What are the Best Surfskates for Beginners?

[@codeshinja]

yes! this was the most helpful surfskate for beginners video i've seen. i come from a similar background of being a non-surfer with cruising/longboarding experience so this has been really helpful! i wanted to go with a yow initially but now i know the carver is really a great start for beginners. saving up soon for a CX truck system that i hope to pair with a Yow deck (Yow caught my attention first since I really liked their board designs!) Thanks for your help! 🤙

[@PauloBerni699]

I heard two Australian surf coach pros on YT discuss why the Carver CX series are more demanding of perfect technique when pumping but in the process mimic exactly the movement required and not foster bad habits that are non-transferable to surfing (for the surfers out there) and therefore are the best truck systems on the market. They train their students on Carvers. The next day is when I bought a Carver Resin CX.

[@PeterLarsenJr]

Great insight man! My Slide Surfskate is awesome. Bought it SOLELY in your reviews.

[@paulojorgecunha]

Carver Triton with the CX. You’ve nailed it! Fully agree. I’ve tried several surfskates, not as many as you though 😊 Love your work!

[@BlueberryisAngelic]

I dont think going to a skateshop to try the different boards is right,especially if you are a beginner,how can you figure out right away how to choose your board when you dont even.know how to ride it,and skateshops doesnt offer you all surfskates,its a waste of time,its better to watch videos like this which are very helpful and saves you time and effort,watch this video,decide,choose then that is the time to go to a skateshop or buy online

[@vrab.]

I can’t wait to get my carver. I ordered the hobo cx model on black friday for half off. I went with the cx by comparing what you looked like when riding and cruising each model. You make the cx look the most fun. Plus the cx models look like the easiest version to pick up for those who already surf and street skate. I got the surf skate to practice surf turns and/or to cruise to keep my ankle, knee, and hip joints loose and ready for a surf.

[@DoubleOverhead]

Very well done Steve! You've managed to explain a really difficult subject cristal clear. Looking forward to riding your wheels bro!

[@robertopellegrino7299]

Very good stuff, Steve..As usual! Hope to watch more videos by you specifically on Carver skates!

[@tidepodmusical4173]

I have a Yow, Hamboard and an Arbor with Carver trucks. The Arbor is the best for beginners in my opinion. Carver trucks are pretty stable but it’s still vastly different from a regular skateboard, so it’s stable but definitely loose enough to get that surfing feel. I love my little surfskate from Arbor. But I’m definitely trying to move onto the Yow. Practice makes perfect!

[@carlavale6953]

You can buy a new Carver Triton in Portugal for 220€. I did not buy it because I saw some reviews and apparently the wood from the board sucks... I bought a Firefly CX for 310€ which for Portuguese standards... It's VERY expensive 😩 But it's a great board, I love it!

[@yanaheinstein]

Tested the yow meraki. To me this truck maybe has the best marketing but it is not a Mercedes.after one week i went back to waterborne . More stable while riding, much much faster, feels more like surfing , not stiffy and mechanic like a yow.

[@gmkwheels]

Thanks for the video. This is very helpful

[@tulpa1940]

My Slide board basically fell apart where you said you saw cracks in yours right after buying it and I know at least 4 others on the surfskate subreddit who had the same thing happen. That said, I love the truck way more than my cx.

[@user-gs9yc7wx7z]

I started on a slide and I love it. The swivel plate system gives it a flowy feeling that i don't get from the CX. However, it is kinda one dimensional since it doesn't have that lateral lean that bushings give you. Time for an upgrade to a meraki or a c7 🤔

[@tulpa1940]

I know Steve doesn't like them, but I have Slide and cx and I highly recommend an Aquilo. They're cheaper than meraki and thruster, but you can pull out the bump stops and swap bushings.

[@SurfskateLove]

@@tulpa1940 The only thing I don’t like is the relatively low rail-to-rail lean, but it’s a great system for sure. Just a personal preference thing, not a criticism of Aquilo.

[@tulpa1940]

@@SurfskateLove no, I get it. Def if you get the chance, pull the rubber sticks out of the springs. That'll loosen it up like crazy. Thanks for making these videos!

[@yanaheinstein]

Slide trucks are much bettwr than yow meraki. If you really wanne learn propper plumping the slide will do the job. Yow meraki is allways kind of fake pumping. Don t waste yor money on a yow. They just have a very good marketing. But you will never have that light pumping of a slide or a waterborne. Even smoothstar is the bester option.

[@user-gs9yc7wx7z]

@@yanaheinstein what do you mean by fake pumping? I feel like the slide encourages fake pumping if anything because you can just wiggle your front foot. With a yow, you have to integrate your whole body to pump properly?

[@trishanamungal8566]

Great video thank you!! As a beginner would you say start with a shorter or longer wheelbase?

