landyachtz or carver

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Arbor Longboards , Carver Trucks , Landyachtz , Longboard Reviews , Surfskate - February 17, 2023

Surfskate Truck Review: Carver C7 vs Carver CX vs Landyachtz

To be brutally honest...

I wasn't feeling that inspired by the growing surfskate trend in the UK and Europe. My longboard goes great, I can smang my cruiser around town, what more could I need? Well, we've had a few demo surfskates in the shop for a while now. Being as I had only a theoretical understanding of which was which, we decided to get involved... It's a hard job we have, but we do it for you.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vandem Longboard Shop (@vandemlongboardshop)

Carver C7 vs Carver CX vs Landyachtz Surfskate Trucks

Three different truck designs - one aim. Surfing on asphalt.

So whats the best surfskate truck?

Of course, its never that easy. It depends on what you envision yourself doing with the thing. With these three options, every base is covered.

Chatting with various people involved with designing and riding these trucks, it seems that there's a spectrum of expectations when it comes to a surfskate.

Where do you fall on the scale?

On the far side, cruising in this case means skating through town from A to B - dealing with real life obstacles, varying asphalt and hills. Pumptracks, too.

At the near end, tight-turning is for those who really want to use their surfskate to get some practise for being on the water - moving your shoulders and hips through the turns to draw speed out of every section of a wave.

In the middle comes a mixture of the two - perhaps you want to get those moves working on banks or at the skatepark. You need the tight turns combined with a little more stability at speed and a solid product that won't mind being hit against the lip.

And don't worry - they all pump great !

There is a real difference in how tight you can turn on each truck, that to me highlights the differences pretty well. Check it out here:

The answers are pretty clear.

The extra pivot arm on the C7 means that it will simply lean further and harder than anything else.

If you're restricted in space, keen on skating between closely packed obstacles and happy to stay on the flat, the C7 offers a carving experience like nothing else.

But which one would we skate to the post office?

It's the Landyachtz . It's lower to the ground and more stable when the speed starts to pick up above a gentle jog. Super versatile and so super fun as a cruiser, great to pump along and feel agile in the streets - but not the tightest-turning, cutback-ripping that most people picture of a surfskate.

If you want the best of both worlds, the Carver CX is a worthy candidate. It's higher than the LY and a whole lot more tippy turny. Less suitable for your commute, perhaps, but all the more whippy for it. You can pick up speed from just one pump from standing, carve circles in any given carpark - and if you want to get slashin' in the skatepark these are the ones for you.

As you can see, there isn't a winner as such. Just pick where you want to be on the scale of tight turns vs functional cruising out in the streets and you'll find the board that suits you.

Once you have it, there is always a further degree of fine tuning possible by changing bushings.

Regular readers will know that I'm a firm believer that to improve your surfing, you're much better off:

• Going surfing more
• Getting fitter
• Watching The Occumentary on repeat

Than buying a surfskate.

However, the fun you can have on a surfskate is a whole experience in itself - I'm converted. Formation flying with your friends has never felt better at walking pace. We love it.

Check out the full collection here .

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Landyachtz Surfskate Review (Bought & Tested)

By: Author Ruben Vee

Posted on Published: November 2, 2021  - Last updated: December 7, 2023

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I never tried a surfskate before but since they are becoming more popular it was time to learn what all the fuss was about. I decided to buy and review the Landyachtz Surfskate and share my experience riding this board.

The Landyachtz Surfskate is a high-quality cruiser suitable for both carving and cruising. While Landyachtz named it a surfskate, it is actually more of a cruiser-surf hybrid board. It’s fast, forgiving, and beginner-friendly. Surfskates are not designed for tricks but for those who love cruising and carving.

Let’s have a close look at this board and see why it is or isn’t for you. This review is mainly about the Landyachtz Butter but I’ll also cover some of the aspects of the Pocket Knife and make a comparison. Let’s go!

This review contains affiliate links that could earn me a commission at no additional cost to you.

Technical Specifications

• Trucks (Bear Banger & Standard)

Spaceball Bearings

Fatty hawg wheels, landyachtz surfskate butter, landyachtz surfskate pocket knife, when to buy, when not to buy, landyachtz surfskate first impressions.

The first thing I noticed it’s rather heavy but not too heavy, so it’s still easy to carry around. It’s a gorgeous board, I really love the glossy finish and the minimalistic graphic that is both used on the bottom of the deck and on top of the grip tape.

On the subject of grip tape, it’s quite thick and consists of a layer of foam with grip on top. Should feel very comfy on your feet and maybe it helps you to lock your feet a bit more when carving, just a guess.

