SwellTech Surfskate Review: Is it the Best Surf Trainer?

In this surfskate review video, I review the SwellTech surfskate system. Joining me in the review are three long-time surfers, Mark Baldwin (the Landlocked Surfer), Ace Allan, and Joey Daley; as well as a non-surfer, Michal Mularski.
Follow them on Instagram:
Mark Baldwin @surfskateottawa
Ace Allan @acehypnotika
Joey Daley @preparedforinsanity
Michal Mularski @mularskimichal
VIDEO TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
01:45 Who and What is the SwellTech Best For?
03:37 Four Advanced Riders Review SwellTech
04:48 Why Do You Like SwellTech?
06:14 How Well Does SwellTech Replicate Surfing?
08:05 Is SwellTech the Best Surf Trainer?
09:50 How Does SwellTech Compare?
11:22 Who Do You Recommend SwellTech For?
12:53 Should Surfers Start on SwellTech?
14:43 What Don't You Like About SwellTech?
16:50 Breakage & Maintenance on the SwellTech
17:52 How Could SwellTech Improve?
18:24 Comparing SwellTech on 15 Variables
23:38 SwellTech System Breakdown
Learn more about surfskating, learn how to surfskate, and choose your surfskate at Surfskate Love: www.surfskate.love
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[@davewest8811]

Nice work Steve! Just another quality production. If you ever get to St. George, reach out to Steve. I had the privilege of meeting him and getting to try a whole bunch of truck setups in person.

[@rickydasler6354]

Another very thorough review. Thanks again Steve. Appreciated.

[@joelvega4688]

Great video steve.

[@danielfirestone2086]

I ride a SwellTech everyday. The old springs would break every so often. Sometimes after 2 weeks, sometimes after 2 months. I put the new spring style on both my Swelltech boards and I've had no issues for months now. The new springs are a big improvement, they last a long time!

[@sweettosee1919]

The medium spring is better?

[@danielfirestone2086]

@@sweettosee1919 the newer style, magnesium springs are a lot more durable. I haven’t broken mine after a almost year of riding. Performance wise I think they felt a tiny bit different then original style, standard spring type.

[@gavinyost7423]

Sick video🤙

[@kaiyuan-wang]

The Swelltech requires you to use it as if it were a surf board, rather than a skateboard.

[@ConreteOceanz]

good vid brother 🤙

[@Jayeadgbe]

After recently getting a Swelltech myself, it did feel a little sketchy at first, but quickly got used to it. If I just came off another surfskate, it takes a couple turns to get the feel back. You can't push hard equally through both feet while carving like on other designs, it likes your weight a bit more back foot. Surprisingly I've never had the jacknife issue I often hear about on the Swelltech, I actually had the opposite problem where I'd pump mid carve and my turn radius would suddenly increase a bit, making me almost fall to the inside. Again, weighting more back foot solved this. I can also lean it a lot harder than Steve shows in his video before hitting a "jacknife limit". I think maybe the truck only behaves like this stationary or at very low speeds, with too much weight up front? I do see how cracks/rocks could cause jacknifing though. Compared to my Yow and especially Slide I do find the Swelltech more interesting to ride, it requires more precise front-rear balance, and I can almost ignore the fact that I'm on wheels and picture the board throwing spray or snow when I carve hard vs the more "planted on four wheels" feeling of my other surfskates (which isn't a knock on them - just different). I also drilled new front truck holes on my SW Hybrid to bring the 21.5" wheelbase up to 23", seems I prefer the longer wheelbase with the SW system.

[@danielfirestone2086]

Speed seems to play a role in the Swelltech design. I ride mine on a hill everyday and feel like I can lean in to get on edge, allowing me to drive fast, big carving turns. If I was going slow, losing momentum or I was on flatland I might jackknife in that instance. I feel like I can't lean into turns as far or go as fast on my other surfskates.

