I Started skating when I was 15 and quit when i was 24 cause I'd rather get high and drink. Which was a shame because i was actually pretty good to. Now im 31 and been clean and sober for about 5 years now and been back into skating for about 2 months. I was not happy with how much I sucked after that 6 year gap of no skating. But thanks to your videos, advice and tips I picked it back up with ease and now im actually WAY ahead of where i was when i was 24...probably cause im not high all the time lol. I'm constant again and have way more confidence in myself and in my skating than i ever did before. You really did inspired me to start skating again. I thought i was to old to get back into it but after seeing you progress I realized i could do it to! And I had to get back on that board. Skating, next to my daughter is the greatest love of my life. Thank you so much for giving me the confidence to take my life back and do what I love to do. Its made me a better man and father and skater. Thank you for everything seriously.
Similar story here! Skated from 11 to 19/20 (2010). Stopped 11 years now I'm back at 32! The pause was long, very long... But the shit is coming back. I'd say you have another 10 years if you take care of your body (eat well!)
I did the bulk of my skating in highschool, little bit after that through the 90's and early 2000's, back then I lived in a small town, we didn't know jack about any of the tech aspects of skateboard parts and we didn't have a local skate shop. We just bought whatever we could get a hold of when we went out of town, since there was no internet. I'm In my 40's now and gravitating to super low setups cause it's less savage on my old heels. Never considered this aspect of decks though so it's good to know and i might look into this on my next deck.
Thanks for your efforts in quantifying this sort of stuff. In most other sports and athletic pursuits, so much is known about the equipment and how small changes can affect huge differences in your experience with the activity. As far as I know, there is no one in skating who is digging into these differences and making them known publicly. This is a digression, but as nerdy as it sounds, it would be great if someone took an entirely scientific approach to the "geometry" of skateboards, and calculated which angle of tail created the most pop with the least effort, something like that. If there were a journal that detailed this kind of thing, I think lots of us scientifically-minded (and probably older) skaters would dig that shit.
darkasthegrave - Yes. I'd love to see an animated "human body dynamics" pertaining to skateboarding - similar to the "human body weapon" series (where the body was shown using martial arts etc).
Great comment. I think that the coming of the Olympics and the arising of many skate schools are going to bring more technique to skate. For example, in tennis every teacher gives so much info about technical stuff. Many of the new guys skate very athletically and consequently very easy looking (nyjah, miles, etc)
Your insight is super appreciated. When you take into account your body's age and ability and communicate with your audience intelligently it really helps (me) in deciding what my next setup will be like. Just started skating at 28, some hard miles on my body, and hit the ground skating on a 9 inch wide deck with double concave, 63mm spitfires, and risers.
That 2 inches moving inside the foot on a flat deck, is probably the best discovery after the dinosaurs! and It makes totally sense now. I'm a steep deck kinda dude, and always felt without pop on flat deck. And the people I've always looked for where all on flat deck with mad pop! And yeah I'm looking at you Keith Hufnagel!
Hello bro, Nice. An older bro of mine was good enough to tell me that flat tail, lower pocket technique about 8 years ago. Thanks for refreshing my memory on it! I guess this video validates for me that we can skate any generally sized board with a little tweaking maybe. I am 31 now and I never stop learning, thanks.
So glad you read my comment on moving the backfoot in and now you even fly on mellower tails. Another fine video and these flips over the obstacle looked very quick and relaxed.
It was you!!! Thank you! I can't believe I never knew this before. I would have given you credit but couldn't remember who said it. Thanks again:) It's made such a difference.
In the early 90's I had a board with mellow kicks and hardly any concave. In 2010 I got back into skating and all the boards had steeper kicks and a lot more concave and I really struggled to even ride it at all at first. But use to it now and can skate either type. Probably found the flatter board easier for most things if not everything and more comfortable to ride. Found the extra concave uncomfortable for the front foot to stand on with such a big curve, but use to it now.
Just discovered the channel this morning, havent skated in 10 years and feeling like an outcast in a young mans game. Youve given me the esteem boost i needed to keep at it. Thanks man and great info, love the vids.
this is where I'm exactly at. even thinking of re drilling my trucks holes for the 3 finger space on some of my old decks. pop feels so much cleaner and easier
It’s funny cause I remember discovering this too with putting your foot more inside but I didn’t think much of it even though it felt better and just stuck to the roots of my techniques in old deep shaped 7.8 on flatter bigger 8.25 when what you are saying was the trick all along, thanks Ben
I'm 33 and i've just realized i was putting so much energy on a steeper deck. Now i'm riding a "flat" deck my knees feels so much better now during and after the sessions. I feel the skate much lighter when i pop it.
@@_gw33do_ I didn’t actually choose it, it was a gift from a friend of mine, but It’s a World Industries deck that comes with a WI complete and the tail is pretty flat. It was the first mellow I ever had and I felt it really comfortable with it. I recommend this kind of deck if you just want to play around and don’t need to pop high.
I’ve been using the scooted in foot technique when I pop for years. The ball of my foot is basically in the pocket where tail/nose starts to kick. For some reason it makes the pop timing feel more consistent going between flat/steep boards. I’ve done it for so long that putting my foot at the end tail just feels wrong for me now.
