Let’s face it, I have done some stupid things in the past: believing Cundall’s claims that driving him anywhere will result in petrol money has got to be pretty high up on the list but I recently did something that surprised even me. In a moment of unrivalled retardation, I got on the Body Mass Weight Scale at Boots. I don’t know what I was thinking.
In three easy to follow steps, I managed to completely disillusion myself and discovered that I was er… more than a little heavier than I thought. By two stone! In 30-40 seconds I went from being lithe and athletic to doughy and rotund and all because the thoughtless bastards at Boots didn’t think to put a warning on that bloody machine. On the plus side I feel that my newly acquired “Fat Lump” status means that I am now in a far more authoritative position to review wider boards. Or at the very least tell you if they snap or not whilst perfecting my slow transformation into an English Dan Drehobl with less fags and fewer tricks…
The fine upstanding Nick Zorlac, (maybe) taking sympathy at my slightly chunkier frame, sent me through one of the latest Team boards from Death Skateboards, which keen eyed readers of these reviews will know is one of my favourite companies out there, British or otherwise, who consistently churn out top quality gear with this beauty being no exception. You also never really read reviews on this site for Death product so this could be the start of many.
At 8.25 it wont be the smallest in the shop by a long shot so if youve made the jump up from a narrower one, be prepared to take a while relearning flip tricks as the wonders of physics dictate that your pipe cleaner legs will take a little while to get used to the spin of a wider board. Although saying that, what little you lose in the speed your board flips, you gain twofold in stability, which in my humble opinion is worth more in long run anyway…Graphic-wise, its a typical Death product so you know what to expect: if youre looking for a lamp post or an “Illustrator-ed” Teacup then this probably isn’t going to be for you, although if you buy a board solely for the graphic then it’s probably safe to say youre a bit special anyway… As far as the concave goes, this is on the mellower side and I’ve been reliably informed that its the same shape that Andy Scott, the Bolton Jedi, skates (however the resemblance to our skating pretty much ends at the board…)
I’ve been skating it for a good few weeks and it’s still going strong with no visible delams or cracks. Personally, I preferred it for mini ramps, but dabbled in parks and with my annual attempt at street skating thrown in for good measure its proved to be fine for everything.
Give it a go if you’re looking to step up to a slightly wider board or if like me, you’re still carrying a little holiday weight and don’t want to put your foot through a 7.5″… Nobody’s judging you, go on have another biscuit, you’ll feel better…
Dickfingers