Should Brands Sell Boards Based On Peoples Height?

This clip was taken from a longer interview with Paul Schmitt, you can watch the full episode here: • Paul Schmitt Is BACK |...
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[@gtlawone]

I hate it when the wheelbase isn't advertised on the board. Some companies are good at putting the dimensions on the sticker. It should be the standard to stamp this onto the top of the board.

[@ericharmon7163]

Me too. I think the wheel base is my most important measurement.

[@i-never-look-at-replies-lol]

i just wanna know why i can never find 9.0 with 14.5wb. not that i mind, but i've basically been buying the same deck my last several setups.

[@arsonshop5484]

Absolutely!!! We want WB!!

[@ianlawless7481]

Agreed. I like a 15 inch wheelbase at least. 15.5 is my ideal now that I run Thunder trucks. When I ran Indys when the were made in the USA I would run a 14.75 wheelbase.

[@theJACK__]

I remember estimating with my fingers to find the right board width at shops.

[@6to8john]

Gosh being tall I struggled with short decks my whole life. Now an adult and 20 plus years later. I wish I knew all this wheel base knowledge back in the day. Now I’ve become a mad scientist with wheel bases. One thing I’ve noticed with longer wheel bases is they are a little harder to tre flip. Everything else feels good.

[@Dontbustthecrust]

knowing this growing up wouldn't have helped you at all.

[@Cliche10k]

What wb you ridd?

[@normanl.6891]

Yeah I usually ride 14", but if I am riding 14.25" I have to move my front foot further back towards the lower middle of the deck and emphasize more toe flick

[@Oldmonstrosityshop]

Board length and wheelbase should be an inseam specific. You can have 10 people the exact same height but their inseam could vary 4 inches across those 10.

[@kryptonik1522]

Ive always stood over a deck before buying it, if it was above my balls i didn't want it, if you've ever landed on your taint you've probably done the same. as far as wheel base i never paid attention but ive always prefered a board to be around my kneecap when i stood on the tail which is more of a function of where the trucks are in relation to the tail. i started skating in 81 and my choices changed as tricks evolved but i feel like i have a harder time finding a deck i like nowadays. I own a wood shop and with cnc and cad programs it's easier than ever to have a custom fit deck made, you can have a press mold made for a couple hundred bucks. we've been playing with SK8CAD and its super fun to design decks.

[@jordanslingluff287]

I dont see why board companies couldnt do this on their websites. You can have a page that explains some basics. Then because most skaters are stoners you put a colored dot/icon by the board they can click on and it takes them to the info page they ignored. Maybe give some recommendations on what to look for in trucks/wheels based on style. I feel like I wasted a couple years of my early skating just riding stuff to look cool. Something like this would have helped.

[@Yootoob14]

They are resellers and don't know the specs. The factories in Asia have the specs. Skate and bmx industry are crap, sorry.

[@RyanCaesar]

I spent so many of my younger years (80s and 90s) buying boards based on the graphic, the pro skaters name, and the company, and put almost zero thought into things like wheelbase size (then i was a super tall lanky kid). In hindsight I know this was a bad move and if I could go back i am confident it would have made at least a little difference. Young skaters, please take this stuff into consideration to maximize your potential!

[@thedude7726]

100% I used to have my parents get me boards from blankdecks and I would get a different one based on the description, and my favorite was "the blank that has pop" and i still have 2 or 3 new ones in my parents basement.

[@philwilliams7019]

Truck companies just need to add a measurement - the distance from the center inside deck bolt holes to center of axel and then you know how much your trucks affect your wheel base length

[@brianpeck697]

Yes, they should. There’s so much more to skateboarding than symmetrical decks with 14-15” wheelbases

[@carrottop113]

People want different wheel bases according to their height !!!

[@markshoemaker4619]

Fuck yeah they should

[@boardforthescraping]

no, wheelbase is determined by how and what you skate. unless of course you are abnormally short or tall

[@markshoemaker4619]

@@boardforthescraping most 12 year olds are normally small.

[@tinosmo1]

I had no idea height made a difference what board should I skate in 5’ 10”?

