Carver - Skate like You surf!

Boards from Carver are not longboards in the conventional sense. Rather, the Carvers are surfboards for the asphalt. Due to the special axles and the shape of the boards, the turning dynamics largely correspond to the short turns that a surfer makes on the wave and so it is obvious that Carver surf skates are also used by surfing professionals for training on land.

California is far away and the next rideable wave can only be found at the Atlantic Ocean. Nevertheless, you can now develop your surfing skills on the "black water". Find out which Carver Surfskate skateboard is right for you.

You can find a buying guide for our Carver Surfskates at the bottom of this page!

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Which Surfskate is right for you?

First of all, you need to know what a surfskate even is: Carver surfskates are skateboards with a patented truck geometry that generate strong propulsion when you carve with the board. The overall behavior of the board and the necessary steering impulses of the rider are extremely comparable to the reactions of a real surfboard in the water.

When choosing the right Carver skateboard for you, you need to answer several questions:

1. Truck Type

Carver C7-1

C7 trucks with a dual-axis ride very smoothly and easily, like a surfboard with only one fin, using every sideways movement immediately for propulsion. It's very easy to pumpem Carver skateboards with this axle and pick up speed immediately. To perfectly tune the board you can adjust both axles separately and so the Carver skateboard perfectly to your individual needs.

The C7 system is a bit heavier than the CX axle set, but the integrated spring system allows for greater latitude in the individual adjustment. The long arm in the longitudinal axis and the wide range of adjustments makes the board universally applicable for high speeds or for easy gliding without pushing.

Carver CX-1

The Carver CX-axis is a single-axis construction with a precision pivot pin and allows for extremely violent turns, like on a thruster surfboard and gives you the same feedback when pumping for speed. Also the CX axis allows you a wide range of adjustment for your indvidual needs. Before you consider a different shape or different bushings, you can already adjust a lot via the adjustment of the axle. The axle has the same weight as a normal longboard or skateboard axle, but the design of the Carver CX axle is extremely well suited for airs, skateparks and transistions.

Summary

If you want to take advantage of the flow from the pumping motion and carve loosely around town, then choose the C7 axle. If you are actually a skateboarder and want to use the board in the park and for tricks, choose the CX axis.

Surf / Skate Guide

2. Skateboard Length

Mini boards turn faster and are easier to pump. If you skate where there is little space and you want to do your turns in tight spaces, a small board is ideal for that. A short board gives you the feeling of standing on a short surfboard and reacts just as quickly to every steering command. We're talking about mini boards in the 25.5" to 29" range, with the very short Carver surf skates being very loose while becoming more stable as they get longer.

Short boards offer you a combination of tight turning and easy pushing. You choose a short board for use in everyday conditions, where you push and carve hard and pump in appropriate places. The difference between short carver surfskates is more subtle, small changes in length result in small changes in performance. A short surfskate is between 30" and 33" long. Again, the shorter ones are a little looser, the longer ones a little more stable.

Medium lengths have a more stable ride and are even easier to pump. To get into pumping, you need to put more effort in the beginning, but once you find the rythm, the medium boards are faster. You will choose a medium carver skateboard if you want to cover longer distances with it and also want to push. The longer the board, the more stable and secure it feels. The medium length is similar to a groveler surfboard. Medium lengths range from 34" to 36".

Long boards are the most stable and let go by pumping the fastest. However, it is also more difficult to bring long boards from a standstill to speed by pumping. You can't chase long boards into turns as extremely as the short surf skates because of the longer wheelbase, so they are used primarily for leisurely cruising and ease of travel. When compared to the sufboard, the behavior is the same as the traditional longbaord with riding techniques such as cross stepping and nose riding. A longboard varies in length from 38" to 43" and as always, the behavior becomes more stable as the length increases.

3. Other considerations

When choosing your Carver surf skate, there are also several other factors to consider:

Equivalency Range: The axles on each board can be adjusted to feel tighter or looser. With these settings, you can adjust the boards to compensate for differences in length. A loosely adjusted longer board may ride similarly to a tightly adjusted shorter board. In general, the tighter turn radius is the key feature of the shorter boards. However, it is the forces generated by the shorter turns that make surf skates so appealing.

Your size: In general, taller riders choose longer boards and shorter riders choose shorter boards. However, there are no rules here. More important is your riding ability and the goal you have set for yourself. A skilled big rider will be able to handle even the smallest board.

Your experience: Especially if you want to use a surfskate to improve your skills on a surfboard, then you should adapt the surfskate to your existing skills and to the type of board that you also ride on the water. You can also use surfskates to improve your skills on land. Choose a smaller board and train your muscles for tighter turns.

If you come from skateboarding and stand tricks in the park, you can easily opt for a short carver surfskate. As a longboarder, you will also feel more comfortable on the longer models here.

The terrain: With little space and low speeds you will have the most fun with a mini board. However, the same board may start to wobble too quickly at high speeds. If you do a lot of park riding, you'll probably choose a transition model with a high nose that lets you lock in safely, and if you're mainly street riding, a longboard will be your favorite.

Using the graph above, you can roughly estimate how a Carver Surfskate will perform in relation to a surfboard of the appropriate length. Wheelbase is the key to comparing board lengths, but there are so many similar boards in each range that you can confidently factor shape and graphics into your decision.

The best tip we can give you: Come by and test for yourself. We always have a huge selection of Carver skateboards in the store and you can see and test the boards live with us.