When you first look at a Fatboy Longboard invariably your first words are “DANG, that’s huge”. After that you notice the beauty of the massive board. Made out of solid hardwoods and finished with a nice stain and varnish these boards are decorative as well as functional...

Fatboy Longboards was very cooperative and sent me a model incidentally called the Fatboy. This board is 60” long and 11”wide and ½ “thick. It is made of oak with one walnut stringer and one Paduak stringer. This board was also outfitted with some Randalls 180 and some Kryptonics 70mm. This is definitely not your average plywood longboard.

I was introduced to Fatboy Longboards not because I’m fat, but because at 6’3” and 250 lbs. I’m considered a large person. Since I started Longboarding I have ridden just about every type of board there this. Unfortunately there are some great boards, for instance the late Mellow Motion boards, that I just can’t ride, When I step onto some boards I feel like they’re about to snap underneath me. Other boards flex so much I’m unable to control them as I wish. Reading forums and talking with other longboarders I realize that this isn’t just my problem either. A lot of people have similar issues and are looking for an alternative to the “traditional” longboard.

When I first rode the Fatboy I was amazed at how big it was. There is plenty of deck room for walking, lying down, sitting down, or anything you can think of. Walking on the board is especially easy, and it’s even possible for my size and weight to hang five or ten (riding with either five or ten toes off the front of the board). As can be expected the flex is minimal to nonexistent. This board rides more like a surfboard than a skateboard. For my size it’s an exceptional board for those long relaxing rides. If you do ride a Fatboy you better look good because you will definitely get a lot of attention

While the Fatboy is a great board for large boarders it’s also a terrific alternative ride for anyone who wants a nice smooth ride. My little 10 year old brother who only recently started longboarding jumped on the Fatboy and loved the way it rode. I don’t even think my brother weighs a hundred pounds yet he was able to ride the Fatboy and control it with ease. My wife, who usually rides a 48” Bareback Performance, enjoyed the roominess of the deck and the way it responded to her moves.

As can be expected with a board this size transportation can be a problem. If you’re like me and have to drive to find some places to ride then with a board this size you’ll have a tricky time. Try to find a car rack or have a lot of room to spare in your car.

While riding I was able to easily to loose lazy carves, but when it came to tight hard carves I experienced some minor wheel bite which then made it necessary to peel my face off the pavement. Take in mind this board is designed for cruising and not for tight carving like a Supaflex or Landyacht. While talking to Fatboy Longboarding they gave me some ideas for lessening the wheel bite. While these ideas helped lessen the wheel bite it didn’t eliminate it which is unfortunate for those necessary times when a hard carve is the only thing standing between you and a face plant into the back of a car. Recently Fatboy has been experimenting with Exkate Torsion Trucks to solve this minor problem. We’ll keep up to date with that and see how they work out.

Overall this is an excellent alternative for large boarders and for anyone who wants to have a nice fresh ride with an exceptionally crafted board.