excited about wheels in a long time because i have tried to find exactly what this wheel does for years and always had to compromise...and would end up settling on softer wheels and having to do things with them to compensate, like increasing diameter to go faster, because softer wheels are slower...which means needing to add riser....which means board dynamics change a lot regarding weight, pop, etc. but i loved the ability to skate anywhere so i settled. now i don't have to. it is a true hybrid for me.

[@75YBA]

Awesome review boss! Many thanks, I’m definitely getting them.

[@75YBA]

Just got them. I teach on them in a few days!

[@TeddCookerly]

You do know that Dan said in a Board setup that he did recently that he tested them but he rides for Acid WHeels and Shows the wheels that he rides for. Because he is on Powell does not mean that he endorses the wheels knowing that he is riding for Acid. You might want to go back and take a look. Also, Zack has admitted in previous videos that he is fully endorsed by Powell meaning Powell Trucks. Wheels, Grip, and hardware. Meaning when you see him, he is "fully" on Powell. Neither of them as members of Powell should have to disclaim that they are members of Powell. Adding to this message...in Dan's video you called out...he says flat out "And you might be thinking, Dan why are you showing us wheels that you don't ride for" Meaning, that he is endorsed by Powell but does not ride for their wheels.

[@ThorneBenatar]

Copy pasted from another comment I responded to: "They may disclose that fact in other videos, but they did not do this in the specific videos I screenshotted (at the time my video was posted). Dan does say that he "[doesn't] ride for Powell or Bones Wheels" in his video, but it's a confusing sentence. If he meant that he's not sponsored by Powell as a whole, that's a lie. If he meant that he's not sponsored by Powell Wheels, that's fair but he's still sponsored by the brand and distributor that sells those wheels and it's important to disclose that due to conflict of interest. Not everyone is going to check the Powell website, nor is everyone subscribed to their channels. A regular viewer may already know their sponsors, but a new viewer that has no idea who those people are will not know." If their videos were posted to Powell's official channel, then nondisclosure wouldn't be an issue. However, they posted those on their personal channels. Also I'm not taking this too seriously, the vine boom sound effects and the fact I only covered it for like 10-20 seconds should have made this clear :v

[@thundernixon]

Yeah, fair. It is one of those things that is exactly that - a conflict of interest. Those videos will show up for newcomers searching for info about dragon wheels, and they may not know Dan and Zack yet. Dan and Zack aren’t being paid to make those specific videos, but they do have an economic interest in keeping Powell happy, along with just a personal insight into how their friends helped make the product, so they aren’t about to make a negative review.

[@gfeast4518]

They look fun from what I’ve seen so far! Always look forward to your videos🤙

[@44jrr]

great video, would love to see a new review on the bones x-formula wheels too!

[@kingkento]

Great video! Can I ask where you got your skateboard stand and if it’s attached to your wall or not?

[@brainrottedindividual]

lmao dude, i'm only at the intro, and it's amazing. i love yakuza.

[@priestskorge]

I just got a Steve cabllero Chinese dragon deck coming Tuesday gonna put Indy 169 standard 6 hole pattern with bones super reds and I got 56mm 93a dragon wheels. I have a og ripper with same setup but with 56mm g slides which I love. Figured I would give these a shot hoping they have the feeling of a soft wheel but slide well

[@CoreZoomer]

Amazing video. The blueprint for Skate product reviews

[@ZTFlames]

I have the same size and everything you said is how I feel about them. They are best for the streets and work well enough at the park. I think they wear down quicker than spits but are prone to not cracking so early in comparison with spitfire. I still prefer my Slime Balls 97a for both park and skatepark riding to lighten impact but love my Insane-athane 101 from O.J. Strongest wheels I have now for street riding since they have a nail in them and does not affect my riding experience. Lol

[@UE2012]

Thanks Thorne. I've been waiting for your take on these. Interesting you stated about how fast you skate, it's one of the things that I appreciate. You are reserved and quiet it seems but you skate faster and harder than one would think you would. Did you and your friends all get the same shape? I only ask because I don't like spitfire classics (radial slim guy) and the slimmer shape appear to be like the classics. Have you seen the slimmer dragon wheels? Are they like classics or do they have a flatter side wall. Thanks for your great review.👍🏼

[@ThorneBenatar]

My friends tried my board with the Dragons but didn't buy a set for themselves. The slimmer shapes are the most similar to a Spitfire Classic shape.