When I first started doing it on this deck it felt super weird. I can tell that my feet are closer together than my shoulders and it made my center of gravity feel off at first.
That raises a really interesting question about deck length/wheelbase. I'm 6'3" and have a size 13 shoe, and I'm used to having my feet really close together because I learned how to skate on a 7.5"x29" board. After a long hiatus from skateboarding I started again, and then I looked up some videos and realized boards were substantially larger than I was used to. I went out and got a 8.5x32, and I've been naturally ollieing with my foot scooted in because that's where it lands in relation to my front foot when I set up. Since you are more comfortable skating with your feet further apart, I wonder if skating something like a 33" or 33.5" deck would feel more natural for you. Most of the length in longer decks seems to be added in the wheelbase. I've been thinking a bit about picking my deck based on the shape and then drilling new holes if the axles don't end up where I want them. The other alternative is doing some trig and figuring out what size risers and wheels to put on to get the feel you are looking for.
thats exactly right. I had noticed the sweet spot changes and t definitely moves in. Like you said the trucks make a difference. A little higher trucks help. If someone has the wrong setup and keeps trying to use it like usually would, they would think the deck has no pop.
Dang this explains why I’ve gotten better at skating an old mini logo deck over time and why manuals always have seemed easy. Now I’m kinda scared to try a steep concave board. I’m not as old as you, I’m about to be 27, but I’m usually the oldest dude at 95 percent of skateparks I go to Lol
i just went from a 9.0 heroin skateboards deck to an 8.65 quasi. i thought i liked flat decks before the quasi but was willing to give a “normal” shaped board another chance. the quasi feels so crazy, such steep kicks and a huge nose. i’ve only had one session on it so there will be some getting used to. but i have a feeling i’ll be moving back to a much flatter deck after this one. one thing i noticed in this video was the whole where to pop aspect. i love the feeling of poping from the pocket. this quasi deck is really having me re think how tricks are done because it’s a lot harder to do that.
Thank you so much. Just got a new Baker board and was getting frustrated because the board felt like it had no pop and super soggy. Getting back into Skateboarding after about 13 years off always skated steeper boards. looks like flatter boards are in now. 'll try moving my back foot up and see if I like it.
Dont skate much no more lmao but its basically a CHASER (brand) Skateboard one of those cheap ones u can buy in the toy store... bought bearings and bushings for it tho but i think its jus for cruising
I’ve had kids at my local park comment on my current deck which is very flat. It’s a blank I found at a local shop. Easily the mellowist board I’ve ever skated and funny thing is all my flat ground tricks are higher now.
I have also been playing around with different deck types. For me I can skate flat boards. This could be because I skate high Indy trucks. On steep decks I tend to get that ghost pop you said about. Anyway, great content as usual.
After this stupidly steep nose, tail and concave of my real full se 8.25...i want a flatter deck hahahaha I found the toy machine flatness and mellowness to work the best with thunder and worn wheels As always much love from Italy ❤️ keep killing it Ben
Interesting. I'm on a full SE 8.06 and it's mellow. Real's have a roman numeral stamped on the top ply between the front bolts. 1 is the steepest and 4 is the mellowest. I am on a 3 in this video.
@@bendegros do you think this deck would be decent matched with standard indy's (139?)? Any other flat decks you could recommend? Back in the day i skated tensor lows and 7.5" - 7.75". Local shop didnt have lows and im looking to reduce toe drag with a new 8" deck. Thanks for these videos!
Your tricks look really clean & effortless on this setup! I have learnt so much from your videos about board dimensions. I am 32 & restarted skating again 11 months ago, after a 7yr break. I’m still getting my old tricks back, & now that I know (& started to care) more about dimensions other than width, it frustrates me that companies often don’t give such info about their decks. My last board was from Hockey; I got an Andrew Allen model, (he’s such a dude), & Hockey at least list the width, length, & wheelbase on their site. Unfortunately Andrew Allen’s board size changed in all 3 dimensions from one model to the next, so my plan to buy the same board & not need to readjust, has kinda been blown 😜
Hey Ben, amazing content as always however I do have a question.... Do flat skateboards ride better on the flat earth? Thank you and I await your response.
Those Vegan Aussie Blokes haha the earth is absolutely 100% flat and swear on my child’s life I have measured it to be flat with lasers and telescopes 🔭! Yeah we have been lied to by satanists our whole lives. Don’t 🗳 vote or watch tv 📺 or participate in anything media tells you and develop a relationship with Jesus and everything will turn out fine.
BBQ Sauce not kidding my friend. Don’t take my word for it go measure for a curve yourself. Thats what made it 100% for me. Measured 46 miles flat when there should have been 1400 feet deviation. Measured at 12 miles too same deal 96 feet of curvature simply not there. The Bible is true and the end is near. Read the book of Enoch and then the Bible it really helps explain Genesis 6. I was an atheist before I measured the earth now I am a Natsarim. A follower of the way of Christ and a watchmen of the apocalypse. I used to be a space loving fool (space cadet) but I spent thousands of hours of researching and studying the sky and the ground. It’s 100% flat.
