A tech heavy review with the Loaded Pintail as its subject. Solid pictures and a good amount of detail with the preferential setup.

Definitely hits the sweet spot for me in the “all around cruiser/carver” category. I’m 5’ 9”, 140-150 and have been searching for a deck that I can take with me wherever I go – to work for lunchtime cruise, in the trunk for impromptu carving runs, etc.. The Loaded pin is a great length, 35”, wheelbase is 29” (inside of tracker hanger to inside of tracker hanger). My measurements show 8.75” at widest point. Not even close to worrying about wheelbite running either Randal 150s or Tracker sixtracks with sideset power paw 70mm reds (duro is 74a I believe), 1/8” soft risers.

Loaded notes that the Pin was designed for use with the Randal 150s. My 150s have green stims on bottom and the stock randal red bushing on top. I ran fairly loose for my first test and found this setup way too twitchy for my tastes. The turn angles were fine, main problem was that the deck sits higher with the Randals and at 20mph the micro-wobbles were setting in at the rear truck. Too tippy and sketchy for me. I’m certain that those SFers with hi-level Randal-tuning experience could easily create a top-notch Randal setup with this board, but I was too impatient and I love my trackers.

Put on the Tracker sixtracks and now I’ve got the setup I want. My sixtracks have longer kingpins, yellow stims on bottom, bones blues on top. If you haven’t tried this setup, please do. For me, these trucks deliver the true surf feel. Carves are butter-smooth, almost elegant compared to the randals, and the trackers get back to center quite nicely w/o and wobbles or twitch. The deck is significantly lower to the ground with the trackers, making for effortless pushing and a more stable feel overall.

However, with the randals you can run up a smooth curb, then drop off a 4 inch-high square curb, no worries. With the trackers, the kingpin, which extends out past the hangar (see pix), will scrape the curb if you drop at an angle unless you somehow ollie this pintail first. Kingpin scrape won’t toss you, bit it will slow you down, it will mess up the kingpin threads, and it will make your heart stop momentarily when you hear that scratchy-screech.

Preliminary impressions: Loaded Pin with the modified tracker sixtracks and power paws = smooth, cruisy ride. I would describe the Flex 3 as a tight flex for a 140-145 pounder (see pix). If you want a more trampoline-like flex and you weigh 145 or less, I would suggest trying the Flex 4. Shape is concave and convex, very cool combo – you get the locked-in feeling with the concave and the energy-rebound feeling with the convex. As expected, you can feel this deck return the energy coming out of the carves, it is very lively and just a blast to ride with the trackers -- a responsive, mini surfboard on land.

The guys at Loaded are great to deal with. Always willing to talk about the boards, provide tips and advice, shoot the breeze.