Red Rock FTW

This weekend I met up with Aaron, the mastermind behind Red Rock Board Shop. If you didn’t know, they’re a small company that makes the one component in an electric skateboard you can’t find anywhere else. The custom trucks. http://www.redrockboardshop.com/

Together with another friend, the three of us engaged in my first ever, electric only shred session. I had the carve of my life!

First thing I noticed? His boards were light. Much lighter than my Evolve board. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to weigh them. Because a Red Rock Board involves buying so many parts from other manufactures, I’m sure he’s picked his parts with weight in mind.

The next big advantage is that the motor sits behind the wheels. I’m not really sure how big of a deal this is. But on my Evolve board, the motor sits in front of the wheels, and this simply doesn’t feel optimal. Even the new Evolve model changes the motor to the rear, so kudos to Red Rock for getting that part right.

Riding the board was remarkably similar to the Evolve board. I want to say the motors Evolve uses are ever so slightly stronger than the motor Aaron had on the board he let me ride. But when you consider his board was about $400 less … well the Evolve motor isn’t *that* much better.

And it really isn’t fair to knock the motor, because if you wanted a stronger motor, you would just buy a stronger motor and use that one. It’s the beauty of Red Rock Board Shop. You get to decide exactly what you want on your board.

The only real drawback to Red Rock is waterproofing. There isn’t any. Not that you’d want to take an electric out in the rain. But I’ve splashed through puddles on my Evolve that would make me worry on a Red Rock. Also, the waterproofing seems to act as a muffler for the motor. Other than that, the Red Rocks are very comparable boards, for ⅔ the cost.

There is a slight issue about where the battery goes. The board I used had the battery on top of the board, which limited my foot space. You also have the option to mount the battery on the bottom of the board, which is more standard. Or to run a cable and keep the battery in your backpack. When I build a Red Rock, I’m probably going to have the battery sticking out of the back of the board -- like a dog’s tail. This should keep it out of the way, and also help onlookers to identify me as an electric longboarder.

If you’re a skateboarder who wants to upgrade his board, then Red Rock Board Shop is the place to go. If you’re a father who wants to work on a project with his son, Red Rock Board Shop. If you want an electric board, but want to keep the bill under a thousand -- Red Rock Board Shop.