The
In this article, I’ll share how it works, compare it to Carver, and the pros & cons.
Is it right for your riding style?
Let’s find out.
How It Works
To simplify it, the
The downside of this design is it doesn’t have as much rebound as spring adapters do. But the advantage of using a urethane bushing is it’s less likely to rust/break. I’ve hit it up against curbs and dropped it a bunch, and I’ve had no issues with it.
You can see all the parts in the image below.
Waterborne Installation
1. Mount your front truck to the adapter
2. Screw it onto your deck of choice
3. Use the riser block or rail adapter to level it out.
That’s a very basic explanation of the installation. If you want something more detailed, check out Waterborne’s installation guide.
It weighs over a pound, which is right in the middle compared to YOW or Smoothstar.
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Waterborne vs Carver
Probably the most common comparison is the
First, Carver has three truck types – C7, CX, and C5.
I’ll compare it to the C7 since that’s their pivoting surf adapter.
The
Does it get speed wobbles?
This is tricky to answer because it involves many factors like wheelbase, weight distribution, and bushing duro (the list goes on). To prevent speed wobbles, you wanna distribute your weight over the front truck. There are some exceptions, but that’s just what I do.
On the
I reached out to
I’d say you’re more likely to get speed wobbles on this than if you don’t have it on your board, for a couple of reasons…
- It pivots aggressively
- It makes your setup higher off the ground
Quite a few people are putting these adapters on their electric skateboards with success. They even have an electric conversion kit.
Do you need the rail adapter?
You can mount the rail adapter to the back truck for more lean. While I’ve heard many people enjoy this, I’ve encountered wheelbite with it a few times. I feel like having limited lean in the back truck feels better. I prefer a riser block in the back.
It is all personal preference, though.
Does it get wheelbite?
The next thing is wheelbite because you’d think you’d get it since you can carve so aggressively. But they have a built-in wheelbite limiter, so at 35 degrees, it stops. This will prevent most wheelbite scenarios, but if you have larger wheels, you might experience it.
I’ve only got wheelbite with their rail adapter mounted to the back truck.
Can you add it to any sized board?
You can add it to any sized board. I’ve seen
I’ve put it on my
I prefer something in the 30-32” length range with a wheelbase of 16-18”, but it’s all personal preference.
There are a bunch of people in the eskate community that is using them. You can use them on a longboard, or mini-cruiser – it just depends what type of riding you want to do.
This brings me to the next question…
Current setup or complete?
If you already have a cruiser and are curious about surfskating, pick up this kit first. It’s one of the cheapest ways to get into surfskating.
If you don’t want to mess around with setting everything up, then sure, go for one of their completes.
The two links above are affiliate links, meaning we will receive a small commission if you buy something after clicking them. It’s at no additional cost to you, and we’d recommend them regardless.
I wish I had bought their adapter kit before I went and bought a Carver complete because I would’ve been able to mess around to see what specs fit my riding style.
The downside of getting the adapter is you’ll have to modify it until you get it how you want. It’s not rocket science, but some of you might not want to deal with that.
Below are the pros & cons of the
Universal
I love how
Durability
The quality of their adapters is high and I’ve never run into a problem. I’ve heard other people say their bushing worn out, but you can replace it.
Customer Service
I’ve bought a surf adapter kit, one of their carbon completes, and never had any issues with their customer service. I always got a quick response and they provided more than enough information. It’s nice to interact with a company where you don’t feel like you’re bothering them.
High off ground
The thing most people don’t realize about surfskates is that they set you high off the ground. This might surprise you if you’re used to riding a regular cruiser skateboard.
No Spring
The
Bottom Line
For the price, you can’t go wrong with
They’re a company that stands behind its product.
I’m a fan of
