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April 8.5, I have been wanting to scratch that itch for a while. Got that green logo board. They have their own shapes right?
Yes slightly shorter and more stumpy I think was the description someone else said of their April 8.5 deck, or at least shorter wheelbase with big kicks, not quite Alien Workshop big, but more manageable for the person who didn't want the usual BBS 8.5 x 32.5 with 14.5 wb type of deck.
That looks about right from looking up a few specs from online shops but I haven't seen one in person so don't know how accurate or if they have changed or have more than one shape for the 8.5 width board in their range.
Looks to be on the long side 32.2, I heard more fuller nose as well, but wheelbase is 14.4 listed. My sweet spot is 14.38 -14.5. My next board is actually an 8.5 alien- longer deck shorter wheelbase 14.25. I’m on a frog 8.5/14.5 right now and it’s perfect. But i really loved that dlx 8.5 with long nose and tail and 14.38 wb but the nose and tail were pretty tapered.
It will be interesting to see how you like the Alien board.
One guy who usually rides the usual BBS 8.5s with Indy trucks put Ventures on his Alien deck and said it made it feel way better (more like the others in wheelbase), but that is just one instance.
All the other shapes you usually have are also on my usual list too, BBS 8.5 are very nice and round, compared to the bigger DLX 8.5 but as you said, tapering kicks is not exactly what some people enjoy.
I hadn't realised but Passport 8.5 are 14.38 wb - thought they were 14.5 as per spec info from almost every other site, but the one I got my hands on recently also skates well on Ventures.
My usual go to is Indy 149 on 14.5 wb on either 8.38 or 8.5 but I have some on 14.38 wb boards too.
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Edit:
Just got another couple of Passport 8.5 boards and they are 14.5 wb so not sure what is going on with the other one, but it is definitely 14.38 as I checked again.
It is an older one so I wonder if they changed them up at some point.