Editor's Note: We originally reviewed this for Concrete Wave Magazine [online]... oh, maybe three years ago now? When CW re-built their website, the review somehow got vaporized into oblivion, somewhere. We decided to re-review it, because it kicks so much ass. Believe me, it's well deserved.
Here she is! She's a beauty, ain't she...?
Just The Facts, Ma'am:
Width: 9.75"
Length: 42"
Wheelbase: Just shy of 32"
Nose: 2.75"
Tail: 3.00"
Construction: A burly 12 mm thick slab of concaved Birch, with a gloss black formica finish. Very stiff, very tough.
Concave: A straight-through 1/2". No nose kick, tail kick, rocker... nothing. All concave, all the time.
Price: $80.00, direct from Pressure Drop (www.pressuredroplongboards.com)
The Set Up:
As you can see, the concave runs straight through the board, with no other bends or kicks anywhere. Note the wedged front Bennett, and the de-wedged rear. This results in a super-turny front, and a more stable rear... great for minimizing (or, eliminating) "speed wobbles".
I've had this set up a number of ways, but my favorite is probably when it's set up with wedged/de-wedged Benett 6.0's (front, and back); 71mm 78a Bennett bottle-green Alligators; 1 1/2" Shorty's hardware (because, it's guaranteed not to break); and, Ninja 7's.
71mm 81a (red) 'Gators spend a lot of time on this, too. Greens for cruisin', reds for racin'.
The Good:
This board kicks so much ass, where do I even begin...?!
Let's start here: What this board was actually designed for, is unlimited downhill and ditch racing. Think Indian School, or The Bear. We're not talking the pussy-sized little things that you see around most interstates to move water to and fro. The Bear, is fucking massive. If you've never seen it, Google it.
Basically: This board was designed to cope with Hell On Concrete. Ridiculous speeds, and unrelenting torture. That immediately explains why it's built so tough.
Of course: Living in Indianapolis, Indiana is sort of like living in the middle of the world's biggest cornfield. Not a hill anywhere for miles. So, there's no way to really "test" this thing in it's designed realm. Not for me, at least.
So, what do I do with it?! Lots of speedy, long-distance cruising. Mostly, day-trips down The Monon Trail... a 12-mile-long (plus) paved walkway/bikeway that runs straight through Indy. It drops about 500 feet over those 12 miles... an almost imperceptible incline. Yet, this thing builds up enough speed to get my ass stopped by bike cops. For booking it at 35mph. On a slight incline. Nutty.
Close-up of the wedged Bennett/Alligator setup. For racing or serious downhilling, a cantilever truck... such as a Randal 180, or a Paris 195... would be better. But, for pumping in and out of foot and/or automobile traffic? This setup works the best.
Being a thick-ass top-mount, and set up with the risers and the taller-based Bennett 6.0's, it is a bit high off the ground. No worries: You can easily (and, quickly) pump a ton of speed out of this thing. No need to touch the ground at all, really. Three or four pushes, and you're gone for the day.
Basically: Set up as it is, this thing hauls ass, yet pumps not unlike a GS slalom board. The best of both worlds, really: Massive straight-line speed, and quick-response maneuverability.
This board has been run into hundreds of curbs by skaters that, unfamiliar with it's speed potential, wilson it into whatever happens to be in front of them. Walls, cars, little kids, whatever. Barely has a dent in it. "Tough As Nails" ain't got shit on this brute. They really do need to start building tougher kids, though...
The graphics, are nonexistent. Just a glass-black mirror-finish, and a small and nondescript "Pressure Drop" logo. I added some sticker-love over the years... but, I like the Spinal Tap black-ness. It's pretty bad ass. Fits the board quite nicely, I must say.
The ride is remarkably smooth, for such a thick and burly deck. The concave is deep, and comfortable. It effectively locks in your feet, while also aiding in quick rail-to-rail response for linking turns. Birch has a tendency to absorb and dissipate lots of bumps and vibrations... much more so than Maple does... so, it's smooth as butter. It gives the general feeling of flying around on an extremely quick and nimble cloud at all times. I like that.
The Bad:
When you buy a board like this, and you want to get the most out of it... it's very, very important to invest a few good, hard-earned dollars to set it up well, and set it up right. It ain't cheap. Use the best that money can buy, and you'll love it forever and ever. Think of it as an "investment" instead of an "expense", and you're good to go.
The other thing is: The "versatility" of this board is extremely limited. It's basically designed to do one thing, and to do that one thing excessively well. If you don't like moving around at terminal velocity? Don't buy this board.
The Final Verdict:
If ridiculous straight-line speeds, a good day's pumping workout, or long-distance skating (or, commuting) are your bag? Then, absolutely: This is the best buy you'll ever make. Laters.
