Pantheon BAMBOO Supersonic LDP Longboard

$205.00$215.00

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If you already have experience with our Supersonic model longboard, this is the next rendition. For now, we will distinguish this bamboo core Supersonic by calling it the Supersonic Bamboo, but after loads of testing, this is the expected ultimate future of this board. We just still have plenty of maple decks on hand, so these will also be offered alongside them until they’re gone.

Why bamboo? No, we’re not going to give you some line about bamboo having some properties that make it a better longboard. We’ve tested so much bamboo in the past. I don’t think it’s better. I think it’s just as good as maple but that it’s more expensive. No, the reason we did a bamboo core on this board is because we wanted to get the flex right. While a normal maple ply is 1/16 of an inch in thickness, we can machine our bamboo cores to within 0.5mm tolerances. This allowed us to find and hone in on what we call our “medium flex” and to bring the multiple flex options together in closer increments. So, our “heavy flex” is less stiff than an 8 ply maple core, our “light flex” is a little stiffer than a 6 ply maple core, and our “medium flex” is just about in line with our 7 ply core maple Supersonic.

Additionally, we’ve been listening, and we wanted to offer a higher end Supersonic model that had more waterproofing elements so that the deck lasts longer. Riders of the Supersonic are putting on A LOT of miles. The new Supersonic Bamboo will support as many or more miles, but it will definitely keep your board looking stronger for longer. The glass top is more resistant than the former’s maple top, and the veneer bottom with glass right underneath satisfies our requirements of protecting the fiberglass from bumps and bruises on curbs or flicking up rocks, but provides a much longer lasting construction on the bottom ply so that the elements don’t get into that bottom layer of maple and break it down.

While the old all-maple Supersonic still has been lasting riders for thousands of miles, the elements will break down the dyed bottom veneer and cause it to look quite worn. We have not seen significant early failures, but we understand that this isn’t a great look, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a board where the bottom plies resist weathering. For riders truly logging tons of miles in all sorts of conditions, this is the better option.

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Description

What Makes the Supersonic LDP Different

The inherent geometry of our Supersonic LDP longboard will allow you to run Bear 130mm, 155mm or Paris 150mm effectively. You’ll want either the 40 degree (Bear) or 43 degree (Paris) in back, and either the 50 or the 40/43 in front. Because of the very similar base geometry of these trucks, they will run within about 1.5mm axle height from front to back regardless of which truck position you use. You can run WITHOUT any riser with a 50 degree front up to 90mm wheels, and you may need to add a little bit of riser when choosing a lower degree front, depending on wheel size. Both are excellent choices.

Any further tinkering is certainly welcome, but this is an incredible starting point for a top of the line LDP longboard setup, with the stock setups already being super effective right out of the box.

The deck features a mild camber between the drops and incredibly tight curvature, considering the required curves necessary to make this geometry work. And we integrate very mild versions of our crescent drops in all curvature points (even the down-curve of the de-wedged back end!) on this deck, making them stronger than boards of the past and allowing us to control where the board flexes. Our concave is mellow, as it should be, so that you’re comfortable no matter what distance you’re skating. But the curves are subtle and strong, and there are no true flat spots on the board anywhere, resulting in superb board feel.

Supersonic LDP Longboard Design Explained

For LDP riders looking to pump, a classic wedge front, de-wedge rear setup is a must. You want high degree turning in front and a nice low degree solid back end to throw your weight off of and create power. For the Supersonic, the built-in angles provide a ton of riding options. Riders will have a blast dialing in this setup and even changing it around for different riding styles.

The front of the Supersonic mounts at a positive 15 degrees. That means that a Bear or Paris 50 degree truck will run at 65 degrees. A quite high starting place for sure, but a high degree front with soft bushings will pump super easily. It will also result in a more front-weighted pump on your LDP longboard. This is ideal if the P stands for pushing AND pumping, especially. If you’re looking to dial it down a little, a truck in the 40-45 degree range will be a little more forgiving for all-out pushing speeds, while still netting a high angle around 55-60 degrees for efficient pumping.

The rear of the Supersonic is where even more options come into play. There are two mounting options. Mounting is available on the high, 40-degree angled wedge or on the far rear -17 degree angled tail. The -17 degree rear is obvious enough. We will typically use a lower degree cast truck in this position—either a Paris 43 or a Bear 40. The wedged 40 degree rear is actually designed for a FLIPPED rear truck, netting zero or near zero degrees in the back. The zero degree rear option is incredibly stable for high speed pushing. It is also effective for top-end speeds in pumping, although more effort will be required than when using the conventional -17 degree rear.

Flex options explained

BAMBOO Light

The Bamboo light flex is ideal for riders under 170 lbs. You CAN ride this up to 190 pounds, but you’re going to have an easier time bottoming it out. Heavier riders are going to stress this board more, so this is something to keep in mind when riding. If you’re a rider who really wants to ride a flexiible board, we recommend pairing the Bamboo light with risers and our large 102mm Hoku Wheels. That will get you off of the ground further and allow more space between the bottom of the board and the ground for the board to flex. The Bamboo light is not as flexible as the 6 ply maple + glass version of this deck. We wanted to tighten up the flex profiles so that they would be more usable for a greater number of riders. Consider the flex profile to be more akin to a 6 1/2 ply version of this deck, if you are familiar with the maple versions.

BAMBOO Medium

The Bamboo medium is the standard. Equate the amount of flex on this board to be similar to the maple 7 ply version of this deck. This is the board that will work the best for the most amount of riders. Anyone between 150 and 210 pounds should be able to ride this board, and riders at the top of this limit should only choose this board if they want a lot of flex. Please note that the more you weigh, the more force you will put on these boards, so if you’re near its upper limit, consider how you manage dropping off of curbs, for example. Riders toward the bottom of this limit may choose this board for a more snappy flex and a little less sag. You can create more space between the board and the ground by adding risers and larger wheels like our 102mm Hoku Wheels. I (Jeff, the owner/designer of Pantheon boards) am 190 pounds and I ride the medium flex. The board has a comfortable flex under my weight.

BAMBOO Heavy

The Bamboo heavy is stronger and stiffer than the medium flex. Riders up to about 240 lbs should be able to ride this deck flat with the 92mm Karma wheels and a 50 degree truck up front (rear would be 40 or 43 based on current options). Heavier riders may be able to get away with riding this deck by compensating with larger wheels and some risers to create more space between the ground and the low point on the board. This deck is not as stiff as our 8 ply maple / glass version. Consider it more like a 7 1/2 ply, if you are familiar with our maple versions of this deck. If you’re above 230 lbs, you may start to consider the 8 ply maple version of this deck, as it is a bit stiffer and will still be able to hold your weight without any fear of failure. OR if you just want a stiffer setup, the 8 ply is still available–until it’s not!

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