If you're in the market for a new board or just looking around, you might be scratching your head, asking, "What's the difference between all of these Apex concaves?"
Main differentiating features of the Apex Longboard line:
-
What is Concave:The curved inward shape between the longboard's nose and tail changes the way the board rides. What shape and depth to choose is about personal preference and your ride style. -
What Are Foot Pockets:Created by the concave, foot pockets allow riders to locate their feet, prevent their foot from slipping, and provide different points of leverage. Again, it's about personal preference.
While the Apex series is a jack of all trades, the concave of each board will help you ride and feel comfortable in different ways. The concave of the DiamondDrop series makes for an especially potent combination of technical sliding on the hill and sturdy freestyle trick shredding. The AVRockerConcave and the DoubleConcave have their own perks designed for optimum cruising, carving, and complex dance moves. We've broken down the features of each concave below.
Apex 40 DiamondDrop Concave
Concave Basics: Although it's along the same lines as a micro-drop, a longboard with a full-drop has a deeper and steeper concave than a micro-drop. The subtle hard angles bend and merge into perfection for an amazing slide pocket without diminishing the comfortable rideability the Apex is known for.
The main differences:
- Full-drop makes this Apex
the most stable in the lineupbecause it's closest to the ground. - Foot Pockets: The full-drop (0.925"), deeper than the micro-drop of the DoubleConcave, creates a
deeper pocket that strengthens the connection between your stance and the board,allowing you toease into big slides.If you snowboard, think of it like having a binding on the outer side of your boot.
Where it Wins: Killer for Sliding and the Drop helps Ollie Height (among other tricks)
Note: The Apex DD comes in two shape outlines: V1 + V2. Pictured above is a V1 shape, available only in the Apex 37 DD. The V2 is the most updated version, offering a wider standing platform and wheel wells to get you further over your wheels for freeride.
Apex DoubleConcave
Concave Basics: The DoubleConcave's tub concave has a gentle curve, keeping your feet flatter while the rails arch away from the wheels for quickness and carving. The micro-drop (0.25") creates a noticeable, but mellow pocket, especially when compared to the DD.
The main differences:
-
The concave mixed with a 0.25" microdrop
takes you from slide, to treflip, to kicker, to carve easily and comfortably in one longboard. -
Foot Pockets: 0.25" micro-drop is
mellow, but still noticeable enough to slip your feet into sliding positionwithout looking down while still allowing for a comfortable standing platform.
Where it Wins: Versatile Quiver Killer for Transitioning Between Cruising, Carving, and Tricks.
Apex AVRockerConcave
Concave Basics: A longboard with a rocker concave—also known as a reverse-camber—is exactly as it sounds: camber turned upside. If you're having a hard time imagining that, picture the Derringer 28, now flip it upside down. If you're thinking,"That kind of looks like a banana," you're not wrong.
The main differences:
- Rocker allows increased angle of your truck, which makes your
board feel more nimble, giving you thetightest turning radius in the Apex line. - Rocker allows the
kicktails to be steeper, which is a big advantage for some tricks. - Foot Pockets: Unlike the micro-drop or full-drop, the AVRocker does not have a drop that allows you to apply leverage while sliding, but it will allow you to have
more carving performanceand a slight bit of additional standing platform.
Where it Wins: Pure Carving Performance
Whether you're looking to carve mellow hills, slide the steeps, or freestyle like a boss, there is an Apex that will do the trick (pun intended). Choosing the right longboard and evaluating the differences in concaves can be confusing. If you still aren’t sure which Apex best fits your riding style, you can chat with live Original team riders 7 days a week on our site! You can also comment on any of our social media channels. We are here to help! See you on the hill.