November of 2007, we created the Wise Owl Project, our way of giving back to the forests for the wood we use to produce longboards. When a customer purchases a complete longboard skateboard or a Wise Owl Sticker, we have a tree planted by donating to The American Forests Foundation’s Global Releaf2 Project. Fast forward to November 2008, and we are proud to say that we will be sending a check to have 2212 trees planted.

With the success of the Wise Owl Project over the last year, we will be continuing our program and will include additional reforesting organizations. We’ve also redesigned the Wise Owl Sticker for the new season. Thanks to everyone that supported the project with purchasing a complete longboard and additional stickers.

The holiday season emails are beginning to arrive, and the most common question has been, “I want to get a longboard for my [girlfriend, husband, etc.], but I don’t know where to start”. I will do my best to provide you with a basic guide on choosing a longboard as a gift.

If the person you are shopping for is a longboard enthusiast, then it’s very likely that they may have dropped a hint on specific products or you may know the style of riding they prefer. For this guide, I will center my attention on longboards with universal capabilities, such as cruising with some speed and carving.

Longboard skateboards have become increasingly popular as a mode of transportation. People use longboards for commuting to the office, cruising to class on college campuses, and training for winter sports like snowboarding.

Length: Longboards between the length of 38″ and 47″ are preferred for longer distance riding. Longer boards tend to be more stable and track straight due to a larger turning radius. Longboards under 38″ have a shorter turning radius which make them good for shorter commutes and college campuses.

Materials: Longboards come in many different materials, such as wood, wood composites [blend of more than one material], and full composites [absence of wood]. Wood is the most familiar material, and offer a very light and stiff platform. Boards with a low amount of flex are good for cruising since a flexible board may rob you of energy from the up and down motion. Wood composite boards are usually thinner, stronger, and have added flexibility. The flexibility of these boards are great for carving, where the flex creates a spring action pumping in and out of turns. Full composite boards can be made of all fiberglass and even see-through plastics. These materials can enhance performance and visual appeal.

The relationship between wheel hubs, bearings, and bearing spacers have been a subject with much confusion. Last year I did an article on bearing spacers, but didn’t go into the sizing, so I am hoping to shed some light with the following photos and descriptions.

Bearing Spacers are designed to match the distance of space between the 2 bearings when installed inside of wheels. When the wheels are installed, and the axle nut is snug, then your bearings will be properly spaced, thus providing optimal speed and longer lasting bearings.

Bearing spacers come in 4 different sizes. From left to right, they are 8mm x 8mm, 8mm x 10mm, 10mm x 8mm, and 10mm x 10mm. I know, this is very confusing, but all you need to know is that the first number relates to the axle diameter on the trucks and the second number relates to the spacing used inside of the wheel hub.  Most of the time you will use the 8mm x 10mm bearing spacers.

Let’s start by looking at the first number, the one that relates to the axle diameter. There are two axle diameters, 8mm [shown below] and 10mm [shown above]. 8mm axles are by far the most common size, and 10mm axles are typically used for racing boards only. At this time, The Longboard Store only offers 10mm axles on the Bear Trucks.

The second number on that bearing spacer relates to the spacing used in the wheel hub. See the center of the wheel above? A bearing is pushed into that hub from both sides until they touch that that tab in the very center, creating a space between both bearings. So the wheel assembly will perform correctly and last longer, we like to fill that space with a metal spacer that won’t be squished when the wheel assembly is tightened. So, that space will be either 8mm wide or 10mm wide, the second number on the bearing spacer. The most common wheel hub spacing will be 10m.

The bearing on the left shows a smaller inside diameter of 8mm, which would be used on 8mm axle trucks. The right bearing has a larger inside diameter of 10mm, and is used on 10mm axle trucks. Again, an 8mm bearing and truck is by far the most common.

Longboarding’s fans are on a roll

By Stephen Krcmar
August 18, 2008

IT WAS the lure of the snow that drew Jia Yee to longboard skateboarding almost two years ago. The UCLA biology student loved the feeling of schussing down a mountain on a snowboard – but she was less enthusiastic about the cost of the winter sport, its seasonal nature and the necessary travel.

Longboarding seemed like a good way to get the same rush. With longer decks than their shortboard brethren (usually about 38 inches instead of 30 inches), they are more stable at higher speeds and their softer wheels provide better grip. Further, their trucks, which connect the board to the wheels, are designed for turning (rather than for tricks like “grinding” across curbs or down handrails). These three qualities suggested to Yee that fun was as close as the nearest patch of pavement. Her hunch was right.

[link to full article]

Forget bicycles, some MSU students prefer longboards

October 16, 2008 — By Evelyn Boswell, MSU News Service

BOZEMAN — James Binkley skis all over the West, but he wouldn’t even need to leave Montana State University to hit the slopes.

The sophomore from Alaska is one of at least 30 students who ride longboards down the hills of MSU and across campus to reach their classes. More convenient than bicycles and faster than walking, longboards are distinctly longer than skateboards. Students say they’re used more for transportation than tricks.

Binkley rode a 46-inch longboard down the street on a recent fall day. Reed O’Brien rode a 48-inch “Never Summer.” Travis Schademan rode a 40-inch Carvestik and had a 45-inch board at home. Nick Hensley rode a 34-inch “Loaded Vanguard” but said a former roommate had a board more than eight feet long.

[link to full article]

Ok, we know how hard it is to find just the right gift for the holidays, and the last thing you need, is to worry about an order arriving in time for the holidays. The calendar shows what shipping methods you could use to receive an order on or before the 25th. Please keep in mind that UPS and USPS are very busy during the last 2 weeks before Christmas, so we cannot guarantee these dates. Most orders are shipping the next business day, but to be safe, we would recommend ordering early.