[@hvdd96]

@@tinosmo1it’s personal preference I’m 5’7 us10 shoe and I’ve skated everything from 7.5-9. Depends on what you like to skate.. smaller boards easier to flip and control, bigger boards feel secure and easier to stay balanced on. If you like to skate everything go with 8.25-8.5 unless you have huge feet like size 12+ then maybe you want 9

[@AlohaTrev]

Surf boards have gotten so much better at creating cool new shapes while making it easier than ever for consumers to select a board that’s best for them based on dimensions, including volume

[@Valvnvn]

I'm 5'3" and definitely want to see more of 14" or less wheelbases

[@colinf7066]

DLX true fit mold has wheel bases under 14- worth a shot at you’re height

[@theJACK__]

*YES!* we're not all tall gangly looking wind socks out here.

[@normanl.6891]

Zero has some 13.88" for 7.5-7.75

[@Valvnvn]

@@colinf7066 yeah the true fit molds and DLX are probably the best things out there rn

[@Valvnvn]

@@normanl.6891 oh yeah, I'm on an 8" 14" Zero and I'm loving it

[@chumpkin5]

I gotta say that high end downhill boards have had so many options and the board construction is years ahead of traditional skateboards it’s standard at this point to have carbon fiber and urethane rails integrated into the decks the boards literally last a lifetime for the most part

[@PeterApgar]

There are fiber reinforced street decks like Flight, but not everyone's willing to pay the premium and there are just way more choices with traditional 7-ply maple decks. You can spend less than $100 on a traditional complete from Tactics or Skate One that works fine in parks, hills, bowls, street spots, and mini ramps.

[@patricksullivan3412]

It's bittersweet how shapes have improved heaps, but graphics have gotten worse

[@04tacomaguy1]

Right 😢

[@nolansrecovery1975]

I never went by the graphic. I always got the board, stepped on it, set my feet up on it like I was doing tricks, and then trial their boards to see what worked best for me. I would also pick the board up and put it between my legs to see how long it was because tricks for me, such as hard flips or 360 flips, was more difficult if the board was too long. I would also practice Ollies and kick flips on the board, without trucks or anything on it, to see the length and everything. I also did go by the width as well.

[@tonyvolume666]

I’m 6’3 and I know a 14.5-15 inch wheelbase feels good. I really like the Orange Antihero Eagle with aces

[@P1Brand]

Same…Orange Crusher with Ace here!

[@serendipitous6]

not that tall myself but my sweet spot is from 15.5 to 17 inches... width 8.5 to 9.5 inches.

[@asacloutier7530]

Its almost like there's another similar sport that figured all of this out years ago........

[@Yootoob14]

Mtb?

[@spedracer4U]

What Chris is saying is completely accurate. When it comes to Golf, you get fitted to fit your game. Wheelbase isn't relative to height, style, or terrain alone. There's so many factors. How long are your legs? How hard do you kick? How big are your feet? It would benefit the industry to focus on this more than graphics and brand.

[@IVIUT3D]

the fruit is ripe for the picking, if a shop opened that custom built boards to fit riders I would imagine they would quickly become the designer boards to have.

[@ericharmon7163]

This is spot on. I really couldn't care about the graphic. I'm going to wear it off anyway. I care about the size and shape. Especially the wheel base. All stuff I never thought when I was a kid.

[@ideliver7289]

When I started skating 14 inch wheelbase, my kickflips became much more solid

[@CYBERDELICRELICS]

I rode Street growing up and had a little time doing some longboarding and cruising and in the process have my own hybrid Street board with wide trucks and big wheels to roll over anything in a city. 5'6 but I like it wide and big old school style shapes with lil slide in the wheels. Fully capable of olling and gaps, can bomb a hill and still roll over rocks. 👾👽👾

[@thestonedandstripped]

The best!

[@runbymmkk]

Nah, it shouldn't be based on height but rather inseam measurement.

[@johanjotun1647]

If you can borrow a drill and you can have any wheel base of board lenght you like, I'm shure if your good enough to benefit from that small of tweaks you probably have access to an old board, once it belongs to you, you are under absolutly no obligation to ride it how the maker intended

[@04tacomaguy1]

How did you get that shrug emoji? lol

[@Yootoob14]

Bmx is even worse. Everyone knows which way geometry should go, except the manufacture who homogenizes the product. Finally rear ends are getting shorter, front ends are getting longer, and fork offset is less. But now every frame has a steep 75.5° head angle so goodbye teeth. Two unicycles tied together with shoe string would suit the average ride better.

[@dabrazillionaire]

This is great talk. Professor Schmitt is legit.

[@serendipitous6]

not just height... feel... the way a board feels with different wheelbases is very noticeable.