[@RikRiorik]

I like them. I have the V4 54mm ones. Put them on my street board. I do feel like they are a nice medium between my 54mm 87A OJ Keyframes and 99A 56mm Spitfire Conical Fulls. I think they weigh less than both. They are a somewhere in the middle of both when it comes to smoothness of the ride on rough ground but more towards the hardness of the 99A than the 87A. Definitely slide better than the 87A and doesn’t have that soft wheel rebound that makes skating the 87A a weird experience. I recently also got a set of 95A OJ Nomads 54mm and I do like the Dragons better too. Those Nomads feel harder to slide and the experience on rough ground is noticeably better with the Dragons too. All in all this is definitely looking to be my go to wheel for street skating. But probably going to stick with the Spitfires for the parks.

[@cv6531]

Thanks for an honest review, ill stick with my 92a ricta clouds for my wet/crusty setup.

[@burger1113]

Gee did you check the sound levels in the skating footage? Nearly blew my speakers up lol clipping like crazy

[@theghostfacekza4549]

Intro on point

[@deadskinmask91]

Zack stated that he was a skate one sponsored skater but not sponsored by bones and dan stated several times his perfered wheel is by another company . Thats a good enough disclaimer for ne lol

[@justinle998]

Loving these wheel… I can session crusty flatground like its skatepark ground and skating long distances is easy. Only thing i dont like is how bouncy and silent they are…. Feels im doing tricks on a cruiser.

[@mehmetfratozgun6858]

so how long did they last? i wonder, if i buy 58 mm, does it keep with me for a year before it wears down to 53 mm? i have a bad pavement around here and nearest park is 90 minutes far away. big wheel would be good.

[@davidleeashkenazi8992]

I’m pretty happy right now with my Spits F4 97a, but 99a for the win

[@bobgnarlyxl]

Didn’t even know they made 97 a f4

[@reup4023]

@@bobgnarlyxl They've been available for several months or more, production numbers aren't that high it seems, but they're out there.

[@bobgnarlyxl]

@@reup4023 That's neat, ive bought way too much skate product lately but ill still have to keep my eye out for them. Have you tried them?

[@BusenBingoBalthasar]

​@@bobgnarlyxl I've had two sets of F4 97As, first the Classics and then the Conical Full. They're faster on rough ground than the 99As and they reduce chatter/vibration/impact a little which is nice for the knees. I don't have much trouble skating curbs, but you will notice their grippiness on nose/tail/bluntslides. They're noticeably harder to powerslide than the 99s but the big advantage is that they prevent wipe outs and feel really safe when skating bowls or miniramps with slippery surfaces (fresh concrete / dusty plywood / Skatelite / GatorSkins). I really wonder how the dragons compare in practice.

[@bobgnarlyxl]

@@BusenBingoBalthasar I’ve recently got the dragons but I haven’t been able to try them yet because my knees have been too mad at me.

[@rubencalleja6304]

Which wheel would you choose for everything? Dragons 93a / rat bones 90a

[@rarebluedoge5000]

love the content bro. keep it up!

[@thevernonposse]

Those wheels look perfect

[@shaun8062]

I just tested mine. I have two pair, the classic shape dragons and I have the conical shape dragons. First I will describe the classic shape dragons 54mm. What I previously have been riding are the spitfire 97A classic shape 54mm for my comparison. I skated three different surfaces from smooth to rough, then actually crusty. I did power slides, reverts, and very fast pushing to see how they hold my speed for street skating. On a scale from 1 to 10, the spitfire 97A felt about a 1-2 point difference from the Dragons in 4 different ways. It felt a 2 point out of 10 difference in speed. the Spitfire 97A classic shape was faster than the classic shape dragon on all surfaces. It felt one point difference in vibrations, the dragons translating less vibrations, but just by one point on the roughest surfaces. The slide ability of the dragons in classic shape was about 2 points less slick than the spitfire 97A classic shape on all surfaces. And lastly the sound was about 1 point louder for the spitfires vs the quieter dragons. Now I will describe the conical shaped dragons in 56mm. The 56mm dragons were about 2 points different in speed from the spitfire classics 97A, the spitfires being faster = less need for pushing. Slide Ability felt 1 point less slippery compared to the spitfires. Vibrations were about 2 points softer on the dragons vs the spitfires. And lastly, the sound was even less at 2 points quieter for the dragons vs the louder spitfires while riding, HOWEVER they were louder when sliding about 3 points vs the spitfires. Over all, this was on a scale from 1 - 10 and so these differences were small. The best thing I could do from here is to get the spitfire 97A in conical shape to see who the true all terrain winner is. Since the spitfire 97A classic did so well against both the dragons (only a 1-2 point difference in softness feel), I am going to assume the spitfire 97A conical will make up for the vibrations difference and retain the speed.

