Loaded Vanguard
Ride:
The one that started it all, Symmetrical shape and stance for a balanced center of gravity to increase the ability to weight the deck through turns for better control and energy generation. The sidecuts allow for decreased torsional stiffness between the feet to exploit the board's torsional energy to allow for greater nuances in the turning radius.
The Vanguard was designed and intended for speeds between 0 and 25 mph (0-40km/hr). You can take the board faster with skill and experience, but it is not intended for higher speeds due to its flex characteristics.
Specs:
Length: 42"/107cm & 38"/98cm
Width: 8.5"/21.5cm
Wheelbase: 35"/88.9cm & 31.5"/80cm
Weight: deck only: 2.7 - 3.8lbs / 1.2 - 1.7kg
Complete: 6.9 - 8lbs / 3.1 - 3.6kg
Construction:
Epoxy and Tri-axle fiberglass sandwich a vert-lam Bamboo core, pressed into concave and convex cambers for liveliness, responsiveness and high energy potential.
Flex:
We currently offer five flexes spread out over two lengths.
Flex 1: 175-230+lbs / 80-105+kg 42"/107cm
Flex 2: 150-210+lbs / 68-95+kg 42"/107cm
Flex 3: 150-200+lbs / 68-90+kg 38"/98cm
Flex 4: 120-170+lbs / 55-77+kg 38"/98cm
Flex 5: 80-140+lbs / 35-65+kg 38"/98cm
A softer flex pattern will give you more control and tighter turns at slower speeds, however a softer board is more prone to lose stability at higher speeds.
If you plan on doing a lot of hard pounding tricks: shovits, bonelesses, etc, a stiff flex will hold up better. Note: It is natural for the boards to break in and become slightly flexier over time.
Setup:
Trucks: We recommend a 180mm longboard truck for the Vanguard. In particular, we ride the Randal R-II 180s and the Paris 180s. There are other trucks that work very well with the Vanguard including the Holey, Crail, Bear Grizzly, and Tracker Fastrack trucks. If you’ve found a different setup that works for you, let us know as we’re always interested.
Wheels: The Vanguard can handle most outerset or offset wheels from 65-85mm--preferably wide and soft. Be sure to find a wheel appropriate for your riding style and desired speed. We recommend 70-76mm wheels, including the 75mm Orangatang In Heats, 70mm Orangatang 4Presidents, as well as the 75mm Retro Big-Zigs, 70mm Zig-Zags, 76mm Abec 11 Gumballs, and the 77mm Seismic 3DM Speed Vents. For hardness, we recommend between 75a and 85a, depending on your riding style. As always, don’t be afraid to explore more options.
Bearings: Max Abec 5s: These are fast and durable. There are many great bearings and we particularly recommend Bones Swiss and Pleasure Tools.
Additional Setup: Play around with kingpin tightness to adjust the looseness of the trucks. There are a lot of new bushings coming to market and they can make a huge difference in the ride. Also, try adding riser pads to your board if you want more leverage over your trucks. Go out and experiment.
Riding Tips: The board is designed for a centered, snowboard style stance. Learn to footbreak and slide. These are the safest ways to slow down at speed and they will allow you to increase your skills immensely as well as keeping you safe on the hills.
Graphic:
The Vanguard graphic was originally designed by Alex Liki of Sao Paulo, Brazil for the Vanguard Graphic Contest.
The graphic was reworked into it's current form by Pablo and Diana of Nana Studio.
We feel that this graphic reflects the fluid experience of the board, while referencing the original Vanguard graphic designed by Travis Parr.
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