Tech Deck Expert Sk8
Complete Review by Xi Jin
Tech Deck Expert Sk8, worn in
About me and this board
I have been fingerboarding for 11 years, finally picking up a sponsorship from Close Up in the last half year. I have been involved with the online scene on FFI, FBHQ and YouTube; Currently, I am a moderator on FBHQ. I have written fingerboard product reviews before as I am genuinely interested in fingerboard products and want to share the information. This is my 11th review and I hope the reader may see this as an unbiased review, despite my sponsorship.
As for experience with decks, I have had 26 different types of wooden decks and have tried many more. Furthermore, I have been an avid collector of Tech Deck products since I was introduced to them. My general collecting habit generally follows a pattern of buying at least one board from each series/mold/shape. The following link is a picture of some of the series I have collected from and does not include any duplicate boards from the same series/mold/shape that I may additionally have, some packaged Tech Decks I have collected, Tech Deck obstacles and it does not include any other recent Tech Deck products I have received.
Link to other TD boards I have collected:http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/nekoxi/Fingerboarding/DSC01973_ffi1.jpg
This board is a complete setup built with the original parts in the pack. Today marks exactly one month since the receipt of the board which should be sufficiently adequate for the review. Many thanks to Noah & Lisa @ Tech Deck for sending me this board, as well as other products, and thanks for the patience as I fulfill my obligation to review it. I have been seshing this board quite hard as a main board for a month and it was the only board I took with me to Beijing and Shanghai for the 2 weeks I was away. I have only used the board indoors and my current lack of traditional fingerboard obstacles has probably saved the graphic from even more wear.
I pretty much just copy and paste this same format for all my reviews to save hassle. I personally prefer text-based reviews as opposed to video reviews as the reader can choose to read it at their own pace instead of being forced to follow the speed of the reviewer and who can often trail-off topic. I like to write my reviews detailed with enough information for potential buyers to know everything about the product before purchasing.
Apologies for my low quality pictures, I intend to invest in better optical equipment in the future.
I have been fingerboarding for 11 years, finally picking up a sponsorship from Close Up in the last half year. I have been involved with the online scene on FFI, FBHQ and YouTube; Currently, I am a moderator on FBHQ. I have written fingerboard product reviews before as I am genuinely interested in fingerboard products and want to share the information. This is my 11th review and I hope the reader may see this as an unbiased review, despite my sponsorship.
As for experience with decks, I have had 26 different types of wooden decks and have tried many more. Furthermore, I have been an avid collector of Tech Deck products since I was introduced to them. My general collecting habit generally follows a pattern of buying at least one board from each series/mold/shape. The following link is a picture of some of the series I have collected from and does not include any duplicate boards from the same series/mold/shape that I may additionally have, some packaged Tech Decks I have collected, Tech Deck obstacles and it does not include any other recent Tech Deck products I have received.
Link to other TD boards I have collected:http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/nekoxi/Fingerboarding/DSC01973_ffi1.jpg
This board is a complete setup built with the original parts in the pack. Today marks exactly one month since the receipt of the board which should be sufficiently adequate for the review. Many thanks to Noah & Lisa @ Tech Deck for sending me this board, as well as other products, and thanks for the patience as I fulfill my obligation to review it. I have been seshing this board quite hard as a main board for a month and it was the only board I took with me to Beijing and Shanghai for the 2 weeks I was away. I have only used the board indoors and my current lack of traditional fingerboard obstacles has probably saved the graphic from even more wear.
I pretty much just copy and paste this same format for all my reviews to save hassle. I personally prefer text-based reviews as opposed to video reviews as the reader can choose to read it at their own pace instead of being forced to follow the speed of the reviewer and who can often trail-off topic. I like to write my reviews detailed with enough information for potential buyers to know everything about the product before purchasing.
Apologies for my low quality pictures, I intend to invest in better optical equipment in the future.
Expert Sk8 when new
Company Profile
Tech Deck is a large international franchise specialising in producing miniature skateboard toys with licensed graphics from well known skateboard companies since the late '90s. The boards are designed to have an authentic skateboard feeling with their licensed graphics, die cast trucks, griptape and all their interchangeable components. They appeal to skateboard enthusiasts and toy collectors as well as making fingerboarding accessible to younger children with their affordable price. With sales and recognition worldwide, they really help people get into fingerboarding before they wish to invest in more premium products. I'm sure if you're reading this on a fingerboard forum, you'll need no introduction to Tech Deck.
Website: http://techdeck.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TechDeckBoards
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/techdeckboards
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/techdeckvideos
As for the on-going controversial debate about the competition between mass produced Chinese fingerboard products and handmade products from other countries, I am not going to say much about it in this review. I personally believe that the purchasing psychology of fingerboarders leads them to buy many fingerboard products for multiple setups, which may include both Tech Deck and other branded products, rather than exclusively buying and using one setup. The comparison is made to skateboarding where people usually only have one setup and occasionally an additional spare deck, cruiser or longboard.
This is not to be confused with the related controversial topic of fingerboard distributors that may re-brand, overvalue and distribute other Chinese fingerboard products.
Product Overview
I'm introducing a product overview to this review since I think it really needs one for the Expert Sk8 board.
The Expert Sk8 boards follow on from the Wood Competition Series G2 boards and have several changes and improvements. The main features of the new boards are its 30mm deck width and the inclusion of bearing wheels, both of which being new areas Tech Deck have never ventured into before. I am surprised that Tech Deck never officially announced this product on their website but its existence has been known from Tech Deck events, other reviewers and finally quietly being listed on the products page.
Another interesting concept that's different from their previous products is that the Expert Sk8 series has two types of decks - low concave and high concave and also two types of wheels - hard and soft. Each pack will only include one type of deck and one type of wheels. This offers the customer 4 different combinations to suit their own preferences and many people, like myself, may want to try out all of the types. Each pack also includes both hard and soft bushings; all of these options really offer the more advanced fingerboard great choices for customisation based on what they want whilst all being available in one single pack.
Note: The low concave decks are still being developed and will be released later this year. Currently, you can only buy high concave decks with hard or soft wheels.