Great video/tip. I sometimes use that foot placement for fakie and nolli tricks for some reason. My deck isn't flat(can't stand flat decks. DEEP DISH ONLY),but it still makes certain tricks work better for whatever reason. I have an egg-ish shaped Powell that's ridiculously flat, and I know it's only a matter of time before I'm forced to skate it, so I'll be giving the foot placement tip a try on that beast for sure.
Up for some discussion? This is all absolutely true for pure-wood decks, but i found out that when i skate a powell flight deck (carbon/fiberglass reinforced) the opposite seems to be true. They are pretty flat, at least more than the standard Real ones, but i only get good pop out of them when i place my back foot on the very tip of the tail. Your explanation behind this sheds a light on this exception, because they are at least as stiff as deep concave decks, imo. That gave me a strange feeling skating the flight decks in the beginning, but when i got used to it, the wooden decks even "lost" their pop to me until i adjusted foot position according to your explanation. A slight exception is the 8.25" flight you were skating, its tail feels shorter, in comparison to the 8" models with the same shape. I did get better pop from it with the food slightly in from the edge, but on the other side, it was feeling too heavy to me (i'm rather short) and this got me exhausted pretty quick. I'd like to know your opinion on this, please... Again a great Video that gives deep insight into the works of skateboarding. Thanks :)
I have skated the flight deck again a few times since I learned this. I now actually like it. I found I still had to put my foot closer to the bolts and it worked much better for me. Also, I rode the flight deck on thunders for the review but once I switched it to indy's I liked it way better.
Interesting, because i skate Tensor MagLites with 50mm, quite shallow wheels. A light setup all in all. I suggest there's less upward momentum because of the low weight of the front truck. Three days ago i skated an Element mountain deck from a friend, and it had quite heavy no-name trucks on it, also a flat deck in all manners, only 7.75 wide. It was old, felt saagy but popped better than the flight 8"...
Deluxe boards mark what position in the press (I-IV) the board was manufactured. 1 is steepest and 4 is mellowest. I have only skated a few Real boards and always 1-2, which I wouldn't consider mellow. I'm curious which this one is marked. The number is marked at the front truck grip side. Give it a check when you are done skating it so you can get a similar one next time.
Hey ben such a great video! Since u said that high indys and big wheels help to balance out the mellowness of the deck, I was wondering if the same setup is actually good for manual flip outs? Im considering possibly swapping the indys for a slightly lower venture (~2 to 3 mm or so). On one hand the venture hits the tail faster (n better for manuals), on the other hand, the indy gives you more room to pop for a manual. Do you have a recommendation?
I have more of a problem flipping on flat or "medium concave" boards then popping. I don't get that flick and when I try sliding my foot of the nose on a kick flip, my board flies forward and doesn't flip
Flexible boards help with pop and the spring though. Stiff isn’t good. Same thing goes to snowboards. Snowboards best for ollies have a lot of camber and spring and you can load up the pop
Great explanation, your perspective is always educated and well thought out. If you have a moment in my last video I was trying front shuvs, I suck at them, I could use any tips you have have on them. Not sure why but I find them very difficult.
I started skating girls n chocolate, I didn't like skating flat too much cuz I was ADHD as duck, soon as I could ollie I was tryna jump over stuff and the flat decks made it more stable.
I feel like with HARDGOODS in general...I wish that FULL specifications of products were always listed on them. Board example: width, length, wheelbase, nose&tail length, nose&tail angles, concave amount. Trucks example: width, height, weight.
I recently bought my first 8.25, the widest I've gone, and it had mellow kicks and concave. The board is also pretty short, the nose and tail felt really tiny to me. I was upset with the board at first but I actually realized some of the same things you said in this video and have been ripping it harder than my 2 previous boards since I started skating again. Almost time for a new board and I'm torn between sticking with the mellow or going back to what I was comfortable with before after spending so much time adjusting.
Well you said it yourself its almost time for a new set up. Keep experimenting with sizes and shapes. Youll get a new one eventually. Decently wise words from a decent person:)
No need to worry about it too much. You can skate both now. Each type of deck may have tricks that you can do better on them. For example, I will get my switch frontside flips back when I get a steeper kick again.
Im riding flat decks for so many years..the best combination is nose 7" with gentle rise. These decks also can absorb more on fail landing, like on nose or tail. I feel so bad on hockey or any another aggresive shapes, like these boards lack of control.
It’s the exact opposite for me I actually skate better with flat boards and low trucks.i also run a truck narrower than my board size with 3 spacers on the back side of the wheel setup.seems to help my scoop for Tre flips that way.
Thanks, Ben, for this content. After years of skating an old school ramp setup on street I switched to 52mm (from +60mm) wheels and a Krooked team board. I didn't think it was flat compared to my old setup, but tons of ghost pop and just couldn't get the tail to spank - will try this shift with the rear foot. If not, may just go back to steeper setups. Would risers also work ?
