Riding Boards

Best Landyachtz Longboard By Riding Style [2023-2024]

Posted on Last updated: September 13, 2023

Categories Gear & reviews

Best Landyachtz Longboard By Riding Style [2023-2024]

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Most riders agree that Landyachtz ranks among the top longboard brands on the planet. With roots in hardcore longboard racing, they’ve always been on a mission to make top-quality boards that are both super durable and amazing to ride.

Aside from outstanding decks of all types and shapes, Landyachtz also designs and produces their own highly-regarded trucks under the Bear Trucks brand name, as well as the recognized Hawgs wheels . As a result, LY offers excellent end-to-end quality for their complete setups.

Landyachtz’s lineup of completes is quite impressive and it’s easy to get lost when trying to choose a complete.

I’ve compiled a comprehensive comparison table for the Landyachtz completes, with key features including target riding style, size and wheelbase, shape, kicks, recommended setup, and price.

Click on the table image below to view it in Google Sheets (or click here ):

landyachtz obsidian review

If you still feel lost amidst the broad Landyachtz longboard lineup, here are my 9 favorite Landyachtz boards for different riding styles:

DinghyMini cruiser28.5″14″ – 15″$150 – $170
ButterSurfskate31.2″15″ – 17.1″$200
ATV PerfectoHybrid32″14.375″$170
Rally CatHybrid34.7″18.2″$195
SwitchbladeFreeride36″ to 40″27.25″ to 31″$260
ObsidianRacing31″22.5″ – 23″$266 (deck)
Drop CatDrop-through cruiser 33″ – 38.6″23.9″ – 29.3″$220
RipperPintail w/ kick36.9″24.9″$190
StratusDancer40.5″ – 45.5″22.3/24.5″ – 27.5/29.5″$230

In the rest of this post, I’ll review each of the longboards in Landyachtz’s lineup. Hopefully, this will help you choose the best one for your needs.

Landyachtz’s longboards can be categorized as follows:

  • Urban cruisers
  • Surf skates
  • Drop-throughs

Table of Contents

Best Landyachtz urban cruiser

Landyachtz dinghy 28′.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Dinghy is Landyachtz’s flagship mini cruiser. It is 28.5″ long and 8″ to 8.6″ wide with a 14.6″ to 15″ wheelbase depending on the version.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Dinghy has a classic mini-cruiser surf shape with a huge kicktail, a small nose kick for tricks, and mellow concave with pronounced wheel flares for foot lock-in when riding faster and slashing hard.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Dinghy comes fitted with responsive and quick-turning Polar Bear 105mm trucks, and soft 63mm Fatty Hawgs that fit the deck perfectly without wheelbite.

See my in-depth review of the Dinghy here or check it out directly on Landyachtz

Landyachtz Jammer 29.6″

landyachtz obsidian review

The Jammer is a wide 29.6″ x 9.2″ directional cruiser with a short and snappy 14.1″ wheelbase. Like the Dinghy, it has a big fat tail and a significant nose kick, and medium+ concave for secure foot hold when slashing around.

Unlike the Dinghy, this cruiser’s 80s-style shape features pronounced taper around the nose and the base of the tail.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Jammer is nice and comfortable for cruising around town. Meanwhile, the 7-ply maple construction makes it easy to pop over street obstacles and curbs for urban shredding. It’s also a decent board for some park riding.

landyachtz obsidian review

The tapered deck and the wheel wells allow the Jammer to run narrow 130mm Polar Bear trucks which also contribute to making it super agile. The soft 60mm Chubby Hawgs, relatively big for the deck and truck size, result in a silky smooth and fast, grippy ride.

See the Jammer on Landyachtz

Landyachtz Tugboat 30″

landyachtz obsidian review

The Tugboat is 30″ x 9″ with a 15″ wheelbase. It has a similar shape to the Dinghy, only bigger and with a slightly more mellow concave. This cruiser is ideal for bigger riders who find the Dinghy for their size or feet.

landyachtz obsidian review

The larger foot platform results in a more comfy cruising experience, improved stability when riding fast, and increased confidence when landing tricks. The large kicktail and small functional nose kick make the Tugboat a great city slasher – including for banks, driveways, ditches, etc.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Tugboat can be set up with narrow 130mm Polar Bear street trucks and 60mm Chubby Hawgs for a snappy and fast feel, or with wider 155mm Polar Bears + 63mm EZ Hawgs for more stability and slide-ability.