The front features a high angle RKP truck with tall bushings that should help you turn better. The rear truck is a standard kingpin Polar Bear truck size 155 mm attached to a super high riser. Very interesting design and you will immediately notice the height of the trucks.

Glossy wheels grippy soft wheels comparable to the Landyachtz Dinghy and the deck has a low kicktail with a slight camber which is almost not visible.

• Length: 31.2″
• Width: 9″
• Wheelbase: 15″ or 17.1″
• Wheels: Soft Glossy Fatty Hawgs at 63 mm and 78A durometer (hardness)
• 7-ply maple deck with a slight camber and kicktail, hardly any concave
• Trucks: Bear Banger SurfSkate Truck and Standard Bear trucks at 155 mm
• Bearings: Spaceball bearings with integrated spacers

The Pocket Knife specs are almost the same except for the wheelbase (13″ to 15″), width (9.1″), and length (29.6″).

I am not a surf skater so this video is not great at showing what it can do, I saved that for another video.

Overall this board feels like a cruiser with extra carvyness and it takes some time to get used to the jittery movement. I really like how it turns compared to my other cruisers and I definitely like riding this board but it took me some time to get used to it.

The foam grip tape is a strange sensation when you’re used to riding regular boards, I like it though but I’m not sure how durable this stuff is.

It can deal with rough surfaces easily as long as you take a more aggressive stance (lean backward!) and has no issues with gravel, rocks, cracks, or pesky twigs.

Hopping curbs is certainly possible but the kicktail takes some time to get used to, it’s just quite flat compared to my other cruisers. I wouldn’t try any tricks on this board.

It was designed for cruising and carving, not for kickflips, ollies, and shuvits. In my opinion, it’s just a waste of this board and I certainly don’t want to damage it on day one.

Get a regular skateboard with soft wheels instead if you want to get gnarly but still cruise around, this board is just too heavy for that kind of stuff.

I tried a few mellow slopes and did actually experience speed wobbles when you’re going fast, this is clearly visible in the video. It works when you ride in a straigt line, but minor corrections cause the rear truck to wobble. 

This is not a downhill board after all, and I suspect his board will get even more twitchy once you push the speed to its limits. The trucks feel very loose depending on your weight so a heavier person might want to swap out the bushings.

Pumping is possible but it’s really hard to maintain speed, I don’t feel like this board was designed for that. Adjusting the wheelbase makes it a bit easier but even then it won’t pump like a long-distance board.

I managed to pull off a few slides but the area was a bit wet which makes it easier, nevertheless sliding is possible! I haven’t experienced wheelbite yet but I’ll try harder next time. Update: still no wheelbite!

Breaking Down The Parts

Let’s take a look at all the components, most of the parts consist of standard Landyachtz stuff so you can get an up-close view of what this board is made off. Not many surprises but the trucks are certainly the most interesting part of this setup.

Trucks ( Bear Banger & Standard)

Let’s start with the part that is supposed to make this board a surfskate, the RKP Bear Banger truck. One of the first things I noticed is the reverse kingpin on the front truck which allows for more aggressive turning. is.

The front truck angles at a total of 70 degrees (65° truck + 5° wedges riser pad), and comes with large cone-shaped bushings. When looking at similar setups you often see one inverted kingpin truck at the front and a standard at the rear.

Other surfskates often have springs or adapters for extra carvyness that might not last very long depending on the brand. The lack of spring or other adapters is compensated by this new design but who knows how they will hold up in the future, it’s too early to tell.

I’d say this is more of a cruiser/surfskate hybrid (a cruirfer?) but that doesn’t mean it won’t give you that surfy feeling. It does actually, but probably less so than the more expensive surfskates. I personally don’t mind at all.

The rear truck is less interesting, just a standard Bear truck at 155mm. The huge riser is something you’ll notice immediately and provides a more aggressive angle.

As I noted in my first impression, the top consists of a layer of soft foam with grip tape on top. Maybe it’s for riders who like to cruise barefooted (on grip tape?) or maybe it provides extra stability when carving. I’m still not sure but it’s rather unique and an interesting design choice.

After riding it I must admit that I’m not a fan. Unless you’re able to replace the foam griptape you should avoid riding after a rainy day. I had a hard time cleaning the grip tape and don’t think it’s very durable.

It feels a bit heavier compared to my other boards but it’s also bigger and wider so that would explain the extra weight. The glossy finish and graphic is beautiful and immediately gets you excited to ride the board. Note that there are a couple of versions available, and I picked the Butter Walnut version which is a bit longer.

The nose is pointy but flat and it has a kicktail which is slightly elevated but way less compared to other cruisers. Still enough to take a more aggressive stance when you encounter pebbles or cracks.

