Narrow Deck Appreciation?

[GnarAlarm]

I'm talking 7.5 to 8.0
Maybe 8.12 can sneak in but barely.

I'm 6'4 with size 12 feet and I ride 7.75 ideally but will ride 8's in a pinch. Thunder hollow light low and 50mm STF.
I love how light and responsive narrow decks are. It's a whole different experience than riding 8.25+ boards, especially factoring in the wider trucks. I've never had an issue with not having enough board to catch and land on.

My homies will be like "bruh it's like you're riding a tech deck out here". I'll kick it over to them, they'll jump on it and blast the biggest kick flips and 360 flips I've ever seen them do, then they'll kick it back to me like "ugh, how do you ride this thing?". I'm like bro you just blasted that 360 flip 2 feet in the air, your 360 flips usually scrape on the ground.

Oh well. Anyone else got love for narrow decks?

[notinternetfamous]

I rode 7.75 for 8+ years before stepping up to 8.0-8.25. I've been back on 8.0's exclusively and I'm loving it (5'4" height with size 8 shoes).
I have 2 8.0 set-ups lol: Girl 8.0 (14 wb) with 5.6 Ventures & TKF 8.0 (14.25 wb) with Ace af1 33s

I think it's pretty sick though when bigger/taller dudes ride narrow boards.

[Skatebeard]

I have a 7.875 on venture low 5.2 as a spare/backup setup, skated it for a couple months recently when i snapped the kingpin on my 8.25 setup.

I enjoyed it, but found it much less forgiving for flip tricks, having size US 11s...and you have to be very precise or it's easy to over rotate stuff. That said it was super crispy for fast kickflips, and i liked it for bigspins and shuv tricks as it pinged round nice and quick. Way easier to tweak my ankles on anything sub 8", and to end up half missing the deck as there's just less of it to catch with big feet.

Heelflips are much easier on skinny decks IMO, and I can boost BS pop shuvs far bigger... but they really mess up my varial flips, go figure.

I found going back to my 8.25 a relief, but having grown up skating 7.5s, narrow decks will always have a place in my skate world... just not full time these days.

[pedro_mayn]

I grew up when I couldn't remember seeing anything bigger than a 7.75 or an 8' in my local shop. First deck was a 7.6 Bootleg Mike Maldonado and I still have it somewhere.

Only in the recent years I've stuck with an 8 or an 8.125, due to their regular availability. I definitely see what people are on about skating very big, heavy boards, how they struggle with certain tricks. It's the way people pop tres sometimes I can see the struggle to get it popped up and flipping around, especially when they land very nose heavy. That's mainly with people who are of the short ass variety, like me.

I usually go for whatever is Deluxe in my local shop, but usually stay with a Krooked or Polar board when I see them pop up.

Never have gotten on with bigger boards, only keep a separate wider board for filming and that's it.

[GnarAlarm]

I have a 7.875 on venture low 5.2 as a spare/backup setup, skated it for a couple months recently when i snapped the kingpin on my 8.25 setup.

I enjoyed it, but found it much less forgiving for flip tricks, having size US 11s...and you have to be very precise or it's easy to over rotate stuff. That said it was super crispy for fast kickflips, and i liked it for bigspins and shuv tricks as it pinged round nice and quick. Way easier to tweak my ankles on anything sub 8", and to end up half missing the deck as there's just less of it to catch with big feet.

Heelflips are much easier on skinny decks IMO, and I can boost BS pop shuvs far bigger... but they really mess up my varial flips, go figure.

I found going back to my 8.25 a relief, but having grown up skating 7.5s, narrow decks will always have a place in my skate world... just not full time these days.

The key is, on narrower decks I kickflip using basically the same foot placement as an ollie. Doing that I can still do nice, slower flipping kickflips. When I have tried wider decks I have to hang my foot off a lot more. I really like keeping my foot really far on the deck for flip tricks tho, get that monster flick.

And again, I dunno if it's just me but I rock a size 12 shoe and I've never felt like there wasn't enough deck under me?

