Pacific Systems, Custom Hardwood Longboards

[pacific systems]

Greetings from Pacific Systems!



We make 100% hand-shaped hardwood longboards, right here in Southern California.

Our mission is to play "What If..." with history. We make skateboards fit for the Hawai'ian kings. We take the influences of surfing's past, and apply them to skateboarding's future. But make no mistake, our boards are light, responsive, and easy to skate. No sideshow clunkers or wall hangers, these boards are meant to be skated!

Make an appointment to come skate our boards and see for yourself!

We currently offer two "off the rack" models:


The Big Gun: 72" single plank pintail, the hill-bomber's Cadillac. Smooth, sleek, and steady at high speed. Part Dick Brewer big wave gun, part Tom Blake olo board.


The Big Shiv: 64" single plank diamond tail and nose, the nose-rider's dream. Nimble, responsive, cuts through crowds on the boardwalk in utmost style.

All boards are finished in durable, beautiful lacquer. An invisible "Grip Strip" is applied for additional traction on the top of the board. This inhibits slippage, but is mellow enough to ride barefoot.

All boards come equipped with high-end torsion trucks, bearings, and street wheels (optional hardware orders welcome).

ON OUR MENU, SUMMER 2009:

This season, we have a tasty assortment of woods that perform as beautifully as they look.

Enjoy.

64" Big Shiv, Black Poplar (Edit: this board is SOLD.)
Top View

Bottom View

Logo Detail


72" Big Gun, Wormy Maple
Wormy maple is a light, very flexible wood, with unique color and texture. Also known as Ambrosia maple, this comes from regular soft maple trees that have been infested by the ambrosia beetle. The small beetle bores a network of tunnels and short galleries called cradles. A fungus is responsible for the black, gray, and purplish streaks that accompany each tunnel and adjacent wood. The maple tree then "heals" the holes by filling in a lightweight, flexible scar tissue. The streaks add a unique look to this hardwood without affecting its structural integrity.
Top View

Bottom View


64" Big Shiv, Wormy Maple
Top View

Bottom View

Logo Detail


72" Big Gun, Red Lauan (Edit: This board is SOLD)
Red Lauan (or Filipino Mahogany) is a medium density, rosy wood, with uniform grain and a golden sheen. It's very flexible, with a nice bouncy feel.
Nose Detail

Top View

Bottom View


72" Big Gun, Walnut
This board is the Coup de Grace! This is a solid piece of Black Walnut. This type of wood is normally used in the making of fine furniture, custom shotgun stocks, and hand-made stringed instruments. While very dense, tight-grained and with an intense, deep sheen reminiscent of tiger's eye, this board is also incredibly flexible, and shockingly lightweight. (Note: Due to its flexibility, this board is recommended for a rider that weighs under 175 lbs.)
Top View

Bottom View

Logo Detail (Logo has been silk-screened a pearl grey, to match the trucks!)

[pacific systems]

CONTINUED....

64" Big Shiv, African Mahogany (Khaya), blank-sanded and oiled, unfinished.
African Mahogany is a hand-harvested tropical hardwood, native to Africa and Madagascar. A traditional favorite for fine furniture, its rosy, uniformed grain is accented by deep burgundy rings. It polishes smooth and has a deep shine.


72" Big Gun, African Mahogany (Khaya), blank-sanded and oiled, unfinished.
This piece of Khaya has a very unique concentric ring pattern that abstractly echos the shape of the board. It also has very sharp, downturned rails, reminiscent of a 70/30 rail on a surfboard.


64" Big Shiv, Poplar, blank-sanded and oiled, unfinished.
This is our standard Poplar Shiv. Tried and true, tested in the field, proven 100%. This is THE "point-and-shoot" boardwalk cruiser. Goes everywhere. Does everything. What's left to say?


72" Big Gun, Poplar, blank-sanded and oiled, unfinished.
This particular piece of poplar was distinctive from the moment we saw it. It's like a cross between poplar and walnut. Poplar can sometimes be the unwanted stepchild of hardwoods, because of its plentifulness, inconsistency of color and grain, and relatively inexpensive cost. But this wood here is just...elegant. It looks like a piece of butternut or light walnut, but it doesn't cost the same and has Poplar's amazing ride performance. This is a classy Gun and I'll be stoked for the person who takes it home.


Feel free to contact us at pacsyslongboards@gmail.com, or search "Pacific Systems Boards" on Facebook.

Drop us a line and tell us what you think!

[WeekendxCarver]

I like sir what are the prices like

[TylerHill]

these look like good cruisers. but there probably expensive? how much do these boards cost?

[WeekendxCarver]

great minds think alike lol

[pacific systems]

these look like good cruisers. but there probably expensive? how much do these boards cost?

Oh so it's all about price now, huh? What about the passion? Whatever happened to.....

....all right, I'm kidding.

Prices start at around $400.00 for a full set (not including shipping).