[@yvesheld]

Really Good Video 🙌

[@nateross14]

Have you tried the Meraki front trucks with Carver CX rear trucks on the rear? I just swapped the rear CX trucks onto my Meraki and it completely transformed the ride! Leans alot more now without lifting the rear wheels off the ground, turns sharper, and is so smooth and flowy. Acomplishes pretty much the same thing as the Waterborne rear rail adapter. I'm 6'3" and have found any shorter than a 22-23" wheelbase to be too small for me as I like a wide normal surf stance. This is the first Truck combo that I've tried that makes a 40" board with 23" wheelbase feel like a shorter nimble surfskate. So stoked with this setup!

[@nateross14]

I also tried the Meraki up front with a CX front truck in the rear, and it's pretty crazy! Turns insanely sharp, yet surprisingly very stable. It feels like the rear is sliding out when turning hard which takes some getting used to, but this is actually a very cool slow speed setup. It would be great for steep incline narrow sidewalk/pathway riding as you could easily side carve such a narrow pathway and keep speed slow. I've found it key to ride a new setup for a while before making an opinion because it will always feel alot different than what your used to and the hidden sweet capabilities often don't expose themselves until you get used to the new setup and spend some time playing on it. Definitely going to have one of these in the quiver. Next, going to try Two CX front trucks!

[@SurfskateLove]

I haven't, but I can see it. I've used the C2 with others and I know what you mean.

[@surfskatejd]

On the other hand, it is good to clarify that not everyone who surfs has a surfskate and not everyone who has a surfskate is a surfer. the first to create the surfskate was Carver and the reason was for those days when there are no waves. and then it is marketed and the boom of the surfskate appears. What I can recommend is to try the different brands and use the table of measurements and weight. So first try the different brands in a store and then decide that no brand is cheap and make a single expense. And remember: sometimes it's not the arrow but the Indian

[@SurfskateLove]

That advice is only true to a certain extent. There's a reason why performers in any discipline get more picky about the equipment they use as they progress.

[@SurfskateLove]

"not everyone who has a surfskate is a surfer" My multiple surveys involving a couple thousand people all over the world show that the surfskate market is currently about 64% non-surfer beginners. And that's who my channel is for. People like me. Non-surfer beginners just starting out and overwhelmed by all their options, and very few of them will ever have the chance to try out all these truck for themselves. In fact, no one would, unless they buy everything I have, because no shops carry all these.

[@surfskatejd]

Hello! Well we really couldn't say which Surfskate is perfect to start with. The most appropriate thing is to say that they go to a store and try the different models and with which they feel comfortable, that is it. on the other hand we have the table of measurements and weight which approximates you to what you should use. I started with Carver since it is the best known. then I was able to try Yow and in the end I stayed with Smoothstar. So I recommend you try the different brands in the stores and with the one that you feel good with, that would be it.

[@SurfskateLove]

Well, I don't ever say which surfskate is "perfect" for anyone to start with in any video I've ever made. In fact, I don't even believe there's such a thing as a "perfect" surfskate for any rider at any level. But you have to start somewhere. There are so many other variables other than measurements and weight that, when considered, I believe make it much easier to narrow down beginner options. Stability, ease of pumping, rail-to-rail lean, wheelbase offset, maintenance, price, riding purpose/application/style, etc. We can educate people on these options to help them make more educated decisions so they can save some money. Of course it would be ideal for everyone to try all these before purchasing. But the entire point of this video and my channel is that very few people will ever have the opportunity to do that. So people who will never have the opportunity to try this many surfskates need someplace to start. And the variables are so all over the board and clear cut that I believe it's much easier to make basic recommendations for beginners than you're suggesting. Just as one example, I would never recommend to any beginner that they start with: SwellTech: Way too unstable for beginners. Curfboard: I would never recommend that a beginner spend $380 on a sport they're just starting out in, when there are much cheaper options that will work just fine for them. Smoothstar: Same as Curfboard, very expensive for a starter board, especially for non-surfers. Waterborne & YOW: The deep rail-to-rail lean make them more unstable for beginners. You get my point. And I've already made all these points in the video. The entire reason I started my channel is because very few people will ever have the opportunity to do what you're suggesting. So that perspective simply doesn't make sense to me, and I don't think it's a helpful perspective at all for non-surfer beginners just starting out. I made the channel that I wish had existed when I first started out, because it would have been a huge help to me. It wouldn't have been helpful at all to me to read your perspective when I was starting out, because it's essentially worthless advice because I live in an area with no shops whatsoever. So all my research was of necessity purely online. And that is the vast majority of surfskate buyers out there (about 64% non-surfer beginners, according to my survey data).

[@SurfskateLove]

How many shops in the world have a good selection of different surfskate brands to try? I've never been in any shop that had more than three or four different brands. So I don't think that what you're suggesting people do is even possible in any shop anywhere in the world. Unless you want to limit them to the 1 to 4 brands they might find in a shop. But most people around the world won't find any surfskates at all in their local shops.

