Cult "Gamma Ray" Review

[a_speck_of_dust]

***This is a review for your average skater. I do not race, I do not bomb hills at 45+ often, I don't have hookups, sponsors, or personal camera men for interviews and skate videos. I shred local neighborhoods, I push to school, the market, the barber, Carls Jr., I'm just here to roll, and shed some light on the new and magnificent new wheels that the market is throwing out at the public.

So last week I made an order for Cult Gamma Rays along with some Edger Grip (sick grip by the way, I prefer it over Vicious) and some bushings from SoCalSkateShop.com from their 10% off sale. Anyways, they arrived on Thursday and I threw em on my Nemesis with Rlls, Bennett Bushings and Reds.


First impression; sick, the color of the Horrorotica is very eye catching, and I really love how they roll. The thane is very fast, the thane is soft and has a smooth ride, and pushing is a breeze compared to Big80s. Also, they are grippy as hell, but what I found very odd is that even though the mold release hasn't even come off yet it has a very smooth, delicious, controlled slide. I don't live in an area with super-gnar longass runs, but alot of neighborhood/tech hills to shred on. They are supposed to be grippier than the Psychathane but I'm already drifting crazy spots on my 2nd day skating them.

After awhile of pushing around town, and DHing some tiny spots I decided to take it to my shredder hill where I love to go sideways. These things won my heart when I busted colemans, standys and drifts with ease, better than tangs, and they feel certainly faster than many other lipped wheels I've ridden. These wheels don't make a weird screeching sound like I've heard Psychathane does, but it does hook back up comfortably and fast, if you aren't prepared for it I'm sure it will throw you off your deck. About an hour and a half of sliding/drifting and the mold release still hasn't even come off.


Some comparisons to every wheel I've DHed on:





Gamma Rays vs. 76mm Race Formulas: Gamma Rays are 72mm and wider, making them grippier and faster. What I love about these compared to the RFs is the slide, I love my RFs, but the Gamma Rays just blow them out of the water going sideways.

Gamma Rays vs. Big80 Minus Fives: The Gamma Rays have a great roll speed, and it's much more easier to push. But the Big80s just roll forever, compared to the Cults you will have to push more on flats. I've also noticed that they accelerate faster then the Big80s, and on top of that they have alot more control around corners. It would be like an RC car racing a bowling ball down a hill.

Gamma Rays vs. Potangs: Gamma Rays slide out of the box, where as Potangs took me awhile to get to slide the way the Cults are sliding now. Potangs are always crazy fun to slide, but Cults are more controlled and kind of limit you on what you can do compared to the Tangs, but also note I haven't completely broken in the Gamma Rays so gimme some time to see what I can unleash with these. As for speed, they aren't very noticeably different, but the Cults just seem a tad bit faster.

Gamma Rays vs. Old Gen Venom Shockers: First of all, the Shockers are ####### slow, they drag like a dead cow tied to a bicycle, and it take a HUGE hill to really get them up to speed, so Gamma Rays will easily beat these down a hill. But the Shockers do have a better slide than the Cults when broken in. But remember, I still haven't broken the Cults yet.

Gamma Rays vs. 71mm Bennett Gators: Gators are very fun wheels but are kind of slow around the hills I skate around on, they have a smoother drift than Cults but just aren't as fast. I still need alot more ride time on both of these to really compare...

All in all, I love these wheels to death. I'd take em over any of the above listed wheels, and I would also love to give the Green 83.5a Gammas and Orange 80a Death Rays and the upcoming classics a try. I also wish Cult would advertise more, err, intelligently? Their ads don't really give you info, or prices, or anything really helpful, except a story. For such sick wheels I'm surprised they aren't more popular. And I would love to make a video to show the true potential of these babies but unfortunately I've got no camera man.

If you've got any questions please feel free to ask!

Peace,
Nick

[Terrorsathan]

ive got orange ones on the way, I can't wait

[seabass101dg]

very impressive review but i think you could have given a more complete opinion if you had waited to break them in.

[8ftbed]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to a_speck_of_dust again.

10righteousreviewsforushoodrats

(I really like the Death Rays too... but maybe not as much as the Big80s)

[ridesnow.]

I raced on a set of the green ones last weekend, i liked them, real grippy. I'm saving them for next weekend's vt race, but after that they will be put through their paces.