See the Tugboat on Landyachtz

Landyachtz Schooner 32.9″

landyachtz obsidian review

The Schooner is a different type of cruiser with a very long 18.9″ wheelbase for its 32.9″ x 9″ size. It’s also noticeably flexier than the others due to the Fiberglass plies inserted in its maple layup.

The fiberglass results in a snappy flex that provides energetic feedback when carving and pumping.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Schooner’s long wheelbase makes it super stable and more suitable than most small cruisers for fast riding including on decent hills. The rockered shape also results in good foothold and control.

The deck has a mellow (compared to the Dinghy and Tugboat) but effective kicktail, as well as a slightly uplifted nose for foot tucking.

landyachtz obsidian review

The rocker and flex combine to provide a longboard-like carve and pump feel despite the short length. This results in fast and snappy turns and a comfortable, dampened ride even on rougher terrain.

The Schooner comes equipped with the narrow 130mm Polar Bear trucks for optimal carving response. The wheel flares allow running larger 70mm Hawgs Supreme wheels which result in a very fast roll and a grippy feel for longer rides.

See the Schooner on Landyachtz

Best Landyachtz surfskate

Landyachtz butter 31.2′.

landyachtz obsidian review

The 31.2″ x 9″ Butter surf skate has a full outline though significantly flatter compared to the Dinghy, with a smaller and more mellow kicktail, flat concave, and no nose kick. It’s particularly well-suited for slashing down alleyways and pumping on banks.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Butter’s flat shape slightly tapered around the nose is designed to provide complete freedom of movement for surf-style riding. The deck is equipped with soft-top grip tape for barefoot riding.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Butter comes with Landyachtz’s 130 RKP Banger surf skate front truck for extreme turn and response, allowing for radical cutbacks and tailslides. The rear truck is a regular TKP Polar Bear 130mm for maximum grip and stability. The 65mm Hawgs surf skate wheels offer square lips and a glossy finish for high grip.

See the Butter on Landyachtz. Also check out my full review of Landyachtz surfskates here .

Landyachtz Pocket Knife 29.6″

landyachtz obsidian review

Compared to the Butter, The 29.6″ x 9.1″ Pocket Knife has a smaller, more aggressive shortboard-style shape with a narrower nose and tapered tail. this results in a super nimble surf skate for very tight lines.

The adjustable 13.2″ to 15.3″ wheelbase lets you choose between super snappy tail slides and longer drawn-out surf curves.

landyachtz obsidian review

While 1.6″ shorter than the Butter, it’s slightly wider toward the front where the nose starts, providing generous foot space above the front truck for highly responsive turns.

Compared to the popular Landyachtz Dinghy, the Pocket Knife is slightly longer and 1″+ wider, with a more shortboard-like outline.

The Pocket Knife’s kicktail is decent-sized but with a very mellow angle – just enough for kick turns when slashing a driveway or bowl, or for hopping on or off a curb. The rockered shape helps keep your feet in place when slashing.

landyachtz obsidian review

This deck has a bit more concave than its big brother, with slightly raised edges that culminate around the wide point of the deck. This gives you good foot lock-in at this spot when carving tight or riding fast.

The Pocket Knife deck comes with soft-top grip for some sweet barefoot driveway carving. Its comes with the 155mm Banger Surf Skate truck set and grippy 65mm Surf Hawgs wheels.

See the Pocket Knife on Landyatchz’s website.

Landyachtz Surf Life 31.6″

landyachtz obsidian review

The 31.6″ x 9.5″ Surf Life is the longest and widest of Landyachtz’s surf skates, about 1/2″ longer and wider than the Butter. Unlike the butter’s classic shortboard surfboard shape, the Surf Life boasts an 80s-style outline with a wide nose and tail, a deep kick, and a tapered “waist” for super-fast carves.

landyachtz obsidian review

This shape is inspired by Landyachtz’s  ATV Ditch Life , designed specifically for concrete ditches, pool, and tricks. The Surf Life, though, has much less concave, a flat nose, and a flatter kick for increased freedom of movement for surf-style carving and snap-backs.