As much as I would love to take credit for bringing Tech Deck's attention to suggestions for the improvements made via my previous reviews posted on FFI and the old Tech Deck forums and the popular suggestions thread I made on the old Tech Deck forums under the name 'nekoxi', it would be safe to say that the masses of the TD userbase had called for these improvements. People may view the Expert Sk8 board as directly copying other fingerboard companies' innovations. If anyone saw the old Suggestions board on the Tech Deck forums, you would have seen there was a great demand for Tech Deck to produce these things and as a business, you have to produce new products to satisfy your own customers.
Another note: Noah has told me this is the final version of the Expert Sk8 boards, not prototype versions that you may have seen on FFI that other people have.
I will now go through the components individually (just to bore you, hahaha).
Tech Deck is a large international franchise specialising in producing miniature skateboard toys with licensed graphics from well known skateboard companies since the late '90s. The boards are designed to have an authentic skateboard feeling with their licensed graphics, die cast trucks, griptape and all their interchangeable components. They appeal to skateboard enthusiasts and toy collectors as well as making fingerboarding accessible to younger children with their affordable price. With sales and recognition worldwide, they really help people get into fingerboarding before they wish to invest in more premium products. I'm sure if you're reading this on a fingerboard forum, you'll need no introduction to Tech Deck.
Website: http://techdeck.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TechDeckBoards
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/techdeckboards
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/techdeckvideos
As for the on-going controversial debate about the competition between mass produced Chinese fingerboard products and handmade products from other countries, I am not going to say much about it in this review. I personally believe that the purchasing psychology of fingerboarders leads them to buy many fingerboard products for multiple setups, which may include both Tech Deck and other branded products, rather than exclusively buying and using one setup. The comparison is made to skateboarding where people usually only have one setup and occasionally an additional spare deck, cruiser or longboard.
This is not to be confused with the related controversial topic of fingerboard distributors that may re-brand, overvalue and distribute other Chinese fingerboard products.
Product Overview
I'm introducing a product overview to this review since I think it really needs one for the Expert Sk8 board.
The Expert Sk8 boards follow on from the Wood Competition Series G2 boards and have several changes and improvements. The main features of the new boards are its 30mm deck width and the inclusion of bearing wheels, both of which being new areas Tech Deck have never ventured into before. I am surprised that Tech Deck never officially announced this product on their website but its existence has been known from Tech Deck events, other reviewers and finally quietly being listed on the products page.
Another interesting concept that's different from their previous products is that the Expert Sk8 series has two types of decks - low concave and high concave and also two types of wheels - hard and soft. Each pack will only include one type of deck and one type of wheels. This offers the customer 4 different combinations to suit their own preferences and many people, like myself, may want to try out all of the types. Each pack also includes both hard and soft bushings; all of these options really offer the more advanced fingerboard great choices for customisation based on what they want whilst all being available in one single pack.
Note: The low concave decks are still being developed and will be released later this year. Currently, you can only buy high concave decks with hard or soft wheels.
As much as I would love to take credit for bringing Tech Deck's attention to suggestions for the improvements made via my previous reviews posted on FFI and the old Tech Deck forums and the popular suggestions thread I made on the old Tech Deck forums under the name 'nekoxi', it would be safe to say that the masses of the TD userbase had called for these improvements. People may view the Expert Sk8 board as directly copying other fingerboard companies' innovations. If anyone saw the old Suggestions board on the Tech Deck forums, you would have seen there was a great demand for Tech Deck to produce these things and as a business, you have to produce new products to satisfy your own customers.
Another note: Noah has told me this is the final version of the Expert Sk8 boards, not prototype versions that you may have seen on FFI that other people have.
I will now go through the components individually (just to bore you, hahaha).
Contents
Pack contents
Set up in the front of the pack:
1 deck, high concave (tape not applied)
2 Independent branded trucks - with conical washers, orange soft bushings and soft pivot cup
4 yellow hard single bearing wheels
6 normal bolts
8 long screws
Extras in the back of the plastic:
1 small sticker sheet, Enjoi
1 tool
1 set of red hard bushings
1 precut TD branded tape
1 uncut TD branded tape
Board Statistics
Deck Length: 101mm
Deck Width: 30mm
Nose and Tail concaves (dips): medium
Rail to rail concave: high
Ply Construction: 5-ply, assumedly maple (though does not say), top to bottom - natural, dark natural, dark red, dark natural, natural
Kicks: medium
Asymmetry: nose is 2mm longer than the tail
Kingpin holes: none
Wheelbase: 47.5mm (from center of axle to center of axle)
Graphic: Enjoi Panda, real wear
Uncut tape dimensions: 32 x 103.5mm
Precut: Fits the deck leaving a less than 1mm clean edge around the sides
Thickness: 1mm
Truck width: 28mm (with the included wheels on the trucks, it is 29mm from the edge of the wheels to the edge on the opposite wheel)
Axles: double axle
Bushings: soft (hard bushings also included)
Washers: yes, conical
Kingpin: standard (although it is called adjustable)
Pivot cup: soft
Plastic threaded nuts: no
Nuts material: brass?
Branding: Independent logo printed on hanger, raised Indy cross on baseplate
Wheel width: 5mm
Wheel diameter: 7.5mm
Note: All measurements are approximate except for the official 30x101 dimensions of the deck as stated on the packaging.
Transaction Details
Price: -
Shipping cost: -
Time to arrive: -
I cannot really comment on a purchase of the product since I acquired it directly from Tech Deck in the US. Noah and Lisa were nice enough to send me many Tech Deck things to China where I am currently working.
Normally, Tech Deck products can be bought in stores and other online retailers. The Expert Sk8 should be priced at $15 although I do not know about prices in other countries.