[dozer jr]

I raced on a set of the green ones last weekend, i liked them, real grippy. I'm saving them for next weekend's vt race, but after that they will be put through their paces.

what vermont race? is it the outlaw or did that happen already? i'm gona be around there next weekend.

[glideronfreerides]

I also wish Cult would advertise more, err, intelligently? Their ads don't really give you info, or prices, or anything really helpful, except a story. For such sick wheels I'm surprised they aren't more popular.

how much 'info' can one really give in an ad? price varies a bit from retailer to retailer, and the size/shore rating is always listed. the rest is all basically hype and not usually that helpful..


I'd definitely rather read cult's campy scifi short stories than yet another product writeup that talks about "releasing" and "hooking up" and "slides when you want it to" etc. These sorts of descriptions are worthless really. not to be harsh, but this is why alot of reviews for gear are similarly worthless.. it's such a subjective, gotta-try-it-to-know kind of thing.


in any case, their advertising was smart enough to get my money and yours as well. these wheels are pretty new, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were selling well, considering the market saturation etc.

[asagar123]

what vermont race? is it the outlaw or did that happen already? i'm gona be around there next weekend.

i think that the 60 mph run and if i guessed right than it is an outlaw

[rivers]

how much 'info' can one really give in an ad? price varies a bit from retailer to retailer, and the size/shore rating is always listed. the rest is all basically hype and not usually that helpful..


I'd definitely rather read cult's campy scifi short stories than yet another product writeup that talks about "releasing" and "hooking up" and "slides when you want it to" etc. These sorts of descriptions are worthless really. not to be harsh, but this is why alot of reviews for gear are similarly worthless.. it's such a subjective, gotta-try-it-to-know kind of thing.


in any case, their advertising was smart enough to get my money and yours as well. these wheels are pretty new, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were selling well, considering the market saturation etc.

precisely.. who needs another wheel company telling you 'technical' info, and bragging about performance? The longboard product world is inherently boring. The techy based marketing of other brands is usualy wrong anyway. Cult has a great thing going, it doesnt take it self seriously, and definately has fun. Which, is what skateboarding is all about after all.

[8ftbed]

10nevermindingunsubscribes

[AlG]

very impressive review but i think you could have given a more complete opinion if you had waited to break them in.

I agree. I'd say right now you're evaluating the sliding performance of the mold release and not the urethane itself. The Horrotica mold release must be way different than the Psychethane because that stuff was brutal to get rid of. Once it exposed the urethane, I finally got to see what these wheels could do. They slide really when and the re-grip is nice and controllable. I try not to use them as a slide wheel because they're too nice but as a strictly DH wheel they rock. The rebound is very nice.

[Midway]

Definitely eyeing these now. Right now it's a toss-up between these, Gumballs, and some kinda O-tang. I usually cruise, want to get sliding.
Thanks for the info and the hilarious imagery.

[gavmck]

Once it exposed the urethane, I finally got to see what these wheels could do. They slide really when and the re-grip is nice and controllable.

That's how they rode when they were brand new to me? Part of what makes them awesome is that they ride spot on straight out of the box far as I can see.

[nick]

Peaked my interest, so I bought a set of blues. I set them up this evening and, since it's dark and cold, just pushed on the (flat) road out front. By no means a test representative of actually pushing the wheels in tough conditions, but from a few strides on flat I was a touch surprised at how easily I could get these wheels to let go.

[sparky88]

any updates?

i just got a set in the mail for my bday to go with a new pintail, thinking about throwing em on my eel instead though

[a_speck_of_dust]

Only gotten better since I've bought them.

[Midway]

any updates?

i just got a set in the mail for my bday to go with a new pintail, thinking about throwing em on my eel instead though

Lemme know how you like 'em on your Eel.

[a_speck_of_dust]

VIDEO TOMORROW!!!

...hopefully

[Rouleau]

These wheels are sick! I just put em on my voodoo (brand new out of the wrapper) for an outlaw today. Could rail every corner very consistantly. they have good roll speed and great grip. But when you do break them out into a slide they tend to slide longer than some other wheels i've been riding. Drifting is smooth right out of the box, sliding is choppy though if that makes any sense. Overall great wheels.

[Arcadium]

revived, how are the wheels now that they are broken in?