[@lindamagongo8865]

I'm south African and 8.125 wheel base doesn't allow for tre flips but an 8 board is perfect for me though nice Convo gents

[@brianropel]

I must be a weird one lol I’ll hop from shape to shape. Size doesn’t matter. Currently I’m riding a 10.5 with Indy 215 on a 15.25 wheel base. My last board was a 8.75 with a 13.875 wheel base on Indy 169. The only thing I’ve gotten picky on is I prefer hard wheels. 99A and up

[@Brad-dx9fd]

I honestly feel like you guys could go to a company like Nike and make something happen. I'm surprised they don't sell boards yet, but I just feel it needs to be a company like that to innovate on this level. I'm just basing it on what they do with other sports and the fact they already have Nike SB.

[@gtopnotch6012]

Slappy trucks are my go to now. I've been rocking thunders for years but the slappy hollows are insane especially with 52mm bones wheels. Currently riding an 8.5 Real team graphic deck. My absolute perfect setup.

[@toddt.]

This is like seeeing all the potato shaped surfboards.... some years back

[@Juliano_DJOL]

100% agree with Roberts, Ive been looking into trying some new things or wheel bases, like a more custom setup. Or I just wanna be able to wrap my head around all this info they are now acting like makes a big difference...

[@Yootoob14]

Long boards are probably more stable than shirt boards. It's not that complicated skaters are just weirdos who hate everything related to knowledge.

[@ryanwalters3531]

If the wheelbase is a little too long for me, I try to lighten the weight of the truck a little. I’ll switch to a thunder light over a thunder standard if it feels as though I’m not getting enough pop or height on my tricks. Thats been my hack more recently.

[@UtubeH8tr]

lol that thumbnail makes it look like people a foot shorter are actually like 1 foot tall vs 6 foot tall

[@Shieed]

Creature and Santa Cruz seem to understand the small wheelbase formula. Most of there boards even at 8.8 or 9 in have a 14.25 wheel base.

[@skads2224]

Flip also. They have boards up to 8.75" with a 14.22 wheel base

[@toddt.]

I would much rather a orange eagle 9.0 anti hero or BA shape 15in WB 33.5 LENGTH

[@RedVelvetUnderground333]

Do u remember when u found out boards came in different sizes 😂

[@ChrisMiller-uf7lj]

Yes! I’m 6’4 and I love 15 in wheel base

[@ricardo-ge4jo]

DLX True Mold 🥵: 8.5 x 31.35″ with 13.75 wheelbase

[@TOMG12XU]

Paul, Chuck Hults, & Mike Pust made/make the BEST Skateboards.

[@gurkdoinwork]

Used to rock a Darkstar mini board in 1st / 2nd grade. Loved that thing. When I got bigger I transitioned to normal sized.

[@WiiSpords]

CRob with the predictably old head mentality, and shmidt patiently waiting for him to catch up. No one cares about graphics anymore because I can design something in my phone in five minutes and print my own one off board online and have it delivered tomorrow. We all know it’s just paint on the same blanks man.

[@P1Brand]

No way. Not all blanks are equal. Direct to consumer, made to order one-offs are junk.

[@thatsHECKAtight]

@@P1Brand nah ccs blanks are actually goated. They last me longer than any pro model. It’s crazy.

[@bpastorb]

Wheelbase makes a bigger difference to me than board width yet it's so little mentioned. I can adapt to the width but if the wheelbase is to long (i.e the standard) I cant even ollie properly. Also I don't think height matters much if at all scientifically, it's specifically your leg length and your flexibility. Two guys can be 6ft with a multiple inch different inseam. A 5'8" guy could have the same inseam as a 6' guy. Two guys with the same inseam may have drastically different range of motion due to flexibility

[@juiceman7649]

It's all relative I like short wheel bases and short boards and I'm 5"11

[@vibing2471]

6 feet tall. Size 12 shoe. Found 8.5 with a 14.25 inch wheelbase to be best suited for me

[@patrickrauter1257]

More Wheelbases under 14 - we are not all 6 foot or 2meters of height - and especially for thunders/ventures riders would be soooo nice. That´s is going to be a trend ..for streetskating ;)

[@stevenmoreno5121]

I’m 5,8 Board 13,88 wheelbase 14,25 width With thunders and size 11 shoes. Works for me

[@Cliche10k]

Fuck yeah

[@patrickrauter1257]

Which Board?