I know you explained how to tell if it is a steep kick because it is a couple of degrees difference. But how do we tell that by looking? At some angles the board in the video looks steep and some it looks flat. I have been having a hard time getting comfortable on my board. It is hard for me even to ride it let alone bring the tail to the ground. I tried someone else's board and noticed how much easier it was. But it was a longboard. I don't know what the difference was but it was much easier for me to bring the tail to the ground.
Have you considered a review of a budget skate, maybe a complete Mini-Logo set-up? Decks are just Powell boards (problem is they have 100s of shapes), wheels are basically Bones, bearings are like Reds and their grip is meh. However, don't know anything about their trucks. Can't find a good, honest review on how they turn or grind. Let's face it - you do the best truck reviews on YT!
ML trucks are super low - 48mm? - so you do need to run risers. Once you get them up to avoid wheelbite you can get a good turn with them - I'm running Bones Hardcore mediums. They aren't quite as surfy as Indy but are more stable in the middle. They do turn better than Thunder. They do have a more neutral axle position so you don't get the same pop that you do with Thunders. Grind is really good. The angled sides do help you lock in. On pool coping I find that the grind is a bit faster than Indy. I haven't skated Thunders in the pool - so no comparison there. They are not better nor worse than Indy or Thunder - just different with other strengths. I'm currently skating a couple setups: 8.75 Anti Hero with Indy 159s in transition and MiniLogo 8" with Thunder 147s for small flippy stuff. I will probably be putting together an 8.3-8.4 with ML 8.38" soon. I have skated that size a lot in the past and it was a good all around setup.
Not sure if I'm the only one who feels this way, but some reason I am more comfortable popping regular tricks off the nose than the tail due to the steepness and a fat pocket. Perhaps the OCD of my fat feet feels doesn't feel secure even when i try to put my popping foot a little more inside closer to the last 2 bolts.
I Started skating when I was 15 and quit when i was 24 cause I'd rather get high and drink. Which was a shame because i was actually pretty good to.
Now im 31 and been clean and sober for about 5 years now and been back into skating for about 2 months. I was not happy with how much I sucked after that 6 year gap of no skating. But thanks to your videos, advice and tips I picked it back up with ease and now im actually WAY ahead of where i was when i was 24...probably cause im not high all the time lol. I'm constant again and have way more confidence in myself and in my skating than i ever did before. You really did inspired me to start skating again. I thought i was to old to get back into it but after seeing you progress I realized i could do it to! And I had to get back on that board. Skating, next to my daughter is the greatest love of my life. Thank you so much for giving me the confidence to take my life back and do what I love to do. Its made me a better man and father and skater. Thank you for everything seriously.
Dude, I'm so happy for you!
Similar story here! Skated from 11 to 19/20 (2010). Stopped 11 years now I'm back at 32! The pause was long, very long... But the shit is coming back. I'd say you have another 10 years if you take care of your body (eat well!)
Dude I have the same story, but waited 30 years - I'm 53 now! But I am more obsessed with skating now than I ever was before. peace-
HEY SAME FOR ME but i gave up after a year now i'm 24 and clean so i'm picking it up again
Man you have the best content. So perfect for us older skate nerds. Please keep it up man, your work is greatly appreciated.
I was just thinking this. Just solid, intellectual, critical thinking skate channel without the clickbait crap that most other channels are built on.
I love it. I’m 30 and trying to get back into it after a ten year hiatus. Kinda bummed he’s still at 10k subs, channel deserves many more.
@@veightrwd8828 That's funny, I'm 30 and getting back into it after 10 years as well haha
@@Bryan-kl5rr ha exact same story here. I think its even more fun than i remember
I did the bulk of my skating in highschool, little bit after that through the 90's and early 2000's, back then I lived in a small town, we didn't know jack about any of the tech aspects of skateboard parts and we didn't have a local skate shop. We just bought whatever we could get a hold of when we went out of town, since there was no internet. I'm In my 40's now and gravitating to super low setups cause it's less savage on my old heels. Never considered this aspect of decks though so it's good to know and i might look into this on my next deck.
"May your next session be your best session yet" loving that line man, and loving all the different topics you cover. Keep it up!
S.A.D!
Thanks for your efforts in quantifying this sort of stuff. In most other sports and athletic pursuits, so much is known about the equipment and how small changes can affect huge differences in your experience with the activity. As far as I know, there is no one in skating who is digging into these differences and making them known publicly.
This is a digression, but as nerdy as it sounds, it would be great if someone took an entirely scientific approach to the "geometry" of skateboards, and calculated which angle of tail created the most pop with the least effort, something like that. If there were a journal that detailed this kind of thing, I think lots of us scientifically-minded (and probably older) skaters would dig that shit.
darkasthegrave - Yes. I'd love to see an animated "human body dynamics" pertaining to skateboarding - similar to the "human body weapon" series (where the body was shown using martial arts etc).
Great comment. I think that the coming of the Olympics and the arising of many skate schools are going to bring more technique to skate. For example, in tennis every teacher gives so much info about technical stuff. Many of the new guys skate very athletically and consequently very easy looking (nyjah, miles, etc)
Some Pros actually get their deck sizes and shapes tailored by paul schmitt, who’s kinda like the ben degros to them
Your insight is super appreciated. When you take into account your body's age and ability and communicate with your audience intelligently it really helps (me) in deciding what my next setup will be like.
