Tall Pals (6'+): gear recommendations and reflections

[lovermangenius]

I ended up picking up an 8.5 polar P2 shape. I figured it would be an easier transition from a smaller board since the tail tapers a decent amount. I already feel a lot more comfortable skating it than the 8.18 and I'm actually interested in going bigger. Just need to track something down with a relatively shorter wheelbase.

Do you guys usually skate harder bushings? I've never been able to feel comfortable on stock indy bushings without tightening them down way too much. I've been skating Indy black 94a cylinder bushings and they feel great (although they squeak a lot).

[FrozenIndustries]

I ended up picking up an 8.5 polar P2 shape. I figured it would be an easier transition from a smaller board since the tail tapers a decent amount. I already feel a lot more comfortable skating it than the 8.18 and I'm actually interested in going bigger. Just need to track something down with a relatively shorter wheelbase.

Do you guys usually skate harder bushings? I've never been able to feel comfortable on stock indy bushings without tightening them down way too much. I've been skating Indy black 94a cylinder bushings and they feel great (although they squeak a lot).

I run stocks in Aces, but with Indy and Venture I swap out the bushings. I do the 92a blue barrel in Indy and the 97a purple supercush in Venture (green 94a in the lows). For whatever reason I need a harder bushing in Ventures for them to feel right. Harder bushings > tightening up trucks.

[munchbox]

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I ended up picking up an 8.5 polar P2 shape. I figured it would be an easier transition from a smaller board since the tail tapers a decent amount. I already feel a lot more comfortable skating it than the 8.18 and I'm actually interested in going bigger. Just need to track something down with a relatively shorter wheelbase.

Do you guys usually skate harder bushings? I've never been able to feel comfortable on stock indy bushings without tightening them down way too much. I've been skating Indy black 94a cylinder bushings and they feel great (although they squeak a lot).

[close]

Harder bushings >>>>> tightening up trucks.

[sammyz]

I ended up picking up an 8.5 polar P2 shape. I figured it would be an easier transition from a smaller board since the tail tapers a decent amount. I already feel a lot more comfortable skating it than the 8.18 and I'm actually interested in going bigger. Just need to track something down with a relatively shorter wheelbase.

Do you guys usually skate harder bushings? I've never been able to feel comfortable on stock indy bushings without tightening them down way too much. I've been skating Indy black 94a cylinder bushings and they feel great (although they squeak a lot).

Ive been playing around with bushing combos...bottom super hard and top medium is the current combo, which feels good...on thunders though.

Also for squeak, put some dish washing liquid on top and bottom of each bushing before assembling the truck...also a bit in the pivot cup...wont squeak anymore

[hobochimp]

Bumping this thread bc the tall pals need it


6'6
200lbs
Size 12 shoe


I'm a hit or miss board breaker. Seems like sometimes a deck will last me a while, other times it'll snap on me around 3 weeks doing even just a poorly landed ollie. Not a super consistent breaker like my height and weight would indicate.


Gear of choice:

Deck
I've messed around with big boards a lot and still have a scram deck setup that I believe is 10.3. However, I've found myself enjoying 8.5 the most and nowadays that tends to be my go-to. Wheelbase I used to only want 14.75 but after skating 14.25-14.5 wb decks I now have come to the conclusion that wheelbases in that range are just a lot more fun.

Polar 8.5 x 32.125 14.5 wb - Great shape with a fuller nose and slightly rounded tail. Steeper concave on this shape definitely makes the foot lock in a little bit weirder for bigger foot sizes imo, not a deal breaker for me.  I would say it feels smaller while skating than its measurements which can be good or bad

DLX 8.5 x 31.8 14.25 wb - To me this is the perfect "standard" popsicle shape. I'll skate any of the concaves in the stack on this deck from I - IV DLX concaves are just always nice to me. Definitely a fan of the classic blue antihero eagle. Another advantage of this shape is that its always in production so there's lots of options for acquiring one.

