Carve Stik? Worth it?

[McPhenius]

I didn't want to piggy back this onto the original thread I posted on longboards, but I did some searching and read some thoughts and watched a video.

My son has indicated he wanted the Loaded Pintail for X-Mas, but tonight we were in Ron Jon's and he saw the Carve Stik board. The guy at the shop said it's really for hilly areas and since we are in South Florida where it's flat, he said he didn't recommend it.

However, I turn to you guys. How is the Carve Stik for cruising around? I know it's capable of many things, but for starters my son is 9 years old and just cruising. However, I would be riding it too So I'm 5'10" and 190. Would it be good as just a cruising board on the streets and sidewalks?

Right now, I love my Vanguard and I popped on some 90mm Flywheels and enjoy the long distance rolls with little effort. But I also was fine with the Loaded (Kryptos) 70mm wheels on it.

So if it came down to choosing between the Loaded Pintail and the Carve Stik, what's your thoughts? (keeping in mind we have a Loaded Vanguard now as well).

Thanks

[crlongboards]

I have one.

I'd recommend it for hills and parks, but not so much for the flats.

I'd go with the Loaded Vanguard, which I also have (and love).

Check out my friend's review of the Carve Stik here:

http://www.longboarddirectory.com/re...carvestik.html

Cheers,

-Chris

[Longbord1]

loaded pintail with holeys. it will cavre just as good as the carvestick and will be much better for fla. u don't want to carvy of a board for the flats because you won't get any speed whatsoever. you will go 15 miles and hour on the flat if you are lucky and then with one carve you will be at 2 miles an hour. i recommend the loaded pintail. if you get it with randals that is fine too. get him some bigger wheels though im sure hell enjoy the board more

[McPhenius]

Thanks for the info and I read the review. Whether I get him the Pintail or the Carve Stik, I will be riding it too. Perfect way for dad's to get toys too!

Also, neither one of us are that experienced in the sense that I don't know if I am carving, pumping, or pushing. I just kick, go and do some of those "S" things weaving back and forth.

We ride around our block and community (which is about 2 miles) and it is flat.

I love my Vanguard and I like how it goes over the cracks in sidewalks & brick paver paths and driveways. Even though the 90mm Flywheels seem to float over all that, the stock 70mm did fine too.

But if I have the Vanguard now, is it still worth getting the Pintail? My son wanted a Loaded board because I have one. I am trying to teach him to value what he likes and not look up to what I like all the time. If he likes a Wal-Mart board, so be it. Tonight I put the Gumballs on his board, because he saw my Flys on the Vanguard.

When he saw the Carve Stik at Ron Jon's his eyes lit up. But I told him it was too much, but I would love to stick something under the tree Christmas morning.

The other option if I got the Carve Stik, is that I picked up a Loaded Fish deck on ebay for $27 in excellent shape, although it has the older graphics on it. I could pick up some trucks, bushings, etc. and put together a Loaded Fish for him. I already have wheels and bearings here.

I did notice in the review of the Carve Stik it said it's good for short commutes. If 2 miles or less is short, that is us. I also like how it said it handles cracks & decorative paths well.

The review also mentioned it was a "great beginners board." Is that true?

[crlongboards]

Yes, it could be used by a beginner.

But it's not as versatile as the pintail (or vanguard, especially).

(I also have a review of the Loaded pintail, at http://www.longboarddirectory.com/reviews_loaded.html)

At 9, he'll probably be able to ride the loaded pintail easier, but he'll definitely appreciate the Carve Stik later on.

So it's up to you.

I'd say the pintail is better for him currently.

But the carve-stik can absolutely out-carve any other board around with urethane wheels - and he'll appreciate that in a few years...

Hope this helps.

-Chris

[McPhenius]

u don't want to carvy of a board for the flats because you won't get any speed whatsoever. you will go 15 miles and hour on the flat if you are lucky and then with one carve you will be at 2 miles an hour.

Thanks for the additional review of the Pintail. I bookmarked that website for future reviews.

Longbord1, now I understand what is going on. First, what exactly is a carve? I think I know and I think I am attempting it, but I have never read what it is or realized it was happening in a video.

