I think those look like bad, exploitative products that aren't fun or particularly safe to use. That said, no, I haven't used or ever seen any of these.
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You turn any tricks on that wheelie board?
The idea of being locked in like ski boots worries me also. But, I would have never considered riding with footstraps either if I hadn't tried mountainboards.
When I started customizing mountainboards for street carving, I left the footstraps on. Glad I did. Footstraps greatly intensify the extreme carving experience.
I came at all of this (riding pneumatic tire street carvers) from a surfing background. Surfboards don't have straps either -- unless you're doing tow-in.
It's very Zen. What does a strawberry taste like? Nobody can tell you. You must taste one for yourself.
If you haven't tried these other carving styles/boards, you really don't know.
I've been riding strapped boards for 15 years.. I've said it before.. people dont know what theyre missing.. the control you have over the board.. the way you can really feather the slides.. the saves you can pull off.. not to mention cattleguards, gravel sprays and all kine shít in the road. Strapping up my then homemade downhill boards was an obvious thing to do for me having built and strapped the very first tow boards for Laird, Rush and Dave Kalama here on Maui
As far as the Surf Rodz.. It sure is pretty thang.. but that wheel base is scary.. cant imagine having alotta control with my wheels set out that far away from my feet. If you cant get a board that big sideways its gonna be nothing but a death missle. And about the Spin rigid binding, I got a pair... they are nothing but fancy composite Sky hooks. I wont even mount them.. as Mr. Horse says.."No Sir.. I dont like em". the new Ground Control ones he's using now look better
__________________ Common Sense is soluble in Testosterone
The binding vids were pretty boring, honestly. The first one just looked like regular longboard carving without bindings, and the 2nd one was like a skatepark vid crossed with a mountainboard vid, only not as good as either.
That big long skinny thing looked like fun, though.
lolz.. I just looked at the video. It did look kinda gay.. what he's doin like 25 tops ? nothin like long hard carving @ 40-45 mph. and sk8.. videos ? omg I've been called out ! uuhh did I say I do that shít.. nooo man, thats my friends do that not me.. lol. But seriously I have been wanting make a video for fun.. I'm gonna pretty quick here. but I dont skate any diff that anyone else really.. for me strapped is just is more comfortable and definate on the board.. the straps really change the leverage on the on the skate.. your pulling on the lever of the straps as much as pushing on the deck to turn.. your feet are always correct and i find myself really pushing forward against the base of the straps.. never was a slalom skater but its similar I guess to the foot block. the back strap stays wider for ease of entry, so your back foot can lay sideways against the deck and to get in and out of tuck easily. strapped boards are just a ball
__________________ Common Sense is soluble in Testosterone
The vids were nothing special just a different perspective. For extreme carve perspective, watch one of the Carveboard videos I have posted too many times already. What is boring is the standard longboard skate response the gets posted on this "hybrids" forum. You can always tell somebody who has remained inside their little longboard bubble never daring to step out.
And I don't shoot vids of myself because that's not why I ride. I ride my hybrids because they make me feel the way I do/did when I surf. Watching a video gives you no idea of the feel anyway.
One skater who tried my most responsive MB carver for a few seconds said it reminded him of skating pools/bowls.
For me extreme carving isn't about speed. It is about extreme lean angle and turning radius, G-force holding you onto the deck, strap intensified cutbacks, and the proper speed for continuous, fluid, uninterupted surf-like runs
But lollygag is right about that boards length. The greater the axle to axle distance the wider the turn radius and the harder it is to burn of speed. And straps totally alter leverage and repsonsiveness.
I'm on your side NorCal. Your latest vids are nice. Not my intention to put down the originals. Just meant strapped extreme carving isn't about vids it's about the experience.
No the Carveboard vids are strapless but strapped custom MBs can do the same and better. Had someone shoot early vids of me and decided it was too self promoting an narcissistic. I've come a very long way since my avatar picture with handbrake in hand.
Nothing personal. I know I can rip. I don't do vids and I don't need some long skaters' validation. If somebody decides to shoot a vid of me that's their business -- doubt they'll ever come looking for me in my rural Bluegrass Hills.
However, watching those vids you just posted, their boards do rip. But you just can't get the traction with small hard wheels that you get with 3" X 8" pneumatic street slicks -- that's where the G-force and extreme come from. Again I respect the standard skate disciplines.
Bottom line, straps are the cat's ass.
Edit:
The grade in the second new vid is sweet. I want to ride it.
surf rodz - strapped carving