Set up in the front of the pack:
1 deck, high concave (tape not applied)
2 Independent branded trucks - with conical washers, orange soft bushings and soft pivot cup
4 yellow hard single bearing wheels
6 normal bolts
8 long screws
Extras in the back of the plastic:
1 small sticker sheet, Enjoi
1 tool
1 set of red hard bushings
1 precut TD branded tape
1 uncut TD branded tape
Board Statistics
Deck Length: 101mm
Deck Width: 30mm
Nose and Tail concaves (dips): medium
Rail to rail concave: high
Ply Construction: 5-ply, assumedly maple (though does not say), top to bottom - natural, dark natural, dark red, dark natural, natural
Kicks: medium
Asymmetry: nose is 2mm longer than the tail
Kingpin holes: none
Wheelbase: 47.5mm (from center of axle to center of axle)
Graphic: Enjoi Panda, real wear
Uncut tape dimensions: 32 x 103.5mm
Precut: Fits the deck leaving a less than 1mm clean edge around the sides
Thickness: 1mm
Truck width: 28mm (with the included wheels on the trucks, it is 29mm from the edge of the wheels to the edge on the opposite wheel)
Axles: double axle
Bushings: soft (hard bushings also included)
Washers: yes, conical
Kingpin: standard (although it is called adjustable)
Pivot cup: soft
Plastic threaded nuts: no
Nuts material: brass?
Branding: Independent logo printed on hanger, raised Indy cross on baseplate
Wheel width: 5mm
Wheel diameter: 7.5mm
Note: All measurements are approximate except for the official 30x101 dimensions of the deck as stated on the packaging.
Transaction Details
Price: -
Shipping cost: -
Time to arrive: -
I cannot really comment on a purchase of the product since I acquired it directly from Tech Deck in the US. Noah and Lisa were nice enough to send me many Tech Deck things to China where I am currently working.
Normally, Tech Deck products can be bought in stores and other online retailers. The Expert Sk8 should be priced at $15 although I do not know about prices in other countries.
Picture of the packaging
and the back
Packaging
I like the new design of the packaging for the Expert Sk8 boards. They have gone for a kind of futuristic, tech design with the interesting shape of the box, a hexagonal window and intricate blue grid/checker background with specifications of the board on it. I would assume this correlates to the board itself being more advanced than previous Tech Deck products. The fact that it is a TD fingerboard product in a box may also indicate that it is a more premium product; the last TD fingerboard product with its own cardboard box packaging and window was the Wooden Collector Series.
The blue plastic holds the board in place so it doesn't fall loose during display and it also protects it from damage. On the back of the blue plastic, the two pieces of foam tape are taped to it as well as a small plastic pack containing the tool, stickers and hard bushings.
I like the new design of the packaging for the Expert Sk8 boards. They have gone for a kind of futuristic, tech design with the interesting shape of the box, a hexagonal window and intricate blue grid/checker background with specifications of the board on it. I would assume this correlates to the board itself being more advanced than previous Tech Deck products. The fact that it is a TD fingerboard product in a box may also indicate that it is a more premium product; the last TD fingerboard product with its own cardboard box packaging and window was the Wooden Collector Series.
The blue plastic holds the board in place so it doesn't fall loose during display and it also protects it from damage. On the back of the blue plastic, the two pieces of foam tape are taped to it as well as a small plastic pack containing the tool, stickers and hard bushings.
Graphic side
Side and concave view
Deck craftsmanship
With Tech Deck producing so many products, you would expect them to be vigilant about quality control. My previous experience with Tech Deck is that although the products are mostly fine, there have been many many minor QC issues such as graphic misalignment, scratches on deck, trucks not being straight.
With my deck, the craftsmanship is generally good.
The rails are perfectly parallel.
The kicks are perfectly shaped and round.
The lacquer is adequate and covers the entire board uniformly.
The mounting holes are countersunk and fits the included screws perfectly.
The bottom graphic is applied well and is not misaligned.
The top ply is very clean and smooth with a professional Tech Deck logo engraving.
The combination of plies is a plain but good choice.
The application of the graphic is also a bit different from the Wood Competition Series G2. I liked how the previous graphics felt on the deck but the graphics on the Expert Sk8 are applied nicely too. The whole graphic looks smoother than before and it also wears faster than the Wood Comp G2. I wouldn't say this is better or worse, just something new and different.
However, there is one minor problem with the mounting holes on the tail. They are 0.5-1mm off-center and are angled very slightly. Whilst I have come across graphic misalignment or scratches on TD decks in the past, this is probably the most significant issue for a fingerboarder (as opposed to a collector). Fortunately, with it being a 30mm wide deck, minor misplacement of the holes does not affect performance as badly as it would on a regular 25mm deck.
With Tech Deck producing so many products, you would expect them to be vigilant about quality control. My previous experience with Tech Deck is that although the products are mostly fine, there have been many many minor QC issues such as graphic misalignment, scratches on deck, trucks not being straight.
With my deck, the craftsmanship is generally good.
The rails are perfectly parallel.
The kicks are perfectly shaped and round.
The lacquer is adequate and covers the entire board uniformly.
The mounting holes are countersunk and fits the included screws perfectly.
The bottom graphic is applied well and is not misaligned.
The top ply is very clean and smooth with a professional Tech Deck logo engraving.
The combination of plies is a plain but good choice.
The application of the graphic is also a bit different from the Wood Competition Series G2. I liked how the previous graphics felt on the deck but the graphics on the Expert Sk8 are applied nicely too. The whole graphic looks smoother than before and it also wears faster than the Wood Comp G2. I wouldn't say this is better or worse, just something new and different.
However, there is one minor problem with the mounting holes on the tail. They are 0.5-1mm off-center and are angled very slightly. Whilst I have come across graphic misalignment or scratches on TD decks in the past, this is probably the most significant issue for a fingerboarder (as opposed to a collector). Fortunately, with it being a 30mm wide deck, minor misplacement of the holes does not affect performance as badly as it would on a regular 25mm deck.
Comparison with Wood Competition Series G2
Another view of the concave
Deck performance
I personally think the performance of this deck is quite good. As a fingerboarder, I have reached the stage where I can adapt to any fingerboard. Relatively quickly, I found the deck very easy to use.