Is it where you are going and you start weaving back and forth, similar to a downhill in and out of cones? When I get good speed going with my Vanguard, I start taking it from side to side on each side of the road, but I do slow down quickly.

I think if I know exactly what carving is, as opposed to pumping, etc. I would have a better grasp. I did read up and watched a video on sliding, so I undertand that.

The only thing holding me back on the Pintail is that I already have the Vanguard, which my son can ride when he wants. And I just plopped down $200 for it last week. Now if it was between the Vanguard or the Carve Stik, that would have been easy....

Although we don't have steep hills, we have small hills in our parks with walking paths. I've already taken the Vanguard down those and had a blast. But all of our "cruising" around the neighborhood is flat.

[Dustin]

carving is pretty much going from side to side on the road, it does take off speed so you are probably doing it right.

pumping is close to the motion (if not exactly) like slalom.


i am going to have to say that the pintail is the way to go, both of ya'll will thoroughly enjoy that little bugger

[McPhenius]

Without sounding insulting to those of you who have been longboarding, is carving then considered one of the easier things to pick up? Granted, "carving" on the flats I am sure is nothing like carving down a hill.

I also just took a ride out to Ron Jon's to look at the Stiks again. And this time I picked it up, etc. It is heavy and I don't see a 9 year old who is constantly picking up his board, wanting to carry that.

I guess we'll go for the Pintail! Thanks again.

[silversurfer]

I'm not saying dont get the pintail, but the stik is cool and I like it.

It can be cruised on flats easy and pumps and carves well.

It's low and stable and turns well and is VERY surfy.

For info on carving, pumping and cruising check out these links;

www.pumpyourdeck.com

www.pavedwave.com

www.skogging.com

http://www.grassrootsslalom.homestea...howto_pump.htm

http://www.carveboardsports.com/test/WEB2/stik.htm

Good luck and I'm sure your son will be stoked with whatever he gets,
but I'd personally let him choose it himself.

Let me know if any of the above links are helpful at all.

[McPhenius]

Thanks again Silver.... He does like the Carve Stik. I saw on their website they have the Surf Stik and Long Stik. Obviously, the smaller the better for him. But I'm curious, how many of you have the long stik or surf stik? If I was buying it for myself, the specs seem like the long stik is more towards me. But are you guys on the surf stik and like it?

Ron Jon's only had the Surf Stik in stock and only three left at that. Last week they had about 8 or 9 stiks.

[silversurfer]

Thanks again Silver.... He does like the Carve Stik. I saw on their website they have the Surf Stik and Long Stik. Obviously, the smaller the better for him. But I'm curious, how many of you have the long stik or surf stik? If I was buying it for myself, the specs seem like the long stik is more towards me. But are you guys on the surf stik and like it?

Ron Jon's only had the Surf Stik in stock and only three left at that. Last week they had about 8 or 9 stiks.

Take a look at the longboard HYBRID section of the forum all forms of the stik have been discussed ad infinitum there.

Many people who post on that section have one or both of the models you asked about. You might try doing a "stik" search here using the search function at the top of the page. Or just scroll through the hybrid forum untill you find the threads you are interested in. A google search might turn up some info as well.

Let me know if I can help in any other way. I got your pm and will be responding to it shortly. Thanks - ERiC

[Sal Pic]

For the little guy, the super-light loaded boards would rock. Holeys or maybe even originals would give the little ripper a sweet hard-carving board.

I've been very impressed with the Sawgrass Ron Jon longboard selection. Sticks, loaded, dregs, gravity, some of the nicer S9's, and dogtowns. Tons of completes AND decks, they even carry randals! If I go in there and se the abec 11 green, I may fall over.

McP, where you at in SoFla? If you're headin to Ron Jon, you must be near me. I'm in Coral Springs.

[McPhenius]

Sal,

I am in Weston. I know one of the guys over at Ron Jons and he said they haven't received anymore Loaded boards in awhile. He said he didn't know why, but there is a skate shop off Weston Road that said Loaded was alittle more specific on accounts. They carry Loaded there.