The board consists of 7-ply maple and it hardly has any concave, just a slight camber which makes it also a great surfskate for beginners. It’s a nonflexible board so people that are really into deep carving probably will enjoy this board less.

It’s wide enough for riders with larger feet and really feels stable when cruising around. After all, this what meant to be a stable cruiser and Landyachtz pulled it off.

The front comes with six mount holes so if you aren’t happy about the standard 15″ wheelbase you can move it and try the 17.1″ which will make pumping less difficult and increases stability.

Note that the wheelbase depends on the version you pick, more about that later.

This is the first board that doesn’t have flat screws, this might have something to do with the foamy grip tape. Flat screws probably start tearing, but it’s just a guess. Other than that there’s nothing remarkable to note.  Obviously the screws on the back truck are taller because of the bigger riser pad.

I still am not convinced by the Spaceball bearings. I usually replace these immediately after I tested the board. Right now I have a couple of people riding Spaceballs on regular skateboards to see how they hold up. In my opinion, Bronson Raws or Bones Swiss 6 bearings perform better but to be fair, they are way more expensive.

Overall the bearings are fine but if you want to get more out of your board upgrading the bearings is recommended. Don’t be fooled by the ABEC rating though, it really doesn’t make a difference.

Like all Spaceball bearings they come with built-in spacers, that’s a pretty neat feature and it keeps them in place. If you ever decide to replace the bearings, make sure to get some spacers.

Fatty Hawgs are great wheels and I know what they’re capable of because I like to ride the Dinghy and Tugboat occasionally. There are better wheels out there but if you want the absolute best, you better pick your own parts and assemble it yourself.

The difference here is that the wheels are glossy and more grippy, unlike the stoneground Fatty Hawgs. I still need some time to see if there’s any improvement here.

Anyway, on topic. The Landyachtz Surfskate comes with 78A 63mm radial Fatty Hawgs wheels with a contact patch of 43mm (riding surface). You’ll be able to do (power) slides to some extent but this will take some practice.

What’s important here is that they are grippy and small objects won’t block the wheels. Fatties have no issues riding over smaller rocks, surfaces like gravel, or rough roads. They don’t make a lot of noise and you can even plow through a patch of grass if you happen to run into one, just make sure you lean back.

The standard Fatties perform less in wet conditions. When the street are still a bit wet from rain they tend to have less grip compared to other cruiser wheels. No biggie, you shouldn’t ride in these conditions anyway unless you really want to.

Your bearings typically don’t last very long when they get wet often. Again, I still need to test more to see if the glossy fatties perform better.

The wheels stick out a bit, especially at the back truck because of the wide trucks. Regular skateboarders like me aren’t used to wheels sticking out and sometimes I hit the wheels with my push foot. Nowadays less often, but it’s something to keep in mind when you aren’t used to this type of setup.

Landyachts Surfskate Butter VS Pocket Knife

I bet some of you are in doubt between choosing the Butter or the Pocket Knife so I thought I might do a short comparison. The main difference between the Landyachts Butter and Pocket knife are the dimensions, wheelbase, and snappyness.

Currently, Landyachts offers just these two variations but announced to introduce more surfskates in the near future. Depending on your preferences you can go for the Butter or the Pocket Knife.

The Landyachtz Butter is the one featured here. Ik picked this board mainly because of its design and its size, and the fact that it’s probably a bit easier to ride than the smaller version. It isn’t that much bigger though so once I get the Pocket Knife I’ll be able to explain the real difference, for now, I’m just guessing.

I’d say the Butter is better at plowing through cracks and rough surfaces but less snappy than the Pocket.  The Butter is a bit longer (31.2″ vs 29.6″) and offers more real estate at the front which makes it more stable and forgiving when you find yourself slightly off-balance.

This makes the Butter a better choice for beginners that want to carve and cruise, or taller riders and heavier riders that need some extra room and support. The Landyachtz Butter weighs slightly more compared to the Pocket Knife, exactly 3218 grams in science points, and 7.09 LBS in freedom units. 

If you’re in doubt and new to riding boards, this is the one to pick.

The Pocket Knife is the shortest of the two and comes in two different designs. It has a shorter deck and wheelbase compared to the Butter. This makes it more nimble and snappy but less stable compared to the Butter.

It has a pointier nose though I think this has more to do with aesthetics than improving its performance. The total length of the Pocket Knife is 29.6″ and 9.1″ wide and has a standard wheelbase of 13″ but you can adjust this up to 15″ by moving the front truck .

Since the Pocket Knife is smaller, you’d expect it to weigh less and it does. At 6.5 LBS (about 2950 grams) it’s lighter than the Butter but the difference isn’t huge.

