Any one have trouble finding 7.75 decks?
I currently have an 8” but i wanted to go down to 7.75, only when i look through the online sites i find far less 7.75 decks than 8’s.
I even checked some US sites because they are more likely to have large selections but even then there where far less. 5 or 6 pages of 8’s and 1.5 or 2 of 7.75’s.
Any one here skate 7.75 and have trouble finding decks, should i just stick with the 8.
http://www.24skateboards.com have some in some of their graphics.
http://www.mantonskateboards.com.au definately have some too
Both make great quality decks at a low price
7.75s used to be the norm a few years ago. I remember selling heaps of them. Decks have progressively become wider since then, and the standard seems to be 8.0 and wider. I know most shops have stopped buying large quantities of decks smaller than 8.0, but you should still be able to find them.
I remember when skating at least an 8 was the norm. My boards were usual around 8.5 with 60mm wheels. Then it went to 7.75 with 55mm wheels. After that it was 7.5 with 50mm wheels. Now 8 is definitely the norm with 52mm wheels.
K2 is on the money with 24 and Manton having 7.75, check also Folklore for some 7.75. I say skate what you feel comfortable with. 8 is definitely my comfort zone these days, but that is my choice.
Anyone have any idea why the size trends have changed through time? What are the pros and cons of narrower deck vs. wider deck?
Skating has changed some much over the years so that the decks then change with that progression. In the 90’s skating became overly crazy with the tech side that narrower decks became more favoured, because of the reduced weight and easier way to flick the board. As skating starting going in the “Hammers” era, boards started snapping easier so then they started getting wider again.
It has seemed to have settled down now with the average deck size being about the 8” mark.
Narrower boards.
Pros.
Easier to manoeuvre.
Better for technical skating.
Cons.
Easier to snap.
Less stable.
Wider Boards.
Pros.
Harder to snap.
More stable.
Easier to skate.
Cons.
Harder to manoeuvre.
Not as good for technical skating.
Other things to remember with decks are the lengths of the Wheelbase, Nose and Tail. These also affect the performance of a deck.
Any other questions let us know.
Anyone have any idea why the size trends have changed through time? What are the pros and cons of narrower deck vs. wider deck?
CJ summed it up perfectly. Think about how technical all the pros are. Their tricks are insane these days. Narrower decks make technical tricks easier to perform (flips, spins, etc.), but it does make them harder to ride as well (less area to stand on).
The average skater appreciates the added stability and feel/area of a wider deck. While pros are always looking to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Go with whatever feels comfortable under your feet.
Bigger board you can go bigger! The pros all can do the tricks. But take the tricks to the next level. For the boards to not break need to bigger. And you have more room for stability and landing with a bigger board