Just started skating at 28, some hard miles on my body, and hit the ground skating on a 9 inch wide deck with double concave, 63mm spitfires, and risers.
That 2 inches moving inside the foot on a flat deck, is probably the best discovery after the dinosaurs!
and It makes totally sense now. I'm a steep deck kinda dude, and always felt without pop on flat deck.
And the people I've always looked for where all on flat deck with mad pop!
And yeah I'm looking at you Keith Hufnagel!
Hello bro,
Nice. An older bro of mine was good enough to tell me that flat tail, lower pocket technique about 8 years ago. Thanks for refreshing my memory on it! I guess this video validates for me that we can skate any generally sized board with a little tweaking maybe. I am 31 now and I never stop learning, thanks.
I've been skating for five years, I'm seventeen and I had no idea of all the little details that can change the way you skate. Awesome channel
Actually it looks like you're style is super clean with this setup
No doubt some of his best looking tricks
Your*
@@nanping5428 r/notaspellingbee
So glad you read my comment on moving the backfoot in and now you even fly on mellower tails. Another fine video and these flips over the obstacle looked very quick and relaxed.
It was you!!! Thank you! I can't believe I never knew this before. I would have given you credit but couldn't remember who said it. Thanks again:) It's made such a difference.
I just realized that this actually applies to any deck as it wears out (razortails and flattens) as well! just move your foot in a little
In the early 90's I had a board with mellow kicks and hardly any concave. In 2010 I got back into skating and all the boards had steeper kicks and a lot more concave and I really struggled to even ride it at all at first. But use to it now and can skate either type. Probably found the flatter board easier for most things if not everything and more comfortable to ride. Found the extra concave uncomfortable for the front foot to stand on with such a big curve, but use to it now.
Just discovered the channel this morning, havent skated in 10 years and feeling like an outcast in a young mans game. Youve given me the esteem boost i needed to keep at it. Thanks man and great info, love the vids.
best skate channel on youtube ... each time i learn something new !!!
this is where I'm exactly at. even thinking of re drilling my trucks holes for the 3 finger space on some of my old decks. pop feels so much cleaner and easier
The skate spots around your town are so cool! I dont have anything like where i live. no parks and hardly any smooth flat.
Nice channel, I finally can watch a skate channel that is not all about drinking beer and skating and party time, skate or die, but just skate.
stumbled upon this channel. This is awesome. I really want to get decent again.
The sky is really beautiful:)
What a genuinely nice outro ! May your next session be your best yet
It’s funny cause I remember discovering this too with putting your foot more inside but I didn’t think much of it even though it felt better and just stuck to the roots of my techniques in old deep shaped 7.8 on flatter bigger 8.25 when what you are saying was the trick all along, thanks Ben
I'm 33 and i've just realized i was putting so much energy on a steeper deck. Now i'm riding a "flat" deck my knees feels so much better now during and after the sessions. I feel the skate much lighter when i pop it.
What deck did you end up getting?
@@_gw33do_ I didn’t actually choose it, it was a gift from a friend of mine, but It’s a World Industries deck that comes with a WI complete and the tail is pretty flat. It was the first mellow I ever had and I felt it really comfortable with it. I recommend this kind of deck if you just want to play around and don’t need to pop high.
@@henriquefarage2474 appreciate it. My knees are begging me for a mellow tail LoL
That second hardflip was one of the cleanest ever
Hey Ben this video really does help. I’m really glad you made this because no other skater has mentioned this on UA-cam and it has helped me out a lot
You explain everything perfect. Keep up the great vids
Man, I think you should stick to flatter decks...you made everything look more effortless than usual
I’ve been using the scooted in foot technique when I pop for years. The ball of my foot is basically in the pocket where tail/nose starts to kick. For some reason it makes the pop timing feel more consistent going between flat/steep boards. I’ve done it for so long that putting my foot at the end tail just feels wrong for me now.
When I first started doing it on this deck it felt super weird. I can tell that my feet are closer together than my shoulders and it made my center of gravity feel off at first.
That raises a really interesting question about deck length/wheelbase. I'm 6'3" and have a size 13 shoe, and I'm used to having my feet really close together because I learned how to skate on a 7.5"x29" board. After a long hiatus from skateboarding I started again, and then I looked up some videos and realized boards were substantially larger than I was used to. I went out and got a 8.5x32, and I've been naturally ollieing with my foot scooted in because that's where it lands in relation to my front foot when I set up.
Since you are more comfortable skating with your feet further apart, I wonder if skating something like a 33" or 33.5" deck would feel more natural for you. Most of the length in longer decks seems to be added in the wheelbase.
I've been thinking a bit about picking my deck based on the shape and then drilling new holes if the axles don't end up where I want them. The other alternative is doing some trig and figuring out what size risers and wheels to put on to get the feel you are looking for.
thats exactly right. I had noticed the sweet spot changes and t definitely moves in. Like you said the trucks make a difference. A little higher trucks help. If someone has the wrong setup and keeps trying to use it like usually would, they would think the deck has no pop.
