Any company is cool if you have the right state of mind. Crail is infinitely cooler than many brands that were popular in the era they rose to the top of the cool charts.
The other 8.5 would be the Griffin Gass shape which i think is G053 and then there is the 8.38 version of it that seems to only be a Stevie Perez shape. Both are not too far off the DLX 8.38 and if this shape pans out are alternatives I’d try because I thought the wood on the G052 and the concave was great.
TBC, crail was the pinnacle. I feel like they could’ve continued to grow a little bit more, but seem to be very arrested development. And that’s why it’s important to have some companies in the hands of the youths. Much like crail was, when they started. This asleep at the wheel effects multiple aspects of the company, imo, negatively. From insensitive handlings of complex social issues, from a company that seems like it should be held to a higher standard, to being remarkably slow, in the past, to delivering rider specific product. Leaving the social stuff to the side, think about how absurd it was, to have someone as dope as Cory, clearly stoked on a different shape, and have a skater owned company, take as long as they did to bring the phawt to market. I mean think of the timeline from h-street/blockhead, to plan b/world, to the inception of girl. Folks is dozing.
Now they have the best shape guide. It makes dlx information look jumbled, and confusing in comparison. The little blurbs written on the shapes also provide some nice context for the numbers. The multiple offerings for seemingly rider specific product is really nice.
There is currently an error on the sizing to the g039, and that error gets carried over to other companies websites. The numbers don’t add up. I think, if I’m guessing right, that it’s a knockoff of the navy blue eagle. Because I’m obviously a dork, I was bummed, because I’d like to try and ride a 14.75 wb, on a 32 length board.
I really like how crail (and baker), keep it short. Really long nose and tails are not helpful, to me, rn. Gentle slap reader may note that I will reverse field at some point.
G030, G050, I’d like to try both, in comparison to the Go53.
G057 looks too good.
The 8.38 dlx…I just held up one of those olive eagles at a shop, and it was the really flat one, which made it attractive. I’ve just not ever had a good time on a board over 32”. Maybe if I just chilled I’d like it over time? Dunno. Again, comparatively, I like how the crail boards are shorter.
The current wood is really lasting for me. It doesn’t feel like anything I’d normally really like. There isn’t a super pleasant sound, both bbs and ps sound better to me when they hit the ground. The crail wood feels more like nhs stuff, maybe not quite as stiff, and I’ve never been really fond of those, as to me, they feel kinda…harsh/plasticky (not a word, just looking for something along the lines of artificial). This is obviously very subjective territory. The end result is although the board isn’t anything I’m really drawn too, I skate real decent on it (for me, low bar), and it’s lasted a long time.