DLX boards now made in China

[breezy_again]

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Antihero out with a new 8.5" with 14" wheelbase

https://www.tactics.com/anti-hero/taylor-pigeon-vision-85-skateboard-deck

[close]

If this info is correct, these boards are the ones made in China, so if anyone can keep an eye out for any of the other pigeon vision boards (except the Huffer shape and the Hewitt decks) and check top stickers or any of the markings, etc on them.

The whole list of this current drop is not one to share, but more of them are said to be the made in China boards than the usual made in Mexico BBS DLX boards.


It would be interesting if people have seen any in shops or could take pics of stickers (if any) or other info.


* Just to say it again, DLX always does top quality stuff, so I have no doubt that these are going to be well made and hold up the same as any other DLX deck, but I am super keen to see pics or hear more about them, seeing as they will be a fair way off coming here at least, the AU drop scheduled for early next year - Feb 2024 from memory.

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We have about 10 of these where I work and they all have the made in Mexico stickers with the Roman numeral stamps. We checked a few other decks we got at that same time and they are the same.

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Thanks!


That was the sort of info I was after, as all the pigon vision boards were the drop that were from China, for the AU delivery.

It was not so much the specific board from the link above, the shape or anything else, more just that series, so regardless of it being a standard shape or not, almost all the new boards for us here in AU are going to be from China, which arrive Feb 2024.  Things are always a few months behind in stock getting here, unless it is fast tracked by air (which then costs a ton more), otherwise it goes in a shipping container by sea and gets here after it has travelled half way round the world.

It would make sense that USA gets wood from Mexico and other countries / continents like AU, Asia or Europe get wood from China, but only DLX knows exactly what is going on there, so not a worry either way to me.

no problem. we have a bunch more showing up next week sometime and i'll keep a look out for any differences.

[pizzafliptofakie]

The blue eagle shape is 31.75 on the dot and a 14.12wb

for the sake of my sanity I am choosing to take the size labels at face value, haha.



I've never had a Deluxe board that was labeled  8.5 x 32 x 14.1.

[LebowskisRug]

As long as the shape label matches the dimensions should and you'll be fine. I've never had a shape completely mislabeled just the normal label vs reality.

I can say I have little faith in numerals lately. My shop had a few decks where a I was as mellow as a Baker and then on another DLX shape a III was like skating a square without a top.

[skrdykat]

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Antihero out with a new 8.5" with 14" wheelbase

https://www.tactics.com/anti-hero/taylor-pigeon-vision-85-skateboard-deck

[close]

If this info is correct, these boards are the ones made in China, so if anyone can keep an eye out for any of the other pigeon vision boards (except the Huffer shape and the Hewitt decks) and check top stickers or any of the markings, etc on them.

The whole list of this current drop is not one to share, but more of them are said to be the made in China boards than the usual made in Mexico BBS DLX boards.


It would be interesting if people have seen any in shops or could take pics of stickers (if any) or other info.


* Just to say it again, DLX always does top quality stuff, so I have no doubt that these are going to be well made and hold up the same as any other DLX deck, but I am super keen to see pics or hear more about them, seeing as they will be a fair way off coming here at least, the AU drop scheduled for early next year - Feb 2024 from memory.

I ordered that board and it'll be in this week. Will share what I find.

[Mbrimson88]

As long as the shape label matches the dimensions should and you'll be fine. I've never had a shape completely mislabeled just the normal label vs reality.

I can say I have little faith in numerals lately. My shop had a few decks where a I was as mellow as a Baker and then on another DLX shape a III was like skating a square without a top.

Funny you say that.

I have more than half a dozen 8.75 boards, assorted graphics and the older ones are as per spec with the numbers, fitting nicely in a I II III IV stack, but as you said, these newer ones have quite varied concaves, a I and III way flatter than a IV, but then two other IV boards being about middle of the range when I sorted them into steepest through to most mellow.

Although I do tend to get the IV boards, I am actually glad these all just arrived as is, because I would definitely have thought this IV is way steeper, both across the concave (which I can't change) as well as the kicks (which I can change) so that one is going to someone else.

The more mellow concave across I can work with a lot more.


