Author Topic: Standing on a deck before you buy it.  (Read 1421 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Bigfoot is real

  • Guest
Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« on: March 16, 2023, 01:46:38 AM »
I remember growing up me and other kids would always stand on a deck to scope it out at the skateshop, until we finally found "the right board" arbitrarily. I don't remember when I stopped specifically but I don't remember the last time I did it, probably 15+ years ago.

Do kids out there still do this at skateshops and why do we age out of this practice?

Síota

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 3426
  • Rep: 759
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2023, 07:31:10 AM »
I remember growing up me and other kids would always stand on a deck to scope it out at the skateshop, until we finally found "the right board" arbitrarily. I don't remember when I stopped specifically but I don't remember the last time I did it, probably 15+ years ago.

Do kids out there still do this at skateshops and why do we age out of this practice?

I stood on the SkateShop day beamer this year as wanted to feel the concave/convex. Other than that I can tell by eye.

chronicbackpain

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 628
  • Rep: 157
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2023, 07:45:27 AM »
Do kids out there still do this at skateshops and why do we age out of this practice?
Yes, kids still do this. We age out of this practice because we know what we like and companies made it easier to identify shapes by designating width/wheelbase to particular shapes. If you know you like Hockey Shape 1, you might look at a Real SE  instead of inspecting ten or more decks of various brands to find something similar.

yourbreakfsat

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1568
  • Rep: 746
  • Bronze Topic Start Bronze Topic Start : Start a topic with over 1,000 replies.
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2023, 07:46:56 AM »
I do this and encourage others to do it. It works best when directly comparing boards such as mellow vs steep concave/kicks but I still compare sizes as well.

Although it gets me heated when some dick slaps the deck onto the ground and immediately tried to do ollies and stuff with it to "try it out and see if the deck has pop." That's not how it works and they're damaging product that isn't theirs.

Frank and Fred

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1254
  • Rep: 701
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2023, 07:47:15 AM »
Absolutely. But the backside boneless test is the real factor. How does that puppy feel locked into your back foot and front hand?

Then I eye up the concave for warpage... seems like a lot of boards are a tiny bit warped these days but I still check as i have a tolerance level.

Finally I demanded some industry gossip about the company whose deck is under consideration and if that is satisfactory, we can move forward with a grip tape plan. 

Xen

  • Trade Count: (+8)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 8214
  • Rep: 937
  • U neg cuz UR insecure-glad I got under your skin
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2023, 11:55:20 AM »
I still do this if it's something I am not familiar with...just habit at this point...but now I measure shit beforehand ;)

Plus, that all goes out the window once you grip it and mount the trucks and the shape changes visually (looking down at the nose/tail/bolts).

tom

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 2230
  • Rep: 973
  • the moon rules
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2023, 12:47:20 PM »
Then I eye up the concave for warpage... seems like a lot of boards are a tiny bit warped these days but I still check as i have a tolerance level.

This is the biggest one for me. I stand on every board and set up my feet in certain flip trick positions to see if it’s gonna be a good one. It always is because I buy the same exact shape and size every time. I meticulously stare down the rails and I try to visually line up the graphic side with a straight line to see if there’s any warpage. I’ll check and recheck both sides. DLX boards seem to always be fine. I did have two boards last year warp on me; both a PS Stix and a BBS
fuck you bama

fulfillthedream

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 4647
  • Rep: 305
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2023, 01:02:10 PM »
as much as it helps in my experience standing on deck by itself, while wrapped in the shrink wrap has a completely different feeling then when its gripped and bolted to your trucks
Skateboarding is like jacking-off, it's that good- Jeremy Klein

[

j....soy.....

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 18164
  • Rep: 1566
  • SLAP OG SLAP OG : Been around since SLAP was a mag.
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2023, 01:09:42 PM »
I do it but I’m careful, put it on carpet and dust it off…..they have to sell it….I also recognize that although I think it makes perfect sense, most people don’t need to do this….

toe_knee

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1109
  • Rep: 202
  • Get bent
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2023, 01:42:34 PM »
I never stood on them, but I def do the backside boneless test, I like mellow boards so I usually eye em out
You want some queso?”
Dan Drehobl to me at make a wish, while handing me a hotdog

twic3

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 433
  • Rep: 14
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2023, 02:20:49 PM »
I do it for brands and shapes I'm not familiar with because I'm really picky about my concave.

Also always on carpet, doing it on a hard floor is disrespectful as hell.

Síota

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 3426
  • Rep: 759
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2023, 01:15:00 AM »
I do it for brands and shapes I'm not familiar with because I'm really picky about my concave.

Also always on carpet, doing it on a hard floor is disrespectful as hell.

