PS STIX VS BBS Boards

[FULTON]

On the topic of wood quality, which do you prefer? I ride mostly PS Stix and have liked them, as well as JK Industries (Jeremy klein) boards and they've been very good and I know Jeremy uses BBS (bareback). Any thoughts on the quality difference?

[h00man]

I'd say shape is the biggest. Quality wise....that's tough. Both are great. I switch between DLX and WKND boards. Not sure if WKND is still under PS now though.

[micky682]

PS = light, poppy, feels good from day 1, durability is an issue as some boards start feeling soggy 3 weeks/1 month into skating.

BBS = durable, keeps pop for most of its lifespan, heavier than PS.

BBS is better if you want your money's worth, but if I could get free decks I'd get PS.

[FULTON]

Yes I've loved both. I did snap a Gino Iannucci FA board last year which shocked me as I haven't snapped one in ages. But that's bound to happen. Klein is quite picky and his boards are all BBS and he stands by them...thinking of getting one of his 8.25 shapes which are beautiful

[cleveridiot]

PS = light, poppy, feels good from day 1, durability is an issue as some boards start feeling soggy 3 weeks/1 month into skating.

BBS = durable, keeps pop for most of its lifespan, heavier than PS.

BBS is better if you want your money's worth, but if I could get free decks I'd get PS.

This is absolutely true.

My quasi(PS) was the most comfortable board ever for my week long trip to philly but the kicks almost flattened out from being so soggy afterwards. Now I ride DLX(BBS) 8.38 Fulls and they last so long i switch them out when I razor tail them. Love them both but I'm a student and would like more than a couple weeks out of a board.

[Noble Experiment]

I've probably skated more BBS boards in my time than from any other woodshop. Besides a couple rare instances here and there where I get a quick break, they've always treated me well. Durable wood & great shapes.
I would fuck with PS more but I can't stand the shapes on like 95 percent of their boards, they're just so clunky looking to me; they always have super squared out noses and tails, which have always been a pet peeve of mine.

[j....soy.....]

I buy ps because I like their deeper concave and have grown to like the shapes.....to me there is much less variance from company to company which I like......BBS runs a much broader range...which at times confuses me and if I buy online I can end up disappointed....

Always found actually BBS feel lighter...at least they feel thinner but it could just be the difference in the side bevel or even shape.

[zippy z]

I've tried Bare Back but it rubbed me the wrong way and I just ended up being butt hurt after riding for a few minutes.

I'll just stay with Paul's Stix and be happy with a nice, predictable ride. I'm really surprised people have had problems with how long Paul's wood stays hard. I've never had it get soft in me before 4 weeks, but I normally can only handle 3 weeks before I need to swap due to tail wear.

[micky682]

I've tried Bare Back but it rubbed me the wrong way and I just ended up being butt hurt after riding for a few minutes.

I'll just stay with Paul's Stix and be happy with a nice, predictable ride. I'm really surprised people have had problems with how long Paul's wood stays hard. I've never had it get soft in me before 4 weeks, but I normally can only handle 3 weeks before I need to swap due to tail wear.

I'm surprised it took this long for someone to write something like this.

[FULTON]

Hahaha
Yes the bareback sometimes has bumps on them but seem to slide off with friction.

Who owns BBS? Were they ex skaters like Paul?

I do agree the PS STIX shapes are chunky. I have a Hockey Jason 8.5 now and it's a square mass. I loved the shape when I bought it but honestly it's kinda tough to flip around. And I always hated hearing that certain shapes within fractions of an inch changed they way of a flip trick but it's true with me on this board. However I'm sure if I had AVE skills etc I wouldn't be complaining ahhahaha

[SodaJerk]

PS is my preferred manufacturer, if not them then Pennswood and on occasion Generator or Chapman. I live the squared of PS shapes and sometimes they go soggy but then I'll rest them and go back to them after a few weeks and they feel better than ever. I still break them but that's cool, makes me feel like a big boy.

[art hellman]

Bareback/Generator
Pennswood
South Central
Chapman
PS

[tangar]

I felt like my quasi was flat compared to the polars and deluxe boards I've had. I'm generator/bbs for the foreseeable future. DLX just has so many options and I've loved my polar shapes as well.

[shit_for_brains]

I got a Hockey board and the heat transfer just slipped right off. That's what I get for fucking with PS Stix once a year. Back to BBS.

[FULTON]

I got a Hockey board and the heat transfer just slipped right off. That's what I get for fucking with PS Stix once a year. Back to BBS.

Yes that AVE terminator board was so shoddy. Omg. It was a lenticular graphic just glued on a blank like shit, glue hanging off the sides. I've had an FA DECK flake all over the place too.

I am
Riding JK Industries Decks from now on. Screened and BBS.

[micky682]

Bareback/Generator
Pennswood
South Central
Chapman
PS

In that order?

