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Giant Slalom Race Boards
Bamboo Slalom Skateboard shoot out against Carbon Nanotech
Two makes - One winner - Winner takes all!
Or are these two high quality decks just urban cruisers?
The acclaimed Loaded Pintail goes head to head with the high tech Insect Nanotech City Bug. It was always going to be hard for this Slalom Deck shoot out as the Loaded Pintail is the best and only type produced by Loaded against the lowest spec Insect Carver / Urban Cruiser Deck, Insect currently have two levels, mainline and Ultralight. Insect start there range with the high tech world of Nanotech launching there entry level range.
Loaded Longboards defend there position with a very well made traditional Bamboo deck, i.e., vertical lam and to be honest Loaded have never claimed that there Pintail is a pure Carving Race Board, so to even the scales we picked the Insect City Bug. To choose the Insect Sidewinder board that was designed as a pure carving racer, seems unfair, what we would say though is, “come on Loaded let’s see a pure slalom board, please!”
Each deck was fitted with Holey Trucks front and rear with Ruby Red Bushings, Biltin Bearings and Turner 3dm Cambria Wheels in Red and Blue both sets on test where new and 62mm in size, hardware by Khiro. The Flex was the same also for each Slalom Skateboard.
The Venue was in Plymouth on the Hoe and conducted in front of 30-40 Longboarders and Skaters, Mum's, Dad's and a couple of fit chicks!.
The course was straight with two off sets, cones laid out wider than a normal course and twenty five cones where used over a distance of 83 yards. Haha...that was the plan, then chaos as the cones where left at the wrong skate shop, by Shane, no names mentioned. Do that again Bro and I can see some pain on the menu, so, 8 strange type cones, 3 helmets, six slide gloves, 3 water bottles and a handbage, thanxs Madam and we where ready, course length now was a bit shorter than planned.
Not a breath of wind, mild but dry and we where ready. Four different riders, three runs each on each board.
From the off the Insect proved more responsive, tighter turn-ins and pumping hard saw the Insect City Bug show us all that this deck comes from a racing background. The Loaded Pintail held firm for all until pushed hard then without any shadow of a doubt it is the slower skateboard but for a novice more laid back and very easy to ride. It appeared that the Loaded Pintail just could not be encouraged to pump hard, if you do it scrubs of speed on the turn; the bamboo deck seemed to soak up energy, where as the Insect City Bug set up for Giant Slalom transferred more energy direct from the riders pumping action. You could clearly see that each Insect Slalom Rider got away with using less energy than riders aboard the Loaded.
The freeride session afterwards was great fun and although the Loaded Pintail was more suited to the surf style, again every one wanted to go more hardcore so the Insect was never left without someone trying to find its limit and each rider trying to out do each other on it. The vote after the freeride was more even and at one point the 4 riders where split down the middle, the issue of each boards purpose and identity was very interesting to listen to; Patrick and Philip felt the Loaded Pintail was a beginners board, all agreed at this point the Insect was a more technical board and may keep a longboarder focused on exploring new bounderies, day after day. Two other riders joined in who had Loaded Pintails and felt they they had outgrown them. But on a warm summers eve for some laid back cruising then it really gets the thumbs up.
 
The Insect City Bug will now be on test with Canterballs Longboarding Club in Canterbury Kent, speak to Gavin to book your test ride. www.longboard-sessions.co.uk Also they will have a 38" Mosquito Nanotech on longterm test; look out for Gavins feed back and action shots. Hey also keep an eye out for the hardcore skaters of Thanet in Kent. Hey Guys send loads of pictures to; sales@apollo11shop.co.uk
This test was carried out by the Plymouth Skate Club who have no assosiation to Loaded Longboards OR Insect Skateboards.
They are just cool Dudes who love longboarding, thanxs Guys what a great night and both boards provided so much fun.
The next shoot out will be the:
"War of the Pintails"
G&S take on the Insect Pintail
Then the following week the Loaded Dervish does battle against the Insect Mosquito:
Panda food -V- Weapons grade Carbon Nanotech.
Coming soon a full on hardcore test of the latest:
Seismic Wheels.....Ice cool wheels that will blow your mind!!
  
Will "Willow" Smith puts the latest Seismic Wheels to the test..See why he can't stop smiling!
This Longboard review was carried out by the Guys and Girls at:
www.cheap-skateboards-longboards.co.uk
Visit the official Insect UK Web Site at:
www.insect-skateboards-longboards.co.uk
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