The defining features of the deck that are noticed as soon as you skate it are the 30mm width, the high concave, the long kicks and the short wheelbase. The high concave may be daunting to some fingerboarders but its effect is partially nullified by applying the foam tape, allowing a good feel of the deck but also having good grip. Whereas the 30mm width and high concave can be considered features that depend on peoples' preferences that has no fault in the design itself, the combination of the long kicks and short wheelbase negatively affects performance a bit. Some people may prefer long kicks and/or a short wheelbase but considering proportions is important. I can do most tricks quite easily on this board due to the wide width but I feel the deck would be so much better if the design made the wheelbase longer and kicks shorter.
To put the wheelbase in perspective, it is 3mm shorter than the wheelbase on a Close Up G4 complete which was already considered short. The Expert Sk8 wheelbase is also 4mm shorter than a standard 96mm Tech Deck and 5mm shorter than a Blackriver complete. These are approximate measurements.
I should note that I prefer to ride this deck backwards, with the shorter kick as the nose and the longer kick as the tail. The unusual length of kicks made me more suited to riding it in this way to do my tricks easier although I generally prefer symmetrical kicks.
Compared with the previous Wood Competition Series G2, I wouldn't say this deck is better or worse. They are both great decks and deciding between them just depends on whether you want a 26mm deck or a 30mm deck. However, the Wood Comp G2 does not come with the bearing wheels, soft bushings etc.
In summary, the width and concave are great for performance. The deck has decent pop and tricks are quite easy to do on it. Better placement of truck mounting holes and/or shorter kicks would optimise the deck.
I personally think the performance of this deck is quite good. As a fingerboarder, I have reached the stage where I can adapt to any fingerboard. Relatively quickly, I found the deck very easy to use.
The defining features of the deck that are noticed as soon as you skate it are the 30mm width, the high concave, the long kicks and the short wheelbase. The high concave may be daunting to some fingerboarders but its effect is partially nullified by applying the foam tape, allowing a good feel of the deck but also having good grip. Whereas the 30mm width and high concave can be considered features that depend on peoples' preferences that has no fault in the design itself, the combination of the long kicks and short wheelbase negatively affects performance a bit. Some people may prefer long kicks and/or a short wheelbase but considering proportions is important. I can do most tricks quite easily on this board due to the wide width but I feel the deck would be so much better if the design made the wheelbase longer and kicks shorter.
To put the wheelbase in perspective, it is 3mm shorter than the wheelbase on a Close Up G4 complete which was already considered short. The Expert Sk8 wheelbase is also 4mm shorter than a standard 96mm Tech Deck and 5mm shorter than a Blackriver complete. These are approximate measurements.
I should note that I prefer to ride this deck backwards, with the shorter kick as the nose and the longer kick as the tail. The unusual length of kicks made me more suited to riding it in this way to do my tricks easier although I generally prefer symmetrical kicks.
Compared with the previous Wood Competition Series G2, I wouldn't say this deck is better or worse. They are both great decks and deciding between them just depends on whether you want a 26mm deck or a 30mm deck. However, the Wood Comp G2 does not come with the bearing wheels, soft bushings etc.
In summary, the width and concave are great for performance. The deck has decent pop and tricks are quite easy to do on it. Better placement of truck mounting holes and/or shorter kicks would optimise the deck.
Peeling the tape
*le perfectly applied tape
Foam grip review
I have only used the precut tape and not the uncut tape. The tape was very easy to apply to the deck and as I mentioned previously, it can help negate some of the high concave whilst maintaining good grip. Its precut shape fits the deck perfectly leaving a clean edge around the deck and also features screw holes already cut. This helps alignment, ease of application and looks very clean. As the rest of the complete is already set up, the precut tape can also be applied straight away without the need to disassemble other parts or to assemble it from scratch.
It is a smooth style tape but is reasonably grippy. You can ride it straight away as it doesn't need wearing in. It is soft and the grip is at a very good balance to allow you to perform tricks comfortably. If I could compare this to another tape, it comes close to Snow Distribution tape but is a little softer/weaker. At 1mm, this is a standard thickness balancing the feel of the deck with strength and is the best thickness for tapes in my opinion. I have used the board for a month as a main and the tape has been holding out pretty well. I generally take better care of decks and tape compared to some fingerboarders I've seen so you might find yours to degrade at a faster rate than I have experienced. The logo wore away after a couple of weeks so instead of relying on the logo to identify the orientation of the deck, you may want to use another method such as cutting the grip, sanding the front two screws from black to raw metal or another method of your choosing if you wish. I have also carried the board around in my pocket without any other case or box to hold it in but it has been resilient unlike if you were to do the same with China tape. The tape is still mostly in tact with some bits falling from the edges. I have also begun to notice small bits of dirty adhesive appearing at the edges of the tape which I scrape off to clean it. It is only very small though and this happens with most tapes. Also, as with most tapes, it can become slightly dirty but I think everyone accepts this as it doesn't affect the performance if it's not too dirty and you don't really need to do anything about it. My fingers get slightly blackened when I use it for a good session but I like it as it's evidence that I've truly seshed the hell out of the board.
It seems the tape still has a long life to go. I tend to make tape last longer than most people though. I estimate this should last me a good few months. I have not tested removing the tape as it would be a waste of this good tape so I can't comment about removing it.
Note: I seem to have forgotten to include a picture of the worn in tape. It's just the same with the logo worn off and a few very small bits of the edge that have come off.
I have only used the precut tape and not the uncut tape. The tape was very easy to apply to the deck and as I mentioned previously, it can help negate some of the high concave whilst maintaining good grip. Its precut shape fits the deck perfectly leaving a clean edge around the deck and also features screw holes already cut. This helps alignment, ease of application and looks very clean. As the rest of the complete is already set up, the precut tape can also be applied straight away without the need to disassemble other parts or to assemble it from scratch.
