Wide boards were the standard before popsicle decks. Even back in the mid nineties when i was 15, I couldn't skate a 7.5 board. It felt like I was on a balance beam. The question should be why were small decks in?
Smaller boards were for more tech n lighter boards like the smaller wheels..less hang up n the idea of more pop cause ur lower to the ground...as far as big decks are concerned..i can't skate anything over 8..even at 41 n to many yrs skating
you are either a taller person or a wider person then.(sorry no offense intended) I am 5' 8" 140lbs and 7.75 is the widest i can skate comfortably 7.5 is best for me and my style of skating. not all people are created equal in size man
I am 34 and 5ft 10 and I always rode a 7.75 from 2001 to 2003 when I stopped growing and onto 2007. I started snowboarding in 2004 and stopped skating, was thinking about getting a new setup. I only have my mates old worn out 7.5 deck and when I skate it it makes me very nervous, I am considering an 8.0 inch deck to use for a cruiser. I have a uk 9 10 us foot.
@@JayyBlaze216 I started skating at age 14 in 2004, all i rode for a while was 7.5. 7.75 was the biggest id get, eventually by 2008 i settled on 7.6 only....then i took a hiatius from skating for college and grad school. a few years ago when i went back to buy a board the smallest i found was 8. and i ewas shocked. Im slowly trying to get used to them, it does. feel better, but i still prefer 7.6 and even 7.75s
It’s because 20 years ago before skateparks were around everyone would skate as technical as possible on street ledges and rails. But now we have skateparks everywhere with big ramp and stairs where as now the skate spots are all skate stopped with security guarding every square inch of them.
I came back about about 3-4 years of not skating and could not find a 7.75 anywhere. I was blown away after dude told me almost no one makes them anymore.
went a 7.5 to an 8.1 haven't looked back in the slightest. Larger boards just seem like they have more pop nowadays and lighter components definitely help
Allen head hardware is a MUST! Also wide decks are good as you get older. I'm 40 always rode 7.75 inch decks. But now I'm rocking 8.3 or 8.5. They actually flip a little slower and are easier to control.
I have huge feet for a girl, and I tried riding an 8" but it just felt unnatural to me. I thought I needed to go smaller at first lol, but I went into my local skate shop and the guy who runs it handed me an 8.6" deck and said "trust me" and I've never skated better
Don't feel like size of your feet matters, im size 12 yet I skate an 8.0, I used to skate 8.25's but I wanted to get more technical and I haven't looked back
I work in a manufacturing plant that uses a lot of nuts & bolts and they are sold in different grades and materials. Bolts usually come in steel but they can come in stainless steel as well. Bolts are given a grade, grade 8 is a better grade because it has been heat treated. Heat treating hardens the bolt allowing it to not strip as fast in the head and it keeps the threaded part from bending or stripping out as well. As for wider boards I believe that decks have gotten wider because people are skating parks now, in the 90’s it was all street, little boards and little wheels. You cannot take a 7.5 with 50mm wheels into a park and survive so from my point of view the 8.0-8.5 decks you are seeing now meet the demand of the all-terrain skaters that are ruling the industry today. Also the wider the deck the harder it is to snap (small % but still stronger)
Nothing better than a 9.5. But then again, I've been riding since 87 so I can't find comfort on a popsicle stick deck. For some it might be a fad, but I think it's more like many old school rippers are going back to their roots in skateboarding. ..
Nah dude. If it's your thing and you're from that generation, that is really cool. But most of the time it ist that new school hipster generation that goes for the wide boards nowadays.
Clearly you misinterpreted my comment or didn't bother to read it carefully. I just stated that A LOT of people change to wide decks just because it's trendy now.
I'm from europe, things might be different here. It also depends on your definition of a wide board. Here it is basically impossible to find a deck that is less than 8 inches wide in a skate shop, which was considered a wide deck some years ago. I'm just not a trendy person, I'll stick with what I feel comfortable with.
I went from 8.0 to 9.0, best move I ever made! I skated a bro's 7.75 the other day and it felt like a Penny board in comparison! thinner boards flip easier, which was why they became narrower.
I have 1" allen hardware, so that they don't strip, and if they loosen I will notice instead of loosing them. Short ones that are flush when on will just fall off as soon as they get loose.
Back in the early-mid 2000's there were these weird bolts that were knurled on top with a sort of gear shaped pattern that dug into the wood. I don't remember the brand, but I'm still riding them like 15 years later. They NEVER come loose and all you need is a bottom wrench to sink them in when setting up a new deck. They're black with one silver, and I love them. I used to bend and break Shorty's hardware pretty often on crooked grinds, but these bolts have handled many, many years of slappie sessions without a failure. You have to use your truck to hammer them out of your old deck, which is a slight inconvenience I guess.
8.5 was always my favorite size. When the average board size dropped down to 7.5-7.75 I bought Beer City blanks in 8.38-8.5 for years until the industry returned to normal.
Don't discount the effect of nostalgic dudes that skated in the 80s now buying wide boards. We're not a highly visible group but there are a lot of us.
@@borisbecker6433 Nata's was my hero 😂 He does have his own site with some boards but nothing like what Mike Vallely is doing. I am considering getting one of Mikes boards the heart in fist design looks freaking sweet. I'm 46 and haven't skated since 2000 but my years were 85-95 so I got used to the kicked nose but 7.5 is just silly .
I ride a 10” Powell ray barbee ... don’t forget the older guys that are getting back into skating like the wider decks especially when they start up again .. I’m 57 and have tried all sizes big feet and steady platform were my reasons !
I work at a skate shop and it’s funny how many guys will still come in looking for for a 7.5. I know companies like polar and magenta make smaller sized boards. Even if boards do get small again, I don’t think bigger or shaped boards will completely disappear. With people doing all types of skating and being inspired by different things, I feel like every kind of board will still be made regardless of trend.
