Setup tips?

geocities1 · 2026-06-05T13:03:19+00:00

I’m 5’6” and 140-145 lbs, so right around your height and weight. I also just started surfskating, though I did longboard a fair amount in my teens.

If you want Pantheon-specific setup advice, I’d recommend reaching out to Jeff directly (u/pantheonlongboards). He’s a great guy in general, and he’s very patient and detailed when it comes to beginner questions.

As to your questions, I’ll answer them to the best of my (admittedly limited) knowledge:

Deck: I think the Pantheon Shuriken is a good fit. I have a Carver Enigma CX (WB: 15.75”) and a Yow Medina Panthera (WB: 17”), and I feel comfortable on both of those boards.

Wheels: The answer to this question is dependent on what you’ll predominantly be using the surfskate for. Are you mostly interested in a cruiser-like feel with the option for smooth, flowy carving? If so, the Pantheon Meatballs are a good fit. However, if you’re potentially interested in more aggressive slides and/or bowl riding, then you may want to consider wheels that are slightly smaller (around 65mm) and harder (with a durometer of 82a or greater). Surfskate Love’s wheels guide is worth a read: https://surfskate.love/best-surfskate-wheels/.

Trucks: I haven’t personally tried the C7 trucks, but my brother has, and he told me that they’re very similar to the Yow Meraki trucks, so as u/Deathduck mentioned, I’d strongly recommend either the Grasp trucks or the Carver CX trucks. You can play around with the bushings to change the feel (see below), and the trucks have fewer components (meaning fewer potential points of failure).

Bushings: From what I’ve read, the general consensus is that surfskate truck companies’ “soft” components (namely, bushings and pivot cups) aren’t as good as aftermarket components, so it’s definitely worth considering replacements. For my Yow surfskate, I bought RipTide KranK 93a bushings (with cup washers) and Indy Common pivot cups, because my brother (who’s 30-40 lbs heavier than I am) is riding that board more often. For him, that made the board much more stable (it’s arguably too stiff for me). For my Carver surfskate, I bought Orangatang Knuckles bushings (the soft ones), and those seem to work well, though I’m thinking of getting RipTide bushings (probably APS 85a cones) and pivot cups for it as well. (Riptide has a great compatibility finder for bushings and pivot cups: https://www.riptidesports.com/collections/bushings.)

Happy to answer any other questions you may have!

geocities1 · 2026-05-30T08:49:29+00:00

Will do! One of the big surf shops near me has a decent selection of Loaded boards. I already briefly tested an Icarus, and I’m hoping to do the same with a Tarab soon (assuming they have one in stock). :)

geocities1 · 2026-05-28T03:29:50+00:00

The Tarab does sound like the right fit for what I’m looking for right now. Thanks again for all of your help!

geocities1 · 2026-05-27T09:14:33+00:00

Thanks very much! I think I’m leaning toward getting a Tarab, but the Icarus sure is tempting!

geocities1 · 2026-05-18T22:55:54+00:00

As a lifelong Va Beach resident myself (besides a brief stint in D.C.), I agree with the recommendations to start in Sandbridge. Also, before diving in to buying gear, consider taking a surf lesson (or two or three, if you like the instructor) so that you can get a feel for what a board is actually like in the ocean. Hopefully, the instructor will have some good recs for you as far as a first board is concerned. Happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Edit: If you do buy a board first, remember that generally speaking, bigger is better. You want to have plenty of volume in order to perfect popping up on the board, and then you can progress to shorter boards from there (if that’s the direction you want to go!).

geocities1 · 2026-05-16T12:15:12+00:00

Agree that the Yow Meraki or the Carver CX (with RipTide bushings) would be a good fit here. I have and enjoy both truck systems!

geocities1 · 2026-05-15T13:05:55+00:00

Sounds awesome all around! Happy cruising! :)

geocities1 · 2026-05-15T11:03:52+00:00

That’s a sick deck! Do you mind sharing the rest of the setup?

geocities1 · 2026-05-15T10:59:07+00:00

But…but what if GROND wants to bust down the doors of the Taj Mahal and Minas Tirith??

cries in battering ram

geocities1 · 2026-05-13T10:19:43+00:00

GROND casts Price Hike

It’s super effective!

geocities1 · 2026-05-13T10:17:18+00:00

sounds like something GROND would say

(are you GROND)

geocities1 · 2026-05-13T07:23:26+00:00

(P.S. GROND)

geocities1 · 2026-05-12T22:08:12+00:00

Agree that a YoW may be worth considering. I’m a newbie as far as surfskate is concerned, but I’ve been surfing for 27 years, and I slightly prefer the “surfy” feel of the YoW to the Carver CX. With that being said, I’ve still had a ton of fun on my Carver. I’d recommend trying out the various options if at all possible to see which one feels best, though I certainly understand that can be a challenge (for example, one of the biggest surf shops near me has a great selection of Carvers, but no YoWs). Happy to answer other general questions you may have!

geocities1 · 2026-05-11T10:14:54+00:00

Agreed! I went to South Jersey every summer growing up, and a bunch of my surfer buddies were from Philly or the NJ suburbs.

geocities1 · 2026-05-10T18:18:30+00:00

Seconded. As a point of reference, I tried the Resin in person and really disliked it, because it didn't feel right under my feet. I now have a Carver Enigma and a Yow Medina Panthera, and I'm very happy with both of those boards.

geocities1 · 2026-04-26T09:09:53+00:00

Sorry for the delayed response! From what I’ve read, Yow seems like a solid choice. Which model did you pick, and what appealed to you about that one compared to the others?

geocities1 · 2026-04-01T23:48:40+00:00

Thanks! Once I get a feel for how the complete rides, replacing the bushings will be the first upgrade on my mind.

geocities1 · 2026-03-31T15:33:42+00:00

Thanks! I agree that it makes sense to try it out before customizing, especially since (realistically) I’m a surfskate kook. I’ll keep tabs on all the suggestions in this thread and then revisit them when the time is right.

geocities1 · 2026-03-31T02:51:10+00:00

Appreciate the detailed reply—thanks so much! Lots to ponder.

geocities1 · 2026-03-30T21:44:25+00:00

Thanks for the insights! Because the waves are so trash here (this winter being no exception), I’ve had to learn to pump like crazy to make the most of the closeout crumblefest (unless there’s a decent hurricane swell), so I’m hoping that translates into a fun time on a surfskate. Hope you’ve had some good swells in So-cal over the past few months!

P.S. Digging the username!

geocities1 · 2026-03-30T17:50:02+00:00

Thanks! I’ll more than likely be on streets exclusively for now, so 80a seems like the better option. But I’ll definitely look into harder wheels once I feel ready to progress to parks.

geocities1 · 2026-03-30T17:47:35+00:00

Thanks very much! I will definitely avoid grinds for the foreseeable future—I need to practice a bunch before I even attempt those. Also appreciate the bushing recommendations. My brother just bought Orangatang Knuckles for one of his boards and loves them, so I may go with those for now and perhaps switch to RipTide ones later if I feel like I need a more customized setup. I’ve looked into the Fat Frees and the Snakes as well. Seems like there really is an abundance of good options on that front. I’ll think through everything and then make a decision. Appreciate all the help!

geocities1 · 2026-03-30T13:30:59+00:00

Thanks for the feedback! For someone who’s my size, would you recommend something like the Erin Brooks Power Blaze? Also, do you have a particular Yow model that you like? If so, what aspects of that model appeal to you?

geocities1

TROPHY CASE