FA/Hockey Shapes

[Space Cowboy]

Most people I know have huge preferences on shapes, with DLX being the most common shape that people love. Many dudes I've talked to about FA/Hockey boards, however, either swear by the shape or state they would rather quit skating than use the shape. Wondering what Slap has to say about this

[Lukabrazi]

I skate the 8" or 8.18" FA shape . It has a 14" WB , super fat squared off nose.

I tend to like this shape better than any other board I've tried.

[pbj]

gotta be steep and wide, so usually FA or Polar unless I press my own batch

[Mr. Stinky]

The 8.25” FA/Hockey shape is top 3 for me. The steepness of the concave is very accommodating for Ace 44s, which shrink the 14.18” wheelbase even more and makes flip tricks feel almost too easy.

[tzhangdox]

A tad square for my liking, but not a dealbreaker by any means. Tried a few FA/Hockeys now, and the problem I have with it is how much ghost pop I get on nollie/switch tricks due to how steep the nose is.

[Ok]

A tad square for my liking, but not a dealbreaker by any means. Tried a few FA/Hockeys now, and the problem I have with it is how much ghost pop I get on nollie/switch tricks due to how steep the nose is.

This is why I can’t fuck with em. Maybe it’s a truck combo thing, but damn. The steep nose is too much. If everything does get timed right (rarely for me) then some good pop can happen, but....exhausting.

[Frank and Fred]

I got one in the pile. I only got it bc I have a crush on AA but its sexy shape. Square and full. Longish tail also. Can't wait to ride it. Have to get my outfit just right though....

[tzhangdox]

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A tad square for my liking, but not a dealbreaker by any means. Tried a few FA/Hockeys now, and the problem I have with it is how much ghost pop I get on nollie/switch tricks due to how steep the nose is.

[close]

This is why I can’t fuck with em. Maybe it’s a truck combo thing, but damn. The steep nose is too much. If everything does get timed right (rarely for me) then some good pop can happen, but....exhausting.

Yeah I have forged ventures which definitely wouldn't help, but even though I imagine smaller wheels, lower trucks or whatever would help, the nose being that steep just doesnt seem right to me for popping. Great for a good noseslide pop out though

[Ok]

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A tad square for my liking, but not a dealbreaker by any means. Tried a few FA/Hockeys now, and the problem I have with it is how much ghost pop I get on nollie/switch tricks due to how steep the nose is.

[close]

This is why I can’t fuck with em. Maybe it’s a truck combo thing, but damn. The steep nose is too much. If everything does get timed right (rarely for me) then some good pop can happen, but....exhausting.

[close]

Yeah I have forged ventures which definitely wouldn't help, but even though I imagine smaller wheels, lower trucks or whatever would help, the nose being that steep just doesnt seem right to me for popping. Great for a good noseslide pop out though

I flop back and forth between venture and ace. Couldn’t get my last fa to feel comfy on anything tho. I had some real dipshit ‘theory’ that the ps shapes maybe didn’t translate over to bbs....like the shapes were just kinda off. Spoiler: it’s me that’s of. Just garbage on any board these days.
I liked my ps fa boards better tho.

[Lukabrazi]

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A tad square for my liking, but not a dealbreaker by any means. Tried a few FA/Hockeys now, and the problem I have with it is how much ghost pop I get on nollie/switch tricks due to how steep the nose is.

[close]

This is why I can’t fuck with em. Maybe it’s a truck combo thing, but damn. The steep nose is too much. If everything does get timed right (rarely for me) then some good pop can happen, but....exhausting.

[close]

Yeah I have forged ventures which definitely wouldn't help, but even though I imagine smaller wheels, lower trucks or whatever would help, the nose being that steep just doesnt seem right to me for popping. Great for a good noseslide pop out though

[close]

I flop back and forth between venture and ace. Couldn’t get my last fa to feel comfy on anything tho. I had some real dipshit ‘theory’ that the ps shapes maybe didn’t translate over to bbs....like the shapes were just kinda off. Spoiler: it’s me that’s of. Just garbage on any board these days.
I liked my ps fa boards better tho.

the steep nose with venture 5.2 lows is a really great combo imo. It makes nollie crooked grinds so much easier once you are used to that nollie pop. basically any nollie trick into the nose is easier because of that steepness. and yeah you can feel like Rob welsh with that fat pop out.

I was riding GX 8.125" and the nose is just a tad bit more mellow, with more fingers of flat it seems, but PS boards were really hit or miss for me the last 2 years. Where I've found BBS quality to be snappier longer, and just last longer in general.

[jamersonbass]

I love the 8.38 shape on 5.8's. 

[arrbee]

FA/Hockey 8.25 on ACE 44 is a thing of beauty.

[yourbreakfsat]

Absolutely my favorite popsicle shape. The nose makes nollies super annoying, however.

[Ok]

I really like venture lo’s, and ace 44s. Maybe I’ll give em another shot. In person they are hard to deny, just look cool/different than a lot of it.
I love nollies. Deal breaker.
Interesting that as Ave and Dill got older, and continued to skate well, especially for their age, they sized up, steeper boards and went to indys, all of which are more tiring

[The real veganshawn]

Does FA / Hockey make any 8.75 boards ?

[white guy in a durag]

Does FA / Hockey make any 8.75 boards ?

No, but god I wish they did. Need more wide boards with short wheel bases.

[Halwilkerson]

The 8.25 hockeys  with venture 5.6 polished is the best setup I’ve ever had

[Mantracker]

I like them but wish the tail was longer. Symmetrical nose and tails are so much easier to skate.