As a heavy dude with moderate to bigger feet, 8.5 decks are a lot much more durable for me and I do enjoy the gain in stability and having slightly more room to catch the board. My skating drastically improved as I moved up from 7.75 and slowly worked my way up, 8.375 - 8.5 seems to be my best fit.
I do all my skating on a 10in. deck. An old Caballero deck. No concave. I don't do tech (or nosegrinds/slides) for obvious reasons. I like the stability and the slow speed it flips at. Also, I wear a size 14 shoe, so anything under 8.5 inches feels like a damn 2x4.
Would you recommend a old school deck for a beginner? I got into skating a few years ago but for some reason it just didn’t feel right too me. I want something that gives be stability and still do some tricks. Also I live in a place where the ground is so crap it’s like sandpaper and only 1 decent park.
I started out riding 7.75’s back in 2001. Now years later, after growing and whatnot I ride 8.5-8.75 boards. My cruiser boards are 9.25 or larger. I’m a big guy. 6’3 and around 250 pounds. I tend to ride skateparks. Larger boards are more stable for me.
yeah as a skate in the late 90s we rode 7.75 or 7.88. the board i still right is a 7.8 but its dead and ive been looking for a new deck and was a little shocked to see how big everything is these days. in 98 if you had a 8" wide deck that was huge.
Yeah, this was weirding me out when I went to buy a deck recently. I'm in my early 30's and quit skating in high school. I thought 8's were fat as shit and now I'm seeing that's on the thin side so I'm going to try an 8 or slightly above, but it'll probably look odd to me. Ah well, I'm old, fuck my life.
In the late 90s and early 00s especially on the east coast was all about skinny boards low trucks 50mm wheels.. I skated a lot of alien work shop and pretty most boards were 7.4 to 7.63
it's pretty much all about what style of skateboarding do you prefer. I remember my first normal (not some ugly cheap $35 complete) board was a 7.5 Think SB deck. Nowadays I skate 8.0 and I don't really see any point in trying bigger boards. To me it's hard to do stuff like fakie frontflips or inward heels on huge boards, it's just harder to flick. I don't skate big stairs or handrails though.
I skated from 1999 to around 2006 and always road 7.5 -7.63 and now i wanna get back into it with some old skate buddies and all they sell are these big land yacht decks. What happend??
Another reason I thought of: the techslide scene is growing fast here in Europe and therefore wide decks are much more stable and controllable during slides and spins.
For bolts: Buy the skate ones in the correct length! If not make sure to remove any sharp edges. Once cut my hand really really bad on a bolt due to sharp edge.
I was 7.5-7.88 forever. Then I bought an 8 and it's been a big difference,no pun intended. I absolutely have more fun on 8+ now. Plus I still have a complete 7.6 from 15+ years ago and I laugh at myself on ,why I was so biased.
Retro Gamer85 I'll never go above 8 again. I've tried it several times and the flick is too slow and the pop isn't as high. Maybe you like it but it's not for me
Retro Gamer85 ya, I ride usually 8, sometimes 7.75 or maybe even 8.1. I can be flexible but I tend to like smaller boards bc I mainly skate flat or rails.
I think wider decks just feel better, I started skating on a 7,5 and probably went through every available size up to 8,38 which is what I skate now. I know it's what everybody say "you have more control" but it's true. I also want my board to have some weight to it so you can really feel that it's there and not some flimsy 7,something. People often say that smaller boards are easier to flip when you wanna get tech and I can see what they mean but it doesn't really make a difference in my opinion, I almost do doubleflips and things like that easier now than before with the small boards.
I remember in the early 90's decks started getting ridiculously thin. I once had a 7" deck. I could double kick flip that in my sleep, but it would bend when I stood on it. It broke in less than a week.
Yeah,,I used to get 6.75 Powell blanks when I was in middle s school, you know what I’m talking about, back in the days when nobody skated, before tony hawks pro skater came out and all the posers rushed in
Pros used to skate 8”+ decks back in the day even though their signature deck in stores was 7.5”. Obviously because the smaller size was more marketable back then. I’ve always sought out 8 or 8.25”. More of a comfortable ride. I hope 35mm wheels don’t come back too 😂
The transision from small to big boards happened back in late 2013. 30% was 7.75 in '13, and I don't think it was possible to get any smaller than 8 at my local shop for a couple of months into 2014.
The thing that put me on a bigger board was Arto Saari's Thrasher SOTY interview. He said he skated wide, flat boards and so I did too. Then as I got older my feet grew and size 15s don't fit too great on a 7.75" deck. Back in high school everyone gave me shit about riding 8.5" decks because everyone else was sub-8".
Wide decks aren't a fad to me. For me, it's simply the most practical choice. I don't care about flip tricks, and I'm really tall so I exert greater lever arm forces through the leaning motions of my long limbs and frame. A smaller deck and smaller trucks means a tinier area I have to balance on. Extra width is more stable, has a more full platform for my feet , and a greater area to spread out and absorb shock and impact. I'm all about being able cruise around the streets with ease. And with that as my priority, I set up a super nice and surprisingly lightweight 8.5 recently.
I found that a wide deck was much easier for me to do flip tricks, just felt like more space to get a good flick. It also made for more space to land on for doing stairs and such.
Although my favorite deck i ever had was this old 7.25 hookups deck this super chill guy gave me after he broke mine attempting a kickflip in work boots 😂
biger boards mean more control, more foot room to catch, more board to use in a slide, yes it takes more effort to flip but with more chance to land and roll away its worth it. i would say the limit to street size would be around 8.75. a 9 and above would be overkill unless your on vert or mega ramp.
I think there is a connection between the type of tricks pros have been doing and the popularity of wide boards. Some heavy tricks have been happening in the last three years (tricks down huge drops and tricks on gnarly rails). I think Wide boards are better for these type of tricks. Better ballance on rails. Slow spinning board is okay if you have enogh air time to eat lunch. Ive noticed a lot of pros are riding boards between 8 1/4 and 8 1/2. Check there pro models. This is just something i have casually noticed. Not sure. What do you think?
