What kind of longboard for downhill

You just have to take apart your trucks and mount it either way. The top mount is basically when the trucks are mounted underneath the deck and the standing platform is more or less the same height throughout the board. Top mount are a racers favorite. It allows you to maximize your leverage over your trucks and wheels.

In racing, this is important as you can take the best line and have the best slowing down power and control over your trucks … however, we are not racing just yet. Because of the leverage and direct input you have over your trucks, the top mount can be quite unstable.

It is also very unforgiving and it is easy to get thrown off your board during slides or get wheel bite when carving hard. However, you can set up your trucks to be stable and to allow sliding to be a lot easier and forgiving for you.

I recommend this shapes for intermediates who want to push their ability and for people interested in racing. I do not wholeheartedly recommend it for beginners because it has a steeper learning curve.

However, most do get used to it with time and are able to make the most of it. Manufacturers have realized how useful the drop mounting shape can be and have incorporated it on some top mount decks in different ways.

They make decks that have slightly lowered sections. Rocker is when the deck gently slopes lower, and drop is when there is a sudden change in height. This drop could be just a smidge like an 8th of an inch or more. Surprisingly these small drops make a difference. They make the board noticeably more stable and easier to slide.

Rocker can have the same effect too. A famous deck that has rocker is the Loaded Tesseract. It might not seem like much, but that little change in height makes this board very stable. When riding it, I noticed how much smoother the ride was than my pure top mount board. I would say that such boards are best of all-around learning and would be useable for years to come, whilst you might quickly outgrow a pure drop-down deck. They would be what I recommend a beginner to go with.

Stiffness is an important feature for a downhill skateboard to have. It gives you accurate input and control over your trucks. It also allows you to get accurate feedback on what your trucks and wheels are doing. At high speeds, this is especially important.

Having direct control over your trucks helps you stay balanced and stable. This could lead wobbles at higher speeds as it will allow your trucks to kinda do their own thing and misbehave. Along with a poorly setup longboard and stance, my man in the video below had a very flexy board you can see how it flexes under his weight when he steps on it.

He did manage to hang on for quite a while which is impressive in its own way hehe. Stiffness is usually achieved by using plys of wood to make the skateboard. Board manufacturers can also use composites, like carbon fiber, fiberglass, and even metals in some cases to make the boards stiff. These boards made with composites tend to be stronger and lighter. Vertical lamination is also used to produce a stiff deck. For example, the Loaded Tesseract in the picture has been made with bamboo, fiberglass and cork.

There is even a carbon version available if riders want something stiffer. GMR skateboards famously use a metal spine for increased stiffness and rigidity.

This allows for no flexing along the centre line of the longboard. Their boards are used by racers all around the world. I really want one …. A post shared by GMR Skateboards gmr. Sanctum collective also uniquely used a sheet of metal aluminum for rigidity and strength. This made their boards both rigid, but also heavy. Descent longboards was born from Sanctum and they now use carbon, vertical lamination and other composites to manufacture their decks.

A post shared by Hayden hayden. The shape of a longboard is simply how it has been cut out. However, if you would like a more versatile board that you can do tricks on, you should consider getting one with a kicktail or two. What you do need to worry about, is getting a board that is the right size. You need to look at the width and length of it and you should aim to get one that matches the width of the trucks you have.

The size of the deck matters because it will determine what trucks you get and this will in-turn determine how stable and easy to use your setup will be, and how comfortable and forgiving slides will feel. This is because you will have to use narrower trucks with a narrow deck.

This could lead to a harsher, unforgiving downhill skate experience. They are also prone to making the rider high-side and fall over. Wider trucks are more forgiving. I highly recommend them for beginners. In summary, pick a deck that is 9.

For example, the trucks in the pictures below are too wide for the deck and wheel combination. However, you will notice the wheel sticking out on the sides.

When your trucks match your deck it is called rail matching. The following truck and deck sizes tend to match well together:. I have mentioned a 9inch deck here for the sake of providing rail matching information.

