LandyYachtz is a rider-owned company located in Canada that designs and sells some pretty sweet longboards. Each board they build represents the continuous improvement happening in today‘s style of longboarding. The Switch is their premier freeride specific board. This particular board is giving riders of all experience levels from beginner to advanced the opportunity to join in on the new freeride movement, making stand up slides and drifting a possibility even for the novice rider willing to put in some practice.
Built out of nine plies of Canadian Maple, the 41.25″ long, 9.75″ wide Switch is a beast! But within the wheelbase of 33.5” it has 24.5” of usable real estate, making it easy for most riders to find a comfortable stance. (If this board is too big for you, Landyachtz does make a smaller version called the Switch 37) Like most longboards, it’s a bit heavy if you‘re going to have to carry it around somewhere, but that’s because it’s built to be ridden – it’s not some fashion accessory. Of course, you can just grab one of the trucks and roll it behind you on the back wheels if you happen to take a shortcut through a church or some other place where skating is frowned upon. As mentioned above, this board is built out of Canadian Maple which makes it incredibly sturdy, yet still a it responsive. It has a symmetrical shape with a wide wheelbase for added stability, making it great for bigger riders or anyone looking for a wider stance. One of the most noticeable features is the 1.8” dropped platform, combined with dropped hips and a concave shape that makes it easy to lock your feet into place, almost like a snowboard. By design, this provides a much lower center of gravity, inspiring confidence in new riders and allowing seasoned vets to really tear things up. Full length grip tape is basic black, and does a fantastic job too.
Our 2012 model was the Zombie White option, complete with Grizzly 852 trucks, 76mm Zombie Hawgs wheels and LY abec 7 bearings. (Note that the 2013 models have slightly different spec and graphics, so we’re shown both in the photos)
While the board is a little bit too long for my 5‘ 6” size, I was still able to maneuver effortlessly. It handles incredibly well, whether cruising across town or speeding down a steep hill. Because of the dropped shape, pushing was a breeze, and it seemed much more stable at speed too. It took some getting used to, but with a little bit of practice, I could easily use this board to slide and pull 180s. My biggest problem is that I hang my foot over the edge and it would rub on the ground, causing me to lose speed. Once I got out of that habit, sliding was simple and fun.
The artwork on the board looked awesome, although it did scratch easily. Since it‘s so close to the ground, any rocks that my wheels kicked up easily chipped off the paint. But your board shouldn‘t be in perfect condition anyway. If it is, you‘re not riding it enough.
Whether you‘re a beginner or an advanced rider, if you like to cruise the city or fly downhill and slide around corners, the Switch by Landyachtz is a great buy. You can get just the board for $135 and build your own custom longboard or let Landyachtz do the work for you and buy the complete for $235. landyachtz.com
– Heather