[zippy z]

Either you bastards are the most anal retentive pieces of shit or you all have the worst luck in history. I've been riding PS for a really long time and have never had any issue with the quality of the wood, press, graphics, blow jobs, or reach arounds.

On the other hand I have seen other people have regular quality issues with Generator boards-Anti-hero,Real, Krooked, and Polar.

[getonkrooked]

I never got my PS decks soggy and my last three were all from them.

[Paco Supreme]

I've had PS Stix boards back to back since i took skating up again, so like, 5-6 years. never really had a complaint, i have in the past 6 months had one with a fucked up kick on the nose compared to another of the exact same batch, and just today going over my stack of reserved boards found 3 with a very minor warp, but thats on me probably. I can vouch for the dudes saying theres ones that feel kinda soggy and then after a period of time coming back to it feels snappy again.

[essal]

PS Stix is like riding a half cooked convex noodle while BBS/Generator is like riding a raw noodle that doesn't break.

[sharkin]

South Central is like riding the best skateboards made

[Xen]

BBS/Gen feel better to me than half the PS I ride, there are different flavors within PS to choose from: My wknd/Lifebloods are/were heavy and thick compared to say, a habitat or another brand coming out of PS - the habitat felt more like a plan B prospec (thinner and crispy compare to thick and clunky). The new Plan B shapes coming out of PS are fucking weird, powell like taper and wknd like noses; bizzaro.

SC feel solid if a bit heavy, worthy trade off.

Almost (impact lights), NHS P2s are just too good. Light, poppy, lasting feel and super stiff.

Bloodwizard and Primitive (Generator I think) are my my fav non-tech/china wood; Bloodwizard have such great shapes and graphics.

[FULTON]

Either you bastards are the most anal retentive pieces of shit or you all have the worst luck in history. I've been riding PS for a really long time and have never had any issue with the quality of the wood, press, graphics, blow jobs, or reach arounds.

On the other hand I have seen other people have regular quality issues with Generator boards-Anti-hero,Real, Krooked, and Polar.

The wood has been good but the graphic applications on the Hockey/FA boards I've had have been shoddy at best, and I did snap a PS a few months ago unexpectedly...still like them--as well as the JK I've rode from BBS

[art hellman]

Expand Quote

Bareback/Generator
Pennswood
South Central
Chapman
PS

[close]

In that order?

yep

[mattchew]

I like both.

I do find that BBS are stronger, but I like PS shapes better.
I tend to not snap DLX boards often, and crack/break PS almost every time--sometimes quicker than others, it's a crapshoot.
When Mother/Quasi first came out I was really skeptical of the super wide/square nose and tail shapes, but god damn are they nice to skate. Looks are deceiving.

I will say I dislike Chapman. I LOVE Hopps as a company (all of the TOA brands actually), but I had not one, but two different Hopps boards and both of them were really bad unfortunately. First was super warped, so I decided to give them another shot a few months later and the second board snapped while board sliding a jersey barrier, but it snapped going vertically down the board, which is super strange, and it was on the second session. It was in good enough shape to be a wall hanger. I'll try anything more than once, but shitty both times? I can't hang with that. The traffic I had a few years back cracked really quickly too.

That being said, I really think it's important to support TOA, and it's been a few years, so maybe I will try another board.

[Krooked antihero]

^I skated Hopps board last summer, it was thickest and strongest board i've seen for awhile, you should really give them new chance. TOA boards are good too, i think they are generator? Have that toa sun-ra board on my smaller setup, so far all good.

[j....soy.....]

I skated a bunch of Hopps boards and no problem....other than they were thick and heavy.....lasted forever.....

[colin]

I like both.

I do find that BBS are stronger, but I like PS shapes better.
I tend to not snap DLX boards often, and crack/break PS almost every time--sometimes quicker than others, it's a crapshoot.
When Mother/Quasi first came out I was really skeptical of the super wide/square nose and tail shapes, but god damn are they nice to skate. Looks are deceiving.

I will say I dislike Chapman. I LOVE Hopps as a company (all of the TOA brands actually), but I had not one, but two different Hopps boards and both of them were really bad unfortunately. First was super warped, so I decided to give them another shot a few months later and the second board snapped while board sliding a jersey barrier, but it snapped going vertically down the board, which is super strange, and it was on the second session. It was in good enough shape to be a wall hanger. I'll try anything more than once, but shitty both times? I can't hang with that. The traffic I had a few years back cracked really quickly too.

That being said, I really think it's important to support TOA, and it's been a few years, so maybe I will try another board.

Man, I'm surprised; I've had Hopps and Fancy Lad, both pressed by Chapman, and they were like hella straight and indestructible.

[mattchew]

Thanks for all the replies, that's great news. I'll definitely snag another Hopps now. Jahmal is one of my favorite skaters ever.

[botefdunn]

chapman. my last 12 boards in a row and not a bad one in the bunch