The best downhill longboards can help with that, but you have to practice. The fastest downhill longboard can be very dangerous. You may not be able to slow down if you have not mastered all the skills yet.

It's better if you wear a full-face helmet. Also start slowly by a single kick or double kick. Each has a specific strength point. Ans: The speed of the downhill longboard ranges from 50 to 70 mph for downhill riding. You should know that the speed will be affected by certain factors no matter which downhill longboard you choose. I have also reviewed some top quality commuter longboards. Read this review if you ever plan to buy one. James Mason here.

Surfing, skateboarding, and longboarding enthusiast currently living in Rio, Brazil. Started boarding since I was old enough to wear a helmet, except I often didn't. Think that explains a lot :. Best Downhill Longboards Review Magneto Downhil Longboards 3. Enkeo Drop-Through Longboard 5. Quest Skateboards Zero Dark 6.

Sector 9 Downhill Complete Longboard 7. Atom Drop Through. Minority Downhill. Magneto Longboard. Quest Zero Dark. Sector 9. Best Downhill Longboard Review So, let's get right into this Atom Drop Through Downhill Top Pick Downhill skaters zoom down steep hills at very high velocity, commonly reaching 50 to 65 mph and this requires a good downhill longbaord. Magneto Downhil Longboards High performance during cruising or carving downhill is highly influenced by the quality of the deck.

Besides, the wheels are of high rebound with a diameter of 78A to deliver a good roll of speed. Enkeo Drop-Through Longboard Are you looking for the best drop-through longboard with elegant looks? Since it comes with ABEC bearings, the ride will be breezy smooth providing an amazing speed.

Pros Meant for speed runs Very responsive Allows for sharp turns Great on hills Very comfortable ride Looks great Can be used even for other riding styles Wide deck Eco-friendly Cons Can be hard to find.

Landyachtz Evo Downhill Longboard This is available in 2 sizes. Type of Wheels Large and soft longboard wheels work better for downhill longboards. Style of the Deck Cut Out Longboards usually comes with drop-through trucks in order to lower the longboard, which will result in better stability at high speed. Get Reverse Kingpin Trucks For the fastest downhill longboard setups, stability dictates everything. The blueprint is of a wide base and completely narrow edges due to deep cutouts.

Hence they have earned the name Cut Out longboards. The functions are quite similar to Dropdown longboards with high stability. They are used extensively in freestyle and downhill driving. With a large wheel clearance, they are bi-directional. The trucks are drop-through to lower the board. Drop-Down longboards carry good stability with their lower nose and deck. Pushing becomes easier making it conducive for a long comfortable ride.

Ample wheel clearance is a feature of drop-down longboards paired with cut out shaped decks. These rigs are expressly built for zipping. And the other wonder is the high stability the higher the speed. The tail region is kept sharp with a blunt nose.

These high-performance boards offer variable width. Topmount or Drop Through longboards is dependent on attaching the trucks to the deck. In Top mount longboards have the trucks mounted directly to the bottom of the deck. This permits the rider by the increased capability for aggressive turning.

They present an issue of wobbling as a fallout of the height above the ground. Riders can, for jacking up stability, put in separate bushings, wheels, and trucks. The double drop longboard is much embraced by hill riders. It is an amalgamated advanced design derived from drop through and drop deck longboards. These too are speed machines with the speed easily manipulated, owing to the low center of gravity.

Yes, you heard right, grooving on a longboard. It takes some time to get a hang of it and was introduced by Rodney Mullen. It makes you finer downhill or freeriding as balance improves.

Seriously any board will suffice to get you off the marks. As a serious pursuit, dance longboards are pretty long, longer than a downhill, cruiser or freeride board arrangements. After all, you need some stepping space. They have a double kicktail to pop them up easily. For a better dancing board, a soft flex is the order, but not too soft.