I haven't really seen any other size / shape with as many beside the 8.38 but I haven't bought any of those for a good six or so months now, but they all line up fairly well, only a few being the exception - oddly enough those with teal tops are all super mellow, which I am very happy to have.


Anyway, that is nothing to do with China boards, but still relevant to DLX, so I guess it is ok.

[p3dro]

Do AH use a lower quality ply in their eagle team decks than the pro boards, like in the price point completes? Thought I read that earlier somewhere in this thread…

[rikki]

Buddy of mine has an AH 8.5 Copier Eagle. It feels a bit thicker and heavier than the normal eagles. Wonder what's up with that?

[Frank and Fred]

Those are the budget decks right?

[p3dro]

I think the copier decks are budget, they're cheaper than the regular eagle team decks anyway which makes me think that...
...which are cheaper than the pro boards...
Is that just a graphics / special shape / pro's name on board increase in cost, or is the ply quality better too?

[LebowskisRug]

One of the employees at my local used to work at BBS and claims that price point decks just use natural or yellow/orange/lighter veneers and are pressed more at a time so there is more variance across the stack. IIRC they said 10 for PP, 5 for standard, 4 for DLX, but this was a convo several months ago. The wood, glue, etc. is the same.

[breezy_again]

Copier eagles are price points

[Mbrimson88]

Do AH use a lower quality ply in their eagle team decks than the pro boards, like in the price point completes? Thought I read that earlier somewhere in this thread…

Buddy of mine has an AH 8.5 Copier Eagle. It feels a bit thicker and heavier than the normal eagles. Wonder what's up with that?

Those are the budget decks right?

* As said, Copier eagles are price points, normal eagles are pro wood.


All the pro boards including team models like eagles, krooked eyes and real ovals are on the same wood, but the budget / price point boards are on the cheaper wood.

Easiest way to see now is the pro boards usually have one / two top stained ply layers, then one bottom stained layer.  Pricepoints / budget boards now are all natural and although they do look like thicker ply layers, the few that I had and measured didn't seem any thicker than the pro boards, which was weird.  Another one that someone else had was definitely thicker and heavier though, so make of that what you will.

Not to say that doesn't change, as some of the more recent drops had very specific all natural layers on some Real decks, for certain graphics - Kwalks and someone else, I think, but I didn't look it up again.


From an old BBS video, they said something like they sort the grades of ply, the best ones become stained layers, the worst ones go to the pricepoint wood, everything else becomes the middle layers or something like that, so it would make sense that of the five normal layers (with two cross bands) there are three or so better stained layers in pro boards, compared to the lesser quality ply layers in pricepoint boards.

I guess any which way you look at it, by skating a good number of each, you can make up your own mind on what you prefer, but I would say the pro wood holds up way better than pricepoint wood, for most people.  I had posted about the different quality before, with pics and other info, as per the DLX thread:

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=85076.msg3844087#msg3844087

[Woodshop]

One of the employees at my local used to work at BBS and claims that price point decks just use natural or yellow/orange/lighter veneers and are pressed more at a time so there is more variance across the stack. IIRC they said 10 for PP, 5 for standard, 4 for DLX, but this was a convo several months ago. The wood, glue, etc. is the same.

I have always enjoyed the orange or yellow veneer boards from way back, when that was all that the DLX wood seemed to come on and they held up so well too, but that sure is interesting to hear things like that, from a woodshop perspective.

PS Stix was said to do five boards at a time as per an interview with the Professor, maybe even Clutch too, but I can't recall where I got that info from.

Compared to the newer presses which hold up to nine boards in the one stack, all individually pressed, some of the older woodshops almost seem like they are behind on that front with outdated equipment, but I don't mind the search - beats having all the same steep boards I can't skate.

[p3dro]

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Do AH use a lower quality ply in their eagle team decks than the pro boards, like in the price point completes? Thought I read that earlier somewhere in this thread…

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Buddy of mine has an AH 8.5 Copier Eagle. It feels a bit thicker and heavier than the normal eagles. Wonder what's up with that?

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Those are the budget decks right?

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* As said, Copier eagles are price points, normal eagles are pro wood.


All the pro boards including team models like eagles, krooked eyes and real ovals are on the same wood, but the budget / price point boards are on the cheaper wood.