 Trucks: Recently joined the ace-head clan. At my height and weight stability and wheelbite have always been concerns for me and I have neither of these issues with aces. Can't wait for the re-sizing


Pants:

Dickies 67 tough max flex twill 34 length works well enough for me surprisingly

Levis 569: just got my first pair and they're super comfy and have that baggy look but don't feel too billowy for me. 34 length is perfect in these. 36 would have been way too long


Shoes:

Narrow feet keeps me wearing nike after too many mid-foot sprains from overly wide vans.

Blazer Mids are my go-to right now, can't recommend them enough. I'm usually a dunk guy as well, but haven't been able to cop a single pair in a long time. Fingers crossed either dunk hype dies down or a standardized basic color-way with full stock runs becomes a thing.


I'll throw out a lesser-known / up-and-coming tall skater. Brian Odwyer he's a santa cruz am 6'3. Been enjoying his clips on instagram and his appearances on the Santa Cruz youtube channel. Looking forward to seeing more from him.   


Thank you for reading my rant that personifies my skate gear addiction.







 

[franc]

Height: 6.2
Shoes size: 11.5
Skating since: 1990

Current setups:

- Magenta 7.875 popsicle, 139s, F4 52s, 1/8 risers (skating this on ledges, manual pads, flatground and mellow transitions)
- Magenta 8.125 square shape, 144s, F4 52s, 1/8 risers (my ATV)
- Magenta 8.25 90s shape, 144s, F4 52s, 1/8 risers (my other ATV)
- Lovenskate 8.75 egg shape, 149s, F4 53s, 1/8 risers (skating this on curbs, manual pads, miniramps and bowls)

I like short wheelbases. 14.25 ideally.
I have risers on every setup to get less wheel bite.

I find the Solver jeans Volcom make very comfortable. 36 x 32.
Uniqlo make good, nice, cheap check shirts that last years. XL fits well.

[sometimeperhaps]

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I also got to say, as a taller person I think finding pants that fit right is fucking hard. Like, too baggy=sails in the wind and too skinny=looking like a stork. I'm mad envious of shorter dudes who can rock baggy pants.

[close]

sorry for double posting but this is the realest shit i've seen on this message board

Feel this. I'm super specific about pants, and have a hard time finding one's that fit just right. I'm 6'4'' and 175lb ish. I like a slimmer fit, but not overly tight so it's hard to find a balance. There's this brand called Duer that makes a pretty nice stretchy slim pant, they're pretty expensive at $140 CAD, but at this point I'm willing to pay a little more for something that fits well. I also don't spend much on clothes anyways, so buying a pair of pants every couple years at that price isn't a big deal.

[hillbilly shifty]

cool to see the wide variety of shapes/sizes that everyone is doing. if it works, roll with it.
i'm 6' on the dot. 150 lbs. 11 shoe. 32" inseam
skating since '87. active in all of the eras. slowest period was 2005-2010 (work. life. wife. kid focus)

always fun to play on cruisers, eggs, old school shapes, but....
my go to set up is
8" or 8.125" wide
31.5-32" long
14.25" WB
8.25" trucks
50-54mm wheels, mostly 52mm

[FrozenIndustries]

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I also got to say, as a taller person I think finding pants that fit right is fucking hard. Like, too baggy=sails in the wind and too skinny=looking like a stork. I'm mad envious of shorter dudes who can rock baggy pants.

[close]

sorry for double posting but this is the realest shit i've seen on this message board

[close]

Feel this. I'm super specific about pants, and have a hard time finding one's that fit just right. I'm 6'4'' and 175lb ish. I like a slimmer fit, but not overly tight so it's hard to find a balance. There's this brand called Duer that makes a pretty nice stretchy slim pant, they're pretty expensive at $140 CAD, but at this point I'm willing to pay a little more for something that fits well. I also don't spend much on clothes anyways, so buying a pair of pants every couple years at that price isn't a big deal.

As evidenced by my bringing it up, I'm a little neurotic about pants. I'm 6'3" and have been steady 190-200 for the past two years, but for whatever reason anything that is loose or relaxed fit look like Jncos on me. I also hate most skinny or slim fit pants because I have big calfs from years of skating and biking and it makes those look goofy. And then further complicating things, I don't like it when pants are too lightweight so that rules out a bunch of stuff.

