Thanks for another amazing video Steve! No doubt you answered some major questions people had with this new wave of surfskates. I really appreciate the amazing details and thorough breakdowns of every aspect to consider with these completes and the different perspectives from such skilled riders. Cheers on another great contribution to the community :D
Thank you Steve, Laura, Gabe, & Joey for the excellent review. The time and expense to produce these reviews is much appreciated. It’s the little things that can make a big difference!
Nicely done Steve! Working on a similar comparison myself so it was interesting to get this perspective and the really detailed breakdowns. Now I know I can just skip a lot of the technical details and refer them here!
Your English is very tidy and works well with automatic translation. There are still few detailed comparison videos of surf skating in my language, so your videos always help me! Thank you!
TY Steve... It's clear to see how much work you're putting into these videos, and that you're really paying close attention to feedback/concerns from fellow skaters, commenters, and companies. It's a hell of a juggling act, and you're getting better at it all the time. Just want you to know it's appreciated.
@@SurfskateLove Happy to help, pal. It´s really easy to overlook this, YOW should advertise this topic better. Thanks for your work btw., your videos were huge help in my surfskate beginnings 🤙
I can only say one thing, go for the C5, reverse the kingpin, play with the bushings and the most important thing not mentioned here are, add a risers and you have a CX with a narrower hanger. I’m a surfer and use the C5 for when the waves are flat. I can drop in a bowl with confidence and I can keep the pump momentum meaning much faster and a longer run. It’s stable and rides low no risers. Besides decks are always kind of crappy when you buy a complete. actually one board that I can highly recommend is the Ditch Life from Landyachtz. I bought the Decathlon Yamba 900 it’s similar, it has one of deepest concave of any board on the market. Perfect tail and nose, in this case perfect deck. I gave away the trucks to some kids in the park. I have spent thousands on trucks and decks. My soulboardiy is getting dusty, yes the Yambaa deck is that good and you can lengthen the wheelbase a little with a drill set kit to 15.5 inch wheelbase.
What benefit you get of that narrow hanger? And what size of wheels can you get on rhe c5 with normal risers, does wheelbite happen on leans? I am planning on getting an old deck franki hill and buying c5 and rat bones wheels 65 90a. Thanks for advice
@rawlinsdiaz the C5 is more like a traditional truck, narrow hanger fits narrow decks. No risers 60-62 mm, I haven’t had any problems with wheelbite, 65 mm haven’t tried, but I could imagine they would touch in a deep lean. The C5 are more suited for smaller wheels 56-60 mm. Why I’m using the C5 is basically that I like low riding and quick response turn pump in a bowl which is only thing I do and they are stable on the copping and you can reverse on them. There is a good video from Carver that shows what you can do with them. But all that said, the C5 behave like an unstable TKP truck but loos and fun, much tighter turn.
Really nicely done Steve. I am still contemplating getting stiffer system for bowl riding but I am even less convinced now that it will work for me. Thanks for review.
Wow!! Truly exceptional review. It's been a while since I viewed your content, and you just keep getting better. All aspiring youtubers should be required to study this video - except that if they know nothing about surfskates they would not be able to fully appreciate the thought and planning and care that went into it. I can assure you that the surfskate community appreciates it! Thank you!!
Bro, your categorization is soo on point! You nailed this! Coming from traditional street skating, the carver c5 trucks offering an additional set of possibilities in surf-riding and traditional popsicle tricks! But ae the full scale surf skaters who tested my board didn't like ot very much because it's too 'unresponsive' for them. While for traditional street skaters, the c5 surf trucks are TOO responsive (too smooth/ too lose). So as a street skater you'd 'only' have to get used to the more lose trucks and then the three models you mentioned here will open up a whole new world to your street skate possibilities. The biggest fun factor for me is not needing to push anymore, if I don't want to. Just move your upper body and on flat grounds your board will go 'forever' without much effort...
Most informative and entertaining surfskate love review for me yet. Although I would like to hear more about SolRide "Nevers" hardware. Perhaps as surfskate love video on surfskate appropriate hardware ,bearings, grip tape.
Thanks for this video! It looks to me like the metal to metal range of motion with the Carver C5 leaves the wheels (stock 58mm?) far away from the deck with no chance for wheelbite. It sure looks like one could take out one riser and be totally fine. This would lower the board, of course. Am I seeing this wrong?