That's a handmade board (poplar, red lauan, wormy maple), complete finish, equipped with torsion trucks (ie Exkates, Revenge), Powell Red Bearings, and Dregs or Sector 9 Street Wheels.

Prices go up from there for exotic woods (ie maple...$500-$550 for a set).

Thanks for the inquiry.

[samhell]

Very nice stuff!
Some beautiful materials..

[TylerHill]

Oh so it's all about price now, huh? What about the passion? Whatever happened to.....

....all right, I'm kidding.

Prices start at around $400.00 for a full set (not including shipping).

That's a handmade board (poplar, red lauan, wormy maple), complete finish, equipped with torsion trucks (ie Exkates, Revenge), Powell Red Bearings, and Dregs or Sector 9 Street Wheels.

Prices go up from there for exotic woods (ie maple...$500-$550 for a set).

Thanks for the inquiry.

thats a lot of money. i would have to save up for a year...or two

[scratch]

Yowsa! Return of the whopper... good looking stuff & welcome to the Fish...

[wayneSZ]

Tom Blake olo board....
nice to see another loooooogboard builder...Nice wood.

Tom blake_
http://web.me.com/surfrodz/Site/Olo.html
http://www.surf-rodz.com/product_road_ologun.php

As far as OLO gun history_

Ancient Hawaiian surfboards

In the early days of surfing in ancient Hawaii, surfing was a deeply spiritual affair, from the art of riding waves itself, to praying for good surf, to rituals surrounding building a surfboard. Surfing was not only a recreational activity, it was also a training exercise for Hawaiian chiefs and a means of conflict resolution. There were two kinds of surfboards in these times, an 'Olo' (ridden by the chiefs or the noblemen known as the 'Alii') and a 'Alaia' (ridden by the commoners). The wooden boards were made using the Wili Wili, the Ula and the Koa tree's and ranged from 10 to 16 feet long depending on social class: 10-12 feet for commoners and 14-16 feet for the noblemen and chiefs.
#-----------------

Surfboard design has always been a very personal thing. Shapers tend to be surfers themselves, and board design is as much an engineering feat as it is a love for surfing. Professional surfers work closely with shapers, as each surfer rides waves differently, and they know better than anyone how their surfboard needs to perform.

Good stuff....nice break from the DH decks.lol

[pacific systems]

Surfboard design has always been a very personal thing. Shapers tend to be surfers themselves, and board design is as much an engineering feat as it is a love for surfing. Professional surfers work closely with shapers, as each surfer rides waves differently, and they know better than anyone how their surfboard needs to perform.

I absolutely agree. We get a lot of flak for being a "high-priced" board manufacturer. I remind people that we're not a manufacturer, we're shapers of custom longboards, unique pieces that are tailored to the rider. We take appointments. We let people use our products before they buy. We take notes from them, and try to build the board that best suits their needs. I want to be a part of their enjoyment. A catalyst for their stoke. That's all we are. We're just mediums. Sheeyit, we didn't exactly get into this business to make a quick buck!

Good stuff....nice break from the DH decks.lol

Thanks! Coming from you, that's a real compliment.

[RipTide]

Sweet work! Nice to see you here!!!

[t0fudelivery]

I tested out the 72" filipino mahogany tonight and the diamond cut poplar...i must say these are amazing boards. I usually ride a dervish and a 46" bamboo pintail...obviously these boards are completely different from those boards, but the quality of the pac sys boards are second to none. After riding and dancing on them all night, $400+ is nothing compared to the fun and smiles I can have from getting one.

Come out to the CSUN meetup to check these bad boys out!

[jessse]

[QUOTE=pacific systems;1297625126]Greetings from Pacific Systems!



That board is the cooooolest thing iv ever seen!!!!!
What wood is it made of???

[Pleinair]

Those things are beautiful.
Excellent work, just way out of my price range.

[pacific systems]

[quote=jessse;1297643949]

Greetings from Pacific Systems!



That board is the cooooolest thing iv ever seen!!!!!
What wood is it made of???

Thanks!

It's a single plank of Canadian Poplar.

[pacific systems]

Pacific Systems Longboards are currently being sold at Kennedy Surf Shop, in Woodland Hills, CA!

Come by the shop and check them out. Kennedy's is an old-school, no frills, real surfer's surf shop, and they have a great selection of longboards and gear as well.

kennedy surf, woodland hills, ca - Google Maps

818-225-1999

Thanks!!!

[LongShawn]

How thick are the planks? Do you ever have any warping problems from using a single plank?

[Irrationalist]

I LOVE The boards. Just nice to look at. Great artisanship. It might defeat the purpose but... do any short ones?

[pacific systems]

How thick are the planks? Do you ever have any warping problems from using a single plank?

We use a 3/4" plank for most purposes. There have been some wonky planks that we get into the shop and they just don't work, mostly because of some defect (warping, hidden cracks, etc.) that we didn't see right away at the lumber yard. We like to call those "firewood". Sometimes we use them on some other projects, most of the time aesthetic stuff like mini tables or wall hangers, etc.