Compared to the other Landyachtz surf skates, the Surf Line offers the most foot platform with a comfortable nose and tail. It also has the largest wheelbase, up to 17+” (vs 15″ for its siblings).

landyachtz obsidian review

The long wheelbase combined with the tapered outline and roomy platform allows for faster and slashier surf skate styles, including in the pool, on street obstacles, on park ramps, and in concrete trenches. The shape also makes it comfortable for long and relaxed surf-style cruising.

The Surf Life also comes fitted with soft-top grip tape for added return and control and surf-style barefoot riding. It ships with the 130mm Banger surf skate truck set and 65mm Hawgs wheels.

See the Surf Life

Landyachtz Groveler 32.6″

landyachtz obsidian review

The Groveler is a larger and ultra-wide deck with size 32.6″ x 10.3″ and an adjustable wheelbase between 17.7″ and 17.9″. Among the widest surf skates out there, this board provides a comfortable and highly responsive foot platform for deep surf-style carving.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Groveler has a low concave providing complete freedom of movement when carving on bike paths and boardwalks. The rockered shape, however, helps keep your feet in place, and the deck’s medium flex also adds some bounciness to your carves.

landyachtz obsidian review

The egg-style surf outline makes this surf skate super fun and comfy for longboard surfboard-style soul riding with nice drawn-out curves. Meanwhile, the 155mm Banger surf trucks enable extreme turns for surf-style maneuvers.

The big 65mm square-lipped Hawgs wheels offer both speed and a nice amount of grip for extreme surf-style turns.

The layer of foam in the grip tape (soft top) also adds stickiness and a nice cushioned feel when carving and pumping.

See the Groveler on Landyachtz

Best Landyachtz hybrid cruisers

Atv classic 32′.

landyachtz obsidian review

At 32″ x 9″ with a 14″3/8 wheelbase, the ATV Perfecto is one of Landyachtz’s special hybrid boards for combining street riding and comfy cruising.

landyachtz obsidian review

A classic dual-kick popsicle shape, the ATV Classic is designed for street skating, shuvits, riding fakie, kick tricks, etc, while still being capable of carving and fast riding.

This deck has durable and high-pop composite construction with noticeable concave and subtle foot pockets.

landyachtz obsidian review

The complete comes with 155mm Polar Bear TKP trucks and fast-rolling, soft and grippy 60mm Lil EZ Hawgs.

Check out the ATV Classic here . See also my Landyachtz ATV review

ATV Perfecto 32″

landyachtz obsidian review

The ATV Perfecto offers the same 32″ x 9″ size and 14 3/8″ wheelbase and large dual kicks as its Classic ATV brother. However, instead of a fully symmetrical popsicle shape, the Perfecto has a slightly directional shape for easier cruising with a slightly tapered nose for more responsive carving.

landyachtz obsidian review

Just like the Classic, the Perfecto is a super capable hybrid deck that works wonders for street, bowl, transitions, and pop tricks. Thanks to its directional touch, it’s also a great board for slashy and fun urban cruising on narrow inner city streets, sidewalks, and back alleys.

landyachtz obsidian review

The bottom graphic features an awesome pug coming straight from the galaxy. The complete comes with the same setup as the Classic with Polar Bear 155mm trucks and 60mm Lil EZ wheels.

See the ATV Perfecto on Landyachtz

Ditch Life 31″

landyachtz obsidian review

A 31″ x 9.75″, the Ditch is a wide dual-kick hybrid cruiser designed by Landyachtz team rider Mackenzie Yoshida for shredding steep ditches and rough terrain. It has deep concave resulting in effective foot lock-in for solid aggressive skating.

landyachtz obsidian review

the Ditch features a steep and super wide kicktail and a significant nose kick for tricks and street obstacle slashing. this board is great for radical riding as well as mellow and fun daily carving. the ample width and comfortable 15″ wheelbase also give it good stability at higher speeds.

landyachtz obsidian review

the Dich Life ships with the usual AtV setup with the fast-turning 155mm Polar Bear trucks and the smooth and grippy 60mm 78a Chubb Hawgs wheels. the wheel wells below the deck allow you to run larger wheels and/or looser trucks.

the bottom side of the deck shows beautiful see-through sine waves layered on top of a unique color gradient.