If you’re in doubt and have experience riding boards, this is the one to pick.

If you’re into cruising (or new) and want to get a cruiser that offers more aggressive carving compared to standard board the Landyachtz Surfskate is a great choice.

It feels surprisingly stable for a surfskate and the size of the board is beginner-friendly, you will have some trouble balancing at first because of the front RKP truck.

It will take some time to get used to and you need to break-in the bushings before you feel comfortable. Good thing is that there’s lots of room to place your feet and move around, even if they are a bit bigger than average. 

If you’re not into technical trucks or transition skateboarding and just want a fun ride, this is board is a good choice. It’s not too big nor too small and easy to carry around when you have to take the bus or a short walk.

The Pocket Knife is available at Amazon, the bigger Butter version is also available on Amazon (affiliate link).

Since this is the first surfskate I tested I had to do some research to find out what others say about this board. Overall people are really content with its performance but if you are looking for a dedicated surfskate there are better boards available.

The negative comments come from people that are used to long-distance boards with a lot of flex. They have a hard time pumping this board and adjusting to its smaller size. Also, if you are looking to ride longer distances without too much effort perhaps this is not your board.

The Landyachtz Surfskate is a cruiser/surfskate hybrid if you want the ultimate surfing experience on land you better look at other brands like Hamboards or Waterborne (there are many more brands, just do your research).

The Landyachtz Surfskate is neither a cruiser nor a surfer but more of a hybrid that works really well out of the box.

It’s aesthetically pleasing and really gets you pumped to ride by just holding it, it’s a fun ride but I really had to get used to the jittery movements and carvyness at first.

The Butter surfskate is more beginner-friendly because of the extra deck real estate and the Pocket Knife is a bit shorter and snappier.

Want to cruise at speed while still able to make sharp deep carves? This board delivers. I do have a problem with the price tag, it’s almost 200 bucks and I think it’s hard to justify. There are better boards out there for just a bit more. 

Keep in mind that I will do more testing and my initial conclusions might change a bit over time. After all, it takes time to really get to know a cruiser or surfskate so I will update this post. I’ll also lend it to a few people I know to further test its capabilities and share their findings.

After that, it’s time to replace some of the standard parts and see how to get the most out of this board. Make sure to read about all the other boards I tested, check out my list of best cruiser skateboards .

I’m an aged skateboarder and still shred responsibly. Started skateboarding 25 years ago, peaked in the 2000’s, and still ride to this day. I am a total geek when it comes to skateboard gear, love test to stuff and share my findings.

Our editorial process is dedicated to providing high-quality, fact-checked content, ensuring the best experience. If you spot any inaccuracies, please let us know ([email protected]), and we will take immediate action.

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Landyachtz Surf Skate Review: The Surf Cruiser (2020 Edition)

Yup. You’ve got a good point. It’s just that Landyachtz’ surf skates feel more like cruisers that were coaxed into surfing than surf skates that are shaped like cruisers. The difference could make them popular with beginners to skating in general, those looking to use their setup to commute or travel, and those who want something capable of a few simple tricks. However, anyone looking for a serious surf trainer or a setup capable of dramatic cut backs and high speed pumping may want to look elsewhere.

This is the cruiser that learned to surf, but it’s got a few tricks up its sleeves to make that an enjoyable experience, even if you already have a more dedicated surf skate setup, as I do .

Table of Contents

Truck Setup

The Landyachtz Surf Skates have two different trucks. Up front is their “Banger” reverse kingpin truck. In the back, a traditional kingpin Polar Bear truck, in 155mm. The combination of these two trucks and how they work together is where the Landyachtz surf skate gets its surfy feel. It makes pumping easier than standard RKP or TKP trucks alone.

To add to the already high baseplate angle, Landyachtz adds 5º wedges. This means that Banger truck up front has an effective angle of 70º. That’s a lot of movement. The lean to turn ratio of these trucks highly favors turn. 45º is equal turn to lean, with most freeriding and cruising RKP trucks coming in at 50º. The negative rake of that hanger means it’s not ridiculously unstable though, giving it a large and surprisingly comfortable center.

You can only get these through a complete Landyachtz setup, for now. Perhaps once (if!) supply can catch up to demand, Landyachtz will offer them as an individual setup or with a matching rear truck.

