Remember when you were a little boy or girl, and you wanted to fly; just jump, and float, and be caught in the wind, sailing to another place far away? The Sporting Sail by Sukrafte is an original, yet old school product that can take all sorts of sports to another dimension; longboarding will be the focus of this review.

After only a short amount of time riding with and using these sails, riders will quickly realize that adding a simple device to an already beloved sport and hobby can make it even more fun and worthwhile. There are several other “performance enhancers” that can add to a boarding session, however, there are few that actually transform the type and feel of riding that will take place. Normally, giant hills are straight down bombing, corner drifting, and foot braking speed runs; the Sporting Sail turns those same hills into slopes of creativity, breaking the hill up into a pattern of choice. Riders can carve or tuck from fast to slow on the steepest and roughest areas that road has to offer, all by throwing up his or her arms, sort of like when your favorite American football team scores and the fans do the “TOUCH DOWN!” (You know… with the arms in the air?)

Sukrafte has taken a simple concept and perfected a product through highly detailed and quality craftsmanship, all delivered in an attractive package that avid riders and new comers can appreciate. On that note, I literally mean, too, that the packaging itself is very unique and very noticeable; it adds to the overall value of the Sail itself. One can tell that the effort put into this product was one that goes above and beyond, not skimping out on the areas that some groups have in the past or continue to do.

The Sail is a truly enjoyable product, one that won’t get old fast. However, it’s also one that can be thrown in its bag, taken out after a month without use, and then put back into action for more fun than ever. Check out the Sporting Sail and enjoy the feeling of flight once again. Go back to that simple fun, because that my friends, lasts forever!
For more info Sporting-Sails click here.

The Sporting -Sail that I used for this review will be posted for auction on Ebay within the next few days. The funds received from the winning bidder will go directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, in full.

Surf-Rodz Extension Axles


The package comes in the mail. The box is then ripped open and the things inside are taken out… but this time, there is something a little different, a little more.

Surf-Rodz extension axles are a purposeful product. Not only do these axles solve problems, but they also provide longboard skaters with an enhancing tool that can provide an entirely different ride without spending more than 40 dollars on a new set of trucks. In fact, the money an individual can save with these axles will pay for a new set of trucks, essentially.

The axles are milled and finished in Connecticut at JV Precision Machining. JV specializes in making sophisticated, precision military products, so when Wayne at Surf-Rodz approached the group about making a simple yet effective skateboarding device, JV’s response was simply, “How many?”

Wayne and JV founder are best friends, so the process from concept to reality was and still is smooth and efficient. When holding one of these axles, the quality is very noticeable. When riding a set of these axles, the quality is even more apparent.

At the beginning stages of development, and when the product went public, several people questioned the strength of the longer versions and if they could bend, or if they could cause the existing axles to which they are fastened to bend. After several months of developing and beta testing, the extension axles are now locked, loaded, and ready for riders to use as preferred. I have had multiple sets of the axles since the day they were manufactured back in the summer months of 2009. I have yet to bend an axle, and I have had one set on 4 different truck models of all different sizes.

The Surf-Rodz Extension Axles will be posted for auction on Ebay within the next few days. The funds received from the winning bidder will go directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, in full.

Stats:

Axles come in different sizes:

40mm length x 8mm axle extensions

30mm length x 10mm axle extensions

20mm length x 10mm axle extensions

10mm length x 10mm axle extensions

All sizes besides the 40mm axles are milled as a 10mm axle. This simply means that the axles will require a larger bearing and spacer than the standard 8mm bearing/spacer. However, Surf-Rodz has made this process painless for buyers. An extension kit can be purchased in the 30mm, 20mm, or 10mm variations that include upgraded bearings that fit the standard skateboard wheel hub, and also have a 10mm axle hole. These bearings roll fast, fit the standard wheels, and the precision speed rings and bearing spacers will keep you rolling fast for a long time.

The extension axles will fit any standard 8mm truck axle, so let’s look at what they can do for some of the better known “standard” truck sizes on the market.

180mm truck with 40mm extensions = 256mm

180mm truck with 30mm extensions = 236mm

180mm truck with 20mm extensions = 216mm

180mm truck with 10mm extensions = 196mm

150mm truck with 40mm = 230mm

150mm truck with 30mm = 210mm

150mm truck with 20mm = 190mm

150mm truck with 10mm = 170mm

The axles fit snug against the hangers of the truck and can be fastened on with a ½ inch wrench. A locking set screw was milled into the axles at the early stages of development, however, the threads on the inside of the axle extensions lock so well onto the existing axles that Surf-Rodz no longer uses the set screw design. The extensions act as a fix for wheel and rail bite plus, they add more width to the trucks for extra traction and stability at higher speeds.

Surf-Rodz continues to push out the axles in a beta testing phase, one in which requires riders to sign a legal disclaimer. The company is taking a smart, professional approach as it nears toward full scale, frequent production.

Visit the axle extensions website for more content.

Other videos with the axles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaULWUGKI04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cg6Je7PSA8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMnowHFvujM

http://vimeo.com/5438169