Great video
I typically like a medium concave and steepness, but I’ve found with flatter boards and shorter wheelbases my big spins are so nice
Dang this explains why I’ve gotten better at skating an old mini logo deck over time and why manuals always have seemed easy. Now I’m kinda scared to try a steep concave board. I’m not as old as you, I’m about to be 27, but I’m usually the oldest dude at 95 percent of skateparks I go to Lol
I have been skating 7.75 flat boards for 20 years I just started skating a concave 8.00. So ironic lol I love the new set up
I really like both kinds of decks. But before this deck and learning the new technique I only liked steep decks.
that sky is amazing
i just went from a 9.0 heroin skateboards deck to an 8.65 quasi. i thought i liked flat decks before the quasi but was willing to give a “normal” shaped board another chance. the quasi feels so crazy, such steep kicks and a huge nose. i’ve only had one session on it so there will be some getting used to. but i have a feeling i’ll be moving back to a much flatter deck after this one. one thing i noticed in this video was the whole where to pop aspect. i love the feeling of poping from the pocket. this quasi deck is really having me re think how tricks are done because it’s a lot harder to do that.
This content is pure gold baby
Very impressive skating brother! Much love from CNY
Thank you so much. Just got a new Baker board and was getting frustrated because the board felt like it had no pop and super soggy. Getting back into Skateboarding after about 13 years off always skated steeper boards. looks like flatter boards are in now. 'll try moving my back foot up and see if I like it.
33 getting back on the board. Thanks Ben.
Always excellent material Ben 👊
Love all these videos ,thank you so much for the info 👌
Short flat and small wheel base is always my favorite setup.
That’s considered flat? Damn so my board is just a wooden plank??? Lmao
Do you skate it? If so how do you find it?
Please answer
Dont skate much no more lmao but its basically a CHASER (brand) Skateboard one of those cheap ones u can buy in the toy store... bought bearings and bushings for it tho but i think its jus for cruising
@@mizu1153 ouch bro, those cheap toy brands will give you a bad taste of skateboarding.
I’ve had kids at my local park comment on my current deck which is very flat. It’s a blank I found at a local shop. Easily the mellowist board I’ve ever skated and funny thing is all my flat ground tricks are higher now.
I have also been playing around with different deck types. For me I can skate flat boards. This could be because I skate high Indy trucks. On steep decks I tend to get that ghost pop you said about. Anyway, great content as usual.
I've always loved flat decks!
Thanks for this! Actually skating indy 144 with flat deck and everything you say makes sense. Strangely it pretty much always do :)
Flat decks are necessary for me. It makes me feel my feet are 100% on the deck
After this stupidly steep nose, tail and concave of my real full se 8.25...i want a flatter deck hahahaha
I found the toy machine flatness and mellowness to work the best with thunder and worn wheels
As always much love from Italy ❤️ keep killing it Ben
Interesting. I'm on a full SE 8.06 and it's mellow. Real's have a roman numeral stamped on the top ply between the front bolts. 1 is the steepest and 4 is the mellowest. I am on a 3 in this video.
@@bendegrosmine is II indeed (is so damn different II, III, IV...) I had them all...damn I would love to consistently get IV
@@bendegros do you think this deck would be decent matched with standard indy's (139?)? Any other flat decks you could recommend? Back in the day i skated tensor lows and 7.5" - 7.75". Local shop didnt have lows and im looking to reduce toe drag with a new 8" deck. Thanks for these videos!
What decks are flat? What am I looking for in terms of measurements? I'm riding an Almost and the tail feels too steep, I keep ghost kickflipping
I just got that same real deck. I’m stoked to skate it.
Very helpful thanks dude , definlty explained that spot on , example the info I was looking for thanks dude
first time I hear the term "historically" so many times in a skate content :D I thought I had been sent back to high school
Your tricks look really clean & effortless on this setup! I have learnt so much from your videos about board dimensions. I am 32 & restarted skating again 11 months ago, after a 7yr break. I’m still getting my old tricks back, & now that I know (& started to care) more about dimensions other than width, it frustrates me that companies often don’t give such info about their decks. My last board was from Hockey; I got an Andrew Allen model, (he’s such a dude), & Hockey at least list the width, length, & wheelbase on their site. Unfortunately Andrew Allen’s board size changed in all 3 dimensions from one model to the next, so my plan to buy the same board & not need to readjust, has kinda been blown 😜
I loveee the look of the flat
4:52 “WOOOOOOOOOO”
Finally stood my first kickflip today. 26yo 🎉
I feel like I'm 10yo again 😊
Hey Ben, amazing content as always however I do have a question....
Do flat skateboards ride better on the flat earth?
Thank you and I await your response.
Those Vegan Aussie Blokes haha the earth is absolutely 100% flat and swear on my child’s life I have measured it to be flat with lasers and telescopes 🔭! Yeah we have been lied to by satanists our whole lives. Don’t 🗳 vote or watch tv 📺 or participate in anything media tells you and develop a relationship with Jesus and everything will turn out fine.
