What options should I select when ordering a Loaded Vanguard Longboard?

Question

hi guys, i'm new to longboarding but am a long time snowboarder and skateboarder. i have my heart set on investing in a Loaded Vanguard. from the looks of things, daddies board shop is much cheaper than the loaded website. buying a complete set up also appears cheaper than buying deck, wheels, trucks, bearings, etc, all separately. if anyone has the time to give recommendations or look over my potential selections, it would be much appreciated!

i am about 6'0", 160lbs. i am looking for a college campus cruizer. carving, dancing, some hills, some flip tricks, all that good stuff. mainly casual cruizing. i think i should get a 42" flex 2, yeah? some stiffness when needed and some bouncyness when needed.
there are so many other options though..

-42" flex 2

-trucks.
--(i'm thinking matte black randall r-11 180mm's. i see 50 degree and 42 degree, does that matter much?)

-wheels.
--(orangatang in heat 75mm purple or orange. good choice?)

-bearings, spacers.
--(i think the standard daddies board shop abec 7's, and i'll toss in the 5$ spacers. first longboard, don't need to go too fancy yet.)

-riser or shock pad.
--(am i going to really need these yet? not exactly sure how important they are..?)

-skate tool.
--(my dads got a garage full of tools, so i think i'm good right?)

-bearing lube.
--(graphite powder has always been my go-to for wheels/bearings, should work for this stuff too right?)

-cleaning kit.
--(don't really think this is necessary right now.. college kid on a budget.)

anyways, any suggestions or comments would be great! thanks!

Answer 1

well first off, i recommend a holesome street sweeper or kracked skulls scimitar over a vanguard



trucks: randal 180 50 degree, or paris 180

wheels: if you are sliding, abec11 flashbacks 81a, if you aren't, abec11 bigzigs 80a.

bearings: cheapest you can find. even though some kids will tell you they do, the only "testing" they've done is spinning them with a timer, which tells you nothing about how a bearing performs under pressure. the bearing spacers are definitely good though.

risers: get khiro .032 shock pad. this will make your ride smoother

skate tool: nice thing to have around, but you'll be fine with the tools.

lube: i have no experience with graphite powder, but if it works on any other bearings, it'll work on these.

cleaning kit: nice to have, but you can do it with acetane/thinner instead.

Answer 2

Vanguard Longboard

Answer 3

Listen to Doug.



Vanguard is not a downhill board, but im sure you can go down smaller hills once you ability can get you down it safely.

Otang wheels are not great, but if you do the orange 80a ones are you best choice. Go with Doug's suggestion and get the Abec11 Flashback or ZigZags though. They are much better wheels and are not overpriced and will not wear away super fast.

Cheap bearings are a good way to go. Cheap bearings are as good as expensive ones as long as they are cleaned and lubed when dirty. Bearing Spacers are also very important and definitely worth it. I rode months without them and when i finally got them, they made a significant difference!

As for shock pads, thin ones will make a big difference in absorbing the vibrations from the ground while not changing the high of your board much.

Answer 4

Loaded Vanguard

Answer 5

my son is a real skater & i've got under no circumstances heard of a leading edge...i will ask him & come back to you...he's have been given an alva board, some old college bds., some he's decrease himself, a longboard & lots of diverse wheels..he skates as a rule bowls (swimming pools)....what do you skate?