Bustin Strike or Loaded Vanguard?

**TippyT** · 12-28-2009 12:54 PM

I'm in a pickle. On either deck i buy, im going to run with bear grizzly's and 75a gumballs.
If someone could help, that would be sweet.
thanks

**Brain Smoothie** · 12-28-2009 12:59 PM

what kind of ride are you looking for? height, weight, shoe size. What kind of riding are you going to be doing on it? If you post all that stuff then people can give you an accurate choice of which deck is best for you or maybe even a better option. Otherwise all youre going to get is a bunch of people posting their own personal preference which is pretty much useless to you.

**Cann0n** · 12-28-2009 01:03 PM

I wouldn't pick neither one of those boards.

Go with a BC Eel.

**Irrationalist** · 12-28-2009 01:48 PM

Bustin Strike. I use mine day and night and love it to death. If you have specific questions about it I'd be glad to answer them.

**Cann0n** · 12-28-2009 01:54 PM

Enlighten us as to what type of riding you will be doing.

**highvoltage537** · 12-28-2009 02:03 PM

it depends on what you're going to do but i have a vanguard and its great unless you want to do dh or tricks. its an awsome deck for cruising and carving and all that good stuff.

**TippyT** · 12-28-2009 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by Cann0n

Enlighten us as to what type of riding you will be doing.

im gona be mostly cruising, nothing too extreme. Im gonna ride for a long ass time, so i'll need somethin sturdy, and nothin too flexy.

**Cann0n** · 12-28-2009 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by TippyT

im gona be mostly cruising, nothing too extreme. Im gonna ride for a long ass time, so i'll need somethin sturdy, and nothin too flexy.

Don't go with Bustin Strikes then. It's a for bombing hills. It's stiff and I find it VERY uncomfortable.

For cruising, I suggest a flexible board with soft wheels. You need something with agility, assuming you will be doing sidewalk riding. Bustin Strikes won't be able to cut 90* turns at intersections on the sidewalks.

The Vangaurd is a better choice of the two for cruising... but the BC Eel is what I'd recommend.

**ZuMBLe** · 12-28-2009 08:44 PM

Actually for pushing, the strike is a very good board. The board pushes like a dream if you can avoid foot bite. I really like flexy boards for long distance also though. My EW Superglider (like the strike) accelerates very fast because of the low stable deck but I always reach for my loaded pintail (flexy) for long rides.

Originally Posted by Cann0n

Don't go with Bustin Strikes then. It's a for bombing hills. It's stiff and I find it VERY uncomfortable.

For cruising, I suggest a flexible board with soft wheels. You need something with agility, assuming you will be doing sidewalk riding. Bustin Strikes won't be able to cut 90* turns at intersections on the sidewalks.

The Vangaurd is a better choice of the two for cruising... but the BC Eel is what I'd recommend.

**Cann0n** · 12-28-2009 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by ZuMBLe

Actually for pushing, the strike is a very good board. The board pushes like a dream if you can avoid foot bite. I really like flexy boards for long distance also though. My EW Superglider (like the strike) accelerates very fast because of the low stable deck but I always reach for my loaded pintail (flexy) for long rides.

Drop-through boards with flex might be a good choice. How long is a long ride?

**ZuMBLe** · 12-28-2009 08:56 PM

I consider anything longer than 5 miles a long ride. Of course, everyone has their own idea of long ride.

If he does want to go with a flexy drop through, the BC Eel would be a good choice. After trying drop through decks (I own a dervish and a strike), I have figured out that I prefer top mounts.

Originally Posted by Cann0n

Drop-through boards with flex might be a good choice. How long is a long ride?

**TippyT** · 12-29-2009 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by ZuMBLe

I consider anything longer than 5 miles a long ride. Of course, everyone has their own idea of long ride.

If he does want to go with a flexy drop through, the BC Eel would be a good choice. After trying drop through decks (I own a dervish and a strike), I have figured out that I prefer top mounts.

riding like 10+ miles. and im lookin at the s9 carbon trylam, im leanin towards it.

**sailingbreeze** · 12-29-2009 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by TippyT

riding like 10+ miles. and im lookin at the s9 carbon trylam, im leanin towards it.

get a bike? i love longboarding but unless its mostly downhill i wouldnt ever want to push that far.
or if you know how to pump the longboard lary walkabout LongboardLarry - Walkabout LDP

**Cann0n** · 12-29-2009 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by ZuMBLe

I consider anything longer than 5 miles a long ride. Of course, everyone has their own idea of long ride.