[@coreymillia]

@@danielfirestone2086 What would you say about how steep the hill is you ride on? That is about all there is to ride out here. I went ahead and ordered a Swelltech tonight. Have not been riding surfskates for long but my favorite is the Yow, and decided to see what this feels like. The reason I was asking is just wondering how bad little rocks or cracks really are when carving downhill.

[@danielfirestone2086]

@@coreymillia I think the hill I typically ride is probably a 2-4% grade. Sometimes I ride 6-8% grades, but it's all about speed control on every turn in those instances. The Swelltech can be especially sensitive to rocks, but it's way worse at slower speeds. A lot of rocks will kick out at higher speeds. I if hit a rock while pushing up hill I'll get knocked off my board. I usually look for rocks and sticks on the way up the hill and push them off the street. I have a couple YOWs too, the SwellTech will be a nice complement, since the boards feel so different. I'll alternate between a YOW and Swelltech in the same session. Good luck! Once you get the hang of the Swelltech you'll love it!

[@robysurf]

Very interesting. It would be great to get same format video for other trucks like CX, Smoothstar or Slide

[@SurfskateLove]

I have one in the works for Carver. Here are my Smoothstar and Slide reviews: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJi1qYl4f5eenJo kzbin.info/www/bejne/joPbmImam7V2adU

[@fotobread]

Sw is my teacher. You will know if you are doing something wrong, also it tells you how to do it right. SW is my physiotherapist. It develops knee pain and back pain in the beginning. However it will cure your back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain in long term. If Sw revise the truck, I wish they bring the pair mounting holes a few mm narrower to match standard skateboard hole. Therefore, I only need to drill one extra hole (the front hole of the triangle) to mount it on a standard skateboard deck. Second, it will be great if Sw develops a more convenient and cheaper system for sending spring replacement to old customers. i live overseas If my old version spring breaks, it is a hazzle to find spring replacement. This is also the reason stopping me bought it 3 years ago, but bought it only after trying all other surfskate brands in the market.

[@danielfirestone2086]

The newer Magnesium SwellTech Springs are way more durable than the older standard springs. I've had a set of them on my Blackout for almost a year now and they haven't broken.

[@marcolistorti333]

Is there any way to get the trucks stiffer?

[@ramshaka]

It's the proprietary nature of the SwellTech, and some other systems, that immediately let me know they're not for me. All the boards/trucks, that I've ever owned have required some major/minor modifications to work well. So to me, ease of adjustment/modification, is a major selling point. Having said that, I'd love to find a shop that carries one to play on it for a hot second. But all my trucks have seen two or three boards, in their lifespan, and making that require extra modification, and time simply means it'd likely just sit on a shelf, unless it was super amazing.

[@danielfirestone2086]

SwellTechs are really funky feeling at first, so you won't get a good read on them for riding them 5 minutes. I had been riding Carver boards for a couple years before trying a SwellTech. There was a learning curve. I wouldn't say they're super amazing, but for faster downhill and balancing practice they're really fun.

[@Leo_Keys]

Will you be doing a grasp trucks review?

[@fotobread]

2nd

[@SurfskateLove]

Yep!

[@BacklogBoogie]

Guess my previous comment violated some guideline that it was deleted. Coincidentally I’ve been eyeing the SwellTech site with the San O’ Hybrid in my cart, along with some ocean colored wheels. The thing holding me back is that I already have that Italo Pro Tube & the specs are so similar. Looking for a promo code to make me pull the trigger. Otherwise, the alternative would be a Yow Waikiki. Back on topic, I love my SwellTech. As a beginner I learned it pretty quick, though I did have practice on a C7 before hand.

[@SurfskateLove]

Not sure what happened to your first comment. I didn't see anything from you before this one.

[@frankyzhang8037]

Hey do you know why the brand new swell tech board has rear truck noise?

[@SurfskateLove]

No idea. I'd just have to see it.

[@kamleshgurudasani9043]

Where does hamboards burst 32 inch fit?

[@SurfskateLove]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGO0f6l5ar6Il8k