[Mean salto]

Was years ago now (maybe 2015) but the smallest board I'd ride was an 8.5 and usually something like a 9 for a bunch of reasons my skate abilities were declining (let's say I juries +age for short) and I weirdly had a dream where I was setting up a deck but forgot my trucks so I used the trucks off an old cruiser board. So I had a 9 inch creature on 7.5 trucks and it was really fun. When I woke up I had to try it and yes it is fun your boards much lighter and flips really easy only downside is wobbles at speed and one time I was coming in hot for a front 5-0 on a super waxed ledge but forgot my trucks were narrower so landed wheels on-top and just went straight tailbone to edge of steel coping but that's more my fault.
Also would notice sometimes I'd still get flappy foot on bigger Ollie's and manuals weren't exactly easy. Then by chance a friend had an old 7.75 deck in the trunk of his car and I had to try it. Dropping from 15 to 14 wb made a world of difference for Manny's so now I just have a 7.75 setup I mostly ride and a 8.75 collecting dust. I'm 6'5.5( losing height due to spine issues) 245lb size 13s so if someone thinks they're too big for a narrow board they're probably wrong. (Unless they skate vert or something)

[SaySo]

Was years ago now (maybe 2015) but the smallest board I'd ride was an 8.5 and usually something like a 9 for a bunch of reasons my skate abilities were declining (let's say I juries +age for short) and I weirdly had a dream where I was setting up a deck but forgot my trucks so I used the trucks off an old cruiser board. So I had a 9 inch creature on 7.5 trucks and it was really fun. When I woke up I had to try it and yes it is fun your boards much lighter and flips really easy only downside is wobbles at speed and one time I was coming in hot for a front 5-0 on a super waxed ledge but forgot my trucks were narrower so landed wheels on-top and just went straight tailbone to edge of steel coping but that's more my fault.
Also would notice sometimes I'd still get flappy foot on bigger Ollie's and manuals weren't exactly easy. Then by chance a friend had an old 7.75 deck in the trunk of his car and I had to try it. Dropping from 15 to 14 wb made a world of difference for Manny's so now I just have a 7.75 setup I mostly ride and a 8.75 collecting dust. I'm 6'5.5( losing height due to spine issues) 245lb size 13s so if someone thinks they're too big for a narrow board they're probably wrong. (Unless they skate vert or something)

Definitely.

Jovontae Turner, Reese Forbes, Ron Whaley, etc., ripped on small boards and none of them are average size for skaters.

But, as has been said many times in many different places, pros can rip on anything you put under their feet.

The widest deck I'll ride is 8.125, but I'm only 5'7" with size 8 feet. As a kid I struggled with the old school decks. Narrow decks just feel like home.

[GnarAlarm]

Yuto and Suciu ride 8s.
Filipe Gustavo rides like 7.8

I'm sure a lot more pros than people think skate 8 and smaller.
I won't be shocked if narrow boards come back in style in the next few years, nothing skaters love more than being an early adopter to a new trend.

[camel filters]

Flip tricks are a dream but I like grinding and narrow trucks are not my friend when it comes to locking in.

[roba]

i don't fuck with regular narrow decks, i never go smaller than 8.25, but i fuck around on my little sister's board sometimes, it's a mini 7.25 popsicle and it's fun as fuck. i can't kickflip or tre flip on my gf's 7.75 krooked but on that 7.25 they're surprisingly easy. also bombing little hills on the 7.25 is almost as fun as bombing bigger hills on my regular set-up.

[jorge]

i don't fuck with regular narrow decks, i never go smaller than 8.25, but i fuck around on my little sister's board sometimes, it's a mini 7.25 popsicle and it's fun as fuck. i can't kickflip or tre flip on my gf's 7.75 krooked but on that 7.25 they're surprisingly easy. also bombing little hills on the 7.25 is almost as fun as bombing bigger hills on my regular set-up.

