Everything You Need To Know To Pick Out A Mountain Board Or Dirt Board

Dirtboarding (aka Mountainboarding) is a fairly new sport that's exploding in popularity!It is really popular with snowboarders, wakeboarders, and skateboarders.Disney even released a movie about it (Johnny Kapahala Back on Board).Basically, you ride an oversized skateboard-like deck (with oversized off-road wheels, and your feet in snowboard-like bindings) on off-road terrain (dirt, mountains, skate parks, BMX trails, dry lake beds, the beach, ski-resorts in summer, and more).

With so many choices out there, how do you know what to get?A mountain board is made up of a few components:

The deck (where you stand) has the most variety.

Different graphics and colors to start.Decks are made from different materials, which can drastically affect your riding experience.

Entry level decks are made from Maple.They tend to weigh more, have less flex, be durable, but not as durable as some of their advanced relatives.Higher-end decks will have fiberglass in them, and are lighter and more durable.Top of the line decks are made of composite materials, which make them super-light, and some even offer new physical qualities, such as extra "pop" (the ease of catching air when you jump), and custom flexing abilities, which make them difficult to bottom out when landing.

Bindings (where you strap your feet in) come in a few variations.More advanced bindings make it easier to strap in /out of your deck, and are far more comfortable than basic ones, which will just hold your feet in.Bindings are a very noticeable part of your deck, so make sure to get ones in a color that matches your deck and personality.It is often wise to spend a tiny bit more to get the ones that are more comfortable, as your feet will most likely spend a lot of time there.

There are 3 types of trucks (the part that connects your wheel to the deck): Skate truck (a large version of what a skateboard uses) / Channel trucks (large skate truck with springs) / Torsion-based trucks:

Skate trucks cost the least.

They doesn't offer the performance of the Channel or Torsion trucks, but have a large grinding area, and are very light.When shopping for a Skate truck, make sure that you get a 12 millimeter axle, or you may experience warping.Warping is the deformation of your axle from the impact of riding, and will complicate steering (sometimes ending in a fall, or a broken axle).

Channel trucks have springs for resistance control.Resistance tuning is a plus, but the springs make a lot of loud noises.Springs also age, which makes the resistance be more inconsistent from what you tune it to.

Torsion trucks cost more than Channel trucks, but provide progressive, rather than linear resistance.This means that the faster you go, the more support and stability the deck provides, making it easier to stay on in difficult turns.These trucks give you a much narrower turning radius than other trucks.This is really useful when carving on streets.

Torsion systems use urethane cubes to determine resistance, so you always get the same resistance you choose.Resistance is set from 1 to 7, where 1 is the softest (street-carving, beach riding, kite boarding), and 7 is the tightest resistance (Boardercross /downhill races).The cubes make the resistance very consistent (every time), and are easy to swap.

If you're looking to grind rails, Channel trucks may not be your best bet, as the springs limit you from a 15" grinding area down to only 7".Having that smaller grinding area often results in "Wheel-bite" (when your axle snags the rail - usually resulting in a fall), so if you're looking to do rails, you may want to consider a skate truck or a torsion-based truck.

For street riding, urethane wheels work really well, but pneumatic tires also work.For off-road riding, make sure to get pneumatic tires.The higher pressure you give them, the faster you will ride.

Make sure to get knee pads, wrist guards, and a helmet..just in case!

Now that you know everything, go out and get a dirtboard!

About the Author

Ground Industries is the world's most innovative manufacturer of all terrain boards (aka dirtboards, groundboards, mountainboards).

Where everyone else is using the standard skateboard truck for their board's suspension, we reinvented it from scratch, creating a torsion-based truck.
for more information:

www.
groundindustries.com

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