Maybe a lot of the younger pros are growing bigger and simply require a larger board? Back in my day it was possible to buy a pro full size board or a mini. The minis were designed specifically for smaller skaters. I had a h street ron allan mini with the stained glass graphics which I really loved
Where on earth did you come up with the figure of 14lbs for that setup? I started skating in 1990, and my first board was somewhere around 10.25"x32", with 64mm wheels, and it probably only weighed half that. The info you put out in your videos is usually pretty on point, but that... not so much. Really curious as to how you came to that number.
I wear a size 8 shoe, and 5’5” height. Although I prefer 7.75-8” decks, 8” are more commonly found in shops. Problem being is most 8” are mellower in contour than preferred. Is it for some reason more common to find mellower shapes, nowadays, or am I just not finding the right shape in shops? As of current, I alternate between a 8.25” popsicle and a 8.5” shaped because of this, and for different terrains (street/park).
I actually bought one from my friend a long time ago, the brand was Aircraft. No wonder he sold it to me, they were horrible! I hung it on my wall for a few years as a conversation piece
I'm 6'1' and wear 11.5 shoes. I recently got 8.25 trucks and an 8.25 board because I didn't feel comfortable on an 8 inch board. 8.25 board or higher are definitely not a fad. Andrew Reynolds and Chris Cole have been skating 8.5 boards since forever and they're one of the best out there. Now that I have the 8.25 trucks, my next board might be 8.38. Not sure yet though. That might be too big and bulky for me.
they moved away when everyone else did. i had a lot of andrew reynolds decks when he skated for birdhouse (still do) and every single one is smaller than 8" wide.
Pro deck models being a particular size has nothing to do with what the pro actually skates. Andrew Reynolds has pro boards ranging from 7.75 to 8.5. They do it to cover a large range of the market so the people could buy a pro board from their favourite pro in the size they like. Baker right now is selling several types of Reynolds boards - 7.75, 8, 8.125, 8.25 and an 8.5. Available in 2 different shapes with various graphics. Check out their catalog to see for yourself. cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0923/6294/files/bk-fall-17-line-carryovers.pdf?12046285949500879374 The Baker team mostly skates team boards anyways. The one with the classic white on red Baker logo. Andrew Reynolds has been skating an 8.5 for at least 7 years, most likely more.
I wouldn't say its a fad, I started having a hard time (even in online shops) finding decks in the 7.75 range in about 2012 or so. Here we are 7 years later, and my currently only has 3 decks that are smaller than 8". A plan B 7.75, a Zero 7.625, and a Zero 7.8. We also have Blind completes that are 7.75. Everything else we get from our suppliers are 8" minimum. I started skating on an 8" in 1999, got that size because 7.75 was Out of Stock at CCS on the graphic i wanted. Sized down to a 7.75 eventually, and now I've had to get used to an 8 again because I can't find decks 7.75 in brands I like.
This is a cycling trend. Fat boards were uncool when I started skating in 96 and then by 98 I was riding a 8.5 lol. By 2001 I was back on a 7.5. But, it may be here to stay. I've been riding an 8.25 for a few years now and it just feels way safer. Kickflip noseslides are harder but it's worth it when my ankles aren't broken. I also don't see any difference in deck technology since 96. 8 plys of maple is all it is. Trucks and wheels are lighter though.
well, what about the carbon fiber upper layer? it's much easier to find decks with that technology now than it was back in the 90's, I guess. my current deck has that layer. I remember back in the day there was a company named Lib Tech, which brought some snowboarding technologies into skateboarding, but probably that wasn't even carbon fiber, more likely they used some sort of plastic along with wood.
I got an old vision double deck. Not reissue.. Its 33 inL and its wide. But reissue deck doesn't go the same length its 32. This before Popsicle decks.
I skated a 7.75 and was great for tech but i would struggle with stairs so i have a 8.25 now and stairs and gaps are super easy but i have to pop and flick harder for my flip tricks. Maybe a 8.1 would be great.
I'm loving the fact that there's actually a wide variety of shapes and sizes out there now, but there's a chance that the trend that made the wide variety a reality(which is part of the wide deck trend) will die out and we'll be stuck with 3 or 4 shapes and sizes again. Maybe not though since the recent boom has everybody and their dog skating, the aftermath might leave us with a forever larger skate population with a forever larger variety of product. Here's hoping.
I never understood why banana style decks have a nose and tail and why one side was slightly larger or smaller than the other. Why didn't they make both sides the same for even wear?
I like freestyle and can't really afford more than one board, but I was really lucky since by chance of having a small shoe size and upgrading from a penny when I started I ended up on a 7.75 with a mellower nose and tail. I have worn the livning shit out of that deck though, I''ve gotten razor nose and tail twice and grinded them down both times, the grip tape is wearing out, and the wheels have flat spots.
7.5 became popular cause skaters were stoned skating super slow on tiny wheels and wanted to be able to flip trick with less effort. People are returning to individualism with skateboarding again and its getting its soul back .
I LOVE 7.6 decks and am very happy they offer the twigs in a 7.6 vs just the 7.3 they used to offer. I always hated the 8+ inch decks they always felt so doofy and ridiculous.
I think the wide deck thing is here to stay. I remember back in 2009 it first started catching on. I got an 8.25 around that time and my friends gave me so much shit. Today they ride that very size.
not a fad, wide boards have been around forever same with skinny. it's a preference thing combined with what terrain you skate. I skated from 1996 - 2004 and almost exclusively used 8x32 ZERO bold deck with 139 Indies and 53mm spitfires.