Most shops have a carpet mat near the decks for this, I couldn't imagine a shop employee/owner letting someone stand on a deck on the hard floor! That said there is alot of dumb as shit people out there.

FUBAR

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 875
  • Rep: 231
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2023, 02:04:47 AM »
I fucks with it.

Threadz

  • Guest
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2023, 02:05:47 AM »
I've heard PJ is the most pedantic pro about his board shapes. So I wasn't surprised to see that he stands on every board beforehand that he skates:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H3B1P7_9Jgg&t=5s&t=10

Like Siota mentioned, most skate shops have mats at the skate section for this purpose. I especially find it useful to determine the steepness of kicks. As a lot of boards can be 'mellow' concave but have steep kicks, which I dislike.

Dong Hanglo

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 269
  • Rep: 34
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2023, 04:11:25 AM »
I’m more meticulous about shape nowadays than I was 15 to 10 years ago. Back then I didn’t really care because I had so much time to skate. The board was going to last 3 weeks max usually less. So I wasn’t getting attached to a board. Now a board lasts anywhere from one session to 3 months. I want a good board for when I have the opportunity to skate. Last thing i want is to feel a hindrance from my board shape since scheduling sucks in your 30s and time is the most valuable commodity. I buy the same shape a lot. Usually a bbs eight and three quarters Roman numeral 3.

Mbrimson88

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 5264
  • Rep: 973
  • Just another skate shop guy
  • Bronze Topic Start Bronze Topic Start : Start a topic with over 1,000 replies.
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #15 on: March 18, 2023, 06:41:19 PM »
I remember growing up me and other kids would always stand on a deck to scope it out at the skateshop, until we finally found "the right board" arbitrarily. I don't remember when I stopped specifically but I don't remember the last time I did it, probably 15+ years ago.

Do kids out there still do this at skateshops and why do we age out of this practice?


Surprised no one has said this yet, but "online shopping" has changed the way I buy boards and I note many others also rarely go into skate shops any more, compared to when that used to be the best place to hang out, talk shop, watch videos, etc.

Even the shops I do go into often don't have people who really know a whole lot about anything anymore, but there are not many shops I would consider a good core skate shop anywhere near where I live either.


As to standing on boards, absolutely the only way to do things.

I would always have a thick rubber mat near a board area, just for that purpose, as with the small place I help out with, I put down a couple of boards at a time for anyone to stand on to feel the difference in the concave, with some people being oblivious to differences, whereas others can definitely tell between a steep concave and a mellow board.


I talk too much about skateboards.  Sorry.

GBLange

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1043
  • Rep: 274
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #16 on: March 18, 2023, 08:43:28 PM »
back in the mid 90s i tend to check the concave first. put it on the floor, then rock it like a boat side to side.

Sativa Lung

  • Trade Count: (+11)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 3638
  • Rep: 872
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #17 on: March 19, 2023, 01:58:43 AM »
Expand Quote
I do it for brands and shapes I'm not familiar with because I'm really picky about my concave.

Also always on carpet, doing it on a hard floor is disrespectful as hell.
[close]

Most shops have a carpet mat near the decks for this, I couldn't imagine a shop employee/owner letting someone stand on a deck on the hard floor! That said there is alot of dumb as shit people out there.

Mom's in Buffalo has a rug so famous it has its own guest board.

One of the shops in my city just has hard tile and it seemed like every time I'd go in and peruse I'd find at least one board that was semi mangled from kids doing ollies on the floor or smacking the tail off the ground to see how it sounds.

Tom Pearl

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1068
  • Rep: 203
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #18 on: March 19, 2023, 03:20:06 AM »
i dont have a shop so its a roll of the dice every time i order one

Dooky-shoes

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1431
  • Rep: -305
  • User posts join approval queueModerated
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #19 on: March 19, 2023, 08:10:15 PM »
Absolutely. But the backside boneless test is the real factor. How does that puppy feel locked into your back foot and front hand?

Came here to say this. I remember an older shop local explaining that process to me. Ya really gotta smack that board onto your foot.
Knowing that he was half kidding hasn’t stopped me from doing that with every potential purchase.

mynameisnotjeff

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 5238
  • Rep: 581
Re: Standing on a deck before you buy it.
« Reply #20 on: March 19, 2023, 08:53:01 PM »
Expand Quote
I do it for brands and shapes I'm not familiar with because I'm really picky about my concave.

Also always on carpet, doing it on a hard floor is disrespectful as hell.
[close]

Most shops have a carpet mat near the decks for this, I couldn't imagine a shop employee/owner letting someone stand on a deck on the hard floor! That said there is alot of dumb as shit people out there.

This one time I went to a Vans store and tried a Powell Cab reissue. I ended up scratching the graphic and when I went to check it out they gave me a discount because it was damaged.
Nothing I do deserves more than an iphone camera.