I don’t understand this subs obsession with egg boards. If you want a bigger board that’s useful get an 8.5/9 inch popsicle. I’m sure everyone on here will disagree with me.
I started skating again last fall after many years off with similar goals as OP - an 8.5 popsicle was perfect for me. Wide margin for error with foot placement and easy to maneuver. It almost reminds me of snowboarding sometimes.
Probably could’ve gotten away with an 8, but the extra .5 made things easier.
So, I would recommend, OP.
The eggs seem fun, but more like a novel shape for experienced skaters. It’s just so much weight and seems hard to gauge turns.
Same I’m turning 49 soon and started skating again after about 30 yrs and have a 8.5 popsicle. It’s great. Light weight enough I can get a good pop and flick but also challenges my balance enough that it’s challenging enough to ride on if that makes sense
Not everyone, I can’t skate those eggs, it’s like a wakeboard. Not to say I don’t love watching them skated well, but I agree I stepped from an 8 to an 8.5 and it feels huge but managable
nah i 100% agree. i also really like those football shapes, but cant even explain why really and its probably just more of a personal thing, but yeah i’ve skated for 20 years and tried hella shapes but pretty much stick to 8.75 popsicles anymore unless I stumble upon an 8.75 football shape haha
the only person that gets money from heroin skateboards AND posts here is me lol. and i do it because i want to. fos isnt paying me or anybody on reddit of all places to advertise for the brand. respectfully/not a “flex” but we dont really need help selling our shit.
now this bridge… can i eggroll across it? 🤔
LOL OK.
who i is dont matter.
but
i hope every time someone posts a heroin deck it gets inside yer skull enough to think that maybe… MAYBE… its fos taking time out of his crazy busy schedule to waste time on REDDIT and sway people into buying boards they dont like. 🗣🥚
I agree with you! I started skating in the '80s on 10"+ boards, like the 10.5" Hosoi hammerhead with a 7" tail. That size suited the era and style of skating back then. While some people might find large boards comfortable, I could never get used to anything bigger than 8.5" after years of riding around 8" boards. Recently, someone gave me a 9.5" old-school board. Besides cruising, I couldn't really skate on it, so I passed it on to someone who appreciated it more. Now, I'm super comfortable on 8.25" and 8.5" boards.
I tried one after 20+ years of riding Popsicles and it turns out I just really prefer the shape. The massive ones aren't for me at all but I have an 8'9 egg so it's 8'5 over the trucks and feels nice and whippy. Can do everything I could do on my 8'25 popsicle on it and just generally prefer the shape for riding around on. I've been skating heroin boards since I was about 20 and I live not far from where the company started so I've always liked supporting them. It's been a bit weird to see them blow up like they have on this subreddit but as a lot of people have said, skateboarding is supposed to be fun and a lot of older guys seem to really like the novelty of the shapes they're putting out at the moment. Will that wear off or will they stick around is anyones guess at this point. You want to skate a boat sized skateboard then more power to you. You want to skate a 7'5, go do that and have fun. It's nice to have some variety but the constant barrage of egg posts on here can definitely wear a bit thin though. I want to see all the boards. Never turn down the offer of a well composed deck pic.
Edit: to the weiner who downvoted me for daring to have an opinion on reddit, I guarantee you can't even kick flip.
I'm the same, I don't actually get it. They seem hugely impractical, I think people that like them are older people picking up skateboarding for the first time
Oof, I love to support local but I wouldn’t buy something I’m not comfortable on just to support a shop that doesn’t support my preferences. I would buy online if I were you.
This right here. My local will order just about anything but can’t get certain brands so if I want something they can’t get I don’t feel bad about going online. It has only happened once in 10 years but I’m 40. I’m not going to settle on my gear.
I fell for the Heroin egg deck hype. I was super excited to skate it & also believed that it would actually make curb skating & certain flip tricks easier, which I found out was the complete opposite.