It is a smooth style tape but is reasonably grippy. You can ride it straight away as it doesn't need wearing in. It is soft and the grip is at a very good balance to allow you to perform tricks comfortably. If I could compare this to another tape, it comes close to Snow Distribution tape but is a little softer/weaker. At 1mm, this is a standard thickness balancing the feel of the deck with strength and is the best thickness for tapes in my opinion. I have used the board for a month as a main and the tape has been holding out pretty well. I generally take better care of decks and tape compared to some fingerboarders I've seen so you might find yours to degrade at a faster rate than I have experienced. The logo wore away after a couple of weeks so instead of relying on the logo to identify the orientation of the deck, you may want to use another method such as cutting the grip, sanding the front two screws from black to raw metal or another method of your choosing if you wish. I have also carried the board around in my pocket without any other case or box to hold it in but it has been resilient unlike if you were to do the same with China tape. The tape is still mostly in tact with some bits falling from the edges. I have also begun to notice small bits of dirty adhesive appearing at the edges of the tape which I scrape off to clean it. It is only very small though and this happens with most tapes. Also, as with most tapes, it can become slightly dirty but I think everyone accepts this as it doesn't affect the performance if it's not too dirty and you don't really need to do anything about it. My fingers get slightly blackened when I use it for a good session but I like it as it's evidence that I've truly seshed the hell out of the board.
It seems the tape still has a long life to go. I tend to make tape last longer than most people though. I estimate this should last me a good few months. I have not tested removing the tape as it would be a waste of this good tape so I can't comment about removing it.
Note: I seem to have forgotten to include a picture of the worn in tape. It's just the same with the logo worn off and a few very small bits of the edge that have come off.
Wow how bad are your pictures of the wheels?
The pictures get worse!
Hard bearing wheels - craftsmanship
These wheels appear to be a bridge in the gap between TD/China non-bearing wheels and bearing wheels made by other fingerboard companies. This is somewhat like the existing common Chinese bearing wheels but a little bit better.
These wheels don't have mold marks unlike some other Chinese bearing wheels which is an obvious benefit for smooth rolling. The material used is like the plastic used in other Tech Deck wheels but without the mold marks and with the different shape. The shape of the wheels are produced perfectly and I cannot see anything that would affect performance. The bearings are fixed to the wheels although not very securely and can come out. There are no treads on the wheels like on skateboard wheels and some fingerboard wheels, not that this really affects performance.
You might argue that TD mimics skateboards with changeable bearings but this is unlikely to be the case. Loose fingerboard bearings just adds to the hassle if the drop out and roll away leaving you trying to find them. Also, unlike skateboarding, we have no standard size of fingerboard bearing so we cannot easily change bearings. These bearings in particular look quite thin, much like the ones used in some dual bearing wheels although these wheels are only single bearing wheels. The bearings are also shieldless. I am thinking the choice of bearings may have been a cost saving issue and fear the affect on performance. Skateboards and fingerboards alike generally do not like dirt and with the amount of dirt fingerboards attract, open bearings may not be great.
The wheels are not backless and there is a lot of space left in the wheel due to how thin the bearing is and how wide the wheel is. The main thing about the design of the wheels is that it appears to be designed specially for the trucks and the trucks designed for the wheels. I will cover this more in the trucks section. I have tried putting these wheels on other trucks and they seem to go on them fine BUT DO NOT PUT THESE WHEELS ON BLACKRIVER TRUCKS AS THEY WILL GET STUCK.
What I do like about the wheels is that it hangs over the axle a little bit so the truck axles do not dig into your desk and damage it if you bail. This is also great for me as I like to do freestyle tricks like railstands and primos without fear of ruining the surface.
These wheels appear to be a bridge in the gap between TD/China non-bearing wheels and bearing wheels made by other fingerboard companies. This is somewhat like the existing common Chinese bearing wheels but a little bit better.
These wheels don't have mold marks unlike some other Chinese bearing wheels which is an obvious benefit for smooth rolling. The material used is like the plastic used in other Tech Deck wheels but without the mold marks and with the different shape. The shape of the wheels are produced perfectly and I cannot see anything that would affect performance. The bearings are fixed to the wheels although not very securely and can come out. There are no treads on the wheels like on skateboard wheels and some fingerboard wheels, not that this really affects performance.
You might argue that TD mimics skateboards with changeable bearings but this is unlikely to be the case. Loose fingerboard bearings just adds to the hassle if the drop out and roll away leaving you trying to find them. Also, unlike skateboarding, we have no standard size of fingerboard bearing so we cannot easily change bearings. These bearings in particular look quite thin, much like the ones used in some dual bearing wheels although these wheels are only single bearing wheels. The bearings are also shieldless. I am thinking the choice of bearings may have been a cost saving issue and fear the affect on performance. Skateboards and fingerboards alike generally do not like dirt and with the amount of dirt fingerboards attract, open bearings may not be great.
The wheels are not backless and there is a lot of space left in the wheel due to how thin the bearing is and how wide the wheel is. The main thing about the design of the wheels is that it appears to be designed specially for the trucks and the trucks designed for the wheels. I will cover this more in the trucks section. I have tried putting these wheels on other trucks and they seem to go on them fine BUT DO NOT PUT THESE WHEELS ON BLACKRIVER TRUCKS AS THEY WILL GET STUCK.
What I do like about the wheels is that it hangs over the axle a little bit so the truck axles do not dig into your desk and damage it if you bail. This is also great for me as I like to do freestyle tricks like railstands and primos without fear of ruining the surface.
Compatibility check
Do the wheels fit other trucks?
Tech Deck regulars - YES
China wides - YES (this isn't pictured but I have tested it)
Ytrucks X3 - YES
BRTs - NO, it might fit on but then will get stuck
Close Up G4 bearing trucks - YES
It may be wise to use microwashers if you want to use the wheels on any of these except Ytrucks.
Hard bearing wheels - performance
These wheels do feel somewhat like the common Chinese bearing wheels because of the material. The plastic feels cheaper/weaker and isn't as comfortable as other popular bearing wheels out there. If you've tried Chinese bearing wheels before, you will know what I mean. The wheels aren't unridable, they just feel a bit strange when rolling. Obviously, bearing wheels are much better than non-bearing wheels as it's so much more comfortable to roll.
The small axle space of the trucks, thin bearings on the wheels and the sides of the hanger encourages you to tighten the nut of the axle as much as possible so that the wheel rolls against the hanger and doesn't wobble sideways. Doing this makes rolling very nice and it also makes the trucks look better as you don't see the strange blobs on the sides.