I think a lot of this preference is tied to your level of crust love.  I would rather skate lumpy crusty spots than a perfect smooth waxed ledge so while I get the lil' deck thing it doesn't work for me.  Can't go huge either though, 8.25 only.  Size 11 shoes 6 ft.

[Basingstoke]

I have been enjoying the DLXSF 8.06" shape with an atypically long wheelbase of 14.38", very stable and am find some tricks coming back from a stint of trying DSM and HLC pressed boards.

[JRF]

I rode a 7.4 from late 1998 to around late 2002, I liked it, it never felt too skinny to me, my board also had a smaller tail in order to make the wheel base a tad longer, I also rode Indys that were slightly to long for the width of the board. My set up was always pretty strange and unconventional.. I rode my trucks pretty loose and my back truck was noticeably looser than my front truck, which is definitely ass backwards, I also liked to only use 3 bolts for my back truck and the standard 4 on the front truck. I liked the feeling of my set up when the back truck bolts started to come a little loose and rattle. When people use to step on my board set up they hated it, laughed and always told me that it felt shitty, like it was going to come apart at any minute. I also never changed my trucks unless I absolutely had to, I would ride the same pair of trucks for years when I could, as long as they held together and only broke parts that were replaceable.

[pops]

Is it valid to say you ride narrow decks when your shoes and deck are both 8? Like when I have size 9 shoes and ride 9" boards, people say my decks are huge.

[olivelawn]

Turning 47 this year and been riding 7.5" - 7.62" for 25+ years. I'm always getting grief, but that is what works for me.

[sacking rails]

love me a 7.75-7.8

[SHARPSHOOTER]

How do you tail slide with size 12 shoes and a 7.5-7.75”?
Wax your heels ? Lol

[Ok]

I no longer enjoy boards over 8”, outside of novelty. For me, it’s mostly the trucks: 8” trucks are a good mix of attributes. For the type of skating I do (flatground), I should probably stick with 5.0s, but I feel like they look way too small, if I have wheels greater than 50s setup. I actually skate, for me, good, on venture 5.0 HI’s, but again, the whole shit looks weird, so I don’t run it that often. More of a bad weather setup.

Lots of big boards are faking the funk imo: if you are getting towed into huge concrete sets, or jumping down big rails, sure. But it looks ridiculous when people are doing worm burner treflips, going slow, on an 8.75 with 58mm wheels

[Lee Ralphs Dear Old Mum]

it looks ridiculous when people are doing worm burner treflips, going slow, on an 8.75 with 58mm wheels

That would be me. Haha.

But seriously, I like the way bigger boards look when the flip CK1 on the Huffer for instance...

Sub 8.25" boards were not good for me...

[xandeo]

Age 38, shoe size 10.5 and 180 cm/6.03 feet tall here.

Skated 7.5 1998-2006, 7.625 and 7.75 2006-2012, 8.0 2012-2016 and since then switched down to 7.875.

Never liked the 8.0, treflips rotate much (s)lower than the poppy smaller boards. Seeing pros like Kalis still skating sub-8's made me give up on trying to motivate myself to go bigger. Why bother? Stick to what works for you.

On the downside, it is much harder to find board shapes in these sizes - most smaller boards are nowadays pressed in the same presses as the larger boards, making them flat and concave-less.

I'm known at the local spot as the toothpick-board dude, however I gotta watch out when taking a break from skating at the spot as I'll catch the kids doing kickflips (single and double) on my board, amazed at how fast it flips (compared to their surfboards on trucks...).

Narrow decks 4 life!