Bigger decks are more stable, but they turn and flip like crap. As a rule of thumb, I would recommend a deck that's just a tad skinnier than your feet. That way you have enough room to land, and maneuvering isn't as troublesome. I wear size 38 European and skate a 7.75.
Better question when did people start skating small boards. More board more grip more pop more flip... Just get the right size trucks or it won't feel good at all
I have a question. I've always wanted to work in the skate industry even from when I was young when I used to skate until I screwed up the cartilage in my left knee. I'm a designer and would love to work for a skate company but I got no clue how to approach it in anyway and plus doesn't help since I moved from Australia to Britain. Anyone help a homie out? Lots of respect radrat keep it up!
james_flag Start putting stuff out on instagram, and tag them in pieces. I think Toy Machine did a little contest with drawings and graphic design a little bit ago so maybe you could get some recognition like that.
people have always road wide boards for transition skating would be almost impossible to skate a 7.5 on a half pipe or bowl with vert on a board under 8 inch unless you were very short
Most skaters in my area have large feet (like the average shoe size is 11) so they prefer skating 8.5in +, I’m a size 9 and I skate around 8in-8.25in so I guess it’s all about shoe size and preference
In ‘84-‘85 it was hard to find anything under 10 inches. Very was king. Around that time Street and mini models started coming out. They were smaller models of pro decks catered to kids. I remember G&S had minis of Neil Blender and Billy Ruff, Hosoi had a mini hammerhead, and tracker had a GSD “for banks and streets” that was about 8.75. Being 12-13 at the time that is what my little feet needed to skate.
The thing I hate about the new sized boards is not so much the width, but the length! I don't see how dudes are doing huge 360 flips with 32.5 in long boards
I don't think it's a fad to use wider decks, a lot of newer skaters go to skateshops and literally everything is an 8 and above, so a lot of skaters will get into skating with these bigger decks and when it comes to using something like a 7'75 it just feels like your riding a toothpick
I know you've talked about YT skaters before, but what do you think of those ones who strive on controversy? Black Ninja springs to mind. I think he's great, but a lot don't. It would be interesting to hear whether you believe that sort of content helps or hinders the attitude towards skating.
mrjacketdancer I'm aware dude. I'd disagree with you though. I know adult skaters that think Ninja is whiny and offensive. I'm not saying he is, it's just the common belief.
I don't really know enough about that. I don't watch most of those guys. Once in a blue moon I'll watch something but I haven't seen a black ninja video in years.
Wide boards were the standard before popsicle decks. Even back in the mid nineties when i was 15, I couldn't skate a 7.5 board. It felt like I was on a balance beam. The question should be why were small decks in?
Smaller boards were for more tech n lighter boards like the smaller wheels..less hang up n the idea of more pop cause ur lower to the ground...as far as big decks are concerned..i can't skate anything over 8..even at 41 n to many yrs skating
you are either a taller person or a wider person then.(sorry no offense intended)
I am 5' 8" 140lbs and 7.75 is the widest i can skate comfortably 7.5 is best for me and my style of skating. not all people are created equal in size man
Wide board are way comfortable for people with size 10 and up shoes
I am 34 and 5ft 10 and I always rode a 7.75 from 2001 to 2003 when I stopped growing and onto 2007. I started snowboarding in 2004 and stopped skating, was thinking about getting a new setup. I only have my mates old worn out 7.5 deck and when I skate it it makes me very nervous, I am considering an 8.0 inch deck to use for a cruiser. I have a uk 9 10 us foot.
Fun fact: Dave Bachinsky kickflipped El Torro on a 7.5
Epic
Still blows my mind that he rides that size, that dude is fucked.
@@JayyBlaze216 I started skating at age 14 in 2004, all i rode for a while was 7.5. 7.75 was the biggest id get, eventually by 2008 i settled on 7.6 only....then i took a hiatius from skating for college and grad school. a few years ago when i went back to buy a board the smallest i found was 8. and i ewas shocked. Im slowly trying to get used to them, it does. feel better, but i still prefer 7.6 and even 7.75s
@@fallen4life080 I started skating in 1979. The average deck size was 10"×30" with a 15" wheelbase.
@@rtornellort ok
It’s because 20 years ago before skateparks were around everyone would skate as technical as possible on street ledges and rails. But now we have skateparks everywhere with big ramp and stairs where as now the skate spots are all skate stopped with security guarding every square inch of them.
I came back about about 3-4 years of not skating and could not find a 7.75 anywhere. I was blown away after dude told me almost no one makes them anymore.
went a 7.5 to an 8.1 haven't looked back in the slightest. Larger boards just seem like they have more pop nowadays and lighter components definitely help
Allen head hardware is a MUST! Also wide decks are good as you get older.
I'm 40 always rode 7.75 inch decks. But now I'm rocking 8.3 or 8.5. They actually flip a little slower and are easier to control.
I have huge feet for a girl, and I tried riding an 8" but it just felt unnatural to me. I thought I needed to go smaller at first lol, but I went into my local skate shop and the guy who runs it handed me an 8.6" deck and said "trust me" and I've never skated better
Natalie Mayer size queen
Don't feel like size of your feet matters, im size 12 yet I skate an 8.0, I used to skate 8.25's but I wanted to get more technical and I haven't looked back
Natalie M big feet + big deck makes for very easy landing.
Ive got a size 10 1/2 shoe probably bigger than your feet and I skate a 775. Its about preference
So you went up .6 of an inch?
hey don't forget that hardware matters when you put risers on.
dont use risers, you lose feel with the board.
Nah I love risers and won't skate without them. It's personal
Hachi Roku risers improve the health of your board a lot more
@@TheTH-camsters12, how so?
I work in a manufacturing plant that uses a lot of nuts & bolts and they are sold in different grades and materials. Bolts usually come in steel but they can come in stainless steel as well. Bolts are given a grade, grade 8 is a better grade because it has been heat treated. Heat treating hardens the bolt allowing it to not strip as fast in the head and it keeps the threaded part from bending or stripping out as well.
