this thread could contain most of the posts i’ve made. it is appreciated.
i have never settled on a setup, or even a size. the closest i’ve come to getting a baseline, was when i tried to only ride setups with 8” trucks, and that didn’t last.
for me, there is a lot of crossover, in some of the thoughtful feedback some of the regulars have made in the ‘old dudes post up here’ thread, and then gear madness, for me. some similar themes of chasing past ghosts of glory.
even during my youth (i started skating again, around 16 ish), i liked to switch things up. i believe i’ve
mentioned before that im not sure if i ever bought the same truck brand, twice in a row. 30 years later im still on my bullshit. i did have a period of time where i identified, culturally, as a 7.5er, but even then i was obsessing about riding something even smaller, an andy stone found in the back of a bin in an ‘above the belt’ (pre-zumiez zumiez) that went more like 7.25, or wanting the menace ams smith/nunez deck (i remember it was short, maybe less than 31”). anyways, what im trying to say, is i don’t remember ever feeling like ‘yup this is it, i skate thunders now. forever’.
the excitement of trying something new, even if what i have is working, is a problem that has manifested in some troubling times, not only in skating (kinda difficult to be a rad partner when your head is always turning, jobs, vehicles, bikes).
having an erratic personality, and struggling with some issues, has created this rhythm in my life, where i skate, stop for a bit, and comeback to it. it used to be how i learned new tricks: not skate for awhile, comeback to it, set something different up, boom nollie heels, or whatever. now that does not work. ha.
i can recognize the patterns of having external pressures (aging, family dramas, financial worries, etc etc) and my spiraling into more madness. also if im skating less. knowing that, doesn’t make it any less true in the moment, unfortunately.
i am also HIGHLY influenced. if wade drops a part i want a wade complete. if i read on here that nick matthews skates 5.2 lo’s im screenshotting ig and zooming in trying to see what deck he’s on.
all of it creates too many moving targets to feel totally comfortable and settled.
and that is ok. i’ve tried to have some kindness for myself, knowing that on some days i might be on here talking about how i’ve loved indy 159s, and also have a deep connection to venture 5.0 lo’s.
i’ve typed a lot and said little.
i do very much enjoy reading others thoughts about gear tho. it seemed to hit a peak 2020-22 ish, with a few ig accounts showing pro setups and that. it is interesting for me to read the ideas and experiences of folks on gear.