@@zarlodious1 fax
@@zarlodious1 are you joking? Cant tell
BBQ Sauce not kidding my friend. Don’t take my word for it go measure for a curve yourself. Thats what made it 100% for me. Measured 46 miles flat when there should have been 1400 feet deviation. Measured at 12 miles too same deal 96 feet of curvature simply not there. The Bible is true and the end is near. Read the book of Enoch and then the Bible it really helps explain Genesis 6.
I was an atheist before I measured the earth now I am a Natsarim. A follower of the way of Christ and a watchmen of the apocalypse.
I used to be a space loving fool (space cadet) but I spent thousands of hours of researching and studying the sky and the ground. It’s 100% flat.
@@zarlodious1 how come no one has fallen down?
Great video/tip.
I sometimes use that foot placement for fakie and nolli tricks for some reason.
My deck isn't flat(can't stand flat decks. DEEP DISH ONLY),but it still makes certain tricks work better for whatever reason.
I have an egg-ish shaped Powell that's ridiculously flat, and I know it's only a matter of time before I'm forced to skate it, so I'll be giving the foot placement tip a try on that beast for sure.
8" × 31.5" and 14" wheelbase is my all time favourite size
roboliño schmidt I’m the same, also like steeper concave. Riding a zero deck right now with those dimensions and it’s perfect
@@Chcickensauce zero is awesome.. and they have great graphics..you should try "flip" and "crooked"...
roboliño schmidt yeah I’d definitely like to try a flip, also really wanna try alien workshop
Is zeros tail flat or steep?
I love this channel so much
Very useful, Ben!
Does it take time to get used to skating mellow concave? I can't seem to Ollie that high and can't do any tricks.
First frontside flip make was clean!
Up for some discussion?
This is all absolutely true for pure-wood decks, but i found out that when i skate a powell flight deck (carbon/fiberglass reinforced) the opposite seems to be true. They are pretty flat, at least more than the standard Real ones, but i only get good pop out of them when i place my back foot on the very tip of the tail. Your explanation behind this sheds a light on this exception, because they are at least as stiff as deep concave decks, imo. That gave me a strange feeling skating the flight decks in the beginning, but when i got used to it, the wooden decks even "lost" their pop to me until i adjusted foot position according to your explanation. A slight exception is the 8.25" flight you were skating, its tail feels shorter, in comparison to the 8" models with the same shape. I did get better pop from it with the food slightly in from the edge, but on the other side, it was feeling too heavy to me (i'm rather short) and this got me exhausted pretty quick.
I'd like to know your opinion on this, please...
Again a great Video that gives deep insight into the works of skateboarding. Thanks :)
I have skated the flight deck again a few times since I learned this. I now actually like it. I found I still had to put my foot closer to the bolts and it worked much better for me. Also, I rode the flight deck on thunders for the review but once I switched it to indy's I liked it way better.
Interesting, because i skate Tensor MagLites with 50mm, quite shallow wheels. A light setup all in all. I suggest there's less upward momentum because of the low weight of the front truck. Three days ago i skated an Element mountain deck from a friend, and it had quite heavy no-name trucks on it, also a flat deck in all manners, only 7.75 wide. It was old, felt saagy but popped better than the flight 8"...
Thoughts on the shape of current Alien workshop decks? Personally I love them but would love to hear your opinion.
Same thing happened to me with age. I like flatter decks, low trucks and 52mm to 54mm wheels.
Good shit dude! Ive always had high concave(habitat), gonna give baker a shot !
Really informative video! Thx!
Deluxe boards mark what position in the press (I-IV) the board was manufactured. 1 is steepest and 4 is mellowest. I have only skated a few Real boards and always 1-2, which I wouldn't consider mellow. I'm curious which this one is marked. The number is marked at the front truck grip side. Give it a check when you are done skating it so you can get a similar one next time.
It's a 3. But the short wheelbase also adds to the flat feel.
wholesome skate content
Hey ben such a great video!
Since u said that high indys and big wheels help to balance out the mellowness of the deck, I was wondering if the same setup is actually good for manual flip outs? Im considering possibly swapping the indys for a slightly lower venture (~2 to 3 mm or so). On one hand the venture hits the tail faster (n better for manuals), on the other hand, the indy gives you more room to pop for a manual. Do you have a recommendation?
I have more of a problem flipping on flat or "medium concave" boards then popping. I don't get that flick and when I try sliding my foot of the nose on a kick flip, my board flies forward and doesn't flip
having the same issue
Fascinating. I'm just learning my flip tricks on a pretty steep kick. I wonder how I would go on a flat or flatter board?
Would be cool if you could test Lithe skateboards. The carbon boards.
Flexible boards help with pop and the spring though. Stiff isn’t good. Same thing goes to snowboards. Snowboards best for ollies have a lot of camber and spring and you can load up the pop
No comical outro? i love them comical outros. informative and interesting video ben.
I only put them in when the inspiration strikes. Nothing lately.
I hear you. Days are getting shorter, sun isnt as strong or as available, more rain. This isnt the funniest time of the year.
But its when we need it!