My favorite pants are the Levi's skate work pants, which are heavy duty and are a nice true straight fit with a very slight taper. I also really like the skate 511s, which are a litter wider and straighter legged than the standard ones. And I recently thrifted a pair of Levi's 541s, which fit very similarly to the work pants and got me hyped.

@hillbilly shifty knowing you're also an 11 makes me REALLY want to try one of those C47s.

[hillbilly shifty]

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I also got to say, as a taller person I think finding pants that fit right is fucking hard. Like, too baggy=sails in the wind and too skinny=looking like a stork. I'm mad envious of shorter dudes who can rock baggy pants.

[close]

sorry for double posting but this is the realest shit i've seen on this message board

[close]

Feel this. I'm super specific about pants, and have a hard time finding one's that fit just right. I'm 6'4'' and 175lb ish. I like a slimmer fit, but not overly tight so it's hard to find a balance. There's this brand called Duer that makes a pretty nice stretchy slim pant, they're pretty expensive at $140 CAD, but at this point I'm willing to pay a little more for something that fits well. I also don't spend much on clothes anyways, so buying a pair of pants every couple years at that price isn't a big deal.

[close]

As evidenced by my bringing it up, I'm a little neurotic about pants. I'm 6'3" and have been steady 190-200 for the past two years, but for whatever reason anything that is loose or relaxed fit look like Jncos on me. I also hate most skinny or slim fit pants because I have big calfs from years of skating and biking and it makes those look goofy. And then further complicating things, I don't like it when pants are too lightweight so that rules out a bunch of stuff.

My favorite pants are the Levi's skate work pants, which are heavy duty and are a nice true straight fit with a very slight taper. I also really like the skate 511s, which are a litter wider and straighter legged than the standard ones. And I recently thrifted a pair of Levi's 541s, which fit very similarly to the work pants and got me hyped.

@hillbilly shifty knowing you're also an 11 makes me REALLY want to try one of those C47s.

@FrozenIndustries not sure when more C47s will drop.
went hunting online, only place i could find....
http://www.blacklistboardshop.com/hardgoods/decks/baker/rowan-zorilla-presley-deck-pid-12873
snatch that shit up!

[FrozenIndustries]

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I also got to say, as a taller person I think finding pants that fit right is fucking hard. Like, too baggy=sails in the wind and too skinny=looking like a stork. I'm mad envious of shorter dudes who can rock baggy pants.

[close]

sorry for double posting but this is the realest shit i've seen on this message board

[close]

Feel this. I'm super specific about pants, and have a hard time finding one's that fit just right. I'm 6'4'' and 175lb ish. I like a slimmer fit, but not overly tight so it's hard to find a balance. There's this brand called Duer that makes a pretty nice stretchy slim pant, they're pretty expensive at $140 CAD, but at this point I'm willing to pay a little more for something that fits well. I also don't spend much on clothes anyways, so buying a pair of pants every couple years at that price isn't a big deal.

[close]

As evidenced by my bringing it up, I'm a little neurotic about pants. I'm 6'3" and have been steady 190-200 for the past two years, but for whatever reason anything that is loose or relaxed fit look like Jncos on me. I also hate most skinny or slim fit pants because I have big calfs from years of skating and biking and it makes those look goofy. And then further complicating things, I don't like it when pants are too lightweight so that rules out a bunch of stuff.

My favorite pants are the Levi's skate work pants, which are heavy duty and are a nice true straight fit with a very slight taper. I also really like the skate 511s, which are a litter wider and straighter legged than the standard ones. And I recently thrifted a pair of Levi's 541s, which fit very similarly to the work pants and got me hyped.

@hillbilly shifty knowing you're also an 11 makes me REALLY want to try one of those C47s.

[close]

@FrozenIndustries not sure when more C47s will drop.
went hunting online, only place i could find....
http://www.blacklistboardshop.com/hardgoods/decks/baker/rowan-zorilla-presley-deck-pid-12873
snatch that shit up!

Yeah I've had it in my cart but have been gun shy. Good looks! I'm having commitment issues.

