New Product Development

Grip Tape – Differences and What Matters Most people who longboard or skateboard are used to seeing the tops of their boards covered with the standard black gritty grip tape. However, longboarders are a little more used to seeing some other types of grip on the surface of their decks.

One popular type looks like crushed up glass or sprinkled sand… that’s because it is in fact crushed up glass or sand. Most people don’t ride on this type of grip barefoot, simply because the glass is a bit sharp and pointy… But in most cases, it’s not legit sharp broken shards of glass on the board, guys and girls… it’s usually some rounded down chunks of clear stuff that looks like glass… (we hope, for your sake)

You need to know a few things.

#1 – If your grip gets wet, you might not be able to lock your feet down the way you like. Usually, the black grip will give you a bit more grip compared to the sandy grit grip, and that’s because there isn’t so much space between the individual grains of grip on the black stuff… in other words, you won’t be standing in pools of water on the black stuff, which sort of leads to points #2 and #3

#2 – Your grip won’t get super wet if you always keep one foot on the board.

#3 – Sometimes, it’s better to not ride around in the rain. Don’t spend too much time choosing grip, unless you want to go pro… if you are in that category, contact us, we’ll see how pro you might be.

¬¬¬¬ Resources, Get Some If you have questions about your longboard, riding your longboard, or anything that has to do with a longboard, here are some good resources for you.

This and other valuable information brought to you by the genious muscle head Peter Weinrauch. The mans in charge of all things that seem pointless, but might save your life.

 Peter@gfhboards.com

We set out to take advantage of the drop-through design’s ability to bring the deck of a skateboard closer to the ground and created a ride that is stable at speed, cornering, and drifting, yet incredibly easy to push when cruising; due to the reduced reach required to put foot to ground. If you are in the market for a fast maneuverable board then you need not look any further. This board might not help you get a date, but it certainly couldn't hurt your style points.

GFH Boards Street Team – Make One

Did you know that if you start a longboard club at your college or high school that GFH will support your crew with discounted goods? If you have the dedication and passion to make and maintain a crew that rides for the fun of it, plus likes to market and network with people all over your city and state, then GFH Boards is your company.

We are here to help you grow your passion and learn new things about yourself, and your boarding skills. Simply email Peter@gfhboards.com or get in touch with someone through our livechat system on the GFH Boards website!

Peter Weinrauch
Master of useless knowledge  

The difference between big and small wheels? There isn’t just one difference…

Small wheels will naturally fit your smaller sized decks better, that is, if you don’t put a bunch of risers and super wide trucks on your mini board… something that sometimes takes away from that true mini feel. Likewise, larger wheels naturally fit better on your larger sized boards… but wait-
You can put smaller wheels on a larger board. In fact, some people prefer wheels smaller than 65mm on longboards because they sometimes break in faster, and give quicker response and more control to the rider. However, sometimes the rider wants grip, so slippage around sharp speedy turns, and shock absorption when riding over sidewalk cracks and bumpy pavement.

Here is a tip- start off with the wheel size that naturally fits your board. Stick with wheels 65mm and above for longboards over the size of 35 inches, and go with a wheel 65mm or smaller for your boards under 35 inches. Then, experiment after you’ve gotten the feel for how wheels work with the size of your board, the width of your trucks, and the height of your risers.

P: Weinrauch

Master of all things useful and all useless knowledge.

Longboard Deck Material

Longboards are commonly made from maple, bamboo, and even fiberglass. However, with all of these options, there seems to be a lack of knowledge regarding the abilities of, and the positive and negative attributes that come with each. When purchasing a board, make sure you first look at the shape, size and attributes that will allow you to ride the way you plan. The material that the deck is made from doesn’t always have to be the most important factor when choosing what board to buy and ride. With that being said, any material can provide any type of ride. Depending on the number of plys that are used in the deck, a board made from bamboo can act the same way as a board made from fiberglass or maple. In short, the construction methods used are more important than the material itself. GFH has a selection of boards made from maple, bamboo and composite mixes. Check out the selection on the site and choose what suits you best. Ask if you need some help.

Board Size

If you are going to get a longboard, you can get a longboard that is long, or you can get a longboard that is short. Short longboards are generally referred to as minis, and that’s what we do best. Minis are great from getting to point A to point B quick. Oh, and once you get to point B, you can take your board and bring it in with you, because it’ll be about the size of an Apple IPad, which are cool too, right? If you plan on going fast for long periods of time, like going down a big hill, going back up, and then going down again and again, get a bigger board that you feel comfortable on. If you are awesome, you can ride one of our minis down hills, people do it all of the time. Just make sure you match your board size to your riding type before you make a purchase so you are happy.

The GFH Pigme Warrior has been a staple in our line for several years and we thought we would give it a killer new graphic, just in time for the start of summer. We've used one of the best illustrators in the biz to come up with this graphic and we couldn't be more pleased with it. The new Warrior will be available in bright yellow and green and is available to purchase now. Be on the look out for more graphics by this artist...coming soon the Kraken!