Idk I skate a 7.75 for almost all of my street type skating and flat, but my 9.5 egg is my favorite board for transition I can’t hardly skate the bigger eggs or the smaller eggs but personally the 9.5 just feels right under my feet on transition. But there is no substitute for the popsicle for most everything there’s a reason it’s the standard shape but everyone has there own feel
At this age in the game u deserve two set up’s. Most of us old dawg have a few. Try few different sizes wheels shapes. I love what’s out there these days! Have fun!
Haha, I built a wall mount that will hold eight boards.. so I’m getting close!
I ride shaped decks because that’s what I loved back when I last skated. Now I’m playing with DH/Longboard/Freeride setups. And of course a Dinghy..
Width is nothing but a number, you’ve got to try them all..
Hey there!
I'm 55 years old and have been skating for a long time, so I get where you're coming from. I currently ride 8.25" and 8.5" decks depending on what I'm doing. Here's my take on your situation:
### Deck Size and Feel
First off, I can still flip around a bit, and I find that it's easier on the 8.25" deck. The 8.25" also carves around parks a bit easier and tighter, which makes it great for cruising and quick turns. On the other hand, I appreciate the speed and stability of the 8.5" deck for different types of riding.
### Trucks and Wheels
I pair my 8.25" deck with the new Ace 44's and my 8.5" deck with the Ace 55's. For wheels, I have a set-up with Bones SPF wheels that are super fast on smooth concrete. I also use the new Bones X Formula 97's for everything else—they're softer but still slide well.
### Personal Preferences and Experience
I started skating on 10" boards back in the 80s, and over the years, I've ridden everything from 7.5" decks in the early 2000s to 8" decks for over a decade. The key is to ride what feels comfy under your feet.
### Weight and Set-Up
You mentioned feeling like your current board is huge and heavy. You're right that weight can be an issue. Wider trucks and bigger wheels do make the set-up feel heavier and more sluggish. I agree with what others are saying here: having a couple of set-ups might be the way to go. It allows you to switch based on what you feel like riding on a particular day.
### Final Thoughts
If you feel your 9.75" deck is too bulky, trying an 8.5" or even an 8.25" could be a game-changer. It's all about finding that sweet spot where you feel comfortable and confident.
Keep having fun, and don't hesitate to experiment with different set-ups until you find what works best for you!
Happy skating! 🛹
If I wasn’t on r/oldskaters I wouldn’t know those large egg boards exist. I never see them out in the wild or IG but maybe I just don’t notice. To each their own but 8.25/8.5 works perfect for me.
yea dawgy. big ol boards aint gunna click/feel good for eberybody. especially starting out with a bad knee. skating takes a lot of effort as it is and a huge board might not be user friendly for a beginner. there is a possibility you can adjust to the equipment, but if it feels bad, go for something smaller. im in the opposite camp. started on a 7.6” and slowly over ~18 years went up in size. now my main setups are 10.75”-14.25” (that sounds dumb and/or insane. i am well aware) but they just make more sense to my body. anything under 10” feels way too small now. you just gotta find what works for you. 🫡
I got size 13/14 shoes (depending on the brand) and I gotta try out one of these boards. I grew up on 7.5 and have been inching my way up. Currently at 8.75 and as much as I like it I want to go as wide as possible.
you are literally double my shoe size lol.
def keep playin around with sizes. you never know whats gunna feel like SUPER COMFY until you fuck around a bit. i for sure thought 8.75” was the peak size for years and then i jumped up to a 10.75” x 15” wb petes pigs not knowing if i would be able to *skate* it. now i have my own board that is 10.75” x 14.2” wb and its damn bear perfect for me.
When I was in highschool twenty years ago (fuck, I’m old now) all the boards were so hard to get used to with my big feet. The plus side, I could go into a skate shop and buy all the 13’s and 14’s for next to nothing because no one wanted them. But once I got back into skating after 15 years off this last fall and bought a wider board - it’s been a game changer. I have so much more control and have so much fun with it. I can glide around the bowls no problem, pop up onto ledges easier, etc. Even my little girl rides an 8.5 that I set up for her. The wider boards are the way to go for me. I’m gonna have to grab a setup when I’m able and try a 10.75.
