Ever since I started skating with non-abrasive grip, my shoes have lasted way longer. One year in and I’m still rocking the same shoes I started with when I switched to DKL grip, although you may end up replacing the grip sooner than your shoes. But hey, replacing $10 grip vs $50+ shoes is a great trade-off if you ask me. Non-abrasive grip is an option if you wanna save money and your favorite sk8 kicks.
@@midnighttoker8663 I would say the non-abrasive (rubber-like) grip wears away faster than typical sandpaper-like grip, mostly at commonly used spots on the board (it’s the kickflip zone for me). It’s the trade off for reducing the wear on your shoes. Can’t think of any other con other than that and getting used to the slightly different friction performance if you are aware to that kind of thing.
One of the greatest tools for being cheap is making a slap account and checking the gear forum for the sales thread. You will find deals no matter what
I’ve never had an issue with shop decks. Most of the skate shops around here do the legit way to put the image on and stuff on good quality decks. We also have a skate shop here in Winnipeg that makes their own decks in house, press the wood together and everything. They’re great!
If you’re going to buy a shop deck, you can always ask them what distributor they use, and then check that distributor’s site to see if they’re made with Canadian maple
Re: a cheap setup, I can speak about decks and bearings. Decks, for sure go for better quality, at increased cost. I’ve been cruising (shortboard with big tucked in soft wheels) in wet conditions for 15+ years, and pretty early I found that EPOXY decks last better. Type of glue used for the laminate, always heralded in the branding/packaging. Current setup, the tail is a little shorter, there’s an area at the front foot position worn to bare wood, but it’s still solid.I forget when this one first rolled, but the replacement components that were bought in 2017 are still sitting around. A PJ Ladd PLANB deck (not sure if epoxy, bought because designed/endorsed by the guy who invented the standard modern double tail short board), some red rubber wheels, mounting bolts and risers, and bearings*. Only thing missing is trucks, and now I’m thinking I’ll get new ones so I can keep the previous 3 completes. Bearings. Skate bearings started iirc as a sewing machine standard, and now there are many versions. Before my first skateboard I did ten hard years on inlines, same bearing size: 608. The ones I settled on are from NSK, called ‘608VV’, and the VV means 2 seals. After a while the outer seal leaks, and you have to spin the rust away and apply some oil (me: full synthetic engine oil, SAE 5W20), no need to disassemble the wheels/bearings). 3 oilings so far on this ride, so far so good, but back on a previous sk8 a wheel came off so now I check it every time, “pre-flight check”. Find bearings at an industrial bearing business, best prices, no skate brand surcharge, all the choices.
i got them before, i thought they were decent for the price. maybe a bit flexier than i'd like, but i'm 6'3, 225. i usually just keep an eye out for decks on sale and get brands that i know i like. mini logo is a good bet, basically powell blanks
@@Wladeksk8 i wasn't crazy about them either, but they're adequate for the price. i trust them more than a random company blank. i have heard good reviews from friends who like flatter/mellower shapes, which i also like, but being 6'3, 225, flatter boards can often be too flexible for my liking. i very much like their wheels and bushings, especially for the price, and mini logo bearings are same as bones reds just lower price
Other idea about shoes, esp if you have a pair you like, is just stock up multiple pairs of the same ones if you find them cheap. I am thinking to go one step further and experiment with cycling through 2-3 pairs of the same shoe (so one pair per session) - they would break in slower that way, but I think you’d be able to skate them at their sweet spot for longer.
1 - Either spend the extra money for a flightdeck or some other higher quality deck or buy bundles of blank decks that you can get for roughly $10 a deck or even cheaper. There is just way too much of a gamble with buying normal decks. Some might last a good 2 or 3 months while others might break within a week or even a day or 2 depending what you're doing. 2 - Shoes go for the cheapest option you can find. I really like the airwalk brand in walmart right now that were once $20 a pair and now $25... that's like 1/3 to 1/5 the price of a lot of skate shoes. 3 - Shoe goo shoe goo shoe goo 4 - Treat your board with some respect, don't be banging it and throwing it around and popping the tail for no reason. Make sure the wear you do to your board is from actually skating it, and ideally, not trying things that are obviously way outside your league that are going to basically guarantee you losing control of the board. 5 - Try not to wear your skate shoes while not skating. Use other shoes for doing anything else 6 - When adjusting your feet on the board, try not to let your feet slide across the grip tape or do that crap where people twist their shoe back and forth like they're trying to dig a hole in the board with their toes before they pop.
Traditional decks have been the standard for decades because they are the most functional. Yes, it gets expensive, but flight decks et al., still razor tail and get fucked up. A good blank deck is the best bang for your buck. DO NOT opt for the cheapest skate shoe that a shop or distributor won't sell. Your feet will thank you. Skateboarding is a rough sport and your feet take most all the abuse.
@@thickenstein They still last long enough to make the extra price worth it and the guarantee that it'll never snap in half and you can do as many boardslides and disasters as you want. Just get footprint insoles if you want the best protection for your feet.
You can save a LOT of money on skate shoes by using non-abrasive grip tape. I skated SYS grip for over three years or so an have not yet had to get new shoes since then! Imagine that!
If you live in Europe, Decathlon sells gripped blank decks for 30€. They also put their decks on sale every once in a while. I bought 6 decathlon decks for 10€ each a couple of months ago
I would suggest spending a bit more on a good set of trucks if you can, unless you're absolutely abusing them they will last you through many decks and wheels and bearings.
the best board i ever had was an almost double impact. i got one in 2012 and only recently retired it, it never broke and i'm 6'3, 225. i have pictures of it in my community notes a few posts back and it has been in several videos/thumbnails. i think it was only like $10 - 15 more than a regular board, if i had known how good it was gonna be i would have gotten a couple more. i did get 3 almost impact boards on black friday $111 total, free shipping, free jessup grip, but they only have the carbon discs around the trucks, not the whole top layer. i'm still happy with them for the price, and i have had a lot of luck with almost/dwindle/dsm decks
i bought a "sean white" skateboard from wallmart ten years ago and the whole set up was pretty decent for what it was. on wallmart boards you usually have to at least change out the bearings and that was the only time i didnt have to change anything.
Support everything said about affordability. I've paid $50 and had a board break in a day, then you can pay ~$80 and have a Powell flight deck last for 6 months+. Haven't tried Lithe boards, but I'd be interested in them because razor tail is what does flight decks in. Likewise on the shoes. Emerica, etnies, etc. all liquidate shoes from time to time where pairs are like $25. If you can swing it, buy a bunch then. It's not worth much now, but Sheckler's Estrella pro shoe is the most durable shoe I've ever skated. It's not sold anymore because he left etnies.