Ron Jon's had 3 Stiks left today, all Surf Stiks.

The only thing about buying him a specific board for his size, etc. He has regular boards that he uses to skate. We cruise on the longboards and my thing is, if I am going to spend $150 or so, I better be able to skate on it.

[Longbord1]

carving is weaving back and forth either to bleed speed or for fun. the carvestick just isn't practical for florida honestly. i have plenty of flats and conventional trucks don't bleed your speed as fast as the trucks on the carvestick. u want to be able to carve a little and not lose to much speed. thats not to say u can lay out some super sharp nice carves with a loaded though. also with the loaded being camber it feels a lot better for skating because it pushes back on you. the carvestick is more expensive right? go depending on price also. id say a carvestick is good for hill its almost the same thing as a cavreboard and both are not designed for the flats.

[McPhenius]

carving is weaving back and forth either to bleed speed or for fun. the carvestick just isn't practical for florida honestly. i have plenty of flats and conventional trucks don't bleed your speed as fast as the trucks on the carvestick. u want to be able to carve a little and not lose to much speed. thats not to say u can lay out some super sharp nice carves with a loaded though. also with the loaded being camber it feels a lot better for skating because it pushes back on you. the carvestick is more expensive right? go depending on price also. id say a carvestick is good for hill its almost the same thing as a cavreboard and both are not designed for the flats.

The Pintail was $203 (I think) and the Stick was $224. I think the Pintail is what he will want since we like to cruise on the long board. He likes to go side to side in the street and I know he won't want to slow way down the minute he does it.

[Longbord1]

yeah thats the problem with overly carvy boards. he may be able to pump on it but im not to sure on that. what does the pintail come with because that could be a rip off for you. if thats with stock parts and not premium i wouldn't get it. if you want it at a great price get it from purpleskunk.com

[silversurfer]

The Pintail was $203 (I think) and the Stick was $224. I think the Pintail is what he will want since we like to cruise on the long board. He likes to go side to side in the street and I know he won't want to slow way down the minute he does it.

I'd say if it's he's x mas gift let him pick.

You'll be able to skate either with no problem.

But keep in mind that you already have a loaded, it might be fun to
try another type or brand of board. Check the phone book for other shops or consider an internet skate shop. Or the stik. The loaded is good too, similar to your vangaurd in a different shape.

I'd do a search through some threads here, or do a google search on
"longboard skateboards". There are also plenty of reviews to be found on
the front page of this site and a list of more reviews in a sticky post in general longboarding forum.

After narrowing it down to two boards you like and could fit on, let him
pick. The two boards could be the pintail and the stik, but why limit yourself without looking into other options first?

[McPhenius]

But keep in mind that you already have a loaded, it might be fun to
try another type or brand of board.

That was one of the points I was trying to make. He likes the Stik based on the looks of it. And at 9 years old, that is everything. I want him to be able to enjoy it if he gets it.

[revelation2]

my thoughts---
If you let him choose it, It may turn out the wrong way. Having you choose a board for your son ensures that he will be surprised no matter what, and you'll like it. In addition, the loaded/stik boards seem a little high-end as a first board. You can get a great deck that pumps for less than $200. Or even for just "push 'n cruise". The gravity boards would be something to look into.
www.gravityboard.com
they've got some really great prices.

Personally I'm against the stik boards around flats. Any board intended for carving can be used for cruising, though...

[McPhenius]

In addition, the loaded/stik boards seem a little high-end as a first board. You can get a great deck that pumps for less than $200. Or even for just "push 'n cruise". The gravity boards would be something to look into.

I have a mini-carve by Gravity and that is a nice board. Also in the sense of "first board." Yes, he (and I for that matter) is just starting out and appreciating long boards.

He has been skateboarding on regular boards at the skateparks and around the neighborhood since he was 6, so he is going on three years experience on a board. Me, I skated in the 70's and went to freestyle BMX in the 80's. My son got me back into skateboarding and one good thing is I still feel comfortable on a board. Just not grinding, doing ollies, etc like him.