Great review as allways..really love watching these comparison videos and attention to detail you do. I am just not sure about pump ability and hanger width.I tested waterborne adapter with a 180,150,130 and 105 bear trucks and actually i find the narrowest bear 105 trucks the most fun and versatile and i didnt really noticed they pump substantially less eficiently than the wider trucks.Also i think most ldp setups have narrow hangers ..on the other hand might be apples and oranges:)
Just to add on: Solride is more turn than lean, and with the turn limiter that was shown, it can be the lowest in height. However, once you remove the turn limiter, you have to increase the height, and it will be the same or more than the C5. Also, if you change the front bushing of the Solride, you have to change the bushing on the back; if not the experience will not be very nice. I would say to ride Solride, skater to have a bit more technical knowledge on board setup. Yow leggase really depends on the width of the trucks; it has more lean than c5 and Solride, but forward momentum performance is not the best. overall it feels like an Indy truck (stage 11 or 4) that is adjusted for surf skate. With C5, I think it is the in-between of all, with proper setup of bushing it will lean like a CX, and with an invented kingpin, you can grind it.
Which is the "most surfy"? I got the Solride recently, have it on a Loaded Ballona deck with 60mm OJ Super Juice. Used the softest bushing with no brake limiter & liked how it flows, can't compare to my CX for sure but it is sweet. Would the YOW Legasee be better in terms of "surfy feel"? I do not have a YOW in my quiver, kinda expensive here in Toronto, Meraki trucks alone are $225CAD plus tax, a complete YOW Surf Cruiser is $199CAD plus tax. I surfskate for surf training, no tricks or grinds. Is the Legasee worth it?
@@microchannel Good question... I am not sure about yow legasee, because I only tried their shortest truck. Which mean the board length is 29 inch. So it feels very restrictive for surf type of move. I think the best bet is with what Steve mentioned... Which is swelltech and smoothstar.
@@marcusng8246 Thanks for the input, which YOW surf cruiser did you try? I'm thinking of getting the Bliss or La Costa. Correct me if I'm wrong, are you saying the Legasee is better than the Solride in terms of "flow & surfy feels"? Not interested in Swelltech or Smoothstar, prefer bushing based trucks. I'm happy with Waterborne as far as swing arm systems plus I got a C7 also.
@@microchannel it really depends on what you looking for... I tried YOW PERSIA 29.5" CRUISER. It was too narrow and it squeaked a lot. Maybe Bliss is better but I had never tried that before.However,it has more lean than solride and might be more comparable to your current setup that you have mentioned.
I was looking for a cruiser because the streets in my city are not in the best condition. I would love to be able to commute, shop and also ride for fun but I am very tempted by the option of surf skating I have never done it before but it sounds like a nice alternative to the constant pushing. In my country, boards from Carver or generally used for surf skating, even the cheaper ones are quite a big expense. A board from yow surf cruiser vermont doesn't cost that much and I'm considering this option. Should I buy or save more for something else or more specific?
One day I'll ride with you guys love watching your channel. Thanks for the valuable info ,I've used your site to size myself and bought a YOW Arica 33 , Carver CX J.O.B. 31 and a set of Slide Surfskate trucks . QUESTION: have you ever tried to DIY wheelbase options on your decks? I was thinking about adding holes to my decks to add wheelbase options. I am thinking about using the additional hole on the riser pads , by off setting the pad using the two holes that are close together, then drilling them out. Going to use a bunk board to test out first. Thanks again man. Cheers!
I have a Carver C7 and the Smooth Star, which i love for surfskating and i've been using them in the bowls/parks. But i'd love to get into some more flexible approach (grinds/50-50 etc on the ramps) at the parks and I was wondering if one of these boards are the answer, or I should keep practicing on what I have and i'll eventually get there.
More on the fish pescadito and mini Fisk thing when u Hav time bro !? I d Hamboards on pump and bowl bro if possible purely because I keep looking for ham boards being used in the bowl or in the park and I cannot find any decent videos on it. If you don’t particularly enjoy riding any of them perhaps you could do a similar thing with the boys??? Many thanks mate, you’re a legend keep it up🎉🙏
I asked the same question on Mark the Landlocked Surfer love. Apologies for the double posting but I'd appreciate both opinions. Steve, I ride "normal" skateboard & surfskates. The flat board is very limiting and I guess I am after a hybrid board. However I can't find a board with concave & nose/tail with say a 17" wheelbase. Closest I can find is an old school skateboard with 15" wheelbase. Any suggestions? BTW: I live in Australia which may make finding a hybrid board even harder. Love the channel.