Easiest way to see now is the pro boards usually have one / two top stained ply layers, then one bottom stained layer.  Pricepoints / budget boards now are all natural and although they do look like thicker ply layers, the few that I had and measured didn't seem any thicker than the pro boards, which was weird.  Another one that someone else had was definitely thicker and heavier though, so make of that what you will.

Not to say that doesn't change, as some of the more recent drops had very specific all natural layers on some Real decks, for certain graphics - Kwalks and someone else, I think, but I didn't look it up again.


From an old BBS video, they said something like they sort the grades of ply, the best ones become stained layers, the worst ones go to the pricepoint wood, everything else becomes the middle layers or something like that, so it would make sense that of the five normal layers (with two cross bands) there are three or so better stained layers in pro boards, compared to the lesser quality ply layers in pricepoint boards.

I guess any which way you look at it, by skating a good number of each, you can make up your own mind on what you prefer, but I would say the pro wood holds up way better than pricepoint wood, for most people.  I had posted about the different quality before, with pics and other info, as per the DLX thread:

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=85076.msg3844087#msg3844087

Thanks man, really appreciate the knowledge

[jumpingjack]

One of the employees at my local used to work at BBS and claims that price point decks just use natural or yellow/orange/lighter veneers and are pressed more at a time so there is more variance across the stack. IIRC they said 10 for PP, 5 for standard, 4 for DLX, but this was a convo several months ago. The wood, glue, etc. is the same.

It is unlikely that your employee worked at BBS, veneer colors have nothing to do with classifying a price point deck, and you cannot press any # of decks you'd like in the same mold. Each mold is designed for a specific thickness, anything greater or less than that thickness would produce a failure in lamination. It is 4 decks per press for 99% of the decks produced.

[Sativa Lung]

I have a handful of SSD ones with colored inner plys, but ive also seen boxes full of price point dlx boards without a dyed ply in sight a few years ago. If you watch the BBS (or any proper woodshop really) tours the very first thing they do is sort the veneer by grade, I can't remember if it was BBS but there's like way more grades than I expected...like 9 or something. Obviously the highest grade veneers are face ply and the further down you go the more likely you are to encounter a defect. My understanding was that with the PP boards it's basically just whatever spare lower graded plys are lying around the warehouse when it comes time to press.

[Mbrimson88]

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Definitely a lot more boards in newer / future drops being from China for the AU market, but still some exceptions (bigger boards or specific graphics) being BBS from Mexico.

So from what others had said and people confirmed in this thread, all the boards in this current drop in USA are still from BBS / Mexico, but the same drop when it gets here will be the China made boards.

Still interested to see / skate one and have it for others to ride to see if anyone can feel any differences.

[Lou Strux]

.


Definitely a lot more boards in newer / future drops being from China for the AU market, but still some exceptions (bigger boards or specific graphics) being BBS from Mexico.

So from what others had said and people confirmed in this thread, all the boards in this current drop in USA are still from BBS / Mexico, but the same drop when it gets here will be the China made boards.

Still interested to see / skate one and have it for others to ride to see if anyone can feel any differences.

I expect the addition of epoxy resin will stiff in these things up a noticeable amount, v. the Mexico made BBS decks, and that most experienced practitioners will notice the diff. 
Not that it will be a neg, per se: many of us enjoy DSM, and other epoxy construction decks.
I, for one, am likewise keen to try one out. 
Love my BBS wood, but I like trying all kinds of stuff.
Def looking forward to your impressions, Brimmo.

[LebowskisRug]

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One of the employees at my local used to work at BBS and claims that price point decks just use natural or yellow/orange/lighter veneers and are pressed more at a time so there is more variance across the stack. IIRC they said 10 for PP, 5 for standard, 4 for DLX, but this was a convo several months ago. The wood, glue, etc. is the same.

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It is unlikely that your employee worked at BBS, veneer colors have nothing to do with classifying a price point deck, and you cannot press any # of decks you'd like in the same mold. Each mold is designed for a specific thickness, anything greater or less than that thickness would produce a failure in lamination. It is 4 decks per press for 99% of the decks produced.