The shape of the wheels is fine as it seems to be a standard shape. They are wider than most wheels but it also has a reduced contact point that is not the whole width of the wheel. Performance-wise, I cannot really tell any difference from most wheel shapes and can do my tricks normally.
I did slightly damage one of the bearings when trying to put it on a Blackriver truck so it does not roll as well as it used to. One of the other bearings has also since not been rolling so well. This is just about spinning the wheels on the axles but riding the board is still fine. The bearings also squeak a little bit now, much like other low quality Chinese bearing wheels.
The blobs on the side of the trucks fit right in the wheel to allow smooth rolling which is good... but the material of the wheels may be a bit weak and I have started noticing some wear on the backs of the wheels.
Overall, the wheels are better than any other they have produced before. They perform alright but apart from just beating other Chinese bearing wheels, they do not come close to other fingerboard bearing wheels. It could be much better with a different stronger wheel material and wider or dual bearings that have shields on them.
Another thing that would have been great on these wheels would be wheel graphics. They could use their license from Spitfire or maybe they could produce decks and wheels with matching graphics as I have seen on many skateboard setups, possibly even introducing graphics on both sides of their wheels.
My favourite wheels are Close Up urethane bearing wheels so I would have loved to have tried the soft TD bearing wheels. I will look out for these in the future!
Tech Deck regulars - YES
China wides - YES (this isn't pictured but I have tested it)
Ytrucks X3 - YES
BRTs - NO, it might fit on but then will get stuck
Close Up G4 bearing trucks - YES
It may be wise to use microwashers if you want to use the wheels on any of these except Ytrucks.
Hard bearing wheels - performance
These wheels do feel somewhat like the common Chinese bearing wheels because of the material. The plastic feels cheaper/weaker and isn't as comfortable as other popular bearing wheels out there. If you've tried Chinese bearing wheels before, you will know what I mean. The wheels aren't unridable, they just feel a bit strange when rolling. Obviously, bearing wheels are much better than non-bearing wheels as it's so much more comfortable to roll.
The small axle space of the trucks, thin bearings on the wheels and the sides of the hanger encourages you to tighten the nut of the axle as much as possible so that the wheel rolls against the hanger and doesn't wobble sideways. Doing this makes rolling very nice and it also makes the trucks look better as you don't see the strange blobs on the sides.
The shape of the wheels is fine as it seems to be a standard shape. They are wider than most wheels but it also has a reduced contact point that is not the whole width of the wheel. Performance-wise, I cannot really tell any difference from most wheel shapes and can do my tricks normally.
I did slightly damage one of the bearings when trying to put it on a Blackriver truck so it does not roll as well as it used to. One of the other bearings has also since not been rolling so well. This is just about spinning the wheels on the axles but riding the board is still fine. The bearings also squeak a little bit now, much like other low quality Chinese bearing wheels.
The blobs on the side of the trucks fit right in the wheel to allow smooth rolling which is good... but the material of the wheels may be a bit weak and I have started noticing some wear on the backs of the wheels.
Overall, the wheels are better than any other they have produced before. They perform alright but apart from just beating other Chinese bearing wheels, they do not come close to other fingerboard bearing wheels. It could be much better with a different stronger wheel material and wider or dual bearings that have shields on them.
Another thing that would have been great on these wheels would be wheel graphics. They could use their license from Spitfire or maybe they could produce decks and wheels with matching graphics as I have seen on many skateboard setups, possibly even introducing graphics on both sides of their wheels.
My favourite wheels are Close Up urethane bearing wheels so I would have loved to have tried the soft TD bearing wheels. I will look out for these in the future!
A really bad picture of the trucks, DAMN YOU PHONE
Another view
Yet another view
Trucks craftsmanship
I have seen a lot of comments about how ugly the trucks look. I can see their point when the wheels are not attached but when the wheels are set up properly, I don't think it looks as bad since the sides of the hanger are covered by the wheel. I don't understand the lines on the hangers, I'm pretty sure they don't exist on Independent skateboard trucks and this would be the main thing people don't like the look of.
The chrome hanger and painted red baseplate do look pretty nice. The Independent logo on the hanger has not looked the best on these and previous Tech Deck trucks but realistically, a detailed logo being printed on can't really be improved much more but it always looks a little sloppy. Truck branding is always great though but if only it can look much neater. Most Indy skateboard trucks don't have this logo on the hanger so maybe they should just remove it (they have really accurate looking Indy trucks for the new Tech Deck longboards but they could make one like that for regular and wide boards too). As far as accuracy goes, the cyclindrical shape at the top of the hanger does kind of look like Indy skateboard trucks and they also made the same grooves on the baseplates like on full-size Indy trucks. Blackriver managed to have their name on the baseplates of Blackriver trucks but unfortunately, Tech Deck did not manage to get the Independent name to fit in the baseplate grooves like on their full-size versions. It still looks great though. The orange colour of the bushings also matches with the orange bushings on most Indy trucks. One detail that didn't catch my eye at first was the raised Independent cross on the baseplate. This detail is pretty awesome as the skateboard trucks have the logo at that part of the baseplate too and it's also the first of this type of feature on the baseplate of fingerboard trucks that I have ever seen.
I am also pleased to see these trucks feature a soft pivot cup in the baseplate as opposed to just a hole in previous trucks. This allows for smoother turning. What is a huge improvement though is the soft bushings with conical metal washers. Compared to other Tech Deck bushings, these are properly shaped, are not rock hard and they feature conical washers to hold the bushings in place and protect them. These are the first TD trucks to have a proper bushing system so you can actually turn decently without having to buy other bushings.
A small issue with the trucks is one people may remember from olden days of fingerboards. The kingpin sticks out a tiny bit underneath the baseplate. It is not as bad as on old TD trucks and I wouldn't really have any concern with using them on this or any other deck that does not have kingpin holes.
