I don't think this is the place for me.
You guys are like those golfers who think they can buy their game in the pro shop, instead of taking a lesson from the pro and just learning how to hit a golf ball correctly.
You keep buying into a marketing strategy that tries to convince you that what you bought last year now sucks and you have to spend more money to stay relevant.
We used to cut our decks out of pine and oak boards and glue on wedges for kicktails and pour our bearings into the wheels because we had nothing else. The Alva plywood deck didn't come out until '77 and Rodney didn't invent street skating for another 10 years. I started on Bennett, then Tracker Mids and then Independent in '82 until I bought these Aces last spring and I've either owned, knew someone who did or at least seen everything that's come out for the last 47 years and know what? Bashing my deck for no good reason is just a douche thing to do and if you NEED a particular popsicle deck to ride your best, anymore than a scratch golfer actually 'needs' Beryllium Copper irons instead of forged steel? I don't think you're as good of a skater as you think you are.
Remember, the companies NEED you to keep buying every year to stay in business, you don't 'need' the difference in one $60. popsicle deck over another to skate. It's all in your head but go ahead and blather on like you know everything.
What does experience count for, right? You read Thrasher every month, you know everything.