@@SurfskateLove By hybrid I simply mean a deck with concave and a nose & tail. Not a flat surfskate deck. Also which seems to be lacking in the Carver C5, Solride, YOW Legasee is a decent wheelbase for pumping. Many thanks.
You didn’t mention whether or not the brake insert was in place during testing of the Solride. That was the “little square metal piece” above the bushing. It’s optional. That really limits the carving ability and turning radius. So really wouldn’t be a fair comparison on the surf side since with the insert, the board is essentially a traditional skateboard IMO. Plus, you have to add substantial risers to account for the turning radius depending on wheel size. With that said, you get a much more versatile skate with those options. Also, if add you offset wheels such as Seismic Hotspots, the width increases to about 9” and is more like a standard surfskate. I think this is where the Solride is more comparable to a CX with Carver Roundhouse wheels. Seems like maybe you were comparing the completes as is but if your going to add third party bushings like you showed for the other 2 (which I’m sure is no coincidence that you sell haha), it’s only fair to include the other option available for the Solride with and without brake insert. It makes a big difference
Good points. I'll do a follow-up breaking down the Solride in more detail. But even with risers and 70mm wheels, for me the narrow hanger makes it feel substantially different than the CX, or any other surfskate truck.
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Thanks for another amazing video Steve! No doubt you answered some major questions people had with this new wave of surfskates. I really appreciate the amazing details and thorough breakdowns of every aspect to consider with these completes and the different perspectives from such skilled riders. Cheers on another great contribution to the community :D
Thank you Steve, Laura, Gabe, & Joey for the excellent review. The time and expense to produce these reviews is much appreciated. It’s the little things that can make a big difference!
Nicely done Steve! Working on a similar comparison myself so it was interesting to get this perspective and the really detailed breakdowns. Now I know I can just skip a lot of the technical details and refer them here!
Your English is very tidy and works well with automatic translation. There are still few detailed comparison videos of surf skating in my language, so your videos always help me! Thank you!
TY Steve... It's clear to see how much work you're putting into these videos, and that you're really paying close attention to feedback/concerns from fellow skaters, commenters, and companies.
It's a hell of a juggling act, and you're getting better at it all the time. Just want you to know it's appreciated.
Nice video, Steve. There is just one thing you missed. Yow legasee is actually available in three different width options. 129 mm, 139 mm and 149 mm.
Wow, you're right, I had no idea. Thanks for letting me know. The one I tested has the widest hanger though.
@@SurfskateLove Happy to help, pal. It´s really easy to overlook this, YOW should advertise this topic better. Thanks for your work btw., your videos were huge help in my surfskate beginnings 🤙
I can only say one thing, go for the C5, reverse the kingpin, play with the bushings and the most important thing not mentioned here are, add a risers and you have a CX with a narrower hanger. I’m a surfer and use the C5 for when the waves are flat. I can drop in a bowl with confidence and I can keep the pump momentum meaning much faster and a longer run. It’s stable and rides low no risers. Besides decks are always kind of crappy when you buy a complete. actually one board that I can highly recommend is the Ditch Life from Landyachtz. I bought the Decathlon Yamba 900 it’s similar, it has one of deepest concave of any board on the market. Perfect tail and nose, in this case perfect deck. I gave away the trucks to some kids in the park. I have spent thousands on trucks and decks. My soulboardiy is getting dusty, yes the Yambaa deck is that good and you can lengthen the wheelbase a little with a drill set kit to 15.5 inch wheelbase.
What benefit you get of that narrow hanger? And what size of wheels can you get on rhe c5 with normal risers, does wheelbite happen on leans? I am planning on getting an old deck franki hill and buying c5 and rat bones wheels 65 90a. Thanks for advice
@rawlinsdiaz the C5 is more like a traditional truck, narrow hanger fits narrow decks. No risers 60-62 mm, I haven’t had any problems with wheelbite, 65 mm haven’t tried, but I could imagine they would touch in a deep lean. The C5 are more suited for smaller wheels 56-60 mm. Why I’m using the C5 is basically that I like low riding and quick response turn pump in a bowl which is only thing I do and they are stable on the copping and you can reverse on them. There is a good video from Carver that shows what you can do with them. But all that said, the C5 behave like an unstable TKP truck but loos and fun, much tighter turn.