As for compatibility with other wheels go, it appears these trucks are designed for the wheels and vice versa. The edges of the hanger slot into the wheels so the actual axle space is reduced. The small axle space means that most other wheels won't fit on these trucks. Oak V1/2 might fit but I've not got any to test the idea. In a fingerboard political view, you could interpret this in many ways. Tech Deck could be wanting to make their own products work with other TD products only and try to gain additional sales from people originally wanting to mix their setups. You can also interpret it as TD remaining separate from the distinct consumer base wanting non-TD products and keeping both markets the same not to cause any more controversy. I would like to think people can remain peaceful about the entire thing though.
I have seen a lot of comments about how ugly the trucks look. I can see their point when the wheels are not attached but when the wheels are set up properly, I don't think it looks as bad since the sides of the hanger are covered by the wheel. I don't understand the lines on the hangers, I'm pretty sure they don't exist on Independent skateboard trucks and this would be the main thing people don't like the look of.
The chrome hanger and painted red baseplate do look pretty nice. The Independent logo on the hanger has not looked the best on these and previous Tech Deck trucks but realistically, a detailed logo being printed on can't really be improved much more but it always looks a little sloppy. Truck branding is always great though but if only it can look much neater. Most Indy skateboard trucks don't have this logo on the hanger so maybe they should just remove it (they have really accurate looking Indy trucks for the new Tech Deck longboards but they could make one like that for regular and wide boards too). As far as accuracy goes, the cyclindrical shape at the top of the hanger does kind of look like Indy skateboard trucks and they also made the same grooves on the baseplates like on full-size Indy trucks. Blackriver managed to have their name on the baseplates of Blackriver trucks but unfortunately, Tech Deck did not manage to get the Independent name to fit in the baseplate grooves like on their full-size versions. It still looks great though. The orange colour of the bushings also matches with the orange bushings on most Indy trucks. One detail that didn't catch my eye at first was the raised Independent cross on the baseplate. This detail is pretty awesome as the skateboard trucks have the logo at that part of the baseplate too and it's also the first of this type of feature on the baseplate of fingerboard trucks that I have ever seen.
I am also pleased to see these trucks feature a soft pivot cup in the baseplate as opposed to just a hole in previous trucks. This allows for smoother turning. What is a huge improvement though is the soft bushings with conical metal washers. Compared to other Tech Deck bushings, these are properly shaped, are not rock hard and they feature conical washers to hold the bushings in place and protect them. These are the first TD trucks to have a proper bushing system so you can actually turn decently without having to buy other bushings.
A small issue with the trucks is one people may remember from olden days of fingerboards. The kingpin sticks out a tiny bit underneath the baseplate. It is not as bad as on old TD trucks and I wouldn't really have any concern with using them on this or any other deck that does not have kingpin holes.
As for compatibility with other wheels go, it appears these trucks are designed for the wheels and vice versa. The edges of the hanger slot into the wheels so the actual axle space is reduced. The small axle space means that most other wheels won't fit on these trucks. Oak V1/2 might fit but I've not got any to test the idea. In a fingerboard political view, you could interpret this in many ways. Tech Deck could be wanting to make their own products work with other TD products only and try to gain additional sales from people originally wanting to mix their setups. You can also interpret it as TD remaining separate from the distinct consumer base wanting non-TD products and keeping both markets the same not to cause any more controversy. I would like to think people can remain peaceful about the entire thing though.
Truck disassembly
Truck disassembly 2
Truck performance
With the soft bushings, turning felt really nice and comfortable. I normally like to ride medium-hard bushings but the soft ones were still great to ride. With my usual preferences, I got into a bad habit of tightening them too much and eventually, the bushings started to squish and break against the conical washers. If I had some plastic threaded nuts for the kingpin, it might not have happened.
I have since changed them to the hard bushings which are also good if you like hard bushings. The hard bushings don't offer much if you want to turn though. It would have been great if the hard bushings were a little softer.
The slot in the hanger for the bushings also seems a bit big. The hanger has room to move sideways although you don't really notice this when skating.
One of the main problems I have found with the trucks is with the design. The kingpin is too high and it hangs over the truck hanger so it gets in the way of grinds. The height of the bushings and washers mean that the nut must be tightened to the top of the kingpin and you are not able to file the kingpin down to fix the problem. Also, the hanger shape is not flat at the top and dips at the middle which further amplifies this problem. The kingpins do get in the way but you can still grind on the kingpins and nuts although that might damage them. You may also grind at extreme angles to avoid grinding on the kingpins and nuts. You could also use thinner bushings and file the kingpin down but grinding on the dips in the hangers wouldn't be that nice either.
It is a shame that I thought the trucks didn't look as bad as people say but there is are small problems with its design. The board can still be ridden but you may notice grinds being not as good as on other trucks. Plastic threaded nuts would be great but that's probably a luxury to be considered for inclusion on Tech Deck trucks. It may be worth buying some from Blackriver or Ytrucks.
With the soft bushings, turning felt really nice and comfortable. I normally like to ride medium-hard bushings but the soft ones were still great to ride. With my usual preferences, I got into a bad habit of tightening them too much and eventually, the bushings started to squish and break against the conical washers. If I had some plastic threaded nuts for the kingpin, it might not have happened.
I have since changed them to the hard bushings which are also good if you like hard bushings. The hard bushings don't offer much if you want to turn though. It would have been great if the hard bushings were a little softer.
The slot in the hanger for the bushings also seems a bit big. The hanger has room to move sideways although you don't really notice this when skating.
One of the main problems I have found with the trucks is with the design. The kingpin is too high and it hangs over the truck hanger so it gets in the way of grinds. The height of the bushings and washers mean that the nut must be tightened to the top of the kingpin and you are not able to file the kingpin down to fix the problem. Also, the hanger shape is not flat at the top and dips at the middle which further amplifies this problem. The kingpins do get in the way but you can still grind on the kingpins and nuts although that might damage them. You may also grind at extreme angles to avoid grinding on the kingpins and nuts. You could also use thinner bushings and file the kingpin down but grinding on the dips in the hangers wouldn't be that nice either.
