As we know, skateboards have evolved due to several factors. These include the skaters’ needs and preferences, terrain situations, and the creativity of various brands.
And indeed, these changes have made the sport more inclusive, igniting individuals to cruise, surf skate, or go downhill skating.
More about surf skating. Carver has been a protagonist of this skating style, producing many skateboards and parts suited for it. Now, are Carver boards good? Let’s see if they are through this Carver skateboard review.
Table of Contents
Overview of Carver Skateboard
Carver began on a hot summer in 1996 when Neil Carver and Greg Falk idealized riding the waves on solid ground. And that’s what pushed them to innovate surfing skateboard trucks.
These creations intend to imitate the feeling of surfing the beach waves on concrete or similar grounds using a pivoting arm.
However, the entire designing process wasn’t as smooth or instant as the duo had to create prototypes and tap other professionals to design these trucks better.
Nonetheless, trials and tests were successful. And now, Carver is one of the best brands to specialize in these parts above its line of complete skateboards, decks, and others.
Features of Carver Skateboard
Carver Skateboard’s life in the industry already made it distribute more product varieties, whether skateboards or their parts. Here’s what makes a Carver skateboard.
1. Deck construction, materials
Many skaters adore Carver decks for their durability and functionality. For the longest time that Carver has been dwelling in the market, it has produced skateboard decks from various raw materials. These include plastic, oak wood, ebony wood, and more.
Design-wise, Carver has various sizes ranging from 25.5″ to 36″. Here are a few of them.
- Carver Tye Stick – 25.5”
- Carver Knox Quill – 31.25”
- Carver Triton Prismal – 32”
- Carver Hobo – 32.5”
- Carver Black Tip – 32.5”
- Tyler Riddler – 35.5”
Also, it comes in several shapes, nose and tail designs, and styles to suit the skater’s preferences.
2. Trucks
Trucks are Carver’s backbone. This brand launched CX, C5, and C7.
C7 trucks are for pumping fast and turning smoothly. This model holds a secondary axis that increases the board’s turn and, eventually, its speed.
C5 has a lower center of gravity. It yields optimum control and better ollies. Yes, Carver C5 trucks work well for tricks, as many skaters complement this truck type with double-kick skateboards.
Ultimately, CX has this signature shape that boosts pumping and turning. It’s lightweight and arguably more stable than C7.
Regarding the brand’s rear tricks, C2 and C4 are the classic options. They are designed to function like the fins of a surfboard, allowing snappy turns and grinds.
3. Wheels
Carver Skateboards uses Roundhouse for their wheels. These rollers have three types; Large, Medium, and Small. Large wheels work for distance cruising, Medium for surf carving, and Small for tricks.
4. Bearings
Like the wheels, Carver also vests in its line for the bearings.
Carver offers a box of Carver bearings ready for installation and use. And these are not ordinary wheel cores. These wheel attachments come with an ABEC 7 rating and gel lubrication. Hence, skaters can expect precise performance from these components.
Performance
Most feedback hangs on the trucks, with Carver specializing in these parts. Let’s see what buyers say about Surfskate Carver boards.
- Perfect surfing experience
Many skaters would agree that Carver has succeeded in replicating wave surfing sensations on the land through its trucks. What’s better is it became a widely used method by individuals wanting to learn surfing.
- Helps improve posture
With Carver skateboards being an efficient way to learn surfing, several skaters find them optimum for posture improvement. Hence, wave surfers can get more prepared before taking on the beach.
- Smooth and enhanced balance
Besides the surf-like experience and various maneuvers amenable on Carver, its boards yield a smooth performance, whether pumping, carving, or turning.
And on top of these wavy motions, these boards help the skaters enhance their balance on their knees and feet.
Pros and Cons
There are many aspects we can love from a Carver surfskate. But there are also a few we might not like. Here are some of them.
- Surf-like feeling on a skateboard
- Improved posture, balance, and body coordination
- Assists in recording surfing-style videos
- Exceptional trucks
- More variety of skateboards and parts
- Carver skateboards are slightly more costly
Cost
A Carver skateboard’s cost isn’t an absolute drawback against the brand because of what it can perform. Nonetheless, here’s a list of some famous Carver skateboard prices today.