See the Ditch Life here

Landyachtz Slim Jim 31″

landyachtz obsidian review

The Slim Jim hybrid cruiser offers more footroom, larger kicks, and more concave than regular cruisers. It’s designed for a combination of easy cruising and tricks like ollies/nollies, manuals, switch riding, and tech slides.

landyachtz obsidian review

While it has a directional shape, its highly functional tail and nose kicks are designed for serious tricks, e.g. for street skaters looking for something more comfortable to cruise or commute on daily without giving up the street fun.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Slim Jim complete ships with Polar Bear 130 TKP trucks to suit the deck’s narrow 8.43″ width, and fast, grippy 60mm 78a Chubby Hawgs.

See the Slim Jim here

Best Landyachtz freeride longboard

Landyachtz switchblade 36′- 38′.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Switchblade is another Landyachtz bestseller. A symmetrical double drop with large wheel cutouts and a big foot platform, it comes in 36″, 38″, and 40″ lengths with widths ranging from 9.75″ to 10″ and wheelbases 27.25″ to 31″.

landyachtz obsidian review

This is a very versatile, low-riding board that’s extremely comfortable for distance pushing and good for carving and moderate freeride. It’s a stiff and durable 9-ply board with medium concave and deep foot pockets for solid lock-in at speed.

landyachtz obsidian review

Check out my full review of the Switchblade here

Best Landyachtz drop-through

Landyachtz drop cat 33′ – 38′.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Drop Cat is a rockered directional drop-through commuter longboard. It comes in two sizes, 33″ x 9 5/8″ (23.9 WB) and 38″ x 9.9″ (29.3″ WB).

landyachtz obsidian review

The innovative high rocker makes this board low riding for pushing and distance and gives good foot lock-in for freeride. The mild flex helps absorb shocks from uneven ground without affecting stability when going fast.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Drop Cat comes stock with smooth carving 180mm Grizzly Bear trucks and large and grippy 72mm Plow King wheels.

Learn more about this board in this post and this post .

Best Landyachtz pintail longboard

Landyachtz ripper 36.9′.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Ripper is a 36.9″ x 9″ (WB 24.9″) cruiser with sort of a pintail shape but without the pin tail! It has a long and narrow shape with a squash kicktail that makes it look like a longboard surfboard.

landyachtz obsidian review

This board has a nice angled kicktail and boasts a pretty good rocker that brings the deck closer to the ground for comfy cruising. The Ripper has a subtle concave, making it a good board for chill and stable riding.

landyachtz obsidian review

The long wheelbase gives this board a surfy feel, while the tight Polar Bear 130mm RPK trucks, “smaller” 63mm wheels, and functional kicktail keep it responsive and smooth riding.

Best Landyachtz freestyle longboard

Landyachtz rally cat 34.7′.

landyachtz obsidian review

A larger hybrid at 34.7″ x 8.9″, the Rally Cat is designed for a mix of cruising, freeride, and serious street/park. Its dual-kicks deck with a lot of rocker, making it low riding and easy to push on.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Rally Cat has significant tail and nose kicks (almost symmetrical), medium concave, and pronounced wheel flares that create snug pockets for solid foot lock-in when fast riding and performing hard tricks.

landyachtz obsidian review

This is a great board for serious tricks and smooth cruising. It comes with agile Polar Bear 130mm trucks and fast and smooth 63mm Fatty Hawgs.

See the Rally Cat on the Landyachtz website

Best Landyachtz dancing longboard

Landyachtz stratus 45.5′.

landyachtz obsidian review

The symmetrical, double-kick Stratus has made a spot for itself among the top dancing and freestyle longboards out there. The Watercolour version is beautiful looking.