Rear Truck: Polar Bear 155mm

In the back, Landyachtz added their traditional kingpin Polar Bear truck in one of their larger sizes, 155mm. This is the same truck you’d typically get on a Tugboat. Here, however, Landyachtz added a massive wedged riser that levels out the rear truck, countering the deck’s rocker and dewewdging that rear truck slightly. Surf trucks often have more lean than standard trucks to allow them to turn more. This is why Waterborne offers their surf adapter with the surf rail. The rail allows the rear truck to lean more, turning less for the amount of lean you put in. You’ll also see this in long distance pumping setups. The rear truck may be a custom truck that leans, but doesn’t turn at all, like Don’t Trip’s Delirium trucks. There are two reasons for this. First, by not turning, you have a platform to sort of push off on. When the rear truck turns, it has to turn back when you pump, which takes away some of the energy you generate through pumping. Secondly, they need to be able to lean more than they turn as you can otherwise lift a rear wheel. When one of the rear wheels comes up, you lose traction, and can’t reliably push off the back with your pumping motion.

Surf skate setups often dewedge the rear truck. On the Landyachtz Butter Lines setup, that rear truck dewedging mostly just compensates for the rocker. If you decide to wedge the front truck more, you may decide to dewedge the rear truck by the same amount. This is something I intend to try as I attempt to improve the “pumpability” of this setup, which I’ll go into more later.

Deck Characteristics

There are four different deck options, and, interestingly, two different grip options. The Pocket Knife FG Watercolor and Butter White Oak Lines feature spray-on grip, while the Butter Walnut Lines and Pocket Knife Black have a more barefoot-friendly high grit padded foam grip tape. That padded foam also helps lock your feet in, to really dig as much energy out of pumping that you can.

All of the decks have minimal concave, keeping with traditional surf skate roots. There is, however, a slightly upturned kicktail, and, on the Butter shape, a bit of rocker.

This doesn’t sound like a controversial shape, however, I do recommend ditching the smaller wheelbases, at least on the Butter (I can’t say for sure about the Pocket Knife, but it likely holds true). While shorter wheelbases can be fun for a dramatic turning angle, it shortens your effective standing area, and it can be hard to feel that if you’re used to a larger standing platform. Nothing like having your foot up towards the front when you go to push or foot brake to realize your foot is well past the front trucks. On more than one occasion, I came to a stop while doing a nose manual because I didn’t realize my foot was too far past that front truck. The padded grip tape does not help here, you can’t feel your bolts. For stability, and a bit more power out of larger pumps, you’ll likely want to keep it on that longer wheelbase. That means going for the Pocket Knife if you’d prefer that middle wheelbase size around 15 inches.

Pumping Feel

For my “other” surf skate setup, I have a Waterborne adapter . This has allowed me to make a surf skate out of quite a few of my decks. The most similar to this was my Landyachtz Dugout, which is about the same length, though more narrow. I found this setup agile and fun, but a little too difficult to get big, powerful pumping motions to carry me along with the speed I wanted (always faster).

This doesn’t move like the Waterborne. If the Waterborne adapter is a surf simulator, this is a surf simulator simulator. Or perhaps it’s just a highly wedged RKP truck. Yes, that front truck does move around a lot more than a standard truck for the same amount of lean. The back provides you a platform you can pump off of. You can pump just about any skateboard with the right motion. Landyachtz’ surf skates sit firmly in the “surf” side, which are easier than a standard or even wedged truck to pump, but not by very much.

I find myself pushing maybe 50% less frequently with the Landyachtz surfskate setup than a similar cruiser. I can get started and moving with pumping, but prefer to get the ball rolling with a push or two. Once moving, I can generate enough power to make it up slight inclines, but it’s not easy. Pumping this feels like work in all but the best conditions. The winter got me out of shape and hopping on this thing in spring this year was an extreme workout. I was not prepared.

With the Bangers trucks and these wheelbases, Landyachtz set out to make pumpable cruisers. These are sort of comparable to Carver’s C5 trucks. Yes, you can pump them. Yes, it’s a surfier feel than you get with even the surfiest of Paris street trucks or Bennett Vector trucks. But this is definitely a cruiser, and a very tall one that’ll be hard to push at that. If I were to rate this on a scale from cruiser being 1 and a surf skate setup that’s good for nothing but pumping (like a caster wheel setup) at a 10, I’d put this at a 2 or maybe a 3. For reference, I’d put the Waterborne at an 8 or 9. This is definitely more cruiser than surf skate, and you’ll feel that as you try pumping along.

Wheel Slippage

The wheels that come with these setups are Landyachtz’ popular 63mm Fatty Hawgs. However, unlike the normal versions, these are smooth, for a bit of extra grip. A very little bit, unfortunately. After a few slides, possibly accidental, these will be as stoneground as any other Hawgs cruiser wheel. Furthermore, they have an offset core, which means the outer lip of the wheel is a bit more malleable. Your weight is further from the edge, and that allows it to slide. I did my best to keep from sliding on them, to preserve what little grip they have, but a little slippage was inevitable.

