Nord Boards
Archive for the ‘Longboards’ Category
The pinnacle of relaxation.
For some, this is kicking back with a cup of their favorite hot drink, watching a show. For some, this is a hike through the woods and getting a breath of fresh air. For many others and I though, this is throwing on some cruising wheels and hitting that almost automatic pushing and coasting, or blazing down a hill with the wind in our hair without a care except the position of your feet and the road ahead of you. The best part? You can pick it up and head out at anytime, with harsh weather being the only thing hindering you, and in some situations probably not even that. If the world ever has you down and out, whip out the old plank and push your troubles away, go somewhere new, a friends, or just enjoy the ride. A board is more than just a piece of wood it’s a piece of wood that will take you wherever your legs have the will to push to, and let your mind wander wherever it feels.
Many boards have a niche that it fills and most think, that if they have a board they need to be out learning tricks and have to somehow impress people or their board is just a waste. Just enjoy yourself! Sometimes life is stressful and depressing, but if it’s nice outside, and you still have to carry out your day, why stay cooped up in a car? Or have to ride on a dull and somber public bus. Let loose on a board and just let your cares go as easy as the road coming at you. If this is how you feel being a board should be then check out some of our quality cruising and freeriding longboard skateboards and simply forget about tricks and the mindset to impress, and just get in some comfortable clothing, and relax and if you have someplace you need to be fitted for, then carry your clothes in a backpack or seperate bag. There’s not always time for a hot drink and movie, but for some reason there’s always a need to have to move from one place to another and carry out the day, so escape those troubles even if it’s only in the time it takes to get from place to place.
The perks of riding.
Well, aside from the cliche “It’s cheaper than a car” argument, there are a lot of other positive reasons that riding a longboard beat most other modes of transportation. For one, although longboards use wood, most companies keep a reserved space so that their products don’t contribute to deforestation at least too much. Even if this kind of thing bothers you Longboarding companies have been trying their hardest to keep things “green” by making bamboo lines, and if you’re not aware bamboo is actually considered a weed, as it grows in large patches and can shoot up about 2 feet in a weeks time. Not only are bamboo boards better environmentally but you’re not giving up quality if you purchase one either, bamboo is extremely sturdy, and is even used to support large buildings and even used to make furniture- basically if it can be made from wood it can be replicated with bamboo and be just as durable, the only real difference is the look.
Also, you can spend 100$ on a longboard decent enough to take you anywhere within a 30 minute walking distance and unless you’re super rough on it and ride it through dirt and water then you shouldn’t even have to maintenance it for months on end. With health being a huge concern lately, if you’re looking for exercise, getting out and pushing some wood is always a nice alternative to hardcore cardio workouts or walking around aimlessly for an hour, if you have to go somewhere just hop on your longboard and do what you’re going to do. A 30 minute longboard ride is about the equivalent of an hour long walk and will get you somewhere in half the time it would walking. If you’re just looking to go to a store or head down a couple of blocks to hang out with a friend then why waste the gas? Get a little fresh air and let loose, it doesn’t have to be a “workout” or a “chore” one of the biggest perks at least in my opinion along with all of these things is that it’s relaxing! When you’re driving, there’s so many rules and you have to pay so much attention, just pop in some headphones and hop on your longboard and kickback as you roll to wherever you’re going with virtually no effort. If you’re interested in hopping on a board, then be sure to check out our huge selection at Nordboards.com we have tons of boards, both wood and bamboo to choose from and whether you’re new or you’ve been riding for awhile and are interested in getting a bamboo then just leave a comment and I’ll be sure to answer any questions you might have.
Watch and learn
Although I too am guilty of sitting around while all of the pros are out tearing it up and just soaking in all of their glory, there’s no reason to sit around unless you’re actually tired, hop off the ledge you’ve been sitting on and get to tearing it up yourself. If you’ve invested money into a board, if you’ve bought the board then you’ve more than paid for time to be using anything ANYONE is using in the park, and if you’re self conscious of your riding and what others think of you when you are, don’t. Chances are they’re all looking at you hoping to see a future rider that will be tearing it up along with them. Also, if they’re not busy maybe stop them for a second and ask if there’s any advice you can take from them, obviously they’re good for a reason, and most people who skate are willing to lend a hand to any new riders asking for help.