The popular dancer is 46″ x 9.25″ with a 27.5″ – 29.5″ adjustable wheelbase – though the Stratus also comes in length 40″ with a 22.3″ – 224.5″ wheelbase.

landyachtz obsidian review

The full-size deck offers a large foot platform with minimal concave and grip tape for board walking and cross-stepping. It has energetic flex for smooth carving, and nice double kicks for freestyle tricks and quick turns.

landyachtz obsidian review

The Stratus comes equipped with smooth and responsive Grizzly RKP trucks and relatively small 63mm Fatty Hawgs for low weight and grippy turns.

Learn more about the Stratus in this post .

Best Landyachtz downhill longboard

Landyachtz obsidian 31′.

landyachtz obsidian review

31″ x 9″ with an adjustable wheelbase of 22-5″ to 23″, the Obsidian is the ultimate bullet-shaped carbon racing board.

landyachtz obsidian review

This deck has a special shape with several flat leverage points on the side for the highest control in high-speed turns. It has a wide squash tail, no kick, and virtually no concave for optimal placement and freedom of movement when racing.

landyachtz obsidian review

See the Obsidian here on Landyachtz’s website.

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landyachtz obsidian review

Quick Quiver

Longboard news and reviews, to build your own quiver!

Everything Landyachtz Just Released

Landyachtz 2020 banner

So, here’s Landyachtz’ new lineup. See anything you like?

Table of Contents

Dinghies. Many Dinghies.

Blunt Dinghy

Dinghy Blunt

The Blunt Dinghy comes with 105mm Polar Bear trucks and 60mm Chubby Hawgs, instead of the larger 63mm Fatty Hawgs. This is due to it being more narrow towards the front and rear of the deck. However, the overall length, width, and wheelbase match that of the standard Dinghy.

Coffin Dinghy

Dinghy Coffin

Turbo King Dinghy

Dinghy Turbo

The new Turbo King Dinghy combines the Turbo Dinghy and the Hollowtech Dinghy with Plow Kings. It’s the same length and width of a standard Dinghy, and in the same shape as well, just with some wheel arches. The wheelbase is still 14.6″. Those Plow Kings now sit under the board with only a 0.25″ riser. It also features 130mm trucks, instead of the standard 105mm trucks. Finally, it’s Canadian maple and fiberglass, for a stiff and long lasting deck. The end result is Landyachtz’ fastest Dinghy.

New Designs

There are, of course, a variety of new designs from a few artists. No one has ever stated that there weren’t enough Dinghy designs. There are graphics for all tastes. Be sure to check them out!

Obsidian top and bottom view

What are these exactly? Well you’ve likely heard me talking about how I like the leverage you can get over the rails of certain narrow decks, like the Dugout, or pintails. You can really dig your foot in to the rails to apply leverage. Now, a way of doing this while still giving you more standing platform is a ‘W’ concave. This puts a bump in the middle of the deck that you can use for that heel-toe leverage. But you’re always going to be resting your foot on the concave back there when it’s perpendicular to your travel. That’s going to get in the way of your leverage, because you’re not going to be able to take advantage of that bump in the middle of a ‘W’ concave as much.

Obsidian side and bottom views showing off the cutouts

That’s where gas pedals come in. These are carved out of the concave to create a flatter rail, allowing maximum leverage over the middle of the deck where your ‘W’ concave has its central “peak.” This really maximizes the ‘W’ concave’s potential. Up front, where your steering is done, you can use the gas pedals as a foot stop or reference point. It’s unique, and it’s interesting to see it making a comeback. The Obsidian was designed in conjunction with professional downhiller Kyle Martin.

I really want to get my feet on one of these. Pair it up with some narrow trucks and wide wheels and you’ve got something to really tear up the hills. Plus it looks absolutely stunning. The cutouts in the wood make the layers of Canadian maple really apparent, and the geometric cutouts for the wheel wells look like they were carved out of stone. It’s a really eye-catching geometric effect.

The Obsidian is 30.5″ long, with a 22.75″-23.25″ wheelbase. It’s 8.75″ wide, so it’ll really work well for narrow trucks. Still, that might be a bit too narrow for some riders, but because it has those gas pedal cutouts, you might not need such a wide deck, as you won’t be situating your foot within the concave.

Small Blind

Small Blind downhill deck

This deck also features 7 plies of Canadian maple along with carbon fiber for rigidity. The wheel cutouts are CNC’d, so they’ve also got a unique shape. On the Small Blind, that shape is radial, giving it a very rounded appearance.