[@stevenmoreno5121]

@@patrickrauter1257 dlx has made a few of these size boards. Worrest and una have one, but they are still rare. I just grab one when they come out right away, otherwise I’ll just grab a 14 inch wheelbase and slap aces on them

[@jaredadams5748]

I'm 6'3" and finally found that 8.75 is my preffered size. Love a wider wheelbase too

[@SitKid721]

6'2 190lb size 12 shoes and i skate a 9.125 x 32.625 girl/chocolate G041 PHAWT shape

[@LeetTrance]

I love skate science, him and andy got me to buy my first board after breaking my hand me downs and ive got everything specific how i like it though unconventional

[@JamieBassett-gz7vl]

What about foot size vs deck width?

[@tynanbarnes6506]

Its all preference to the type of skating you do, your balance and whats comfortable to you. Know people who are 5’9 with 8.5 shoes that ride 8.6 boards. Also know people who are 6’4 with size 12 shoes that ride 8.25. Both are great skaters and skate similar types of things. Its all preference to how it feels to you and what you are trying to optimize.

[@jacobishii6121]

Well unless they come up with a different way to fix the trucks it's going to raise the prices to offer boards in a whole bunch of different wheel bases then these stores have to carry all the different wheel bases unless they're drop shipping single boards........ Part of this goes right back into what he was talking about in another interview about the cost of the board has not changed in 30 to 40 years how to put the graphics on changed the margins a little bit but if these guys can't make money selling the boards they're not going to make them

[@jahjahbee]

what about double drilling on every side of the deck? so you could choose inbetween wheelbases. ok, another step of manufacturing means more costs, but just an idea

[@Tricklarock]

Oh, I wanna explore and try out new shit, I just can't remotely afford to do it. And god forbid having to get different sized trucks!!! I've been wanting to step up from an 8.25 to 8.5 for 3 years now, but I haven't cuz I'd need wider truck$$$! I've been skating for 39 years now, and setting up a board that doesn't lean one way and feels level is a fuckin' crap shoot! Either the back truck feels squishy, or it doesn't wanna turn right, etc... But when I try other peoples boards, they feel so level, turns feel good, etc. Shit drives me crazy! I've tried everything I can and after almost 4 decades, sill can't set up a board that's 110%?!?!

[@shredsurance]

When I bought my first setup I studied every minute detail about each part so that I knew what I wanted

[@shredsurance]

However I will say it’s important to try vastly different setups just for the experience

[@rustypotatos]

I guess I’m really lucky because I actually like trying to hone in. I think I read somewhere that gonz always changes his shapes and wheels and trucks

[@gummikrummi]

Will we see length adjustable baseplates on trucks in the future?

[@skateboston420]

i prefer a Girl/Chocolate 7.85, i use to love Orion trucks but i settled for Indys, and then I like 53 mm wheels with swiss bones and then classic Shortys silverados. Everyone has their preferences.

[@AustinGarvelink]

I'm 6'5" with a 13 shoe size. I ride a 7.5" board with big 150mm trucks and small 39mm wheels. People often tell me that I'm rad.

[@newnum2]

Not today Austin.

[@RoydenWakefield]

That's like riding a lolly pop stick

[@theflyanglerjournal2935]

@@newnum2😅

[@azazelreficulmefistofelicu7158]

Late 90's early 2k skater probably?

[@SillagorillaSkates]

" I love you Paul" lol

[@johncarpenter8527]

I’m like 5’10 & I ride 8.00 boards and 51 mm wheels. I’ll never go bigger than a 51 or 8.00. I’ve been riding that for ever basically

[@yesmaybe630]

How big are your feet?

[@ryanwalters3531]

That’s similar to my setup. I’m 5’6 with a size 8 shoe. I love skating size 8 decks with a 14 inch wheelbase because I skate thunder trucks. Because the trucks are so low, I skate 51mm too. Sometimes I can skate an 8.125, but I need to ride hollows if I do.

[@meltingspot1064]

14.25 is the standard wheelbase. I’m short (5’7) and anything longer and skateboarding becomes way harder. Short wheelbase makes flip tricks way easier.

[@thestonedandstripped]

What if you ride vert?

[@zakjones-l4k]

Getting older, and starting to get to the point where I'm losing some height. The board has to be a popsicle, short wheelbase and an 8.0 X 30. Lighter is better. Big boards(anything beyond these dimensions) are getting too hard to adapt to. The last one I had was much heavier and difficult to flip that my leading knee ( which I blew out) started to hurt. Point: hope companies continue to make the smaller shapes more available.