Well that employee did also work (confirmed) at Transworld, 2 companies that have a tight BBS relationship, and now runs a shop that gets all their decks from BBS directly including blanks. I don't want to out the shop specifically.

Veneers are dyed and when used as a bottom/top ply are a higher quality as others have noted. For inner plies the quality is rated by the consistency of the gain and absence of any irregularities.

You're also mis-reading what I said about the molds. A mold goes into a press and they can press stacks in different amounts. This is one reason why you see so much variance in the BBS generic shapes vs a DLX shape or even some of the DLX price points can be dramatically steeper/mellower than one another.

[Mbrimson88]

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.


Definitely a lot more boards in newer / future drops being from China for the AU market, but still some exceptions (bigger boards or specific graphics) being BBS from Mexico.

So from what others had said and people confirmed in this thread, all the boards in this current drop in USA are still from BBS / Mexico, but the same drop when it gets here will be the China made boards.

Still interested to see / skate one and have it for others to ride to see if anyone can feel any differences.

[close]

I expect the addition of epoxy resin will stiff in these things up a noticeable amount, v. the Mexico made BBS decks, and that most experienced practitioners will notice the diff. 
Not that it will be a neg, per se: many of us enjoy DSM, and other epoxy construction decks.
I, for one, am likewise keen to try one out. 
Love my BBS wood, but I like trying all kinds of stuff.
Def looking forward to your impressions, Brimmo.

The funny thing with the glue is I don't think they would change from what they usually use in the BBS plant in Mexico to resin for those boards that are being made in China.

I know other woodshops like DSM are well known for the resin epoxy they use, which was prohibited in USA, Mexico and other places for health reasons, if I recall correctly, but I think they are more set on putting out boards that resemble their existing line and can seamlessly fit in with the other product, given how much everyone loves DLX boards - yeah I know I exaggerate sometimes, but you get what I mean.

Now if they put a picture sheet of Frank or Jims face in between the layers or something a little more funny like that, then I think you would have your "DLX Boneite" scandal, but any which way, I am expecting a DLX board from China to skate like any other DLX board I have ever had, which is more than I would ever want to think about, when it comes down to it.

[JM]

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.


Definitely a lot more boards in newer / future drops being from China for the AU market, but still some exceptions (bigger boards or specific graphics) being BBS from Mexico.

So from what others had said and people confirmed in this thread, all the boards in this current drop in USA are still from BBS / Mexico, but the same drop when it gets here will be the China made boards.

Still interested to see / skate one and have it for others to ride to see if anyone can feel any differences.

[close]

I expect the addition of epoxy resin will stiff in these things up a noticeable amount, v. the Mexico made BBS decks, and that most experienced practitioners will notice the diff. 
Not that it will be a neg, per se: many of us enjoy DSM, and other epoxy construction decks.
I, for one, am likewise keen to try one out. 
Love my BBS wood, but I like trying all kinds of stuff.
Def looking forward to your impressions, Brimmo.

[close]

The funny thing with the glue is I don't think they would change from what they usually use in the BBS plant in Mexico to resin for those boards that are being made in China.

I know other woodshops like DSM are well known for the resin epoxy they use, which was prohibited in USA, Mexico and other places for health reasons, if I recall correctly, but I think they are more set on putting out boards that resemble their existing line and can seamlessly fit in with the other product, given how much everyone loves DLX boards - yeah I know I exaggerate sometimes, but you get what I mean.

Now if they put a picture sheet of Frank or Jims face in between the layers or something a little more funny like that, then I think you would have your "DLX Boneite" scandal, but any which way, I am expecting a DLX board from China to skate like any other DLX board I have ever had, which is more than I would ever want to think about, when it comes down to it.

If Louie trusts China shops then I will too. 

But, I do feel better knowing that the deck I skate didn’t have to travel far to get to me. And… as non-sensical as it sounds: “supporting local” means more to get deck from Mexico vs across pacific.

But if I was in AUS, China is a lot closer than Mexico

[JimmyFive]

Im in New Zealand. Looks like we will be getting China wood too. I hope they don't use epoxy ala Dwindle boards!
I find those decks too stiff, they just don't feel right to me. They take ages to break in. They last longer for sure.
Interesting to hear the use of epoxy is banned in US/Mexico for health reasons.