No offense to anyone that does this, as I said earlier I’ve been guilty of it myself, but if you’re just going out to watch, why not just sit inside and look up videos or watch TV and see People just do absurd and unreal tricks? The awesome thing about riding longboards, is there’s no team, there’s no coach, it’s all about doing things when you want and taking pleasure from it as you want, who’s to tell you that you can’t do ANYTHING on a board, if you can only ride a halfpipe with a longboard, why not? If riding around on a longboard while barbecuing is your thing why not set up a grill and just chill down the street? There’s no limit as to what you can do with your board and finding out how you enjoy using it is what should be focused on, If you enjoy flip tricks, and grinds then by all means, DO IT. Just don’t be the wallflower of the party and kick back while everyone’s finding out how to enjoy their time riding. Get up and Shred!
That question.
Every so often there’s that kid, and you may know this kid too. Then there’s the question that the kid asks…”What’s the best board?”. Unfortunately there is no end all of boards, now sure, A Sector 9 or a loaded are going to be better than say a generic 100$ board, or something you can buy at big 5, sure. But that’s not to say that even those boards are horrible, everyone has to start somewhere and if you don’t feel comitting 250$ to something you’re not even sure you’re going to like or not then why not go the inexpensive way and get one? Not only that but starting out with a board like that makes you truly appreciate the board that you not only took the time to wait for, but you get a better of sense of what you’re looking for in a board and will enjoy that 250$ board that you were going to buy even more.
The problem with skaters when they first start out is they want to be EXACTLY like the pros from the start. What most don’t realize is they started somewhere too. Just like the tricks, the boards should be built into, and be slowly upgraded as you improve. However, at the same time starting out with a board that can’t even get you down your block can be discouraging. In my opinion though skating is much more enjoyable when you work up from that 50-100$ board and turn it into something you love, and I honestly believe that not having that first board really takes away from the experience. If you’re having trouble finding such a board, take a look at our Longboard Skateboards there’s a huge selection of boards under 100$ and if you’re just startingor you’re having any trouble finding that first board just leave a comment and I’ll reply to it as soon as I can so we can get you on board as soon as possible.
One…tool to rule them all
Ever had that moment where a wheel has come loose so you have to wait until you’re home and search through a toolbox for a wrench? Or maybe you’ve been racing around town for a month or two and a nut came a little loose and you just want to fix that incessant rattling, but you don’t have a screwdriver handy. What a pain! But fret not, here at Nordboards we have this little black all in 1 T-shaped tool that’ll fit right in your pocket and on every twistable piece of your board. Trust me, you don’t want be the guy that breaks down in the middle of wherever you’re going and either have to walk to your next destination or go all the way back home to fix it.
With every Longboard purchase there’s an option to get one of these magical wonders, and if you don’t already own one then please don’t miss out on buying one of these magical boardfixing wonders. I’ve noticed after being down at the skatepark for a couple of months that most people neglect ever getting one of these and will be walking around the park asking everyone if they have a skatetool handy. So, not only will you not be left out in the dust with no tools but more than likely you’ll be the run to guy of any board breakdown.
The Loaded Dancer
The Dancer was created with cross stepping, carving, and board dancing in mind. It was designed by the infamous Adam Colton, who if you haven’t already seen on youtube is a complete monster on a longboard, and he made it specifically for his complex cross stepping routines. Although it can be used simply for cruising, it can be a bit tedious to carry around town if you’re going to be walking about. However, The board was also made with a kicktail and nose for seemingly effortless shuv its, manuals, and g-turns. If you plan on taking on the sport of longboarding and want to immerse yourself into the world of cross stepping, sliding, and complex turns then look no further, this board is definitely for you.
The Loaded Dancercomes with Randall 180 mm trucks, BON 65mm wheels, and rush abec 5 bearings. All of these are great for beginners and still perform well if you’ve been skating for awhile; however, if you’re not strapped for cash then I suggest getting Adam Coltons signature paris trucks with this. As far as wheels go there’s a HUGE selection to choose from but I would recommend a higher durometer abec 11 wheel if you plan on sliding and a lower one if you want a easier time pulling off cross steps and want to dance around on your board freely with no fear of slip-outs. As always, if you have the extra cash you can never go wrong with Bones reds bearings and even moreso with Bones Swiss. If there are any other questions you might have on the dancer then please leave a comment below.
