Can anybody tell me any differences other than dimensions between these three? E.g. kicks lenght/roundness, taper, actual width?
8.5x31.8x14.25
8.4x32x14.25
8.5x14.38x32.18
Im now on the 8.5x31.8 and it feels like home, although I’d like it to be a tad wider (it measures 8.38) and maybe kicks could be a bit bigger.
The blue eagle shape / shorter 8.5 (that is more like 8.3) tapers a lot from front to back as well, big broad nose, smaller tail.
The 8.4 is straight right through, maybe a little bit more rounded in the nose, but not pointy, so starts off maybe about the same or a touch wider at the front and is definitely wider at the back than the shorter 8.5 above.
The longer 8.5 is definitely 8.5 in width and a lot more rounded off in both the kicks, so although no taper from front to back and straight through the rail, it starts to round off from the bolts, which some people like but others do not. It also has a longer tail than the other two as well. Some people say it almost looks a bit oval shaped, but I don't think that is the case.
From having and skating all three, I think the 8.4 was the best for me (coming up from the black 8.125 eagle), but if you want a bigger board, the longer 8.5 is a good board to ride as well.
At least the usual blue eagle / shorter 8.5 board seems like it is always going to be around and never in short supply, whereas the 8.4 is often a little harder to get and seems to only come out now and then / not as many options as the shorter 8.5 in terms of different graphics (five options from the last drop across DLX brands) but the longer 8.5 seems to be coming out a lot more in current drops too, so it shouldn't be too hard to pick one of those up, in a few DLX brand options.
Hope that helps.
Edit:
Adding dimensions from Tactics (make of that what you will but they look about right)
Blue eagle shorter 8.5
SIZE 8.5
LENGTH (IN): 31.8
WHEELBASE (IN): 14.25
NOSE (IN): 6.875
TAIL (IN): 6.5
8.4 shape
SIZE 8.4
LENGTH (IN): 32.0
WHEELBASE (IN): 14.25
NOSE (IN): 7.0
TAIL (IN): 6.625
Longer 8.5 shape
SIZE 8.5
LENGTH (IN): 32.18
WHEELBASE (IN): 14.38
NOSE (IN): 7.0
TAIL (IN): 6.625