As for wider boards I believe that decks have gotten wider because people are skating parks now, in the 90’s it was all street, little boards and little wheels. You cannot take a 7.5 with 50mm wheels into a park and survive so from my point of view the 8.0-8.5 decks you are seeing now meet the demand of the all-terrain skaters that are ruling the industry today. Also the wider the deck the harder it is to snap (small % but still stronger)
I agree definitely the case in my area of the uk
Nothing better than a 9.5. But then again, I've been riding since 87 so I can't find comfort on a popsicle stick deck. For some it might be a fad, but I think it's more like many old school rippers are going back to their roots in skateboarding. ..
Nah dude. If it's your thing and you're from that generation, that is really cool. But most of the time it ist that new school hipster generation that goes for the wide boards nowadays.
Clearly you misinterpreted my comment or didn't bother to read it carefully. I just stated that A LOT of people change to wide decks just because it's trendy now.
I'm from europe, things might be different here. It also depends on your definition of a wide board. Here it is basically impossible to find a deck that is less than 8 inches wide in a skate shop, which was considered a wide deck some years ago. I'm just not a trendy person, I'll stick with what I feel comfortable with.
I guess then we agree with each other after all :)
Have a nice day!
cesarsalad01 I started in 87 too but cannot go above 7.8 these days
I went from 8.0 to 9.0, best move I ever made! I skated a bro's 7.75 the other day and it felt like a Penny board in comparison! thinner boards flip easier, which was why they became narrower.
I have 1" allen hardware, so that they don't strip, and if they loosen I will notice instead of loosing them. Short ones that are flush when on will just fall off as soon as they get loose.
Back in the early-mid 2000's there were these weird bolts that were knurled on top with a sort of gear shaped pattern that dug into the wood. I don't remember the brand, but I'm still riding them like 15 years later. They NEVER come loose and all you need is a bottom wrench to sink them in when setting up a new deck. They're black with one silver, and I love them. I used to bend and break Shorty's hardware pretty often on crooked grinds, but these bolts have handled many, many years of slappie sessions without a failure. You have to use your truck to hammer them out of your old deck, which is a slight inconvenience I guess.
8.5 is a perfect size for me, anything smaller I find there is no room to flick so everything under rotates and landing is so much more comfortable
8.5 was always my favorite size. When the average board size dropped down to 7.5-7.75 I bought Beer City blanks in 8.38-8.5 for years until the industry returned to normal.
Don't discount the effect of nostalgic dudes that skated in the 80s now buying wide boards. We're not a highly visible group but there are a lot of us.
I have 21 yrs old and I'm riding a Natas Kaupas SMA 10,50 wide, with 65mm wheels, love it.
@@borisbecker6433 Nata's was my hero 😂
He does have his own site with some boards but nothing like what Mike Vallely is doing. I am considering getting one of Mikes boards the heart in fist design looks freaking sweet. I'm 46 and haven't skated since 2000 but my years were 85-95 so I got used to the kicked nose but 7.5 is just silly .
My current deck is a Dogtown 10×30 pig \m/
I ride a 10” Powell ray barbee ... don’t forget the older guys that are getting back into skating like the wider decks especially when they start up again .. I’m 57 and have tried all sizes big feet and steady platform were my reasons !
Philip Duggan I ride a Santa Cruz Hosoi re-issue feels like im gliding on the coping no better feeling
I work at a skate shop and it’s funny how many guys will still come in looking for for a 7.5. I know companies like polar and magenta make smaller sized boards.
Even if boards do get small again, I don’t think bigger or shaped boards will completely disappear. With people doing all types of skating and being inspired by different things, I feel like every kind of board will still be made regardless of trend.
As a heavy dude with moderate to bigger feet, 8.5 decks are a lot much more durable for me and I do enjoy the gain in stability and having slightly more room to catch the board. My skating drastically improved as I moved up from 7.75 and slowly worked my way up, 8.375 - 8.5 seems to be my best fit.
That was an Ocean Howell clip in there, correct? He's a great dude. I lived with him in the late 90's early 2000's in San Francisco.
YOU LIVED WITH OCEAN HOWELL...??
This is my golden era.
I see str8 flow where most see sketch.
I'm gonna pre-sess psyched that video if it don't rain today.
I do all my skating on a 10in. deck. An old Caballero deck. No concave. I don't do tech (or nosegrinds/slides) for obvious reasons. I like the stability and the slow speed it flips at. Also, I wear a size 14 shoe, so anything under 8.5 inches feels like a damn 2x4.
Lol same on the sizing thing.
Would you recommend a old school deck for a beginner? I got into skating a few years ago but for some reason it just didn’t feel right too me. I want something that gives be stability and still do some tricks. Also I live in a place where the ground is so crap it’s like sandpaper and only 1 decent park.
I started out riding 7.75’s back in 2001. Now years later, after growing and whatnot I ride 8.5-8.75 boards. My cruiser boards are 9.25 or larger. I’m a big guy. 6’3 and around 250 pounds. I tend to ride skateparks. Larger boards are more stable for me.
yeah as a skate in the late 90s we rode 7.75 or 7.88. the board i still right is a 7.8 but its dead and ive been looking for a new deck and was a little shocked to see how big everything is these days.
in 98 if you had a 8" wide deck that was huge.
Yeah, this was weirding me out when I went to buy a deck recently. I'm in my early 30's and quit skating in high school. I thought 8's were fat as shit and now I'm seeing that's on the thin side so I'm going to try an 8 or slightly above, but it'll probably look odd to me. Ah well, I'm old, fuck my life.