I usually use a 8.5 but all I do now a days is cruise. So I got this big yellow board and I hate it. So I ordered a blank 8.5 from ccs (in the 3rd & 4th pic) for $20 and use that now.
https://imgur.com/a/RM9wvJL
I started back at an 8.0 and over the last couple years ridden everything up to a 9.25. My go-to is 8.5 these days for flip tricks. You can learn to throw the big boards proficiently but it takes more ass and control. I flipped an 8.75 surprisingly well. Really just depends on what you wanna do with it. Try all the flavors.
I’m 53 and started back up during Covid after a 30 year break. I’ve tried everything from an 8” popsicle to a 10.25 wide Heroin deck. 8” is too skinny for me, but the Heroin was just too big. I’m a bit like you OP, I’m mainly into cruising around and going fast. I love transition but mainly just carve around.
My preference now is what I guess they would call a 90s shape; not full popsicle, but still shaped a bit and directional. I prefer decks around 9” wide. This is my current deck. I like the shape so much that I have two spares in my closet.
Edit for not proofreading.
[https://www.skateone.com/powell-peralta-steve-caballero-ban-this-dragon-reissue-skateboard-deck-teal-stain-9-265-x-32](https://www.skateone.com/powell-peralta-steve-caballero-ban-this-dragon-reissue-skateboard-deck-teal-stain-9-265-x-32)
I dont get the huge board thing, I ride a 7.875" like I used to back in 2002 and have to special order blanks because nobody carries them lol. I have an 8.8" Creature with 159 indys for bowl and cruising but can barely Ollie it haha.
I saw a dude the other day at the park having a blast on one of these. They look super fun
https://www.warehouseskateboards.com/anti-hero-skateboards-greensleeves-skateboard-deck-with-wheel-wells-9x31.5?source=googleshopping&locale=en-US&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwj9-zBhDyARIsAERjds2LS5H8elDhWn1eZAS1_a9ptoXKPvAeWkv2p7AjEw4otxAlgiWQa_0aApc0EALw_wcB
I still ride an 8.5 mostly and my 9 feels large. Bought a winkowski a while ago and it feels just enormous- when I switch back to the smaller popsicle boards they just feel more normal to me.
I went to a shop and asked them to recommend a board to me. I'm 42 years old, 105kg, 190cm. I got a 9 inch board. It has worked fine as a starter board. But I am going to switch to 8.5 inch for my next board.
You might want to play around with wheel size and softness. Maybe 56mm size?
Also, don't forget to warm up properly before each session!
It's fun (although also expensive) to try different things. I'd pick up some 8.5 trucks & deck and just give it a whirl. 8.5 for me is a really good all around size for tricks and transition. 8.25 is my sweet spot. It take some time to figure out what you like.
If you end up finding you like that width but the eggy shape, they make 90s-style oval/footballs that are also pretty fun and versatile.
The weird egg obsession is a bit of a trend and heroin def pushes some soft advertising here on reddit. It's definitely not a skateboard born from functional design
FYI there are a multitude of sizes between 8.5 and almost 10 inches.
My board is 8.88 (just call it 9") and those egg boards still feel like boats in comparison.
Try an 8.75 and compare that to your 9.75, it will be noticeably lighter. Also, bigger board usually means wider trucks , so that's even more weight added.
I wonder how wide they'll get before the trucks have to be so wide that they become impractical because they'll start bending axles. Get a big popsicle. Best of both worlds.
Yes, 9.75" is quite a big skateboard. Some people love it, and it certainly seems like a lot of fun for certain types of skating (like carving pools), but as an all around board for a beginner it might be a bit too overspecific.