Landyachtz Evo
This board was designed by a world champion racer with racing in mind. The Evo is the Mach 5 of boards, it’s unique 2″ dropped deck is what us boarders would refer to as “saucy”. It keeps your feet locked in place and sets you lower to the ground than any drop through mounted truck will get you giving you the ultimate stability, and feel for turns and competes with the best of boards as far as speed goes. This board has been seen in more racing competitions than any other longboard for the past 3-4 years.
The Landyachtz Evo while being a prime racing board is perfect even for beginners looking for a good coasting/cruising board and is actually a bit cheaper than most freestyle and racing boards. The Evo comes with 180mm Randalls, 65mm BON wheels, and abec 5 bearings. While all of these are great if you’re not strapped for cash then I suggest getting gullwing chargers, a larger wheel, such as Orangatangs or abec 11′s and Bones reds or Bones Swiss bearings which are MY all time favorite and highest performing bearing we have.
The little things in life
Those hilarious conversations with friends, fishing with a grandparent, dollar tacos at your favorite Mexican restaurant, or heading down that road you don’t normally go down to get to your house even though it’s longer just to hit up that ever so relaxing hill. It’s these little things that make life…how do I even say it? Not boring. For me, all of these little things and the times I cherish happen simply because of my longboard. Not only does my longboard get me from my house to school, to a friends, and out to lunch, then to the movies, etc. It’s more than just a mode of transportation. It’s a life tool, I use it as a workbench, lean it against a wall and sleep on it, even use it to carry groceries in a store instead of using a cart.
My point is, purchasing a board is more than just buying a piece of wood with 4 wheels on it. It’s like buying a car, it becomes your “baby” and once you become comfortable with it, trust me, you’ll find more ways to use it then I explained above. Inevitably you’ll want every upgrade imaginable for your board, and walking into a board shop will eventually become like being a kid walking into a candy shop, I even remember the first board I got was from Loaded Longboards which was the newest company out at the time. I’ve had the board for 2-3 years now and it has never once dissapointed me, in fact, the only thing I’ve ever had to replace on it are my wheels because I’ve slid them down to almost nothing. Even if you’ve never touched or dreamed of touching a board in your life, I suggest at least purchasing a simple one and learning how to at least ride it, because eventually riding it will be more than pushing, kicking, coasting. It becomes this automatic thing that comes as natural as learning to walk again. Riding my board has always been an escape from that tedious feeling of waiting for getting from place to place (I HATE long walks, and car rides) and makes it become become an adventure, and getting somewhere becomes as exciting as getting there (Or more exciting depending).
Loaded Tan Tien
The Loaded Tan Tien is perfect for those who are more experienced and are looking for something more technical and really want to get more into the sport. Even if you’re completely new to longboarding this board is amazing, it has a mild foot locking concave as well as having drop through truck mounts that give you more stability at higher speeds and a lower center of gravity for longer coasting and more speed. Also, since there’s less space between the ground and the board there’s less disruption from things such as gravel, dirt, and grass making this essentially a monster truck of sorts. I recommend to the Tan Tien to anyone, and especially for those who want to expand their boarding repertoire.
The Tan Tien comes with Randall 180mm Silver trucks which are a perfect all around truck, especially for beginners, however we have a huge selection for those looking for a more specialized truck. The Tan Tien also comes with B-O-N 65mm wheels (in your choice of color) and rush abec 5 bearings but if you have the money I would suggest purchasing 70-75mm Orangatangs and Bones Reds or even Bones Swiss especially if you’re someone who wants to just coast along doing as little work as possible.
Loaded Dervish
The Loaded Dervish is a board that’s definitely going to impress any hardcore downhill riders or anyone looking for something that’s smooth riding for those long treks to who knows where. The Dervish was designed with a lower center of gravity in mind for easier sliding, more speed and stability down hills, easier pushing, and even comes with a small nose and tail for shuv-its and manual. It’s Loaded’s number 1 rated board right now, and let me tell you, it shows.
The Loaded’s all come with multiple flex’s for people of different weight or for long time riders who know how much flex they want in their board. The recommended setup for the Dervish would be 10″ Gullwing Chargers, 75mm Orangutang Durian wheels (color of choice) and Bones swiss bearings. However if you’re a little strapped for cash I suggest getting Bones Reds instead of the Swiss. This board was one of the first from the Loaded line and has made the Loaded company what it is today, I recommend it to anyone looking for a durable, high performance board whether you’re new to longboarding or you’ve been on board for years.