[FrozenIndustries]

Sup skytouchers, bumping this due to some madness.

Typically skate Ace 44 classics on an 8.5"-ish board. That has been my go to for a while and is inevitably what I always come back to. I also have some Venture 5.6 hollows, but for some reason (in spite of them being so close in size) I am convinced that they're too small for my size 11 feet.

I need some of you who are of similar stature to tell me if I am being neurotic or not (I know I am). Thank you so much.

[LebowskisRug]

I'm a size 10, 6 foot 3, 170lbs, skate 8.25 on 144 or 5.6 and it feels great if you ride a deck that has full kicks.
I've also had 8.5s and I add 3 washers on the inside, which effectively makes an 8.25 truck 8.38 or equal to 44 classics. Try that first and see what's up. I personally don't like 8.5 width trucks no matter the deck width.

[hobochimp]

Sup skytouchers, bumping this due to some madness.

Typically skate Ace 44 classics on an 8.5"-ish board. That has been my go to for a while and is inevitably what I always come back to. I also have some Venture 5.6 hollows, but for some reason (in spite of them being so close in size) I am convinced that they're too small for my size 11 feet.

I need some of you who are of similar stature to tell me if I am being neurotic or not (I know I am). Thank you so much.

6’6 size 12 and I’ve ridden similar setups in the past. Was on ace 44 classics on 8.5 for a while and now I’m on 5.6 b hollows on an 8.5 or FA 8.38 and I definitely understand what you’re saying. I think it’s just a natural mental block. I really have been enjoying the 5.6 with a couple washers inside. That hasn’t stopped me however from buying some 5.8 v hollows when I found some but I’ve yet to try them to compare

[FrozenIndustries]

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Sup skytouchers, bumping this due to some madness.

Typically skate Ace 44 classics on an 8.5"-ish board. That has been my go to for a while and is inevitably what I always come back to. I also have some Venture 5.6 hollows, but for some reason (in spite of them being so close in size) I am convinced that they're too small for my size 11 feet.

I need some of you who are of similar stature to tell me if I am being neurotic or not (I know I am). Thank you so much.

[close]

6’6 size 12 and I’ve ridden similar setups in the past. Was on ace 44 classics on 8.5 for a while and now I’m on 5.6 b hollows on an 8.5 or FA 8.38 and I definitely understand what you’re saying. I think it’s just a natural mental block. I really have been enjoying the 5.6 with a couple washers inside. That hasn’t stopped me however from buying some 5.8 v hollows when I found some but I’ve yet to try them to compare

Word, thanks @LebowskisRug @hobochimp. It is some weird mental shit for sure.

[hobochimp]

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Sup skytouchers, bumping this due to some madness.

Typically skate Ace 44 classics on an 8.5"-ish board. That has been my go to for a while and is inevitably what I always come back to. I also have some Venture 5.6 hollows, but for some reason (in spite of them being so close in size) I am convinced that they're too small for my size 11 feet.

I need some of you who are of similar stature to tell me if I am being neurotic or not (I know I am). Thank you so much.

[close]

6’6 size 12 and I’ve ridden similar setups in the past. Was on ace 44 classics on 8.5 for a while and now I’m on 5.6 b hollows on an 8.5 or FA 8.38 and I definitely understand what you’re saying. I think it’s just a natural mental block. I really have been enjoying the 5.6 with a couple washers inside. That hasn’t stopped me however from buying some 5.8 v hollows when I found some but I’ve yet to try them to compare

[close]

Word, thanks @LebowskisRug @hobochimp. It is some weird mental shit for sure.

Yeah I get psyched out sometimes during a session and think my trucks are too narrow and light for me to Ollie straight

[Paperclip20]

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Sup skytouchers, bumping this due to some madness.

Typically skate Ace 44 classics on an 8.5"-ish board. That has been my go to for a while and is inevitably what I always come back to. I also have some Venture 5.6 hollows, but for some reason (in spite of them being so close in size) I am convinced that they're too small for my size 11 feet.

I need some of you who are of similar stature to tell me if I am being neurotic or not (I know I am). Thank you so much.

