Pumping Longboard Characteristics
A pumping longboard is a great type of longboard for cruising and commuting. A rider can pump on any longboard, but pumping will be more effective with a board that is made with a material that has some flex and will bounce.
Pumping on a longboard is a riding style that involves a rider using their body weight to push through small carves while riding. When done properly, a rider can use these pumps to push their momentum along.
An experienced rider with a good pumping longboard can avoid putting their feet on the ground to kick for an extended period of time, while still gaining speed. Pumping is a technique that can be used on flat ground as well as in a skatepark.
Pumping in a skatepark is different than pumping on flat ground because a rider uses the environment with their body weight to build speed. Banked turns and smooth transitions are very important features to look for when pumping in a skatepark.
Pumping Longboard Materials
A pumping longboard can be made out of a variety of different materials. It is important for a pumping longboard to be both flexible and strong. A bamboo / fiberglass composite is an ideal material for a pumping longboard. This combination of bamboo and fiberglass provides a very strong and light weight material that is also flexible enough to provide bounce and resistance when pumping.
This is also a great material because manufacturers can easily add or remove layers to the construction, providing a variety of flex and strength options. These options are affected by the riders bodyweight and should be chosen accordingly for best pumping results. For instance, a light weight person would want a thinner board and a heavier person would want a thicker board.
Pumping Longboard Features
The length of a pumping longboard can vary dramatically, from a 30″ pintail to a 42″ bottle nose shape. An adult rider with a wide stance may prefer a longer board than a child or young teen.
The best shape of longboard deck for a pumping longboard would have a bottle nose on each end with a wide area for foot placement. It is important to have a board with a long wheel base because the rider should remain between the trucks while riding and pumping. Since a long wheel base is important for this riding style, there is not usually tail.
As I mentioned, it is important for a rider to remain between the trucks when pumping on a longboard. This is because pumping involves pushing down with your body weight while riding and carving back and forth. If a boarder were to have their feet outside of the trucks, when they push down with all their body weight they risk the board flying out from under their feet.
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The bottle nose shape on a pumping longboard is important because this shape prevents wheel bite. Pumping on a longboard involves a lot of short carving. And most riders who enjoy the pumping riding style also enjoy carving on a longboard. When performing carves and sharp turns on a longboard it is important to have the wheel clearance to avoid wheel bite.
Additionally, it is ideal for a pumping longboard to be a top mounted deck. This will make the board higher off the ground which is a good characteristic for pumping. Having your longboard deck higher off the ground is ideal because the board will flex down when the rider pushes through carves. Alternatively, if a longboard has low ground clearance then it may scrape the ground as a rider pushes through the pumps. This would not only slow down a rider but may also eventually lead to damage on the longboard.
Is A Pumping Longboard Right for You?
A pumping longboard is a great longboard for anyone who is looking to surf the cement. The responsiveness of this longboard shape provides great maneuverability and the pumping feature of this longboard shape is great for long distance riding.
A pumping longboard is my favorite style of longboard because it makes for a fun responsive ride. The bouncy materials also make for a smooth ride by absorbing a lot of the bumps in the road. The flex in the deck makes the longboard flow through carves and pumps giving the rider a feeling
of surfing on the cement.
If you are interested in riding a longboard in the skatepark, I would recommend this style of longboard. There’s no tail for dropping in, but the flex and shape of the longboard make it great for surfing the cement.
Also, a longboard will often “bottom out” or scrape the cement in a skatepark because of the long wheel base. This can interrupt your riding experience, but it can also be over looked by experienced riders. To prevent damage being done to your longboard, rails can be added to the bottom of the longboard deck.
Check out our longboard shop at Lost Coast Longboarding to see what hand painted longboards we have in stock! If we don’t have what you’re looking for, we would be happy to help you with your custom longboard order! We can build a board to suit your needs and we will provide you with a one of a kind, hand painted longboard.
Thanks for Reading!
We hope you found this article helpful and informative! If you have any additional questions or comments, let us know in the comment section below.
For more information about longboarding shapes, check out these articles:
Check out the links below to see some of our longboarding adventures:
- Broomfield Pump Track
- Cruising the Frisco Skatepark
- Longboarding the Wetlands Loop Trail Near Las Vegas
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