Short wb are the future of skate shapes but I recently sized up to a larger wheelbase and it works better for me. So probably not getting another FA deck for a while because of that

[shredder sequel]

FA/Hockey 8.25 on ACE 44 is a thing of beauty.

This is what I’ve been riding for a while. It is a good combo.

[z_tx]

FA/Hockey 8.18 and 8.25 with venture 5.6 titanium and 52mm spitfires works great for me

[fredgallSOTY]

FA/Hockey 8.5 w Thunder 149 polished and spitfire f4 56mm conicals

perfect

[FatGuy92]

I skated an 8.25 Sean Pablo deck a couple years back on thunder hollow 147s and loved it. I skated a 8.38 Sage deck last year with Ace 44s and could not get comfortable on it. Tried it with venture 5.8 titaniums too and same thing. I love having that fat, steep nose but I’m reluctant to get another unless I know exactly what trucks to put on it.

[spacial_profiling]

A tad square for my liking, but not a dealbreaker by any means. Tried a few FA/Hockeys now, and the problem I have with it is how much ghost pop I get on nollie/switch tricks due to how steep the nose is.

Same, with bigger Quasi as well. On FA/Hockey specifically I just tend to do less nollie, though it feels great for switch IMO. I’ve run 8.38/8.5, think the wheelbase is my biggest qualm. I get what they’re doing. I think I’d be happiest if they did stuff above 8.5 with a 14.5+ wb. 8.6-8.75...

[TurdyBird]

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A tad square for my liking, but not a dealbreaker by any means. Tried a few FA/Hockeys now, and the problem I have with it is how much ghost pop I get on nollie/switch tricks due to how steep the nose is.

[close]

Same, with bigger Quasi as well. On FA/Hockey specifically I just tend to do less nollie, though it feels great for switch IMO. I’ve run 8.38/8.5, think the wheelbase is my biggest qualm. I get what they’re doing. I think I’d be happiest if they did stuff above 8.5 with a 14.5+ wb. 8.6-8.75...

Dude, that's what literally every other board company does tho. I'm stoked. I wouldn't normally buy a FA/hockey, but the 8.5 with the short wheelbase has me interested.

However, I get it if it's your favorite brand and you want to ride their boards.

So, they have steep kicks? Is that what you guys are saying?

[l1ll1ll1]

The 8.25 hockeys  with venture 5.6 polished is the best setup I’ve ever had

Same here with FAs. 5.6 hollow highs. Still miss 149 Indy forged hollows with the cyborg Sean Pablo 8.25, that was as good as my current setup, but my Ventures still have at least half a year left in them.

[Croquet temper]

I’ve been very eager to try these boards because of that big square nose but I’m waiting until I get through my Indy 139’s. Planning on some 144 forged hollows on an 8.25. I also think that as brands, FA and Hockey really rock.

[munchbox]

fa 8.5 is the only popsicle i ever loved

[spacial_profiling]

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A tad square for my liking, but not a dealbreaker by any means. Tried a few FA/Hockeys now, and the problem I have with it is how much ghost pop I get on nollie/switch tricks due to how steep the nose is.

[close]

Same, with bigger Quasi as well. On FA/Hockey specifically I just tend to do less nollie, though it feels great for switch IMO. I’ve run 8.38/8.5, think the wheelbase is my biggest qualm. I get what they’re doing. I think I’d be happiest if they did stuff above 8.5 with a 14.5+ wb. 8.6-8.75...

[close]

Dude, that's what literally every other board company does tho. I'm stoked. I wouldn't normally buy a FA/hockey, but the 8.5 with the short wheelbase has me interested.

However, I get it if it's your favorite brand and you want to ride their boards.

So, they have steep kicks? Is that what you guys are saying?

The kicks are higher/steeper than most, but not insane. It’s that the nose and tail are a little short that makes them seem steeper.

[ballintoohard]

I liked my 8.25 on Venture 5.6 cast recently, but ya my switch and nollie pop were lower enough to where it bothered me. I had an AVE 8.5 on 149s that I absolutely loved. It was super stable feeling, great pop, would buy again. I’ve yet to try Ace or Thunder, but in my simple mind I tend to look at what most of the riders ride as they probably give shape feedback with that in mind and they only have 1 rider on Ace (Sage) and 1 on Venture (Barnett).

[Ok]

I liked my 8.25 on Venture 5.6 cast recently, but ya my switch and nollie pop were lower enough to where it bothered me. I had an AVE 8.5 on 149s that I absolutely loved. It was super stable feeling, great pop, would buy again. I’ve yet to try Ace or Thunder, but in my simple mind I tend to look at what most of the riders ride as they probably give shape feedback with that in mind and they only have 1 rider on Ace (Sage) and 1 on Venture (Barnett).

Your point makes sense to me: the trucks/rider.
 FA shapes, much like the Alien shapes, seemed to be made for indys, in my fucked up mind. The boards are also small big boards, meaning short in length, short in wb. Makes sense as the drivers for those brands, Ave and Dill, are short humans that spent a lot of their prime years on 7.75 looking boards with venture 5.0 lo’s. I figured the steeper nose/tails, shorter as well, were tuned to deliver more pop, indys help with pop as well. Buncha bullshit here by me.

KB skates thunders, look like 149s, and those on the 8.38 worked the best for me. (I also don’t understand how he skates this big setup when he looks like he Bobby Puleo height).