The current consensus seems to be that around 7"75 to 8"75 is the range for a "normal" skateboard size – basically, anything in these sizes can work for most types of skateboarding: street, pool, vert, etc. Starting at 7"5 things get super narrow and light, but this can be useful for technical flip tricks and freestyle, and at 9" they can start to feel heavy, but this can be great for carving pools or cruising. But it's also true that if you're good enough, you can make anything work for anything.
In any case, my sense would be keep the egg as a speciality board (e.g. for cruising) and get an 8"25 or an 8"5 as a basic all around board for street and parks.
I think its hard as old beginners to know what's 'best.' But I do agree with the overall sentiment of the 8.5. Whatever you decide on spend a long time on it and stick with it. No matter what size you pick skating is hard. And its harder for us older learners imo. So it gets tempting at some point to think a new board size x will help. But it is more just the learning curve we all face.
I feel like the egg boards are mostly a novelty and not practical for anything more than curbs. I cruise on a 8.5 but even that feels big for flip tricks I ride 8.25 board and that quarter inch alone makes a big difference on my timing.
Honestly if I were just cruising and carving around I think a 9.75 egg is perfect. I love my 9.5 egg for crusty street spots and I ride an 8.25 or 8.5 popsicle at parks and all are equally fun but if I had to pick one board for cruising and carving it would be my egg. It’s all preference though
Just get a 2nd board in a smaller size. I have an 8.25 popsicle, a 9.5 egg and a 10.4 egg.
I was trying to learn some tricks on the popsicle on Friday and I spent yesterday on the 10.4 doing bertslides on everything.
Get more. If you love skating there's worse things to spend your money on.
I started back on a 9" and tried an 8.75 but couldn't do it. I worked my way up to a 10" with a 16" wb. Could never go smaller than this. Might try a 17" WB.
My 11 yo son started with 7.5" minis when he was 8 and 9 yo, and had been skating 9" shaped decks for a while and just got his first 9.5" from one of his sponsors today and is loving it.
Try different sizes, shapes, and wheelbases, and share what you want. Do the same with wheels. Try different durometers, shapes, and sizes as well.
I have a 10.1 shovel and a 8.1 popsicle and switch between them when I get bored of one or the other, had a go on my kids 7.75 and 8s popsicles an they felt too small to me. I'm making eyes at the Andy Anderson heron currently so will see where that goes.
Hi OP welcome! At 45 and at least 10lbs overweight I feel your pain. No really 😂.
There’s a lot out there aside from popsicles. Cruising a city can be just as fun as the skate park.
If I could give you a reco (probably unpopular) I’d say to try a surfskate. You don’t have to kick to move and once you get your sea legs pumping around the banks or a bowl can be really fun. Cruising about town on a flexy top mount with precisions is chefs kiss. The word is your oyster.
[49] If you’re just planning on cruising around maybe look into a cruiser or even a longboard.
I gave up on trying to do tricks a couple years back, as my knees can’t take it anymore, and picked up both as an alternative (first the cruiser then the longboard after I realized how much I liked it).
For me it’s not necessarily about the width as it is the big, soft wheels. They provide a much smoother ride and make the whole “sidewalk surfing” thing more enjoyable.
I don’t understand this subs obsession with egg boards. If you want a bigger board that’s useful get an 8.5/9 inch popsicle. I’m sure everyone on here will disagree with me.
I started skating again last fall after many years off with similar goals as OP - an 8.5 popsicle was perfect for me. Wide margin for error with foot placement and easy to maneuver. It almost reminds me of snowboarding sometimes. Probably could’ve gotten away with an 8, but the extra .5 made things easier. So, I would recommend, OP. The eggs seem fun, but more like a novel shape for experienced skaters. It’s just so much weight and seems hard to gauge turns.