I also hope that the China boards come with the roman numeral designation. I always go for the steeper decks, I-III..
Someone supposedly in the know said that there shouldn't be much difference between the Mexico and China decks. I also heard that shaped decks like my fave Huffer will still be Mexico made...

[Ok]

Im in New Zealand. Looks like we will be getting China wood too. I hope they don't use epoxy ala Dwindle boards!
I find those decks too stiff, they just don't feel right to me. They take ages to break in. They last longer for sure.
Interesting to hear the use of epoxy is banned in US/Mexico for health reasons.

I also hope that the China boards come with the roman numeral designation. I always go for the steeper decks, I-III..
Someone supposedly in the know said that there shouldn't be much difference between the Mexico and China decks. I also heard that shaped decks like my fave Huffer will still be Mexico made...

i like the crail shapes/sizes.
the wood is as you say tho, too stiff. i couldn’t break it if i wanted too. not as lively of a deck tho, pop just doesn’t feel as springy. or something

[Mbrimson88]

.

New wood from China in the DLX thread if anyone is keen to see it, page 75 and now 76

Images from @LewFarrell from skate shop in Canada, as per the Pigeon series drop from DLX.

First post here:

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=85076.msg4120987#msg4120987

Current (last page) here:

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=85076.2250

[nopopnostyle]

The DLX China boards have arrived in Germany.
I was browsing the Sk8deluxe site this morning and they have new DLX wood.
Upon closer inspection you can see the Top sticker says made in China and they are €5 to €10 cheaper than the BBS Mexico boards.
I sent them an Email to find out if they only carry the Chinese ones in the future or if there will also be more the expensive BBS ones to choose from.
I’m going to order one and see what it’s like.


https://www.skatedeluxe.com/de/real-lintell-prey-8-4-skateboard-deck-multi_p168055

[Mbrimson88]

The DLX China boards have arrived in Germany.
I was browsing the Sk8deluxe site this morning and they have new DLX wood.
Upon closer inspection you can see the Top sticker says made in China and they are €5 to €10 cheaper than the BBS Mexico boards.
I sent them an Email to find out if they only carry the Chinese ones in the future or if there will also be more the expensive BBS ones to choose from.
I’m going to order one and see what it’s like.


https://www.skatedeluxe.com/de/real-lintell-prey-8-4-skateboard-deck-multi_p168055

Thanks!

That board looks nice, concave and everything looks just like any other BBS board, but I know looks are the least of it.

Still waiting to stand on one and maybe even skate one, but that is still months off here.

[rikki]

The DLX China boards have arrived in Germany.
I was browsing the Sk8deluxe site this morning and they have new DLX wood.
Upon closer inspection you can see the Top sticker says made in China and they are €5 to €10 cheaper than the BBS Mexico boards.
I sent them an Email to find out if they only carry the Chinese ones in the future or if there will also be more the expensive BBS ones to choose from.
I’m going to order one and see what it’s like.


https://www.skatedeluxe.com/de/real-lintell-prey-8-4-skateboard-deck-multi_p168055

Good eye! That's a nice shape btw.

[Sedition]

The DLX China boards have arrived in Germany...

Completely unrelated...If you are in Germany, can you suggest any German-based web sites that cover the skate scene in Germany?

[nopopnostyle]

They arrived and look promising.
At first look they are almost identical to the Mexican ones. You can tell the difference by looking at the top sticker, it says made in China instead of made Mexico on it.
Also, the Roman numerals on top are missing.
Speaking of those, I would say, the concave is between a three and a four. The blue antihero BBS Deck I put in the pictures for comparison is a two.
They seem to be single press. I ordered two,  of Concave and kicks are exactly the same.

I just stood on it for the first time after setting it up and on the carpet it feels good and inviting. I made a sound comparison and it kind of sounds the same when I pop it on the floor. Flexibility is good too. Doesn’t feel too stiff yet.
But to see what it really feels like I have to take it outside.
It’s raining right now and it’s my wife’s birthday so I’ll see if I can sneak outside and take it for a spin. I’m so excited to find out what it feels like.
 
Here are some first pictures:

[moonordie]

No clue if is the same factory but I had a Chinese Primitive and I liked it better than the classic Mexican one.