This video is really good, logical and comprehensive
Really nicely done Steve. I am still contemplating getting stiffer system for bowl riding but I am even less convinced now that it will work for me. Thanks for review.
What did you go for eventually?
Wow!! Truly exceptional review. It's been a while since I viewed your content, and you just keep getting better. All aspiring youtubers should be required to study this video - except that if they know nothing about surfskates they would not be able to fully appreciate the thought and planning and care that went into it. I can assure you that the surfskate community appreciates it! Thank you!!
Love your content Steve, keep doing what you're doing. So many choices in the market but this is super informative.
Appreciate these very thorough reviews. Thanks Steve and team.
Bro, your categorization is soo on point! You nailed this! Coming from traditional street skating, the carver c5 trucks offering an additional set of possibilities in surf-riding and traditional popsicle tricks! But ae the full scale surf skaters who tested my board didn't like ot very much because it's too 'unresponsive' for them. While for traditional street skaters, the c5 surf trucks are TOO responsive (too smooth/ too lose). So as a street skater you'd 'only' have to get used to the more lose trucks and then the three models you mentioned here will open up a whole new world to your street skate possibilities. The biggest fun factor for me is not needing to push anymore, if I don't want to. Just move your upper body and on flat grounds your board will go 'forever' without much effort...
Most informative and entertaining surfskate love review for me yet.
Although I would like to hear more about SolRide "Nevers" hardware. Perhaps as surfskate love video on surfskate appropriate hardware ,bearings, grip tape.
Great video! Please make more videos of you riding around the place, like the one where you ride around a college. ❤
Thanks for this video!
It looks to me like the metal to metal range of motion with the Carver C5 leaves the wheels (stock 58mm?) far away from the deck with no chance for wheelbite.
It sure looks like one could take out one riser and be totally fine. This would lower the board, of course.
Am I seeing this wrong?
Great review as allways..really love watching these comparison videos and attention to detail you do. I am just not sure about pump ability and hanger width.I tested waterborne adapter with a 180,150,130 and 105 bear trucks and actually i find the narrowest bear 105 trucks the most fun and versatile and i didnt really noticed they pump substantially less eficiently than the wider trucks.Also i think most ldp setups have narrow hangers ..on the other hand might be apples and oranges:)
Great stuff, thanks for providing such a detailed comparison!
Just to add on: Solride is more turn than lean, and with the turn limiter that was shown, it can be the lowest in height. However, once you remove the turn limiter, you have to increase the height, and it will be the same or more than the C5. Also, if you change the front bushing of the Solride, you have to change the bushing on the back; if not the experience will not be very nice. I would say to ride Solride, skater to have a bit more technical knowledge on board setup.
Yow leggase really depends on the width of the trucks; it has more lean than c5 and Solride, but forward momentum performance is not the best. overall it feels like an Indy truck (stage 11 or 4) that is adjusted for surf skate.
With C5, I think it is the in-between of all, with proper setup of bushing it will lean like a CX, and with an invented kingpin, you can grind it.
Which is the "most surfy"? I got the Solride recently, have it on a Loaded Ballona deck with 60mm OJ Super Juice. Used the softest bushing with no brake limiter & liked how it flows, can't compare to my CX for sure but it is sweet. Would the YOW Legasee be better in terms of "surfy feel"? I do not have a YOW in my quiver, kinda expensive here in Toronto, Meraki trucks alone are $225CAD plus tax, a complete YOW Surf Cruiser is $199CAD plus tax. I surfskate for surf training, no tricks or grinds. Is the Legasee worth it?
@@microchannel Good question... I am not sure about yow legasee, because I only tried their shortest truck. Which mean the board length is 29 inch. So it feels very restrictive for surf type of move.
I think the best bet is with what Steve mentioned... Which is swelltech and smoothstar.
@@marcusng8246 Thanks for the input, which YOW surf cruiser did you try? I'm thinking of getting the Bliss or La Costa. Correct me if I'm wrong, are you saying the Legasee is better than the Solride in terms of "flow & surfy feels"? Not interested in Swelltech or Smoothstar, prefer bushing based trucks. I'm happy with Waterborne as far as swing arm systems plus I got a C7 also.
@@microchannel it really depends on what you looking for... I tried YOW PERSIA 29.5" CRUISER. It was too narrow and it squeaked a lot. Maybe Bliss is better but I had never tried that before.However,it has more lean than solride and might be more comparable to your current setup that you have mentioned.