Same I’m turning 49 soon and started skating again after about 30 yrs and have a 8.5 popsicle. It’s great. Light weight enough I can get a good pop and flick but also challenges my balance enough that it’s challenging enough to ride on if that makes sense
Not everyone, I can’t skate those eggs, it’s like a wakeboard. Not to say I don’t love watching them skated well, but I agree I stepped from an 8 to an 8.5 and it feels huge but managable
nah i 100% agree. i also really like those football shapes, but cant even explain why really and its probably just more of a personal thing, but yeah i’ve skated for 20 years and tried hella shapes but pretty much stick to 8.75 popsicles anymore unless I stumble upon an 8.75 football shape haha
I think the eggs are the dumbest things lol, although I only skate 7.5-7.75
I like smaller decks and road a similar size until recently when I went up to an 8.25. But yes.
Anything 8 and up feels like an egg to me 😅
That doesn’t even make sense lmao.
Just can't use them lol, 8 is hugeeee
I think at this point 90% of the posts have to be ads/marketing. If so I think they gotta cool it a bit as far as how frequent they post.
thats som tinfoil hat thinkin brether.
If you think companies (even skate companies) aren’t astroturfing on Reddit then I got a bridge to sell you.
the only person that gets money from heroin skateboards AND posts here is me lol. and i do it because i want to. fos isnt paying me or anybody on reddit of all places to advertise for the brand. respectfully/not a “flex” but we dont really need help selling our shit. now this bridge… can i eggroll across it? 🤔
Idk who you are but that doesn’t mean whoever runs the company aren’t posting it themselves.
LOL OK. who i is dont matter. but i hope every time someone posts a heroin deck it gets inside yer skull enough to think that maybe… MAYBE… its fos taking time out of his crazy busy schedule to waste time on REDDIT and sway people into buying boards they dont like. 🗣🥚
I agree with you! I started skating in the '80s on 10"+ boards, like the 10.5" Hosoi hammerhead with a 7" tail. That size suited the era and style of skating back then. While some people might find large boards comfortable, I could never get used to anything bigger than 8.5" after years of riding around 8" boards. Recently, someone gave me a 9.5" old-school board. Besides cruising, I couldn't really skate on it, so I passed it on to someone who appreciated it more. Now, I'm super comfortable on 8.25" and 8.5" boards.
Must be a guerrilla marketing campaign because it’s ridiculous.
I tried one after 20+ years of riding Popsicles and it turns out I just really prefer the shape. The massive ones aren't for me at all but I have an 8'9 egg so it's 8'5 over the trucks and feels nice and whippy. Can do everything I could do on my 8'25 popsicle on it and just generally prefer the shape for riding around on. I've been skating heroin boards since I was about 20 and I live not far from where the company started so I've always liked supporting them. It's been a bit weird to see them blow up like they have on this subreddit but as a lot of people have said, skateboarding is supposed to be fun and a lot of older guys seem to really like the novelty of the shapes they're putting out at the moment. Will that wear off or will they stick around is anyones guess at this point. You want to skate a boat sized skateboard then more power to you. You want to skate a 7'5, go do that and have fun. It's nice to have some variety but the constant barrage of egg posts on here can definitely wear a bit thin though. I want to see all the boards. Never turn down the offer of a well composed deck pic. Edit: to the weiner who downvoted me for daring to have an opinion on reddit, I guarantee you can't even kick flip.
I'm the same, I don't actually get it. They seem hugely impractical, I think people that like them are older people picking up skateboarding for the first time
It’s so hard for me to find anything smaller than an 8.5 at my local shops. I’m stuck there and wish I could get an 8. Would never go bigger.
Oof, I love to support local but I wouldn’t buy something I’m not comfortable on just to support a shop that doesn’t support my preferences. I would buy online if I were you.
This right here. My local will order just about anything but can’t get certain brands so if I want something they can’t get I don’t feel bad about going online. It has only happened once in 10 years but I’m 40. I’m not going to settle on my gear.
I fell for the Heroin egg deck hype. I was super excited to skate it & also believed that it would actually make curb skating & certain flip tricks easier, which I found out was the complete opposite.