[@brucedunn2293]

It would be fantastic to have opportunity to try variety of surf skates at a shop. My experience at shops I’ve visited is that occasionally you might see a few Carvers as a sort of novelty product. I’ve never seen a Swelltech, Curfboard or Smoothstar in real life. I ordered YOW online (based on KZbin reviews) but haven’t seen YOW at any shops. It would be so cool to find a shop dedicated to surf skating with all brands available!

[@MadHatterColor]

Thank you for the great content! Just a question: do yo8u have any experience with Hydrophonic surfskates? I have seen a few of them at a local shop and the look promising, but being my first board, I really have no base to say if they just look cool or what

[@SurfskateLove]

Yes, they're great. I prefer Carver, but Hydroponic works very well.

[@MadHatterColor]

@@SurfskateLove Thank you!

[@Paloma-wl1ul]

I bought a hydroponic concrete surf 31,5" recently. Having a hard time pumping and maintaining the speed. 😢 idk if it is too long for my height or if it's my skills 😂

[@tulpa1940]

I'm interested in seeing your take on a kahuna creations shaka

[@Burtonluke84]

Thanks man 👍

[@alfredodelatorre2436]

Do you think Hydroponic trucks perform similar to Cx? Any difference? Here in Spain, Hydroponic is quite cheaper than Carver. Thanks, Steve!

[@SurfskateLove]

Yes, they do and they're great.

[@Paloma-wl1ul]

Here in korea is same. Yow and carver is expensive 😢

[@surfskatejd]

Well if we talk about improving and demanding the swelltech well being one of the best if you want to have that sensation of surfing on the asphalt and then the smoothstar. Carver started with the C7 and yow what he has done is use the name and brand of surfers to get more sales. be more commercial. I would recommend anyone who wants to start in this world of surfskate to take a height and weight test to find out what size surfskate suits them and then go to a store with qualified personnel and try the different brands. and choose which one you want. they might as well start at once with a Swelltech.

[@SurfskateLove]

Non-surfer beginners don't care about recreating the feel of surfing -- because we have no idea what it feels like. And I think it would be crazy to recommend that any beginner start on a SwellTech. Furthermore, you can't choose a surfskate based on height and weight. You have to choose it based on stance width as related to wheelbase, and you have to adjust the wheelbase measurements for each surfskate truck. I explain all this in detail in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpCpd3mhaNGgpsk Also, as I have already said multiple times, the vast majority of buyers will never have the opportunity to try different surfskates in a shop. And if they do, it will only be a handful of brands.

[@agenciaextremo9266]

hi Enviaste hi i'm 1,72 cm my range is 18 inches. i'm between triton 32 and 31 inches which one would suit me better...? Enviaste (I saw your formula)

[@SurfskateLove]

Probably the 32".

[@giannabarret9262]

No skateboard or surfskate lasts over a year no matter how " great" they seem! Thanks for the tips though I will start with a charger X and take it from there 😊

[@SurfskateLove]

Why do you say that? How many surfskates have you owned?

[@giannabarret9262]

A Sway and almost fractured my back had tons of bruises was traumatized! I'm saying I'll start with a less good one and see if it's really for me! Though I love cruising so yeah

[@guysirois9798]

Dans mon livre à moi, le meilleur achat de skateboard pour un débutant est une smoothstar qui a un ressort ajustable qui permet à un débutant de le resserrer afin d’améliorer la stabilité du surfskate et ainsi faciliter grandement l’apprentissage. Au fur et à mesure qu’il y a progression du rider on desserre le ressort afin de rendre la direction plus souple et découvrir tout le plaisir à faire des u turn serrés exactement comme sur une planche de surf. Grâce à ce truck ajustable, votre skateboard devient intéressant pour tout le monde que l’on soit débutant ou avancé. J’ai 66 ans , commencé le skateboard il y a 20 mois, et jamais j’aurais été capable de monter sur un surfskate sans avoir un ajustement sur le truck avant pour stabiliser mon skateboard. Je considère avoir perdu 50 ans de ma vie pour ne pas avoir débuter le skateboard en bas âges. Fini pour moi d’attendre la belle neige pour le snowboard, le vent pour le Windsurf, maintenant j’ai juste besoin d’une surface sèche pour pratiquer mes sports de glisse. Guy sirois Quebec Canada

[@shahyrostom5176]

Which skate board brands do you prefer

[@SurfskateLove]

Carver, personally. But that's just me.

[@chrisz.9974]

Can a CX jackknife like a C7 or waterborne?

[@SurfskateLove]

Not really.

[@eBoard3R]

🤙🏼🤙🏼

[@Stylishtoni]

Hats off to the man who’s always been helpful to the surfskate community! He shares valuable information as to guide those who don’t have two pennies to rub off together to buy surfskates and later on find out that it’s not much to their liking and riding style. 🙏🛹❤️