Can you street skate with a 9 inch because I want a Powell peralta flight deck and the one color I want it in comes in 9
Amr werd yeah
In the late 90s and early 00s especially on the east coast was all about skinny boards low trucks 50mm wheels.. I skated a lot of alien work shop and pretty most boards were 7.4 to 7.63
crappy bolts for trucks were why we bought gk bridge bolts. they didn't loosen or get messed up by the screw driver
it's pretty much all about what style of skateboarding do you prefer. I remember my first normal (not some ugly cheap $35 complete) board was a 7.5 Think SB deck. Nowadays I skate 8.0 and I don't really see any point in trying bigger boards. To me it's hard to do stuff like fakie frontflips or inward heels on huge boards, it's just harder to flick. I don't skate big stairs or handrails though.
I skated from 1999 to around 2006 and always road 7.5 -7.63 and now i wanna get back into it with some old skate buddies and all they sell are these big land yacht decks. What happend??
Another reason I thought of: the techslide scene is growing fast here in Europe and therefore wide decks are much more stable and controllable during slides and spins.
For bolts: Buy the skate ones in the correct length! If not make sure to remove any sharp edges. Once cut my hand really really bad on a bolt due to sharp edge.
I was 7.5-7.88 forever. Then I bought an 8 and it's been a big difference,no pun intended.
I absolutely have more fun on 8+ now. Plus I still have a complete 7.6 from 15+ years ago and I laugh at myself on ,why I was so biased.
POPSICLE May work better for switch but shaped decks = flavor
I ride a 9.5 deck and I do skate street and tech
Why? That takes so much more effort.
Papa Palp yeah but when you get back to like an 8 it's so much easer
Retro Gamer85
I'll never go above 8 again. I've tried it several times and the flick is too slow and the pop isn't as high. Maybe you like it but it's not for me
Retro Gamer85 ya, I ride usually 8, sometimes 7.75 or maybe even 8.1. I can be flexible but I tend to like smaller boards bc I mainly skate flat or rails.
That's kinda the point. 8 + decks flip slower and are easier to control.
I think wider decks just feel better, I started skating on a 7,5 and probably went through every available size up to 8,38 which is what I skate now.
I know it's what everybody say "you have more control" but it's true. I also want my board to have some weight to it so you can really feel that it's there and not some flimsy 7,something. People often say that smaller boards are easier to flip when you wanna get tech and I can see what they mean but it doesn't really make a difference in my opinion, I almost do doubleflips and things like that easier now than before with the small boards.
Thanks for answering my question man! I'll have to try out an 8"!
You're welcome! Thanks for asking.
I remember in the early 90's decks started getting ridiculously thin. I once had a 7" deck. I could double kick flip that in my sleep, but it would bend when I stood on it. It broke in less than a week.
Yeah,,I used to get 6.75 Powell blanks when I was in middle s school, you know what I’m talking about, back in the days when nobody skated, before tony hawks pro skater came out and all the posers rushed in
I'm 17 with size 14 feet, so anything below 8.5 is rather awkward. 8 is a stretch for me, but I can land a kickflip on one.
Pros used to skate 8”+ decks back in the day even though their signature deck in stores was 7.5”. Obviously because the smaller size was more marketable back then. I’ve always sought out 8 or 8.25”. More of a comfortable ride. I hope 35mm wheels don’t come back too 😂
The transision from small to big boards happened back in late 2013. 30% was 7.75 in '13, and I don't think it was possible to get any smaller than 8 at my local shop for a couple of months into 2014.
Magnus Houman Dyhrfjeld me and my friends started to ride 8 inch boards back in 2008
Grabbed an 8.5 after not skating for a few years. I'm planning to pick up a 9.0 when I find one for the right price
skated minis my whole life. tried an 8.1 last year and felt like skating a boat. 7.25 all day baby!
It's not a fad. Wider decks are better for all around skating especially for bowl and vert skating.
The thing that put me on a bigger board was Arto Saari's Thrasher SOTY interview. He said he skated wide, flat boards and so I did too. Then as I got older my feet grew and size 15s don't fit too great on a 7.75" deck. Back in high school everyone gave me shit about riding 8.5" decks because everyone else was sub-8".
You might be a special case with 15s though!
Damn. I have shoe size 8..
Wide decks aren't a fad to me.
For me, it's simply the most practical choice. I don't care about flip tricks, and I'm really tall so I exert greater lever arm forces through the leaning motions of my long limbs and frame. A smaller deck and smaller trucks means a tinier area I have to balance on. Extra width is more stable, has a more full platform for my feet , and a greater area to spread out and absorb shock and impact. I'm all about being able cruise around the streets with ease. And with that as my priority, I set up a super nice and surprisingly lightweight 8.5 recently.
I ride an 8.5 and like to skate parks with a lot of transition.
I found that a wide deck was much easier for me to do flip tricks, just felt like more space to get a good flick. It also made for more space to land on for doing stairs and such.
Although my favorite deck i ever had was this old 7.25 hookups deck this super chill guy gave me after he broke mine attempting a kickflip in work boots 😂
I started with an 8"×30". Then I went to 7.75"×31". Never really liked any other width.
biger boards mean more control, more foot room to catch, more board to use in a slide, yes it takes more effort to flip but with more chance to land and roll away its worth it.
i would say the limit to street size would be around 8.75. a 9 and above would be overkill unless your on vert or mega ramp.
I think there is a connection between the type of tricks pros have been doing and the popularity of wide boards. Some heavy tricks have been happening in the last three years (tricks down huge drops and tricks on gnarly rails). I think Wide boards are better for these type of tricks. Better ballance on rails. Slow spinning board is okay if you have enogh air time to eat lunch. Ive noticed a lot of pros are riding boards between 8 1/4 and 8 1/2. Check there pro models. This is just something i have casually noticed. Not sure. What do you think?