In a surf skate, you want to be able to generate your power from the back. That’s what you push off of. For that, you need grip. These wheels are just not right for a surf skate setup. They’re great on cruisers. I love the stoneground version of these for the Dinghy. But for a surf skate? I would have preferred something that was more centerset, and with a square lip, at least in the back. (Once more, see update below.)

These do have more grip than standard Fatty Hawgs, at least while new. Still, I found myself pumping harder to go faster on more than one occasion, and kicking out the back instead of generating more speed.

Landyachtz set out to make a beginner-friendly surf skate. They often make some fantastic beginner-friendly setups. This isn’t a setup that is exclusively for those looking for a steep learning curve, those looking to surf when they can’t get out to the ocean, or experienced surf skate enthusiasts. It’s for people who are either learning or who want a small, nimble, comfortable surf cruiser. I actually took this down a few slight hills without feeling like I was fighting to maintain stability. And, as I mentioned, it’s not as hard as I wish it was to kick those wheels out a bit, so you will be able to do speed checks and slides, if you need to slow down. Though with the minimal concave and high grit soft grip tape, you may want to leave anything faster than a gentle cruise to your other setups.

Pushing this isn’t easy, because you’re far from the ground, but it’s not hard because it feels like you’re balancing on a fragile platform. Which means this setup will give you quite a workout. Pumping isn’t easy on it because so much of your energy is wasted just fighting the truck geometry and loss of grip in the rear wheels. Pushing is hard because it’s such a tall setup. Surf skates are supposed to make cruising at a steady pace a relaxing thing, but this feels like a workout.

As a Cruiser?

There is enough tail here for an ollie. Maybe not a lot of pop, as it is pretty heavy, but you can get it off the ground. You can ride this off a curb without too much difficulty. Slash up and down sidewalks, carve over the road, and, well, skate it like you would any other cruiser. It basically is a cruiser. It’s just tall, nimble, and significantly heavier. Carrying this around in a shop as you run errands will be a pain. One of my other cruisers like my Dugout , Dinghy , or Bonzai will be my setup of choice for grabbing groceries.

You can still pump the Landyachtz surf skate to pick up speed or maintain it, so it is nice over flat distances. It functions well enough as a cruiser, at least under your feet. Is it as lightweight and capable as a street deck with cruiser wheels or a mini cruiser? No. But it’s still a fun cruiser that isn’t much larger than a standard popsicle deck and can manage city streets. I could see taking this to slash around in some bowls or just up and down sidewalks.

This is a setup that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be, and it’s not great at either. It’s not quite a surf skate and it’s not quite a compact cruiser. It’s both. It’s a surf cruiser. You won’t be able to pump up to ludicrous speeds, but you can get around town… if your town is mostly flat. It’ll fit under a desk or bar table, so you can take it places like a cruiser. Got a hill that’s too big to pump up? You can push without too much difficulty (at least not from balancing). And if you find yourself going down a hill, as the skate gods intended, you won’t feel like it’s trying to wobble your foot off at the ankle.

It’s not going to be enough surf skate for someone looking for a real surf-like feel. But for someone looking to bring an incredibly delicate taste of the waves to a smaller cruiser board, it might be just right. For me, it’s not quite surfy enough. I have cruisers with wedged front trucks that give me a surfy feel. While this does offer more than that, it’s not as much as I was hoping for. I think it could have been a bit more nimble up front, and grippier in the back, to help generate more power while pumping. I found a setup that I just don’t like. I rarely reach for my Bustin Bonsai because it’s a bit redundant with all the other, mostly better, cruisers in my collection. The Landyachtz Butter Walnut Lines? I won’t reach for it because it makes most of what I want to do on a surf skate a chore.

I haven’t given up on this setup though. I may be able to customize this setup further, with better, grippier wheels in the back, more wedging up front, and dewedging in the back. I may also try narrower trucks in the back, for a little extra grip. Since I do like the deck, I could try it with trucks from other companies, like Carver’s C5 trucks, which have a similar setup. The deck might work well with the Waterborne adapter too. As a complete, I’m a little disappointed. The deck shows potential, and the general setup isn’t a bad idea, but it needs tweaking before it can really serve as a quality surf skate, or even a “surf cruiser.” ( Note: See update below.)

These little surfers sold out fast online, but you may be able to find them in your local shop for $199.99 USD. Though you may want to go with a more mature surf skate cruiser setup, something more tried-and-true, like Carver’s CX setups for that in-between cruiser and surf skate feel.