Surfskates
- Lost X Carver 32.5″ Rocket Redux Brophy Surfskate Complete CX – $250.00
- Carver 31″ Kai Lenny Lava Surfskate 2022 Complete CX – $270.00
- Carver 31″ Resin Surfskate 2022 Complete C7 – $272.00
- Carver X Bing 27.5″ Puck Surfskate Complete C7 – $285.00
- 33.5″ J.O.B Camo Tiger Surfskate 2022 Complete C7 – $285.00
Trucks
- Carver CX Surfskate Truck Kit – $164.00
- C5 Street Surf Truck Kit – $164.00
- Carver C7 Surfskate Truck Kit – $178.00
Are Carver Skateboards Good?
Yes! Carver skateboards are good because of their uniquely designed trucks and various skateboard decks. Not only are these parts quality-looking, but they are also serving the best surfing experience for skaters on land.
Many brands attempt to replicate the same quality and riding experience as Carver. But this brand’s stint and overall performance kept many skaters on its side.
Carver Skateboard Buying Guide and Considerations
Carver is a unique brand. It may not have the exact features we get accustomed to with regular skateboards. Hence, here’s a list of what to consider when buying a Carver board.
1. Your stance
We all wish to be comfortable when riding a skateboard. And our stance contributes to it.
So, our desired Carver cruiser board should have the perfect wheelbase that complements and keeps our stance. And the good thing is we might not need a wheelbase chart for that.
How? Measure the distance between your feet when standing in your natural stance. Next, add an inch higher and lower to the measurement obtained. That’s the wheelbase range that will work best for you.
Note that while boards with a shorter wheelbase, like Carver Swallow, make pumping seamless, this wheelbase choice is slightly unstable. Contrarily, longer and more stable wheelbases like Carver Firefly and CI Black Beauty make jumping more challenging.
2. Purpose and riding style
Carver skateboards also have classifications. Let’s try to calibrate through them.
- Bowl skating – Narrow wheelbase with a high concave to lock your feet on the board more securely. Examples of these boards are Bel Air 32.25″ and Impala Street Surf 32”.
- Casual long rides – Lower concave than bowl boards and possibly a broader wheelbase
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Carver and Surfskate?
Some skaters often need clarification about a Carver and Surfskate. While both brands are good, they still have a few differences listed below.
- A Swelltech Surfskate’s front truck rotates 360°, but the back remains fixed like Carver’s.
- Carver has more stable trucks than Surfskate.
- The loose truck on a Surfskate makes commuting slightly more challenging than Carver.
- Surfskate promotes a better surf simulation because of its trucks.
How do you ride a Carver skateboard?
With Carver’s trucks slightly different from the conventional skateboard wheel holders, we must learn the following steps for a guaranteed quality ride.
- Place your feet on the board with the front on the front bolts and the back on the tail’s pocket.
- Get your shoulders and posture relaxed.
- Accelerate the board by tilting your upper body and pumping your heel and toe edges.
- Keep a surfing mindset to help you ace every movement better.
Is C7, C5, or CX better?
The good thing about Carver is it made its trucks unique with specific advantages. Let’s compare Carver CX VS C7 VS C5.
- C7 – Perfect for faster and more fluid surfing with the help of a broader rotating arm.
- CX – The lightest of the three, a more stable truck that turns sharper and snappier
- C5 – Versatile truck type that works well with double-kick skateboards and tricks
Are Carver skateboards suitable for beginners?
Absolutely! However, with the unconventional feeling of riding the trucks, not all Carver boards might work for beginners. The best trucks beginner skaters should use with a carving skateboard are CX which are reasonably stable. Slide V3 is also considerable.
Conclusion
Perhaps, we would not have realized a surfing skateboard was possible until there’s Carver. This brand has taken skateboarding to a different level and given skateboarders a new look at the sport.
This Carver skateboard review has shown the kind of skateboards the brand can offer. Most of all, it opened our eyes to another dimension of skating trucks in C7, CX, C5, and more.
And now that we know about these boards and their parts, it’s time we find the best board to unleash and train the inner surfer in us.
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Hi, I am Charles Harris. I opened this site to write as much as I can about my biggest passion – skateboarding!
I started as a clumsy yet passionate rookie 10 years ago to now a still passionate yet much better skateboarder! But I have to tell you, the whole journey has always been fun and rewarding, indeed not without hardship.