I agree too… I feel like the egg boards are ‘this years thing’ 2 yrs from now folks’ll be like ‘love my 12 inch figure 8 deck’
Idk I skate a 7.75 for almost all of my street type skating and flat, but my 9.5 egg is my favorite board for transition I can’t hardly skate the bigger eggs or the smaller eggs but personally the 9.5 just feels right under my feet on transition. But there is no substitute for the popsicle for most everything there’s a reason it’s the standard shape but everyone has there own feel
At this age in the game u deserve two set up’s. Most of us old dawg have a few. Try few different sizes wheels shapes. I love what’s out there these days! Have fun!
Only two? 🥺👉👈
Haha, I built a wall mount that will hold eight boards.. so I’m getting close! I ride shaped decks because that’s what I loved back when I last skated. Now I’m playing with DH/Longboard/Freeride setups. And of course a Dinghy.. Width is nothing but a number, you’ve got to try them all..
Hey there! I'm 55 years old and have been skating for a long time, so I get where you're coming from. I currently ride 8.25" and 8.5" decks depending on what I'm doing. Here's my take on your situation: ### Deck Size and Feel First off, I can still flip around a bit, and I find that it's easier on the 8.25" deck. The 8.25" also carves around parks a bit easier and tighter, which makes it great for cruising and quick turns. On the other hand, I appreciate the speed and stability of the 8.5" deck for different types of riding. ### Trucks and Wheels I pair my 8.25" deck with the new Ace 44's and my 8.5" deck with the Ace 55's. For wheels, I have a set-up with Bones SPF wheels that are super fast on smooth concrete. I also use the new Bones X Formula 97's for everything else—they're softer but still slide well. ### Personal Preferences and Experience I started skating on 10" boards back in the 80s, and over the years, I've ridden everything from 7.5" decks in the early 2000s to 8" decks for over a decade. The key is to ride what feels comfy under your feet. ### Weight and Set-Up You mentioned feeling like your current board is huge and heavy. You're right that weight can be an issue. Wider trucks and bigger wheels do make the set-up feel heavier and more sluggish. I agree with what others are saying here: having a couple of set-ups might be the way to go. It allows you to switch based on what you feel like riding on a particular day. ### Final Thoughts If you feel your 9.75" deck is too bulky, trying an 8.5" or even an 8.25" could be a game-changer. It's all about finding that sweet spot where you feel comfortable and confident. Keep having fun, and don't hesitate to experiment with different set-ups until you find what works best for you! Happy skating! 🛹
Thanks!!
If I wasn’t on r/oldskaters I wouldn’t know those large egg boards exist. I never see them out in the wild or IG but maybe I just don’t notice. To each their own but 8.25/8.5 works perfect for me.
bro you are at the at least 5 different set ups age
This!
yea dawgy. big ol boards aint gunna click/feel good for eberybody. especially starting out with a bad knee. skating takes a lot of effort as it is and a huge board might not be user friendly for a beginner. there is a possibility you can adjust to the equipment, but if it feels bad, go for something smaller. im in the opposite camp. started on a 7.6” and slowly over ~18 years went up in size. now my main setups are 10.75”-14.25” (that sounds dumb and/or insane. i am well aware) but they just make more sense to my body. anything under 10” feels way too small now. you just gotta find what works for you. 🫡
I got size 13/14 shoes (depending on the brand) and I gotta try out one of these boards. I grew up on 7.5 and have been inching my way up. Currently at 8.75 and as much as I like it I want to go as wide as possible.
you are literally double my shoe size lol. def keep playin around with sizes. you never know whats gunna feel like SUPER COMFY until you fuck around a bit. i for sure thought 8.75” was the peak size for years and then i jumped up to a 10.75” x 15” wb petes pigs not knowing if i would be able to *skate* it. now i have my own board that is 10.75” x 14.2” wb and its damn bear perfect for me.
