Well coming from Redondo Beach, California my alternative mode of travel has always been a Skatboard. It's light weight, fun to ride & doesn't require a tree to lock up. When I came to Seattle I was excited to know that they don't have strict skate laws like Cali. No, no, that's because they don't have to have them. Since it rains 80% of the year the sidewalks are paved with gravel so that you don't slip while walking. This makes it a $%#*&@# MARATHON to skate on. I wasn't willing to give up that easily and I've built the PERFECT commuter board for Seattle terrain.
First I started with a Sector 9 Fractal Deck. Just the deck though... I didn't want the board complete because I wanted to pick my trucks, wheels & bearings.
The smooth ride came form 9.5" 50 GW Stalker 2 trucks. These trucks come at a hefty $75 but let me tell you they are worth every penny. I have never felt a smoother ride than with these trucks. They are built with special ride dampening technology to reduce vibration in your feet. THEY REALLY WORK!!
For bearings I went with Bone Swiss. I could have gone China Bone bearings but it rains a lot meaning water damage and I didn't want to have to replace $100 bearings so these were $55 instead.
Went with Black Diamond Grip Tape. In the Pacific North West it's actually REALLY hard to find a shop that sells long board grip tape so I had to order it online. This grip tape will do me just fine in the rain because it's super strong!
And finally to finish off the look I got some 69mm 80a 9-Balls in blue to match the deck. Pebbles beware because these wheels kill anything in their path. The size and give on these wheels add to the smooth ride and comfort knowing you won't be flying face first when you hit a pebble or large crack in the sidewalk.
That's it for board review. You can check out the links to order and build your own. This board is Nothing Short of Awesome!
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