[close]

6’6 size 12 and I’ve ridden similar setups in the past. Was on ace 44 classics on 8.5 for a while and now I’m on 5.6 b hollows on an 8.5 or FA 8.38 and I definitely understand what you’re saying. I think it’s just a natural mental block. I really have been enjoying the 5.6 with a couple washers inside. That hasn’t stopped me however from buying some 5.8 v hollows when I found some but I’ve yet to try them to compare

[close]

Word, thanks @LebowskisRug @hobochimp. It is some weird mental shit for sure.

[close]

Yeah I get psyched out sometimes during a session and think my trucks are too narrow and light for me to Ollie straight

I currently am riding 5.6 hi's with two washers on the inside for 8.5 decks. I like how it ends up a little bit more tippy while still having plenty of foot space.

[shawngreg]

bump for the big homies

6'3
size 13

been riding 8.5 / 14.25wb quasi's for what feels like 3 years now.  5.8ti ventures with cast plates that i love and will be sticking with.  but been wanting to try something a little different boardwise, i have an 8.5 Real Full SE with a 14.38wb but also kind of want to snag a, 8.5 navy eagle....so unsure of which to set up next

[munchbox]

im two inches taller+same shoe size and looking to set up a quasi 8.5 w/ hollow 6.1s

trucks wider than deck has been feeling better than magic carpet. have no choice but to size up riding 8.5-8.75 boards. dilo does it with cast ventures so i should be fine

big feet = big trucks amirite?

[hobochimp]

im two inches taller+same shoe size and looking to set up a quasi 8.5 w/ hollow 6.1s

trucks wider than deck has been feeling better than magic carpet. have no choice but to size up riding 8.5-8.75 boards. dilo does it with cast ventures so i should be fine

big feet = big trucks amirite?

I used to run 159s on 8.5s but haven’t tried the larger truck to board thing since switching to ventures. @off where did you see dilo’s setup/ what is it? Got me curious.

[MysticalTypeExperience]

6'2" size 12 with wide feet. Currently skating Etnies Maranas which are built like tanks but the toe box is still not wide enough.

8.5" decks seem to be my shit. I also like bigger, softer wheels like 56mm 95-97a. 8.5" trucks as well

[munchbox]

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im two inches taller+same shoe size and looking to set up a quasi 8.5 w/ hollow 6.1s

trucks wider than deck has been feeling better than magic carpet. have no choice but to size up riding 8.5-8.75 boards. dilo does it with cast ventures so i should be fine

big feet = big trucks amirite?

[close]

I used to run 159s on 8.5s but haven’t tried the larger truck to board thing since switching to ventures. @off where did you see dilo’s setup/ what is it? Got me curious.

forgot where but its an almost 8.5 with cast 6.1s

i would recommend definitely recommend wider ventures for someone your size. 5.6s were good to me if i landed daintily, but the 5.8s are much better for my tall ass. can only assume the 6.1s would be perfect.

at a stage where i gotta admit im not small and pick my gear accordingly lol

[hobochimp]

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im two inches taller+same shoe size and looking to set up a quasi 8.5 w/ hollow 6.1s

trucks wider than deck has been feeling better than magic carpet. have no choice but to size up riding 8.5-8.75 boards. dilo does it with cast ventures so i should be fine

big feet = big trucks amirite?

[close]

I used to run 159s on 8.5s but haven’t tried the larger truck to board thing since switching to ventures. @off where did you see dilo’s setup/ what is it? Got me curious.

[close]

forgot where but its an almost 8.5 with cast 6.1s

i would recommend definitely recommend wider ventures for someone your size. 5.6s were good to me if i landed daintily, but the 5.8s are much better for my tall ass. can only assume the 6.1s would be perfect.

at a stage where i gotta admit im not small and pick my gear accordingly lol

Yeah I feel that man. I wanna ride a nimble 8.25 setup with 5.6 v hollows but I also gotta remind myself that I’m 6’6 210 lbs and size 12 foot haha. Been running 5.8s on a loveseat and I honestly really love it. Once that deck dies though I will finally accept that I should run the 5.8s on my go to dlx 8.5 deck

[tzhangdox]

Skated a few standard DLX 8.5 14.25 boards in a row, it actually measures about 8.38. Great shape nonetheless.