That's true, but going big isn't really that new either. I feel like Andrew Reynolds was doing the same kind of stuff on a smaller board years back
Maybe a lot of the younger pros are growing bigger and simply require a larger board? Back in my day it was possible to buy a pro full size board or a mini. The minis were designed specifically for smaller skaters. I had a h street ron allan mini with the stained glass graphics which I really loved
I think that skaters are going faster and skating bigger gaps now a days. That puts more stress on the deck. Bigger decks can handle bigger gaps,
Where on earth did you come up with the figure of 14lbs for that setup? I started skating in 1990, and my first board was somewhere around 10.25"x32", with 64mm wheels, and it probably only weighed half that. The info you put out in your videos is usually pretty on point, but that... not so much. Really curious as to how you came to that number.
I wear a size 8 shoe, and 5’5” height. Although I prefer 7.75-8” decks, 8” are more commonly found in shops. Problem being is most 8” are mellower in contour than preferred. Is it for some reason more common to find mellower shapes, nowadays, or am I just not finding the right shape in shops? As of current, I alternate between a 8.25” popsicle and a 8.5” shaped because of this, and for different terrains (street/park).
Oh man I remember seeing ads in magazines for aluminum decks, this was back in circa 99. Never saw anyone with one, did you??
joseph mayhew ya I remember that shit . don’t think they made it out of the ad section of magazines ha .
I actually bought one from my friend a long time ago, the brand was Aircraft. No wonder he sold it to me, they were horrible! I hung it on my wall for a few years as a conversation piece
I'm 6'1' and wear 11.5 shoes. I recently got 8.25 trucks and an 8.25 board because I didn't feel comfortable on an 8 inch board. 8.25 board or higher are definitely not a fad. Andrew Reynolds and Chris Cole have been skating 8.5 boards since forever and they're one of the best out there. Now that I have the 8.25 trucks, my next board might be 8.38. Not sure yet though. That might be too big and bulky for me.
they moved away when everyone else did. i had a lot of andrew reynolds decks when he skated for birdhouse (still do) and every single one is smaller than 8" wide.
Pro deck models being a particular size has nothing to do with what the pro actually skates. Andrew Reynolds has pro boards ranging from 7.75 to 8.5. They do it to cover a large range of the market so the people could buy a pro board from their favourite pro in the size they like. Baker right now is selling several types of Reynolds boards - 7.75, 8, 8.125, 8.25 and an 8.5. Available in 2 different shapes with various graphics. Check out their catalog to see for yourself. cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0923/6294/files/bk-fall-17-line-carryovers.pdf?12046285949500879374 The Baker team mostly skates team boards anyways. The one with the classic white on red Baker logo.
Andrew Reynolds has been skating an 8.5 for at least 7 years, most likely more.
I wouldn't say its a fad, I started having a hard time (even in online shops) finding decks in the 7.75 range in about 2012 or so. Here we are 7 years later, and my currently only has 3 decks that are smaller than 8". A plan B 7.75, a Zero 7.625, and a Zero 7.8. We also have Blind completes that are 7.75. Everything else we get from our suppliers are 8" minimum. I started skating on an 8" in 1999, got that size because 7.75 was Out of Stock at CCS on the graphic i wanted. Sized down to a 7.75 eventually, and now I've had to get used to an 8 again because I can't find decks 7.75 in brands I like.
This is a cycling trend. Fat boards were uncool when I started skating in 96 and then by 98 I was riding a 8.5 lol. By 2001 I was back on a 7.5. But, it may be here to stay. I've been riding an 8.25 for a few years now and it just feels way safer. Kickflip noseslides are harder but it's worth it when my ankles aren't broken. I also don't see any difference in deck technology since 96. 8 plys of maple is all it is. Trucks and wheels are lighter though.
well, what about the carbon fiber upper layer? it's much easier to find decks with that technology now than it was back in the 90's, I guess. my current deck has that layer. I remember back in the day there was a company named Lib Tech, which brought some snowboarding technologies into skateboarding, but probably that wasn't even carbon fiber, more likely they used some sort of plastic along with wood.
I got an old vision double deck. Not reissue.. Its 33 inL and its wide. But reissue deck doesn't go the same length its 32. This before Popsicle decks.
I like a narrower board for freestyle and street but find a wide board, 9 inches +, to be the best for ramps and park riding.
I skated a 7.75 and was great for tech but i would struggle with stairs so i have a 8.25 now and stairs and gaps are super easy but i have to pop and flick harder for my flip tricks. Maybe a 8.1 would be great.
I'm loving the fact that there's actually a wide variety of shapes and sizes out there now, but there's a chance that the trend that made the wide variety a reality(which is part of the wide deck trend) will die out and we'll be stuck with 3 or 4 shapes and sizes again. Maybe not though since the recent boom has everybody and their dog skating, the aftermath might leave us with a forever larger skate population with a forever larger variety of product. Here's hoping.
Who wants that?
I never understood why banana style decks have a nose and tail and why one side was slightly larger or smaller than the other. Why didn't they make both sides the same for even wear?
I like freestyle and can't really afford more than one board, but I was really lucky since by chance of having a small shoe size and upgrading from a penny when I started I ended up on a 7.75 with a mellower nose and tail. I have worn the livning shit out of that deck though, I''ve gotten razor nose and tail twice and grinded them down both times, the grip tape is wearing out, and the wheels have flat spots.
I usually ride 10in. I didn't think anyone else was riding them besides my friend and I and old school guys.
7.5 became popular cause skaters were stoned skating super slow on tiny wheels and wanted to be able to flip trick with less effort.
People are returning to individualism with skateboarding again and its getting its soul back .
I LOVE 7.6 decks and am very happy they offer the twigs in a 7.6 vs just the 7.3 they used to offer. I always hated the 8+ inch decks they always felt so doofy and ridiculous.
Same here man, im a 7.6 man myself! i like my boards the way i like my women, small and skinny lol
I think the wide deck thing is here to stay. I remember back in 2009 it first started catching on. I got an 8.25 around that time and my friends gave me so much shit. Today they ride that very size.
wait, was that line at 3:15 rad rat? didnt he start skating in 2001? that line would have been rad in '91. the clothes too.