If he does want to go with a flexy drop through, the BC Eel would be a good choice. After trying drop through decks (I own a dervish and a strike), I have figured out that I prefer top mounts.

5 miles is less than an hour of riding... I consider anything over 50 miles a long ride.

Originally Posted by TippyT

riding like 10+ miles. and im lookin at the s9 carbon trylam, im leanin towards it.

The S9 Trylam is a decent choice. It's a tad bit high, but I can't complain; I've put hundreds of miles on mine. In fact, I just got my S9 69mm 78a RF's in the mail a few minutes ago. Now I'm waiting for my wedge risers and Randal's. I love the Trylam.

You really can't go wrong with the Trylam, as long as you have the right setup. Slap some 180s and soft wheels, maybe some wedges... you'd be golden.

**Blaise88** · 12-29-2009 01:24 PM

I like my strike. Its low ride height and ability to run big wheels make it a good commuter. I'm running mine with randal 180s (with a 78a venom standard pack in the front and 81a in the back) and 4prez. This setup is super loose and carvy (I can pull a u-turn in about 1 1/2 parking spaces) but because I only weigh about 100 lbs (I'm a girl), I wish it had a little more flex. I also find the lack of concave where my actual feet are (for some reason all of the concave is in the center of deck) and the narrowness of the tail a little annoying -- it can be especially frustrating if you want to learn how to slide or are trying to get manuals and shove-its down. If you have large feet (I don't), you also might find the narrowness of the deck off-putting (but then again, the vanguard is about the same width).

I recently ordered an earthwing boomerang, and if I like it as much as I think I will, I might sell the strike. Overall, the strike is a really quick, easy to push commuter, but it could definitely use a few improvements (more concave in the right places, a wider tail, getting rid of the odd wedging in the back and reducing some in the front).

I do have to say that Bustin's customer service is amazing. They are really helpful with picking out a setup and are incredibly friendly.

I have only spent a few minutes on a vanguard, but it seems like a fun, bouncy carver (though I found the ride height to be a bit much.) You might try the Longboard Larry komodo if you are interested in carving. The flex returns energy wonderfully and it rides like a dream. If the komodo is too long, you might look at the new salamander. It looks like such a fun little board.

**ZuMBLe** · 12-29-2009 02:49 PM

You're probably going to find that the strike and the boomerang are different boards. The Boomerang will be flexier which you want but you'll find that the strike is probably going to be more maneuverable. The superglider would be a great alternative to the strike. The boomerang is a very very nice board though. =)

Originally Posted by Blaise88

I like my strike. Its low ride height and ability to run big wheels make it a good commuter. I'm running mine with randal 180s (with a 78a venom standard pack in the front and 81a in the back) and 4prez. This setup is super loose and carvy (I can pull a u-turn in about 1 1/2 parking spaces) but because I only weigh about 100 lbs (I'm a girl), I wish it had a little more flex. I also find the lack of concave where my actual feet are (for some reason all of the concave is in the center of deck) and the narrowness of the tail a little annoying -- it can be especially frustrating if you want to learn how to slide or are trying to get manuals and shove-its down. If you have large feet (I don't), you also might find the narrowness of the deck off-putting (but then again, the vanguard is about the same width).

I recently ordered an earthwing boomerang, and if I like it as much as I think I will, I might sell the strike. Overall, the strike is a really quick, easy to push commuter, but it could definitely use a few improvements (more concave in the right places, a wider tail, getting rid of the odd wedging in the back and reducing some in the front).

I do have to say that Bustin's customer service is amazing. They are really helpful with picking out a setup and are incredibly friendly.

I have only spent a few minutes on a vanguard, but it seems like a fun, bouncy carver (though I found the ride height to be a bit much.) You might try the Longboard Larry komodo if you are interested in carving. The flex returns energy wonderfully and it rides like a dream. If the komodo is too long, you might look at the new salamander. It looks like such a fun little board.

**Blaise88** · 12-29-2009 03:31 PM

Yeah, I'm planning to use the boomerang more for freeriding and bigger hills -- I cannot wait for it to get here! I've heard nothing but great things about the superglider, but unfortunately, have yet to try one.

**ZuMBLe** · 12-29-2009 03:37 PM

Maybe one day we can meet up and you can try the superglider out.. When it gets warmer. =P

Originally Posted by Blaise88

Yeah, I'm planning to use the boomerang more for freeriding and bigger hills -- I cannot wait for it to get here! I've heard nothing but great things about the superglider, but unfortunately, have yet to try one.