The Small Blind might not be as flashy as the Obsidian, but it’s a tried and true downhill deck design. This shows that Landyachtz is finally catching up when it comes to serious downhill. The Evo might have been the “it” board of the early 2010’s, but today’s racers want something that gives them maximum leverage over a set of small trucks for grip and rapid turn in. While the Evo still has its place (it’s great for distance pushing with some downhill mixed in, races like the Broadway Bomb in NYC), the Small Blind and Obsidian better represent what downhill racing is today.

2020 Landyachtz ATV

The new ATV construction has been updated. It uses thinner layers of wood, epoxy, and fiberglass. This makes them stronger and stiffer, but also lighter, so you’ve got a lot of pop. All new ATV series are using this ATV-X construction, as well as the new Ditchlife and Perfecto boards.

Tweaked: Drop Cat

The new designs come from David Hale and feature a hawk flying through the woods against either a golden or red sun, depending on whether or not you go with the 33″ or 38″ model.

The Tony Danza

The Tony Danza, from Landyachtz

It also features rocker, so your trucks will be angled outward a little more. This can make quick pivots easier, but may be trickier for those looking for a flat or less turny platform. It also means you’ll have a little bit more leverage for flip tricks. It comes equipped with 155mm Gen 6 Grizzlies and Easy Hawgs, for lightness and a soft ride.

The Tony Danza is going to be great for all those tiny dancers. Wait, that’s something else. It’s narrow size and shorter length makes it more manageable for shorter riders, and definitely more comfortable for riders with smaller feet.It’s constructed of wood and fiberglass for lightness and durability, with a good amount of flex.

New Designs all Around!

Landyachtz Rallycat

Bear Grizzly Gen 6 Trucks

Gen 6 Bear Grizzly Truck

First, the bushing seat on the hangers is less restrictive. It’s more open to give you that looser turn in feel, but still deep enough to reduce slop. Speaking of reducing slop, Landyachtz is now using insert barrel bushings from Venom boardside. These prevent lateral movement of the hanger with a little extra bushing. Oh, and that boardside bushing? It goes into a washer now. No more strange edge of lean turning dynamics as the bushing creeps around the baseplate! Roadside you’ll find a new cone busing instead of the barrel, for a quicker turn-in and more flowy feel.

The new design is based off of their forged Kodiak trucks. It’s a good look. Simplistic and strong. I love the straig edges with subtle curves. It’s a good look, for however long you’ll be looking at them. Landyachtz even engraved serial numbers on them, which might help if your board is ever stolen. Later this year, Landyachtz plans to carve out the middle of the hanger and use titanium hangers, for weight savings.

This is the most exciting part about these new trucks though. For the first time, Bear’s releasing a reverse kingpin truck in 130mm. There will also be a 155mm model. These will be perfect for their new downhill decks. Throw some wide centerset or offset wheels on those, and you’ll be ready to bomb hills. More riders have leaned towards trucks in this size for downhill, as it gives a rider a ton of leverage for rapid turn ins and easy predrift initiation before a turn. They’re definitely more reactive, and therefore take a lot more skill to send down a hill, but that increased grip and turn response makes it worth it.

Landyachtz also has a number of great cruisers. I experimented once with putting RKP trucks on my Dugout, but they were just too wide. I needed something in the 140-150mm range to feel like they were offering me something. Now I have the option to get some 130mm trucks and wider wheels to have some silly freeriding fun on a small platform. Set it up with the 155mm and some Orangatang Skiffs and  you have a recipe for some really fun technical sliding. I’ve felt like Landyachtz’ lack of truck size options was holding some of their boards back. After all, the Ditchlife or Tugboat would be great for a RKP setup, but only with smaller trucks. Now you can get Grizzlies in a variety of sizes, which might make them popular again.

Budget Downhill? Baseplate Options Galore!

A common setup for downhill includes a reduced angle in the back and a larger angle up front. This helps the turn in on the front of the deck come in faster, with the back turning in only for harder turns. It’s like four wheel steering in cars. The back wheels don’t go as sharp, because the sudden change in direction can cause it to lose control against the momentum. But, when you steer up front, you can carry that momentum into speed through a turn.

