New Longboard

So about a month ago Tyler got me a sweet deal on a longboard deck that I have been ogling for years. I have been staring at it longingly since then because it had no trucks and wheels. Today I took a trip out to Daddies Board Shop and bought the components. Very exciting (for me).

It's a Dragonfly deck by Insect Skateboards. Check it!

I don't think anyone who reads this blog skates, so sorry for the topic. But bear with me. This board is the cream of the eff-bombing crop. It's a bamboo/fiberglass composite with crazy amounts of flex and spring (these are good things). When I go into a turn, my weight pushes into the deck, flexing and "loading" it; coming out of the turn, it unloads the flex into my legs, allowing my to press out of the turn, maintaining a high speed. Only a few longboard companies are working with the materials and technical know-how to pull this off well. Insect is one of them.

I took it to Laurelhurst today to give it a leisurely spin. Completely amazing. Though, I feel unworthy of it. I have not been longboarding much recently and have gotten soft, I used to be a much more aggressive rider. I'm hoping this new board will force me to get back into it. I can't wait to tackle Mt. Tabor on it.

Some pics:




I got some trucks that have a very unique spring-based system called Seismic Trucks . They are the recommended truck for this deck, and I have to agree that they are pretty awesome. A very distinctive feel.

At 36" it's nearly a foot shorter than all of my other decks. I have been wanting a smaller board for a while due to their ease of transportation and lighter weight. Carrying a four foot board onto the bus can be a huge pain in the ass. The great thing about the Dragonfly is that it has all of the support and stability of a longer deck without the cumbersome scale.