Ran it on 5.6 raw ventures for a while and it was really great, coming down from 5.8s I felt a few flip tricks get noticeably better but I did get more wheelbite and didn't feel quite as secure.

Set up a 5.8 cast plate + ti hanger combo on the same board today. Feels nice n comfortable but a few flip tricks are definitely suffering. Will probably get used to it in a week or so but there's absolutely benefits to smaller trucks and I don't feel that the setup was too dainty for me at all once I got used to it.

6 5 size 13 feet.

[munchbox]

one of these tallboy threads has to stay alive
i suggest setups, shoes, pants, and etc go in here

[Xen]

Regarding my setups, I always thought I needed to have a super long wheelbase but I've found recently that I learn new tricks way more easily on something shorter. That being said, once I take them to a longer WB I can generally do them faster and with more stability.

This is me as well (but at 5'10"). I feel more natural/comfortable on a 14.3x/14.5" WB but the deck needs to be around 31.75" / 31.875" anything 32" just feel sluggish/too long - this combo is also pretty rare, especially for 8.3" decks. Tricks come easier on a smaller board, depending on what I'm doing.

Most 14.25" wb decks always feel too tight like I have to widen my stance, pushing my front foot into the pocket, which feels terrible.

The 8.25"x31.875 Primitive with a 14" WB is totally skateable tho...not sure why but I *think" it's due to the longer nose and (especially) the longer tail; visually it makes it 'feel' like a bigger board...it's really bizarre, and my rear foot is further back.

[Prostate Exam]

6.6 , size 13 shoes

Setup (street and tranny)

Board: 10' board with 31.5 or 32 length. I prefer short wheelbases though, so around 14.5 is perfect.
Trucks: Ace Classic 66s, as loose as you can get them
Wheels: 55mm wheels (99a duro)


Shoes
Converse CTAS Pro High for ever!

Pants
Dickies Double Knee's 34X34

I mostly skate transition but also dabble around with some ledges and flatbars here and there:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CYjtrntFhOu/?utm_source=ig_embed

[FrozenIndustries]

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Regarding my setups, I always thought I needed to have a super long wheelbase but I've found recently that I learn new tricks way more easily on something shorter. That being said, once I take them to a longer WB I can generally do them faster and with more stability.

[close]

This is me as well (but at 5'10"). I feel more natural/comfortable on a 14.3x/14.5" WB but the deck needs to be around 31.75" / 31.875" anything 32" just feel sluggish/too long - this combo is also pretty rare, especially for 8.3" decks. Tricks come easier on a smaller board, depending on what I'm doing.

Most 14.25" wb decks always feel too tight like I have to widen my stance, pushing my front foot into the pocket, which feels terrible.

The 8.25"x31.875 Primitive with a 14" WB is totally skateable tho...not sure why but I *think" it's due to the longer nose and (especially) the longer tail; visually it makes it 'feel' like a bigger board...it's really bizarre, and my rear foot is further back.

The visual component is for sure real. I've had boards where the on-paper dimensions shouldn't work but they just look and feel right.

[minilogoflow]

I'm 6'3/205 lbs/size 13 and my current set up is:
Polar 9.0
Indy 169 Ti with bones hard bushings, nut flush
58mm CF 97a


I skated 8.5 exclusively from like '09 until '20 with a couple year gap in between. Back then my homies gave me shit about my board being a tank and now I see 100lb 13 year olds riding that size lol. The wider board has definitely made a positive difference for me as a tall guy with clown feet. I don't really flip my board a lot anymore but when I'm feeling frisky, the wider surface to land on makes up for any extra weight. Out of curiosity, do you some of you fellow giants that ride sub 8.25 decks do it out of habit/used to it for so long, or any other specific reasons?

[MysticalTypeExperience]

Just ordered one of these in 9x33x14.65:



Super stoked for my size 12 feet to not be dangling off the board. If anyone has 9" trucks for sale hit me up