It's been an interesting buying experience in the UK here over the last month or two.
Shoes, for me at least, have been easy enough - DC Cupsole for under £40 delivered. I'm sorted there.
Boards and other hardware has been a crapshoot.
Trying to find an 8.125 in my preferred shape / wood has been nigh on impossible for a decent price.
So many of my usual online shops (no local skate store) have only the dregs or the premium priced decks (£55-£65 and up) that I'm not willing to pay right now.
It's been kinda fun in a way. Instead of buying a new set of trucks, I'm fully refreshing my under carriage with
-new bearings (Bones Reds)
-new bolts (1" Allen)
- new Bones Hardcore (hard) bushings.
- new axle nuts and washers
I ended up getting a shop deck for the first time since about 2005, it purports to have a more pointed nose -something I'm really partial to and why I've been riding Birdhouse/Baker DW decks alot over the last year.