2021 Update:

I started this review some time ago, back in late fall of 2020. Yes, this was a “COVID purchase,” as I tried to fix the mediocrity of COVID quarantine with something new. I decided to wait until the spring to publish it though, because I wanted to re-ride it to be sure I still stand by everything I wrote. I always do this before my final proof-read of an article, give it another ride session so it’s fresh in my mind. However, in that time, Landyachtz released new surf skates, with a new shape and a new version of their Bangers truck. These actually address a few concerns I had about the originals, so Landyachtz knows what was wrong with the first version. The 2021 Bangers are narrower and push the truck’s pivot point lower, giving you more leverage. They should be a bit easier to pump. This review covers the 2020 Bangers. I can’t say how the 2021 Bangers are, and Landyachtz only sells them as part of a complete, and my apartment just can’t handle more skateboards right now. Post-COVID, I’ll definitely set up shop to sell my less heavily ridden setups so I can make room for new setups to test.

You can see in the gif above, Landyachtz pulled the trucks in, which will make them more nimble. It’ll also provide more grip in the rear. Furthermore, you can see the wheels changed slightly too. Landyachtz fixed those too, adding square-lipped, 65mm wheels. This fixes what I don’t like about Landyachtz’ 2020 surf skates.

With the 2021 model out, I can definitively say: do not buy the 2020 models, if you can even find them. The trucks and wheels are, without exception, worse for what you’ll want to do here. I’ve been on the fence with the 2020 model when Landyachtz had nothing else to offer, only willing to recommend it for the select few who want a less surfy surf cruiser. Now that this is on the table? Don’t even think about Landyachtz surf skates from 2020. If you’re dead set on the Landyachtz model, and want to see if the improvements to the trucks and wheels were enough over the 2020, I think you can give them a try. In theory, these newer setups should be a lot more fun to ride than the 2020 models. They did directly address the issues I had. I wish I could just buy the trucks off of Landyachtz to give them a try, but they still don’t sell them separately. You can get them as a complete though .

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Landyachtz Chief Review: An Amazing Pintail Cruiser

Posted on Last updated: April 24, 2019

Categories Carving , Cruising , Gear & reviews

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I’ve been riding my Landyachtz Chief longboard for months and I’m more and more in love with it, so I thought I’d write a post about it to share my experience.

Why choose the Landyachtz Chief? It’s an amazing small pintail longboard designed for cruising and carving in the city and on the boardwalk. It is highly responsive and fast-turning, with a high-quality flexy deck – particularly the bamboo version. The slight rocker and concave make it very snappy and comfortable. The Grizzly trucks are great for carving and pumping, and the Fatty Hawg wheels are super smooth rolling even rougher roads.

Traditionally, pintails work best for leisurely cruising around and hanging out. I found my Landyachtz, however, is capable of handling more technical riding styles. See it here on Amazon .

What is the Landyachtz Chief good for?

The Chief is designed for carving and cruising in relatively crowded spaces. I like to use mine on the boardwalk along the beach, which does tend to get busy on weekends. The Chief is a compact and agile, being a relatively small pintail with a short wheelbase compared to classic pintails.

Besides wheelbase, the Chief’s topmount construction makes it super responsive with very quick and precise turns. On the flip side, the Chief rides relatively high above the ground (again it’s topmount ) but that’s somewhat offset by its rocker and flex, making pushing easier and giving you the best of both worlds – responsiveness and manageable height.

Again, the first thing that strikes you when riding this quality board is the maneuverability and the instant turns . I personally love it.

Landyatchz Chief shape

As mentioned earlier, the Chief is a classic pintail , i.e. shaped like a tear drop with a pointy tail and a wider nose. You can also say it has the shape of a longboard surfboard, only much smaller. The chief is 36″ long and 8.75″ wide, with a tight 26.5″ wheelbase .

Landyachtz has based the Chief’s pintail design off of the Pinner and Totem, two of its predecessors, but with the added goal of creating a smaller, more nimble carving cruiser for city  cruising.

As a result, the Chief is the most responsive and lightweight pintail of Landyachtz’s lineup. It’s a very reactive and turny board, to a degree one may not expect from a pintail. For this reason, the Chief may not be the best option for a complete beginner looking for a very forgiving first board.

The Chief even has a very slight kicktail  (with a very low angle), which confirms the board’s focus on carving and quick turns.

Besides its shape and size which make it super responsive, the Chief is also extremely comfortable to ride on whatever your level. The reasons for that great comfort feeling are:

• The shallow rocker which cradles your feet nice and comfy, yet without keeping them from moving freely – a cruiser board shouldn’t lock your feet in too much to let you move around on the deck
• The mellow radial concave with slightly upraised edges provide grip and a nice leverage on the rails for carving . You feel it under the ball and heel of your feet but in a mellow way.