[@nathaniel1600]

Nice breakdown. Probably better than most comparison videos I've seen.

[@shaun8062]

@@nathaniel1600 Thank you

[@bw6927]

This is what everybody wants to know ❤

[@BusenBingoBalthasar]

Great comparison, that's exactly the question!

[@cv6531]

I've seen This same comment word for word on every review video of these both on KZbin and reddit.

[@solidbluebrian]

Intro was 🔥🔥😂

[@SunriseSessions]

Great review! I've got an unrelated question but which model deck is hanging on the wall? I know it's famous but I can't remember the name.

[@ThorneBenatar]

John Lucero Bars graphic

[@diplenski]

i'd kinda like to try them, 56 is about the smallest i'd like to go.

[@cwatson42785]

Have you tried the Andy Anderson nano cubics yet?

[@castblanka8216]

Hey whats up man! Great skating. What do you call that slappy move where you got in frontside and did a tail stop - grab for the dismount?

[@ThorneBenatar]

I'm not sure the correct name for it but it's a slappy 5050 into mute grab 5-0 layback (probably a tail scrape or something instead of a 5-0 though)

[@safetypatrol]

Nice Karma Reissue!

[@HOLES69]

Stoked to see a review from you on these, Thorne. I ordered some dragons yesterday. Love the intro btw.

[@willsparis6157]

Great review. More Halo for the next pls

[@IXIII-IXIII]

Can you please tell me - does the riding surface have small tredded lines along it, ir are they smooth? I bought 2 sets from different places (both big reputable places) but my 54mm are tredded and the 53mm are complerely smooth... did they change the surface, rhats what ive been told?? Thanks in advance, great skating.

[@ThorneBenatar]

The riding surface is smooth, I haven't seen one with ridges

[@IXIII-IXIII]

@ThorneBenatar thank you for getting back to me. I know it's strange isn't it. The code matches to powell peralta and everything. I've seen a few pictures of early versions with ridges so maybe it's an early edition.

[@AF-gg3ce]

no sticker pshhhh

[@kirillkolesnikov566]

How do they compare to powerflex? I just wore down a set of dragons and i miss the feel of a harder wheel but i still love how dragons handle crust.

[@acgwestsidesb6410]

Powerflex super hard wheels as any spitfire, bones, ricta 99a +wheels. Bones x95/97 is what u search probably

[@infinitewindow164]

I’m gonna get a size 10 frog board and I’m torn between getting ace af-1 77’s or Indy 215’s. I’m afraid that the 9.5 aces will make the set up feel unstable since there will be a half inch difference between the deck and the trucks. Which ones would you recommend for me? Thanks!

[@shoegum2]

Go with the indy 215s! Got them on my pig deck and its perfect 👍🏽

[@Ezzeenow]

Or how about the Ace 77 classics, aren't they wider than the AF1 77?

[@richardaorunge2428]

What deck and trucks are you riding?

[@danielpabon375]

The wheel is for someone who has one board for everything. I don’t think people understand the point of it. If you want to ride your board to the skatepark and maybe hit some street spots in between, then this is the best wheel on the market. Anyone who tries to compare this wheel to specific wheels for specific riding , the idea went over their heads.

[@BusenBingoBalthasar]

I would really like to know how they compare to the Formula Four 97A wheels though, because those have become my all terrain wheels of choice over the past year.

[@danielpabon375]

@@BusenBingoBalthasar honestly, I prefer the 99a formula four. Not much of a difference but that’s my choice. There were times where the dragons performed better over cracks and pebbles but the 99a was a better overall experience. I haven’t tried the 97a. I skate mostly parks, 97a would be a little too soft for me.

[@BusenBingoBalthasar]

@@danielpabon375 Thanks for the reply! I like the 97As in parks because they make for a softer, safer ride especially on slippery ground like fresh concrete and dusty wood etc. But they don't slide as easily as the 99As so I guess it will remain a matter of taste. Still wondering how the dragons might feel, guess I'll have to test them out at some point :-)

[@32srt32]

i skate oj 95a everyday and the powells are softer than my oj nomads. and my oj nomads are softer than my spitfire 97a wheels.