@@microchannel Still waiting for a Carver to come out a C5 improved kingpin version :P
Thanks Steve. 2 riser pads on the c5? Is it really that prone to wheel bite?
I was looking for a cruiser because the streets in my city are not in the best condition. I would love to be able to commute, shop and also ride for fun but I am very tempted by the option of surf skating I have never done it before but it sounds like a nice alternative to the constant pushing. In my country, boards from Carver or generally used for surf skating, even the cheaper ones are quite a big expense. A board from yow surf cruiser vermont doesn't cost that much and I'm considering this option. Should I buy or save more for something else or more specific?
A YOW would work great, although maybe not the best for rough roads. But I don't know exactly what you're working with.
One day I'll ride with you guys love watching your channel. Thanks for the valuable info ,I've used your site to size myself and bought a YOW Arica 33 , Carver CX J.O.B. 31 and a set of Slide Surfskate trucks . QUESTION: have you ever tried to DIY wheelbase options on your decks? I was thinking about adding holes to my decks to add wheelbase options. I am thinking about using the additional hole on the riser pads , by off setting the pad using the two holes that are close together, then drilling them out. Going to use a bunk board to test out first. Thanks again man. Cheers!
I haven't tried that yet but I know a lot of people do. Should be fine. Have fun!
I have a Carver C7 and the Smooth Star, which i love for surfskating and i've been using them in the bowls/parks. But i'd love to get into some more flexible approach (grinds/50-50 etc on the ramps) at the parks and I was wondering if one of these boards are the answer, or I should keep practicing on what I have and i'll eventually get there.
It will be very difficult to do those things on a C7 or Smoothstar. These would definitely be better for that.
More on the fish pescadito and mini Fisk thing when u Hav time bro !?
I d Hamboards on pump and bowl bro if possible purely because I keep looking for ham boards being used in the bowl or in the park and I cannot find any decent videos on it. If you don’t particularly enjoy riding any of them perhaps you could do a similar thing with the boys???
Many thanks mate, you’re a legend keep it up🎉🙏
Thank you! I have a Hamboards review on the way. They would be horrible in the bowl. Unrideable. The trucks don't conform to transitions.
Steve my man love you work bro 😎
I asked the same question on Mark the Landlocked Surfer love. Apologies for the double posting but I'd appreciate both opinions. Steve, I ride "normal" skateboard & surfskates. The flat board is very limiting and I guess I am after a hybrid board. However I can't find a board with concave & nose/tail with say a 17" wheelbase. Closest I can find is an old school skateboard with 15" wheelbase. Any suggestions? BTW: I live in Australia which may make finding a hybrid board even harder. Love the channel.
And by hybrid, are you referring to one of these three (Carver C5, Solride, YOW Legasee)?
@@SurfskateLove By hybrid I simply mean a deck with concave and a nose & tail. Not a flat surfskate deck. Also which seems to be lacking in the Carver C5, Solride, YOW Legasee is a decent wheelbase for pumping. Many thanks.
Go check the Tiger Shark deck from Whitetail Skateboards. Super deep concave, has nose and tail kicker and was designed by and for surfskaters.
Hi! i have a newbie question: is the CX and CX4 are the same?
Hey there !! I have a cx and I really enjoy to snap in the skatepark. I’d like to know if I can do the same with the c5 ? Thanks !!
Yes, for sure.
You didn’t mention whether or not the brake insert was in place during testing of the Solride. That was the “little square metal piece” above the bushing. It’s optional. That really limits the carving ability and turning radius. So really wouldn’t be a fair comparison on the surf side since with the insert, the board is essentially a traditional skateboard IMO. Plus, you have to add substantial risers to account for the turning radius depending on wheel size. With that said, you get a much more versatile skate with those options. Also, if add you offset wheels such as Seismic Hotspots, the width increases to about 9” and is more like a standard surfskate. I think this is where the Solride is more comparable to a CX with Carver Roundhouse wheels. Seems like maybe you were comparing the completes as is but if your going to add third party bushings like you showed for the other 2 (which I’m sure is no coincidence that you sell haha), it’s only fair to include the other option available for the Solride with and without brake insert. It makes a big difference
Good points. I'll do a follow-up breaking down the Solride in more detail. But even with risers and 70mm wheels, for me the narrow hanger makes it feel substantially different than the CX, or any other surfskate truck.
Why the bearded skater said that the Yow is both is least favorite and the most favorite truck? 😅
Least favorite complete system, favorite truck.
How tall are you ?
6'2"