In short, the Chief gives you the freedom of a flat pintail deck with the added comfort and secure feel of a shallow concave. The subtle rocker and the flex contribute to that feeling (keep reading for more about flex).

Landyachtz Chief versions

The Landyachtz Chief comes in 2 versions (and 4 graphic designs): a bamboo version and a maple version . I personally own the bamboo but I’ve had the chance to test the maple version.

The bamboo versions include the Bamboo Chief Fish (my board), the Bamboo Chief Eyes (Amazon), and the Bamboo Chief Camping .

I for one am a really big fan of the looks of my Bamboo Chief Fish with its turquoise bottom background and edges, the while lines graphic on the bottom, and the turquoise fish drawing that sticks out on the top showing through the clear spray-on grip!

UPDATE : unfortunately it seems the Chief Fish version is no longer available!

I have to admit the Bamboo Chief Eyes looks pretty awesome too:

The Bamboo Chief Camping is also very attractive:

Also check out the Chief Bamboo Sunset Kid with its awesome yellow cowboy graphic on a yellow background:

As always with this material, the bamboo core makes the deck super lightweight , strong , and flexy ! The flex properties contribute to making the Bamboo Chief an amazing carving board for a pintail.

So if you position both your feet close to each other toward the center of the deck where it has the most flex (i.e. away from the truck mounts) you can use the flex to get great rebound and pump tons of energy into your carves.

This combined with the great carving Grizzly trucks really makes this pintail and astonishing carving board (read on for more on trucks).

The maple version of the Chief, the Chief Floral , which has beautiful and colorful graphics (Amazon):

The hardwood Canadian maple used in the maple Chief is very strong and durable. Only 7 plies are used to achieve a relatively lightweight and flexy result given the naturally rigid nature of maple wood – though obviously not as light and flexy as bamboo.

Thus, the version of the Landyachtz Chief you’ll choose will depend on your preferences in terms of flex amount and graphic design. The bamboo models are about $10 more expensive than the maple one, running around $220 (Landyachtz list prices).

Landyachtz Chief trucks

Again, I just love riding that surfboard-like, super comfortable rockered and concaved deck when going for a cruise around the neighborhood or carving along the seaside.

The shape and flex of the deck is not the only reason the Chief is so comfortable and responsive, though. The Bear Grizzly GR852 180mm 52º trucks play an essential role in that responsiveness. These trucks are not only extremely stable and “kook-friendly”, they’re extremely nimble and turny .

A slight pressure on one of the (slightly uplifted) edges is enough to make the trucks turn, yet the amount of turn isn’t excessive unless you dig harder into the rail. That is, these trucks give me exactly the amount and tightness of turn I want each and every time.

I make easy 180º turns on a normal sidewalk – which is not the case with every 36″ cruiser out there, e.g. drop-throughs and classic pintails. When I say this board is responsive and tight turning, I really mean it.

By default, the Chief comes with 1/8″ soft risers. This, combined with the deep CNC/sanded wheel wells on the bottom of the deck above the wheels, pretty much eliminates all wheelbit e even when making those super tight turns – even though I’m running my trucks very loose.

I didn’t expect this when I ordered the Landyachtz Chief as I was just looking for a normal pintail to cruise around on. Turns out I got myself a real carver I can actually pump on and even do some small slides (not what a pintail is meant for).

Landyachtz Chief wheels

The Hawgs wheels that come with the Landyachtz Chief are another high-quality component of the overall pintail package. The Chief ships with either Fatty Hawgs 63mm or Hawgs Mini Monster 70mm wheels, both great and smooth rolling wheels. Both with a 78A duro , they absorb small cracks and bumps very comfortably.

These wheels have a fairly wide 50/55mm contact patch and are offset aligned, making then fast-rolling and grippy for smooth carves . They are capable wheels on different types of terrain, rough or smooth. They’re also pretty good wheels for sliding – although that’s somewhat beyond the Landyachtz Chief’s scope.

Both wheel options come with Bear Spaceball Bearings which keep the Chief’s wheels rolling forever – even more so once your break them in! The Chief almost feels like a different, better board after you ride it for a while, such a super smooth glider.

You probably get the idea, the Landyachtz Chief is one of my favorite longboards and my go-to machine for cruising and carving around comfortably along the beach. It’s super comfortable due to its relaxed concave and mellow rocker, and extremely nimble and steerable. Paired with its big soft Hawgs wheels, it can roll endlessly over all sorts of terrain.

The Grizzly trucks and the awesome bamboo flex also make it a carving champion and a surprisingly good pumper for a pintail. Plus, I just love the design and colors of my Bamboo Fish.

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