[@mitivic]

Nice vid. But my ears was destroyed watching this vid thx

[@MastaShifoo]

Try CCS 8 x 27 cruiser deck

[@brothersskateboardco]

Fam I gave away my set . If you cross lock on rails or pinch, these wheels stopped me dead no matter how fast I was going . The inside portion that locks into the wheels makes WAYYYYYY to much drag. 101-104 a is the best for people who grind

[@32srt32]

you notice drag on crooked grinds.

[@thevernonposse]

Do you work out seems like you have pretty strong legs I'm wondering if it helps you skateboard

[@thallrudedjentstorm1756]

Dragon Wheels need some time to break in properly. I drove them for two months now and they are more slippery than my old spitfires I drove for four months. Hands down best wheels I ever got myself. Dragon Wheels = best wheels

[@shwnbur77]

Where did you get that wall rack behind you for your boards?

[@ThorneBenatar]

Local shop was replacing it so they gave it to me.

[@510Link]

Wait a minute… is this the UC skatepark?

[@brainrottedindividual]

very nice review, think i'll pass for now, but these sound awesome for a bigger hybrid setup between a cruiser and a board for xtra crusty spots. i have a spot near my house that i can't hit with 99a f4s and it's a gap, too. so just using really soft big wheels is also tricky cause of wheelbite/rebound issues. often when i jumped or dropped down stuff with soft wheels it's hard to keep rolling because it feels like the wheels are sinking or dropping into the ground and it always throws me off the board. the 93a dragons would be perfect for that. but then again this is the only spot i can think about where they would work better than my current wheels. you made them bark real nice, i saw some vids where they sounded different for sure, must have been the surface. on another note, those slappies sounded awesome. reminded me of reallly old skatevids where the grinds would just be super loud. i miss that.

[@user-ju1dd5jx8s]

How do these slide versus the g slides?

[@kastelvetro1491]

i just emailed powell and told them to make slimmer g slides, g slides are heavenly

[@user-ju1dd5jx8s]

@@kastelvetro1491 ever try ricta cloud 86a's? I am on em right now and will probably switch to G-slides if they slide better and are more shock absorbing.

[@Natecoxy]

@@kastelvetro1491 satori goo balls

[@aladiothompson7635]

Are they a conical shape in the 56mm?

[@ThorneBenatar]

Yes, the closest Spitfire shape to compare would be the Conical/Conical Fulls

[@TreyStylesPro]

as a skater for almost 30 years i can say those wheels are that Sh....! i really really like them, they are awesome for when you got back knees and back, ala a old timer. then those wheels are like godsend cause we can skate just about the same as with a spitfire wheel yet still have a smoother ride. ITs awesome, ive been using them for around 3 months now and i love them. plus you have to take in to consideration that these are made for street not parks

[@peter84880]

This or ricta clouds 86a?

[@infinitewindow164]

No one tells you that these wheels smell like straight up cheese burgers when you first open them. Based wheels.

[@32srt32]

the dragon wheels are made for rough street spots. id rather have a harder wheel in skateparks and id rather have 80hd for cruisers. hate keyframes, they are really slow.

[@yogurtconnoisseur240]

OJ above all

[@nussiskate3]

There's some weird sound in the background making it really hard for me to listen to you talk

[@ThorneBenatar]

Sorry! Mic started having issues some time ago for some reason. I tried to clean it up but it's probably time for an upgrade.

[@AUSTORMCHASERS]

The wheel that chips! :/

[@ajbeukes4682]

dude, are u nuts, dan and zach are powell team riders,they do disclose it on their videos, aswell on the official powell website, btw dan rides acid wheels, wtf?

[@ThorneBenatar]

They may disclose that fact in other videos, but they did not do this in the specific videos I screenshotted (at the time my video was posted). Dan does say that he "[doesn't] ride for Powell or Bones Wheels" in his video, but it's a confusing sentence. If he meant that he's not sponsored by Powell as a whole, that's a lie. If he meant that he's not sponsored by Powell Wheels, that's fair but he's still sponsored by the brand and distributor that sells those wheels and it's important to disclose that due to conflict of interest. Not everyone is going to check the Powell website, nor is everyone subscribed to their channels. A regular viewer may already know their sponsors, but a new viewer that has no idea who those people are will not know.