So, Are Pintails Good for Downhill?
While Pintails perform well at cruising speeds on smaller hills and parking garages, there are other decks designed with downhill in mind that make skating fast a much safer and more satisfying experience.
If not for downhill, what are Pintail Longboards good for?
Pintails are a versatile board, and while you’ve probably seen us cruising on some steeps in our Pintail video, when set up with performance components, they are a great option for cruising and carving. Take them on your city commute, anything under 25 mph, small hills, and even flatland.
If you’re looking to dive into the world of downhill, here’s what to consider:
What to Look for in a Downhill Deck | Standing Platform
A wide standing platform is a key feature on stable downhill setups. Riders are less likely to wobble with their weight evenly distributed across the deck.
- Boards like the OG Arbiter 36 allow for a wide stance that makes hitting over 20 MPH feel like cruising. The uninterrupted standing platform lets you sit low with your feet right above each truck for maximum control.
The particular shape and size of today’s fastest boards is part science, part trend. The best racers have sent it into first place on all types of longboards.
Right now, shorter setups are popular amongst the pros, and pros know that the Maven 35 is a no-frills race machine.
- Short as the Maven 35 may be, this board boasts a wide standing platform-to-length ratio. The Maven’s standing platform lies between the inner edge of the trucks, making it much harder to displace your weight unevenly at high speeds. Regardless of your board choice, know that a spacious standing platform is more indicative of stable skating than a deck’s specific length alone.
What to Look for in a Downhill Deck | Concave
In downhill skating, concave comes into play when you decide that it’s time to slow it down. Most downhill riders prefer a moderate to deep concave that allows them to ground themselves into the top of the deck as well as against the concave.
- The Vecter 37’s Diamond Drop concave locks in your feet for slides and pre-drifts. The pockets of the Diamond Drop let riders dig in their heels and toes for steezy frontside and backside slides around hairpin turns.
Half of skating well is your setup, but the other half is your mindset.
- The Baffle 37’s aggressive concave creates foot placement awareness that boosts confidence going into slides. The Baffle’s concave also features flared wheel wells that prevent wheelbite for faster, smoother runs downhill.
What to Look for in a Downhill Deck | Wheelbase
The distance between your wheels makes all the difference between a responsive or gradual slide initiation. A wider wheelbase means more gripping around corners before your wheels break traction.
- The Arbiter 36 KT has a wide 26-inch wheelbase that’s great for any novice downhiller. At its widest wheelbase, the KT will not kick out unexpectedly for unwanted slides. The KT’s wheelbase adjusts all the way to a tight 21-inches as well, making it great for technical freeride slides or even popping flip tricks. This adjustability gives your Arbiter an ample nose and kicktail for all sorts of top-of-the-hill shenanigans.
Tighter wheelbases make for easier slide initiation. Shorter wheelbases require less force to push the board sideways. We suggest tighter wheelbases for the experienced freerider because the ability to flow into slides with ease simultaneously increases your chance of highsiding.
- If you are looking to bust seamless 360 slides on steep slopes, consider the tight wheelbase and stable platform of the Maven 35.
Compared to other skate disciplines, downhill longboarding is in a league of its own. Skating fast and placing first is dependent on setup as well as skill, so practice often and skate safely as you push the (speed) limits of downhill riding!
If you have more questions or just want to talk about shredding, hit up our Rider Guider customer service chat in the right corner to speak with live Original team riders 7 days a week. Shred on!