It is a shame that I thought the trucks didn't look as bad as people say but there is are small problems with its design. The board can still be ridden but you may notice grinds being not as good as on other trucks. Plastic threaded nuts would be great but that's probably a luxury to be considered for inclusion on Tech Deck trucks. It may be worth buying some from Blackriver or Ytrucks.
Worn in bushings
Tool
A small section about the tool even though it's just a tool... It's a little different from the previous TD tools as it has a raised Tech Deck logo on the plastic. The head is also a little thicker than previous tools so it may not be compatible with some other fingerboard wheels.
Overall
Overall, this board is quite good although I've mentioned some of the problems I've found with it. These problems aren't disasterous so I think people will still enjoy the board. A lot of beginners probably would not notice the things I've mentioned. At only $15 and the features it has, it's a great bargain. It is probably one of the best options at the moment for a new fingerboarder or someone on a low budget. It's a huge improvement on previous Tech Deck products and a good sign that they are improving. It is not as great as many other fingerboard products but it is considerably cheaper and not too bad. I'd recommend these as well as other fingerboard products out there if you have the money.
As a collector, the price does have an increase on other TD products but it is great value for the quality. Tech Deck finally signed up Enjoi last year and this is a really great Enjoi graphic for their newest boards.
A small section about the tool even though it's just a tool... It's a little different from the previous TD tools as it has a raised Tech Deck logo on the plastic. The head is also a little thicker than previous tools so it may not be compatible with some other fingerboard wheels.
Overall
Overall, this board is quite good although I've mentioned some of the problems I've found with it. These problems aren't disasterous so I think people will still enjoy the board. A lot of beginners probably would not notice the things I've mentioned. At only $15 and the features it has, it's a great bargain. It is probably one of the best options at the moment for a new fingerboarder or someone on a low budget. It's a huge improvement on previous Tech Deck products and a good sign that they are improving. It is not as great as many other fingerboard products but it is considerably cheaper and not too bad. I'd recommend these as well as other fingerboard products out there if you have the money.
As a collector, the price does have an increase on other TD products but it is great value for the quality. Tech Deck finally signed up Enjoi last year and this is a really great Enjoi graphic for their newest boards.
Mini-comparison with other rival completes - Blackriver & Close Up
Mini-comparison with other rival completes - Blackriver & Close Up
So compared with the Close Up G4, the Expert Sk8 has about the same length but a smaller wheelbase. The kicks are a little lower and the dips are less defined. The concaves are both high but the Expert Sk8 width is 30mm compared to the Close Up G4's 27mm.
Comparing against the Blackriver complete/Berlinwood new mold, the Expert Sk8 has a longer length by a few millimeters, a shorter wheelbase, about the same height kicks, higher concave, less defined dips and 1mm extra width.
I have no other major issues with the rest of the Blackriver and Close Up completes but the issues with the Expert Sk8 are less desirable. I won't talk about what is the best or what to buy as I believe the fingerboard market has plenty of awesome choices and the best board for each person is different depending on their preference. Go out and try as many products as possible. Gotta catch 'em all!
I must mention that this review is just what I think about the board. Reading/watching multiple reviews by different people is definitely recommended. Check out this epic review of the prototype version with lots of much better pictures by bikerm of FFI - http://fingerflipinc.com/forum/index.php?topic=78392.0
Where to purchase
These should be available in some places already. The release of the Expert Sk8 boards should be everywhere in February. They'll be $15 in the US but I don't know what the prices will be elsewhere.
You may use this review and pictures, in part or in full, as long as you credit it to me and get permission from me.
I missed your super cute anime figures, where are they?
I am UK-based but am currently in China working as a teacher. I could not bring my figures with me to China. I will be back in the UK some time this year. Most of my fingerboards and my figures are still in the UK, probably up to no good...
Comparing against the Blackriver complete/Berlinwood new mold, the Expert Sk8 has a longer length by a few millimeters, a shorter wheelbase, about the same height kicks, higher concave, less defined dips and 1mm extra width.
I have no other major issues with the rest of the Blackriver and Close Up completes but the issues with the Expert Sk8 are less desirable. I won't talk about what is the best or what to buy as I believe the fingerboard market has plenty of awesome choices and the best board for each person is different depending on their preference. Go out and try as many products as possible. Gotta catch 'em all!
I must mention that this review is just what I think about the board. Reading/watching multiple reviews by different people is definitely recommended. Check out this epic review of the prototype version with lots of much better pictures by bikerm of FFI - http://fingerflipinc.com/forum/index.php?topic=78392.0
Where to purchase
These should be available in some places already. The release of the Expert Sk8 boards should be everywhere in February. They'll be $15 in the US but I don't know what the prices will be elsewhere.
You may use this review and pictures, in part or in full, as long as you credit it to me and get permission from me.
I missed your super cute anime figures, where are they?
I am UK-based but am currently in China working as a teacher. I could not bring my figures with me to China. I will be back in the UK some time this year. Most of my fingerboards and my figures are still in the UK, probably up to no good...
I don't even
This has got to be the longest review I have written, zomg! o.o I am pretty tired right now so sorry if there have been mistakes.
If you have read this review and it was useful, please reply! Review threads don't always get a lot of replies, even if they are read. If you didn't like this review, please tell me why so I can improve! I am available to review other products should you have any products you want reviewing. Otherwise, I will continue to review whatever that takes my fancy.
You may also be interested in my review of the Tech Deck Wooden Competition Series G2 -http://www.fingerboardhq.net/t4890-tech-deck-wood-competition-series-g2-review-work-in-progress
Next review - Undecided between Soma Poolshape, Tech Deck funbox with rail or something else
If you have read this review and it was useful, please reply! Review threads don't always get a lot of replies, even if they are read. If you didn't like this review, please tell me why so I can improve! I am available to review other products should you have any products you want reviewing. Otherwise, I will continue to review whatever that takes my fancy.
You may also be interested in my review of the Tech Deck Wooden Competition Series G2 -http://www.fingerboardhq.net/t4890-tech-deck-wood-competition-series-g2-review-work-in-progress
Next review - Undecided between Soma Poolshape, Tech Deck funbox with rail or something else
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