NZ Surfing Magazine Review

I'm posting this up as a thank you to the Boys at NZ Surfing for sending Riders Anonymous an issue to check out over the Christmas break. This is the third Issue under the new ownership of Luke Millen and I have finally warmed up to like the new cover layout. The boys pushed the limits on the covers and it looks hot. There is a whole lot in this issue and plenty of reading. Good
reading too... The Green article on another Indonesian nutter is compelling. I was bummed but stoked at the same time to see they got Samoa Pumping not long after we visited there ourselves in August. The Primo roadie hits Shippies and they score more sick waves. If only we all could roadie with chocolate milk. Go buy a copy and make up your own mind.

Carver C7....... Ultimate Trucks ..?

The "Feel" when driving down the line or turning when surfing or snowboarding is utterly unique and many surfers and snowboarders have tried to replicate that feel on the land with boards like the "freeboard " or "Tierney rides" and to some extent they've succeeded in snowboard style turns but surf feel was harder to replicate .
A couple of months ago i got the chance to try the latest innovation in surf style skate trucks and at $160 NZ it felt a bit of a risk i mean throwing the flowboard into the creek cos it reeked cost me half that !!

So loving a risk..... a ? fool? and his money were soon parted !!
and a few days later a new set of trucks and an inch of riser pads arrived ? so i fit half of em...
15 minutes later the decks setup and I'm off for a pre-work skate the trucks took about 5 mins to push to their limit and for me to realize the rest of the riser pads were needed .

Who'd know it... i'm no Fool (in this purchase anyway)
these trucks blow minds .. drop and grab rail for a cranking turn and you better be hanging off the board cos she'll turn on the spot
They're amazing !! suddenly small spaces are so much fun and hills are screaming at you too carve them up BUT a word of warning these trucks will cause problems....
you'll wear out wheels ,
get kicked out of the corner dairy for sk8ing over to the bread racks
and the missus will leave you cos you can't stop skating in the house.

Rating : 5.5/5 too good to be true.
Use when : The surfs flat (or you just wanna skate more than you wanna surf)
Warning : wear safety gear so you can push your limits and sk8 safe,
Also : Don't lend trucks to friends as it will cause them to have moral dilemmas as to giving them back.
Recommended setup : 36-38" concave double kick deck ,Skf bearings , Abec 11 no skools 65mm 81a duro wheels.
Watch: Concrete skate

curve change mat

I received this change mat via a friend who won it as a prize in a contest, which is great cos I don’t review products I receive free. I view that as back scratching not reviewing, now with that clear.
The curve change mat is a great design in its simplicity, its one piece of what appears to be rubberized canvas with a drawstring, so it fits two purposes; a mat and a wet suit bag and with no seams to leak, or corners to fill with sand and no surprise it fits the niche well. It’s easy to clean, just pop the hose in the opening and fill with water, a quick shake and the wetsuit and change mat are clean, hang on the line, and its beer o’clock.
The change mat comes in its own surf magazine sized pouch and once on the ground it is well sized for keeping your wettie outta the sand.
Couple of downside I found was it wanted to blow away in all but the lightest breezes and I was concerned with long term durability when the drawstring appears to be sewn within only a single seam. Time will tell.
So over all it’s entirely well suited to its job, it looks good, protects feet and wetsuits from sharp car park gravel and stops the beach ending up in your car.
With the price halved recently to $49.95 RRP it’s a good deal if you can’t condone the car mat and plastic bin crowd. Me I don’t use it anymore but the flat mate finds it great for getting washing off the line.

Rating: Riders Anonymous rating 4/5

Use when: putting your wetsuit in the back of your new 4x4 or porche