Pretty late, but no. He was like 3 in 1991.
I skated 7.5s my entire life but my friend who has the same foot size as me is skating 8.5s so that finally inspired me to move up... to 7.76
It inspired u to move up to 7.51 🤯
not a fad, wide boards have been around forever same with skinny. it's a preference thing combined with what terrain you skate. I skated from 1996 - 2004 and almost exclusively used 8x32 ZERO bold deck with 139 Indies and 53mm spitfires.
Get randoms griptech bolts, you Hammer them in and They Will never strip. Skated the same for over a year now
Bigger decks are more stable, but they turn and flip like crap. As a rule of thumb, I would recommend a deck that's just a tad skinnier than your feet. That way you have enough room to land, and maneuvering isn't as troublesome. I wear size 38 European and skate a 7.75.
Better question when did people start skating small boards. More board more grip more pop more flip... Just get the right size trucks or it won't feel good at all
I have a question. I've always wanted to work in the skate industry even from when I was young when I used to skate until I screwed up the cartilage in my left knee. I'm a designer and would love to work for a skate company but I got no clue how to approach it in anyway and plus doesn't help since I moved from Australia to Britain. Anyone help a homie out? Lots of respect radrat keep it up!
I don't have any kind of industry connections, myself. Hopefully someone else can point you in the right direction. Good luck!
james_flag shoot an email to scubasteve@aol.com
You have to know the right people or find somebody who can help you.
james_flag Start putting stuff out on instagram, and tag them in pieces. I think Toy Machine did a little contest with drawings and graphic design a little bit ago so maybe you could get some recognition like that.
james_flag check out malakye.com for jobs in the skateboard industry.
I ride anything from an 8.5 to a 10 if I have trucks that fit. I'm on a blast 9.5 at the moment.
people have always road wide boards for transition skating would be almost impossible to skate a 7.5 on a half pipe or bowl with vert on a board under 8 inch unless you were very short
i find i have more control over the board in the air with a wider deck
Most skaters in my area have large feet (like the average shoe size is 11) so they prefer skating 8.5in +, I’m a size 9 and I skate around 8in-8.25in so I guess it’s all about shoe size and preference
What was considered a small deck size in the 80s/early 90s?
Tough to say... Mullen's pro model was 7 inches wide. So I think there was a lot of variety.
8.5x30 sounds awesome :D
In ‘84-‘85 it was hard to find anything under 10 inches. Very was king. Around that time Street and mini models started coming out. They were smaller models of pro decks catered to kids. I remember G&S had minis of Neil Blender and Billy Ruff, Hosoi had a mini hammerhead, and tracker had a GSD “for banks and streets” that was about 8.75. Being 12-13 at the time that is what my little feet needed to skate.
silk screen vs transfer graphics? Advantages and disadvantages?
ha
Good question... I don't know enough about that to answer it though.
no advantage or disadvantage to either one.
8 is considered small now? Crazy. Even that is starting to get harder and harder to find at sksteshops :(
I went from a 8.5 to a 7.8 and I love it
lol just realized i have shoe size 6 and im riding 8.1 deck. i like the width but the length bothers me
how about different urethane formulas?
You didn't mention alan vs phillips hard wear
I've used both and I haven't really noticed any significant difference
Rad Rat Video yeah there's not much difference other than having to use the different tool if u don't have a skate tool lol
Allen heads last longer without stripping. If you change boards alot allen heads are crucial!
Haven't noticed a difference yet you describe stripping your 'cheap' phillips head hardware in the video...
Is there a particular deck size among pro skaters that is used the most? or just in general?
A lot of street skaters ride below 8 bc it's a bit lighter so you get faster flick and higher pop.
Papa Palp Actually a lot of street skaters skate above an 8 in width now. There are still pros that skate under an 8, but most have switched.
KrazyScooter
Most ride 8 or below, at least the technical skaters
I personally think bigger boards up to 8.5 can make tricks look a lot nicer, especially tres
origin of the pressure flip ?
i ride 8.38 but wantto try 8.5 soon
I've been riding 7.75 for about 20 years, no point in changing now just cause it's cool
I still like a 7.75 also.
Where is that old school footage from?
Its Ocean Howell I think
Yep, it's Ocean Howell
The thing I hate about the new sized boards is not so much the width, but the length! I don't see how dudes are doing huge 360 flips with 32.5 in long boards
I don't think it's a fad to use wider decks, a lot of newer skaters go to skateshops and literally everything is an 8 and above, so a lot of skaters will get into skating with these bigger decks and when it comes to using something like a 7'75 it just feels like your riding a toothpick
I’ve been skating since 3rd grade I’m 32 now and I still skate 7.75 just habit
7.75 here and I am perfectly confi with it.
I know you've talked about YT skaters before, but what do you think of those ones who strive on controversy? Black Ninja springs to mind. I think he's great, but a lot don't. It would be interesting to hear whether you believe that sort of content helps or hinders the attitude towards skating.
IAmTheBestMang I very much dislike ninja
mrjacketdancer That's fair, but for the "masses" it still causes uproar.
mrjacketdancer I'm aware dude. I'd disagree with you though. I know adult skaters that think Ninja is whiny and offensive. I'm not saying he is, it's just the common belief.
I've thought it over some more, you're probably right. Ninja is on the tamer side of things.
I don't really know enough about that. I don't watch most of those guys. Once in a blue moon I'll watch something but I haven't seen a black ninja video in years.
Anybody else routinely break hardware? I cant even count how many times one of my screws snapped, and then I was riding with three bolts
Great videos I just kinda wish the question in the title was the first question answered.
7.5 with 50mm wheels
I think the rise of transition skating made wider decks and looser trucks popular in skateboarding. Super techy skating isn't in style anymore.