Description
What Makes the Supersonic LDP Different
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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For those who already understand this type of LDP board, let’s just get a couple key features out of the way that distinguish this board from any other deck of this type made before. Firstly, it has been designed around our most classic and readily available RKP cast trucks available. The intention here is to offer a super high functioning but cost effective setup.
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, WITHOUT RISER and our 92mm Karma wheels.
IF YOU WANT TO RUN THE 102mm HOKU WHEELS, choose our riser checkbox at the bottom. This comes with a 5 degree wedge that we actually de-wedge on the front, and a 3/8″ flat riser for the back. This riser setup gives what we believe is the most optimal angle setup for this deck with a 50-degree front and 40-degree rear. Effectively, you will be running 60/23 with the Bear setup (add 3 degrees in the back for Paris). This is a great mix between powerful pumping while not destabilizing the setup when going faster on hills.
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
Supersonic 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.
Supersonic 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.
Supersonic 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!
Supersonic XL Versatility
Equally, the 8 ply version is also an ideal deck for our middleweight riders doing up/down events. LDP longboarding doesn’t always have to be on flats! If you’re trying to mitigate flex for confidence at speed, the extra stiffness and width will add confidence. It’s also great for more technical rides! While this is not a speed stiff board for true downhill, it is stiff enough to manage most scenarios one could encounter on a distance ride. And it still offers a subtle flex for riders over 170 lbs so that distance feels comfortable.
Riders on the lower end of our weight range may notice a touch of camber underfoot. The camber may not completely flatten out if you’re pushing in the middle of the deck. However, it’s not so much that it is uncomfortable for these types of rides. If you’re a rider that really doesn’t like camber, we would recommend making sure that you’re on the upper end of the weight range. Most LDP longboard riders will likely find the deck quite comfortable regardless.
For LDP riding, we expect the 8 ply to be ideal for riders over 190 lbs. The 8 ply should be good up to around 250 pounds in both mounting positions. We cannot say with 100% certainty where this deck maxes out. In the zero mount position, it can certainly handle much more weight than in the -17 rear position. Above 250 lbs, we would suggest keeping this deck in the zero degree mounting position.
The deck has been tested up to 285 lbs in the far rear mount, but whether or not that works for you will largely be dependent on your riding style.
Setup for your Supersonic LDP Longboard
We are offering three truck options for our Supersonic. The deck has been designed specifically with Bear Trucks or Paris Trucks in mind. You can certainly use whatever setup you want to your liking. Setting up outside of our recommended setups may require risers or angled risers. This will depend on your truck choice and the angles of your baseplate. You’ll want to consider your wheel choice in correspondence with your trucks to keep your setup from getting bite.
Our stock setups with 50 degree fronts are your safest choice. With the 50 degree front (Paris or Bear), you cannot get bite between our 92mm Karma wheels. This is as long as you have a stock cupped washer in the board-side position of your bushings. Once you start bringing down that front degree, wheelbite can start coming into play for the larger wheel option. This can be easily mitigated with risers and/or bushing and washer modifications.
We recommend 50 degree front trucks for most riders using the Supersonic LDP longboard for long distance riding and pumping. This will push the pump power toward the front of the board and make pumping more effortless.
For riders looking to max our their top speed, dropping the front angle may be considered. This can be combined with zeroing out the rear truck angle. Ultimately, between riding a 50 front or a 43/40 front for maximum pumping speed will come down to riding style. It is worth noting that a the lower degree front does feel a little more stable when pushing absolute maximum speed. Riders just looking to leisurely cover large distances will appreciate the efficiency of the higher degree front end.
Picking Between Bear and Paris Trucks
The main benefit of the Bear Truck option is that Bear offers a 130mm option. It is also quite stable at speed because of its insert bushing and the more restrictive bushing seat. While this is great for straight-on pushing, some (or many?) riders may prefer the more open free-flowing center feel of the Paris Trucks. We don’t have a favorite yet. They’re both awesome.
The Bear Trucks are a little bit more stable for all-out pushing. The Paris are a little more effortless to pump. That’s our hot take and we’re sticking to it.
Of course, there are many variables presented when changing around bushings and washers. You can change these to help drive more or less stability between the two trucks. We’re sure there’s plenty of overlap between the two options, depending on your variables.
With Karma wheels, the trucks and wheels will be just a touch slimmer than the deck. With the wider 9.5″ Supersonic XL, riders will likely feel more comfortable on 150-155mm, especially if they intend to ride on hills and do any sliding. That said, running the slimmer 130mm is totally fine for LDP longboard purposes. There’s really no wrong answer here.
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