[@Unoriginal3]

Im 8.5 and skate 6'3" my 13 " wheel base works for my 14.25" feet

[@rocketappliantist4969]

People buy skis too much based on height and don't take weight and skill level enough into account.

[@hosoiarchives4858]

I really hate this issue, they are never long enough

[@ian_davidson]

Chris getting heated… where is this information? It’s reality it’s right in front of you. Interpret your surroundings…Take some measurements, interpret those measurements. Make conscious changes and learn from it. It’s up to you to know what going on.

[@tynanbarnes6506]

Right but what are you supposed to do? Buy one of every board and truck and measure all of them? Makes more sense for companies who already have that info to just post it on their websites and explain what the differences mean. You wouldn’t just buy a car not knowing how many seats it has, the gas mileage, or other key specs of it.

[@ian_davidson]

@@tynanbarnes6506 I totally agree but if the company is good (deluxe, NHS, Black Label etc.) they have been giving you the specs for a while now. Otherwise just ask your local skate shop for a tape measure before you buy. If you’re buying online and they don’t give you the specs that’s a gamble purchase and you should be aware of that before you buy. Also car manufacturers are notorious for holding back important information from the consumer. Anyone can see how many seats are in your car or what amenities come with the trim package. It’s the stuff that matters like gas mileage, maintenance intervals, warranty coverage that they will lie about. You can’t lie about the dimensions of something like a skate deck but gas mileage is not easily quantifiable by the consumer unless they already own the product. Thus companies will lie to consumers. Paul should develop the international skateboard standards and regulations so that the industry will be easily understood by new or old customers alike.

[@AlexNiedt]

5'9" and I like a 14" wheelbase because of how responsive it feels.

[@dudebrothebrodude9914]

I would like 9.0 with a 8.5 wheel base. Vote for Chris Roberts, he will make custom wheel base happen.

[@bugtesties]

Edit: lol commented this before Chris said the same thing. 😂😂 disregard my whole comment I paused it 30 sec before Chris said that. Face palm 🤦 They should create a website where you can enter in your build and what you skate and then they can throw some recommendations at you for board size and if you want a specific truck then it changes accordingly or whatever. Feel like a coding guy and this scientist just need to link up lol hire the guy that makes the character creator screen in video games 😂 but forreal like shoe size height weight you wouldn’t need too much info. Maybe their current setup so they don’t get recommended new wheels and trucks and can adjust the board only

[@TheLeebus]

Dragon wheels are lit. Get em

[@ryanrowe1975]

No

[@MrSolarLane]

I like my board hot pressed

[@korosuchimu1479]

The double vision was the answer

[@veggieSxDBD]

Venture high bones med bushings on 8.0 14wb . I'm 5ft7 155ibs size 8 shoe and wish wb was 13 . ✌🏻💨 I'm also 47 lol and don't know shvt

[@ChrisMiller-uf7lj]

Brand-X skateboard has 15 plus wheel base!!

[@c_labb9247]

Graphics are such a waste of time. They all scratch and I don’t have wall hangers. Plus I can’t see the bottom while I skate. Top sheet color is the only thing I care about.

[@EsotericOccultist]

I'm glad they don't do it by penis length otherwise I'd be stuck with long boards for the rest of my life

[@taneltolsting2900]

Leverage of board is not only wb based, also tail length and height. I’ve measured some trucks tight and loose and I honestly don’t think it affects wheelbase as much as Professor Smith seems to claim.

[@tanntannertropicalfish9750]

No

[@KalaniThames]

Chris is really hard to listen to these days. Lots of blabbering about nothing

[@Botched_toes]

been saying this for years. im 5'6 and feel like the standard wheel base is too long for me legs.

[@gummikrummi]

What is your inseam measurement?

[@yesmaybe630]

I hate board madness. When I was a kid I bought a deck and adapted. Too much product on the market. Just skate and have fun!

[@thestonedandstripped]

Ride all sizes,styles and rip!

[@Yootoob14]

Have some modesty, it's a certain type of person who can pick up and ride anything. Brainless usually lol

[@googoo5922]

Im against the board according to heights. People usually adapt. World industries back then had slightly smaller ones. But even the small dudes found them weird. Id say the best size is that sean sheffey board the blue one with the chicken. With the unusual small tail. That board will be the go to board of everyone