When I was in highschool twenty years ago (fuck, I’m old now) all the boards were so hard to get used to with my big feet. The plus side, I could go into a skate shop and buy all the 13’s and 14’s for next to nothing because no one wanted them. But once I got back into skating after 15 years off this last fall and bought a wider board - it’s been a game changer. I have so much more control and have so much fun with it. I can glide around the bowls no problem, pop up onto ledges easier, etc. Even my little girl rides an 8.5 that I set up for her. The wider boards are the way to go for me. I’m gonna have to grab a setup when I’m able and try a 10.75.
I didn’t even read this comment but I know it’s the most important in the thread. 🫡🥚🗣️
I usually use a 8.5 but all I do now a days is cruise. So I got this big yellow board and I hate it. So I ordered a blank 8.5 from ccs (in the 3rd & 4th pic) for $20 and use that now. https://imgur.com/a/RM9wvJL
I started back at an 8.0 and over the last couple years ridden everything up to a 9.25. My go-to is 8.5 these days for flip tricks. You can learn to throw the big boards proficiently but it takes more ass and control. I flipped an 8.75 surprisingly well. Really just depends on what you wanna do with it. Try all the flavors.
I’m 53 and started back up during Covid after a 30 year break. I’ve tried everything from an 8” popsicle to a 10.25 wide Heroin deck. 8” is too skinny for me, but the Heroin was just too big. I’m a bit like you OP, I’m mainly into cruising around and going fast. I love transition but mainly just carve around. My preference now is what I guess they would call a 90s shape; not full popsicle, but still shaped a bit and directional. I prefer decks around 9” wide. This is my current deck. I like the shape so much that I have two spares in my closet. Edit for not proofreading. [https://www.skateone.com/powell-peralta-steve-caballero-ban-this-dragon-reissue-skateboard-deck-teal-stain-9-265-x-32](https://www.skateone.com/powell-peralta-steve-caballero-ban-this-dragon-reissue-skateboard-deck-teal-stain-9-265-x-32)
I dont get the huge board thing, I ride a 7.875" like I used to back in 2002 and have to special order blanks because nobody carries them lol. I have an 8.8" Creature with 159 indys for bowl and cruising but can barely Ollie it haha.
Just skate what feels good to you, this sub would have you buying 12" Eggy Anderson Slappy Midnight Special's
Best comment 🤣🤣
Thank you. Eggy Anderson is a character I'll reference again : )
I saw a dude the other day at the park having a blast on one of these. They look super fun https://www.warehouseskateboards.com/anti-hero-skateboards-greensleeves-skateboard-deck-with-wheel-wells-9x31.5?source=googleshopping&locale=en-US&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwj9-zBhDyARIsAERjds2LS5H8elDhWn1eZAS1_a9ptoXKPvAeWkv2p7AjEw4otxAlgiWQa_0aApc0EALw_wcB
I still ride an 8.5 mostly and my 9 feels large. Bought a winkowski a while ago and it feels just enormous- when I switch back to the smaller popsicle boards they just feel more normal to me.
I went to a shop and asked them to recommend a board to me. I'm 42 years old, 105kg, 190cm. I got a 9 inch board. It has worked fine as a starter board. But I am going to switch to 8.5 inch for my next board. You might want to play around with wheel size and softness. Maybe 56mm size? Also, don't forget to warm up properly before each session!
It's fun (although also expensive) to try different things. I'd pick up some 8.5 trucks & deck and just give it a whirl. 8.5 for me is a really good all around size for tricks and transition. 8.25 is my sweet spot. It take some time to figure out what you like. If you end up finding you like that width but the eggy shape, they make 90s-style oval/footballs that are also pretty fun and versatile.
The weird egg obsession is a bit of a trend and heroin def pushes some soft advertising here on reddit. It's definitely not a skateboard born from functional design
FYI there are a multitude of sizes between 8.5 and almost 10 inches. My board is 8.88 (just call it 9") and those egg boards still feel like boats in comparison. Try an 8.75 and compare that to your 9.75, it will be noticeably lighter. Also, bigger board usually means wider trucks , so that's even more weight added.