[Benicio El Toro]

My friend that skates 5 times a year still rides 7.75. Buys a new deck every other session for no reason. I love it

[Texas_Tone]

Recently sized down to a 8.125, really digging it, haven’t lost any ledge stuff and my flatground is feeling a lot better, maybe I will try an eight soon

[Jort250]

I also posted this in the gear madness thread but I’ve decided to stick with 8” trucks coming over from 8.25”. My flip tricks take a big consistency hit, even if I can get away with things. For the perks of a larger board like easier slides and grinds, I’ve learnt that I can get away with on a smaller board with a bit more wax and focus

All’s that to say, I’m into 7.75-8.25” boards on 8” trucks these days as opposed to 8-8.25” boards on 8.25” trucks

[swongolianbbq]

I love that baker has a 7.56 logo board and antihero has a 7.88 eagle every season, both with 14" wb

It's tempting but 144s is the smallest I'll go with trucks

If I'm ever just bleeding money I'd love to set up one of those on some venture lows and lil smokies 48mm classics

[bokchoy]

I no longer enjoy boards over 8”, outside of novelty. For me, it’s mostly the trucks: 8” trucks are a good mix of attributes. For the type of skating I do (flatground), I should probably stick with 5.0s, but I feel like they look way too small, if I have wheels greater than 50s setup. I actually skate, for me, good, on venture 5.0 HI’s, but again, the whole shit looks weird, so I don’t run it that often. More of a bad weather setup.

Lots of big boards are faking the funk imo: if you are getting towed into huge concrete sets, or jumping down big rails, sure. But it looks ridiculous when people are doing worm burner treflips, going slow, on an 8.75 with 58mm wheels

Agree

If you aren't skating big shit, big transition, or are a large person, what's the point of skating a gigantic popsicle shape? A lot of people look ridiculous skating a board way too large for their stature and I also think it's a great disservice for kids learning how to skateboard on an 8+. Sure.. its more real estate to land on and it makes it "easier" to learn but style is sacrificed. Kids should skate kid size boards and then move up when they grow up..

[Sedition]

But it looks ridiculous when people are doing worm burner treflips, going slow, on an 8.75 with 58mm wheels…

…A lot of people look ridiculous skating a board way too large for their stature…

The subjective nature of skateboarding.

To me, normal sized adults on tiny boards look like the anti-matter to circus clowns wearing oversized shoes—both look like the person suffered Chernobyl / Fukushima level genetic mutations, making things grossly disproportionate. I have to look a way.

That said, always ride what works for you, whatever that may be.

[jorge]

Are these tiny decks good for anything aside from doing flat at the skatepark?  I never really see anyone doing actual street skating with them. 

EDIT-Im just wondering, i dont have a fair position in this as i have a size 12 shoe and therefore look stupid on anything below an 8.25

[Jort250]

Are these tiny decks good for anything aside from doing flat at the skatepark?  I never really see anyone doing actual street skating with them. 

EDIT-Im just wondering, i dont have a fair position in this as i have a size 12 shoe and therefore look stupid on anything below an 8.25

Flip in, flip out deals out of slides, grinds and manuals are easier

Again I can only speak for myself but I find I’m able to get away with a smaller board for trying to hold long slides and grinds

[jorge]

Expand Quote

Are these tiny decks good for anything aside from doing flat at the skatepark?  I never really see anyone doing actual street skating with them. 

EDIT-Im just wondering, i dont have a fair position in this as i have a size 12 shoe and therefore look stupid on anything below an 8.25

[close]

Flip in, flip out deals out of slides, grinds and manuals are easier

Again I can only speak for myself but I find I’m able to get away with a smaller board for trying to hold long slides and grinds

in the street or are you talking skateparks only?  I find the little guys dont handle natural street crust that well.

[Jort250]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Are these tiny decks good for anything aside from doing flat at the skatepark?  I never really see anyone doing actual street skating with them. 

EDIT-Im just wondering, i dont have a fair position in this as i have a size 12 shoe and therefore look stupid on anything below an 8.25

[close]

Flip in, flip out deals out of slides, grinds and manuals are easier

Again I can only speak for myself but I find I’m able to get away with a smaller board for trying to hold long slides and grinds

[close]

in the street or are you talking skateparks only?  I find the little guys dont handle natural street crust that well.

Both. Couldn’t tell ya - I run 99a formula fours and watch a lot of videos from the late 2000s for trick inspiration where 7.75-8 was the norm