The new Gen 6 Grizzlies have baseplate options from 50º down to 30º. With hangers between 130mm and 180mm, Bear’s got the market covered. Advanced freeride setup? Go with a 50/40 and 155mm trucks. Just getting started or riding a wide deck? Here’s some 180mm trucks with 50º baseplates. Want to go really fast on a budget? 30/40º split with 130mm trucks and wide wheels. And yes, you can mix and match the baseplates, because the lower angles have a higher pivot point, meaning the change of angle doesn’t change the height. If these hangers can offer the improvements Landyachtz says they’ve baked in, then we could be looking at a truck takeover. Move over, Paris and Arsenal, Landy’s getting serious.

Landyachtz 2020 Smokies

Landyachtz has a new downhill-focused setup. These trucks come as a pair, both with different hangers and baseplates. The front truck has positive rake, a 40º baseplate, and 120mm hanger width. The rear truck has no rake, a 20º baseplate, and the same 120mm width. These are very narrow trucks. Pairing them with wide wheels and you have a fast carving machine.

Kyle Martin in a tuck on the Obsidian longboard with Smokies trucks

The trucks are $399, so I don’t think anyone but the most hardcore downhillers will be using them. That’s expensive, even for precision. Still, the setup is an all-in-one, and many racers may choose it. With a quality downhill deck, some bearings, wide wheels, and hardware, you could be looking at a build that gets close to $1,000! Speed doesn’t always come cheap!

New Wheels!

Lil’ ez.

The Lil’ EZ is simple to describe. This is a 60mm version of the 63mm Easy Hawgs. It’ll come in the same 78A durometer, making a soft, smooth slide. It’ll be great for cruisers and ATV setups, as it’ll give riders a wheel that’s about the size of a standard skate wheel, but a lot softer and a little wider.

70mm Supremes

Hawgs 70mm

This wheel is inspired by downhill wheels. It’s 78A, soft, with a square lip, and stoneground surface. Out of the package, it’s ready to tackle a hill with a lot of grip

Core of the new Cheetah wheels

What Did I Get?

Beyond this, the deck that most caught my eye is the new SwitchBlade 40 Chief Night. It is gorgeous. I love night, I actually used to do astronomy as a hobby, and I just love being out at night, laying underneath the stars. That design by Laura Bifano really captures that feeling. I almost want to get it just to hang up on my wall. Oh, you buy paintings for your apartment? Well, is it really art if it’s not painted on a skateboard? Joking aside, if I don’t get the deck, I’m definitely grabbing a print of that.

Finally, the next item I will be buying is the new Gen 6 Grizzlies. Once they release the multiple baseplate angles (they just have the 180mm/50º setup currently), I’m grabbing a set. I’m thinking 165-180mm, 40/30 split for one of my older freeride setups that could use an upgrade.

The new designs are all tempting. But that stupid “money” thing says I can’t have much more right now. Soon!

What We Haven’t Seen… Yet

Landyachtz sent out a catalog to vendors. On it was a new category: surf. I have no further details on it currently, but it’s believed to be a surf skate, like those coming out from Penny using the Waterborne Surf Adapter, or Carver trucks. Landyachtz may have their own surf skate trucks, or they may partner with someone else for them. Landyachtz didn’t announce anything about them today, so we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for surprise announcements from them in the near future.

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IMAGES

  1. Longboard.ro

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  2. Buy Landyachtz Obsidian 31”

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  3. Obsidian Deck • Landyachtz

    landyachtz obsidian review

  4. Landyachtz: Obsidian Longboard Skateboard Deck (Black)

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  5. Obsidian Downhill Race Deck

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  6. Obsidian Deck • Landyachtz

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VIDEO

  1. LANDYACHTZ DINGHY CLASSIC FENDER REVIEW @Landyachtz #landyachtz

  2. Loaded Coyote or Landyachtz Tugboat

  3. 2016 Landyachtz Osteon longboard review

  4. Review Of The LandYachtz Switchblade Longboard

  5. Wheel Review || Mini Zombie Hawgs 82a

  6. Landyachtz Switch And DH Race, Loaded Tan-Tien, Rayne Nemesi