The key factor, weight. Longer boards will weigh more but dancing boards have to be easily maneuverable. So you should hunt for one that is light for its length. This is a lone survivor. They are still fun at carving and cruising but tend to be unforgiving and not responsive enough.

Freeriding is a demanding discipline with sliding and more speed than the two. They come in all possible shapes, designs, and shapes however with smaller wheels. You require smaller wheels for sliding which is to let the wheels lose grip so that you slide sideways. Freeride boards are often drop through decks. So naturally, they sit closer to the ground with solid stability, just the thing for sliding and momentum.

They feature varying concaves and cambers for sure placement of feet. Some are built with a double drop, the result being further lowering of the board. The Push board is a lone breed. Its sole purpose is distance and commuting. The symmetrical shape and nice dual kicks make this board very suitable for advanced technical freeriding, switch riding, and mixing in some freestyle tricks the wheelbase can be adjusted down by 1.

The Basalt has a noticeable rocker and W concave which provide a secure locked-in feel at downhill speed and for tech slides. Unlike pure downhill decks, the bamboo core results in slight flex for a more forgiving ride suitable for a mix of freeride and pop tricks. The combinationn of bamboo, fiberglass, and cork results in an exceptionally lightweight and durable deck with just the right amount flex for technical freeride.

See my in-depth complete review of the Tesseract here. The Cantellated Tesseract also boasts a rockered profile and deep W concave for solid foot lock-in in high-speed slides as well as strong lateral support for cornering.

The short and wide kicktail is well-suited for responsive turns, snappy slides, and speed checks. The shorter, compact form of the Cantellated makes it a good choice for faster downhill rides and even some downhill racing. See the Cantellated Tesseract complete on the Loaded website.

The Landyachtz Switchblade is one of the best beginner freeride boards out there. The Switchblade is a pure symmetrical drop-through shape with huge wheel cutouts and a significant deck drop, making it one of the lowest-riding boards out there. It has a tall W concave, raised edges, and deep foot pockets near the drops and truck mounts for a secure and comfy tuck-in feel.

The absence of kicks, however, can be a bit limiting for more sophisticated freeride tricks. The very low ride, maximum stability, and very secure feel this board offers comes at the price of a slightly less responsive ride compared to a more technical topmount freerider like the Tesseract.

See pricing and reviews for the Landyachtz Switchblade here on Amazon. See also my full review of the Switchblade here. Though much smaller than your typical freerider, I find the Loaded Omakase to be a really awesome board for mellow freeride.

The Loaded Omakase is a single-kick directional shape built with a bamboo core similar to the Tesseract sandwiched between fiberglass and epoxy layers.

This hybrid tech construction results in a stiff and strong yet lighwteight deck, well-suited for freeriding. In contrast to the usual freeride decks, the Omakase has a relatively mellow elliptic concave, but the rockered profile and Loaded-style wheel flares create humps and small pockets that help keep your feet in place during slides.

The Omakase provides good wheel clearance and topmount responsiveness for tight downhill carves. The meaty kicktail offers nice leverage and control for pushing the back out into a slide, including with large grippy wheels. See also my complete revoew of the Omakase here.

The 5 best longboard I recommend for freeride is the Landy Dropcat. The reason I like this board is that it fits somewhere in-between a topmount and a drop down. The large wheel cutouts makes this board wheelbite-free for intense freeride carves including with big 72mm wheels.

In contrast to the Switchblade, the Drop Cat is not dropped in the classic sense. Instead, it features has a pronounced and futuristic rockered profile between the trucks which greatly lowers the deck in the middle. This special design gives you a very stable ride at speed due to the low height, while the absence of a drop improves the leverage over the trucks and hence the responsiveness compared to a classic double-drop like SB.

This also makes breaking into slides easier, closer to a topmount feel — where your feet nearly sit on top of the trucks. While the Drop Cat does not have a strong concave, the deep rocker helps keep your feet securely tucked in place when riding downhill and sliding.