Surf skate knowledge
Surf skate testing – 7 reasons the awesome Braw Skateboards shaped deck is a winner!
Surf skate testing this time around takes the form of the Waterborne surf adapter and Living Water wheels enabled Braw Skateboards shaped deck. Braw Skateboards is a homegrown UK skateboarding company that caters for all styles and tastes. They make popsicle decks, offer trucks and wheels and, of course, produce the shaped surf skate deck tested here. Braw is also a brand that has sustainability in mind which adds another tick in the box.
Braw Skateboards surf skate shaped deck.
Braw surf skate testing first look.
When we first saw the Braw Skateboards shaped surf skate deck we thought it looked the bomb. Dims seemed right, shaped appeared bang on and we even liked the quirky dog graphic. That all being said there’s no way to truly tell how a product will feel until you actually lay hands on it. Or in this case, set foot on it.
Fortunately, all came good. The Braw surf skate deck screams surf skating right off the bat. Even though the original intention was for it to be an old-school street curb crusher it’s really bang on for surf skating. Wide, just long enough, with a decent wheelbase length (16.5”) and a mellow concave. The wide tail kick also looks fab.
Surf skating the Braw Skateboards surf skate.
Once gripped we enabled the Braw deck with Waterborne surf adapter, SKP trucks and Living Water wheels. For this setup, we wanted something different. The deck gives the impression of a coping grinder, slasher and Burt slider.
As such we felt slightly smaller wheels than what we’d usually use would be in order. Although, at some point, we will still pop some monster truck wheels on it as well for shiz ‘n’ gigglez.
Super charged responsiveness.
Even though the Braw’s concave is mellow it’s a highly reactive and responsive sled. Leaning into turns feedback is instant. Likewise, the pump gets you going quick smart. And it feels solid. So solid, in fact, that we can see it becoming an airboard preference. But maybe later…
In the bowl, the Braw’s rail-to-rail response remains intact. It’s easy to generate momentum. And whilst you do have to put a little extra energy in to get to the top of the coping there’s no issue. Speed is also available on tap. And flow is easily kept.
Surf skating first sessions.
During the first initial sessions, we had only a quick blast aboard the Braw surf skate. But it was enough to tickle our taste buds for what was to come. The first real test came at our local indoor park’s mini ramp. The Braw gets going and keeps on trucking. Directional changes are a joy and it certainly puts a smile on your face.
Our second solid sesh was at the local. This, again, was all about transition skating (it’s what we really love). Pumping, coping grinds, slash-kick turns and directional changes were what it was all about. And we’re happy to say the Braw ticked all the boxes. That 7-ply Canadian maple construction feels solid, and dependable but nimble to keep the hard-nosed rider engaged.
Summary.
Braw Skateboards’ surf skate shaped deck is a real winner. It does everything you’d expect of a surf skate and works super well with Waterborne surf adapters, wheels and trucks. As already mentioned we will be tinkering and modifying it moving forward. But as a one-stop shop surf skate setup you’d be hard-pushed to find anything more fun straight out of the box. The following reasons are the main takeaways from testing the Braw.
- Nimble
- Responsive
- Solid
- Dependable
- Capable
- Confidence boosting
- Quality, sustainable manufacturing