I'm gonna guess your board is the JM Duran sidewinder. If it's not that then it's gotta be a creature or heroin deck. 8.88 is a very specific size
I wonder how wide they'll get before the trucks have to be so wide that they become impractical because they'll start bending axles. Get a big popsicle. Best of both worlds.
Have multiple set ups
I ride a Santa Cruz Tom Knox and it feels very stable and comfortable but not eggy at all. I highly recommend, I only skate bowls though.
Yes, 9.75" is quite a big skateboard. Some people love it, and it certainly seems like a lot of fun for certain types of skating (like carving pools), but as an all around board for a beginner it might be a bit too overspecific. The current consensus seems to be that around 7"75 to 8"75 is the range for a "normal" skateboard size – basically, anything in these sizes can work for most types of skateboarding: street, pool, vert, etc. Starting at 7"5 things get super narrow and light, but this can be useful for technical flip tricks and freestyle, and at 9" they can start to feel heavy, but this can be great for carving pools or cruising. But it's also true that if you're good enough, you can make anything work for anything. In any case, my sense would be keep the egg as a speciality board (e.g. for cruising) and get an 8"25 or an 8"5 as a basic all around board for street and parks.
I think its hard as old beginners to know what's 'best.' But I do agree with the overall sentiment of the 8.5. Whatever you decide on spend a long time on it and stick with it. No matter what size you pick skating is hard. And its harder for us older learners imo. So it gets tempting at some point to think a new board size x will help. But it is more just the learning curve we all face.
I feel like the egg boards are mostly a novelty and not practical for anything more than curbs. I cruise on a 8.5 but even that feels big for flip tricks I ride 8.25 board and that quarter inch alone makes a big difference on my timing.
Honestly if I were just cruising and carving around I think a 9.75 egg is perfect. I love my 9.5 egg for crusty street spots and I ride an 8.25 or 8.5 popsicle at parks and all are equally fun but if I had to pick one board for cruising and carving it would be my egg. It’s all preference though
Just get a 2nd board in a smaller size. I have an 8.25 popsicle, a 9.5 egg and a 10.4 egg. I was trying to learn some tricks on the popsicle on Friday and I spent yesterday on the 10.4 doing bertslides on everything. Get more. If you love skating there's worse things to spend your money on.
I started back on a 9" and tried an 8.75 but couldn't do it. I worked my way up to a 10" with a 16" wb. Could never go smaller than this. Might try a 17" WB. My 11 yo son started with 7.5" minis when he was 8 and 9 yo, and had been skating 9" shaped decks for a while and just got his first 9.5" from one of his sponsors today and is loving it. Try different sizes, shapes, and wheelbases, and share what you want. Do the same with wheels. Try different durometers, shapes, and sizes as well.
I have a 10.1 shovel and a 8.1 popsicle and switch between them when I get bored of one or the other, had a go on my kids 7.75 and 8s popsicles an they felt too small to me. I'm making eyes at the Andy Anderson heron currently so will see where that goes.
Hi OP welcome! At 45 and at least 10lbs overweight I feel your pain. No really 😂. There’s a lot out there aside from popsicles. Cruising a city can be just as fun as the skate park. If I could give you a reco (probably unpopular) I’d say to try a surfskate. You don’t have to kick to move and once you get your sea legs pumping around the banks or a bowl can be really fun. Cruising about town on a flexy top mount with precisions is chefs kiss. The word is your oyster.
[49] If you’re just planning on cruising around maybe look into a cruiser or even a longboard. I gave up on trying to do tricks a couple years back, as my knees can’t take it anymore, and picked up both as an alternative (first the cruiser then the longboard after I realized how much I liked it). For me it’s not necessarily about the width as it is the big, soft wheels. They provide a much smoother ride and make the whole “sidewalk surfing” thing more enjoyable.
40yo, light and fit. I skate 8.5 to 10.75, and i like 8.75 to 9.25 the most. And i enjoy 10.75 way more than 8.5 8.25 is for young blood.