I get so much more pop with Thunders than I do with Indys. I wonder if the foot placement tip will help with that too
Great explanation, your perspective is always educated and well thought out. If you have a moment in my last video I was trying front shuvs, I suck at them, I could use any tips you have have on them. Not sure why but I find them very difficult.
@SIOUXICIDE * ha sounds so easy.
You do seem more comfortable in the mellow deck, and your tricks seem smoother too.
It must just be that it takes less effort.
Can anyone recommend some manufacturers with flatter kick decks like this one?
i like the content of your chanel c:
It help’s me a lot
Medium-High concave gives the benefit of flat and really high concave decks
I started skating girls n chocolate, I didn't like skating flat too much cuz I was ADHD as duck, soon as I could ollie I was tryna jump over stuff and the flat decks made it more stable.
I feel like with HARDGOODS in general...I wish that FULL specifications of products were always listed on them. Board example: width, length, wheelbase, nose&tail length, nose&tail angles, concave amount. Trucks example: width, height, weight.
I recently bought my first 8.25, the widest I've gone, and it had mellow kicks and concave. The board is also pretty short, the nose and tail felt really tiny to me. I was upset with the board at first but I actually realized some of the same things you said in this video and have been ripping it harder than my 2 previous boards since I started skating again. Almost time for a new board and I'm torn between sticking with the mellow or going back to what I was comfortable with before after spending so much time adjusting.
Well you said it yourself its almost time for a new set up. Keep experimenting with sizes and shapes. Youll get a new one eventually. Decently wise words from a decent person:)
No need to worry about it too much. You can skate both now. Each type of deck may have tricks that you can do better on them. For example, I will get my switch frontside flips back when I get a steeper kick again.
2:08 what about Almost Skateboards? those have steep kicks but mellow concave
What brands have flat decks?
I am wondering too. I don't think he mentioned the brand
Real, girl, Santa Cruz, toy machine, wnkd, chocolate, flip.
Im riding flat decks for so many years..the best combination is nose 7" with gentle rise. These decks also can absorb more on fail landing, like on nose or tail. I feel so bad on hockey or any another aggresive shapes, like these boards lack of control.
It’s the exact opposite for me I actually skate better with flat boards and low trucks.i also run a truck narrower than my board size with 3 spacers on the back side of the wheel setup.seems to help my scoop for Tre flips that way.
I have a Santa Cruz 8.5 everslick with really steep kicks, but it has almost no concave in the middle.
What kind if deck is that?!??! It looks like a depiction of a swimming pool and it looks dope af
Thanks, Ben, for this content. After years of skating an old school ramp setup on street I switched to 52mm (from +60mm) wheels and a Krooked team board. I didn't think it was flat compared to my old setup, but tons of ghost pop and just couldn't get the tail to spank - will try this shift with the rear foot. If not, may just go back to steeper setups. Would risers also work ?
yeah risers or bigger wheels will do the trick too
I know you explained how to tell if it is a steep kick because it is a couple of degrees difference. But how do we tell that by looking? At some angles the board in the video looks steep and some it looks flat.
I have been having a hard time getting comfortable on my board. It is hard for me even to ride it let alone bring the tail to the ground.
I tried someone else's board and noticed how much easier it was. But it was a longboard. I don't know what the difference was but it was much easier for me to bring the tail to the ground.
Have you considered a review of a budget skate, maybe a complete Mini-Logo set-up? Decks are just Powell boards (problem is they have 100s of shapes), wheels are basically Bones, bearings are like Reds and their grip is meh. However, don't know anything about their trucks. Can't find a good, honest review on how they turn or grind. Let's face it - you do the best truck reviews on YT!
ML trucks are super low - 48mm? - so you do need to run risers. Once you get them up to avoid wheelbite you can get a good turn with them - I'm running Bones Hardcore mediums. They aren't quite as surfy as Indy but are more stable in the middle. They do turn better than Thunder. They do have a more neutral axle position so you don't get the same pop that you do with Thunders. Grind is really good. The angled sides do help you lock in. On pool coping I find that the grind is a bit faster than Indy. I haven't skated Thunders in the pool - so no comparison there.
They are not better nor worse than Indy or Thunder - just different with other strengths. I'm currently skating a couple setups: 8.75 Anti Hero with Indy 159s in transition and MiniLogo 8" with Thunder 147s for small flippy stuff. I will probably be putting together an 8.3-8.4 with ML 8.38" soon. I have skated that size a lot in the past and it was a good all around setup.
@@TimJones97701 Thank you for your 2¢! Excellent information!
Nice video dude 👍
Are polar boards flat???
Not sure if I'm the only one who feels this way, but some reason I am more comfortable popping regular tricks off the nose than the tail due to the steepness and a fat pocket. Perhaps the OCD of my fat feet feels doesn't feel secure even when i try to put my popping foot a little more inside closer to the last 2 bolts.
Do people think mellow or concaved decks are better for boardslides
I love flat decks
Steep concave + low trucks + tiny wheels is how I roll. Quick pop, and lots of flick.
I like that feel too. The low trucks and small wheels balance out the steepness nicely.
Nice too! I'm old injured skater :)