By Chandler Wallace
The longboarding industry is ever changing and evolving. With new board designs appearing almost weekly, it is hard for enthusiasts to find a product that is truly unique and ahead of the game. My quest for such a product lead me to a still lesser known-, yet upcoming brand from Germany: TD Longboards.
TD Longboards differentiate themselves by blending modern designs with exceptionally engineered shapes, maybe just what you’d expect from a company from the land of Beamers/BMW’s, Mercedes and Porsche. While testing their highspeed-oriented “Velocity” as well as the Freeride-optimized “Liberty”, I quickly realized how their boards are really pushing the envelope of what riders perceive as “standard”. The Velocity is a 36 inch, asymmetric, downhill board. It’s cousin by comparison is the Liberty model boasting a 38 inch, symmetric, free-ride construction. Both boards excel in their disciplines, featuring a sleek carbon-look, and outperform the expectations of any rider used to riding boards from competitors.
The Velocity model
is a pure bred
downhill board
that offers the
rider an aggressive W- concave as well as built-in 3D wheel well flares. These flares are the most aesthetically prominent feature of the board. Some riders found the wheel flares to be excessive and unnecessary, however, when riding at high speeds as the board is intended, the flares provide vital information as to where the rider is positioned on the board as well as guiding tuck position into the proper form. The aggressive W-concave allows the rider to dig into the wells of the board, giving greater lean and turn response. The accentuated flares at the back of the board are another feature that give the rider information, not only when downhilling, but when using the Velocity as a free-ride board. The wheel flares at the back side of the board allow for the rider to position their back foot in such a way that the board is easier to control and more responsive. This is even more pronounced when the back truck is looser, allowing for a moresnowboard like feel to sliding. The Velocity model takes the idea of downhill and gives a free-ride spirit to the deck, making it versatile and functional.
The Liberty is a dedicated free-ride board. It’s symmetric shape and W-concave give the rider the utmost control of the board. With it’s
drop through
mounting, it has a
lower profile and gives
a low center of gravity
allowing for longer slides at
higher speeds with more precision.
When using Paris 180’s the board
performed as a free-riding masterpiece.
It handled moderate speeds and provided a predictable platform for the rider. Due to the shape of the board, there are two foot pockets on either side, as to be expected from a symmetric free-ride deck. The difference being is the particular feeling of these pockets. They are not wells created by a rocket drop, nor are they sanded down indents that provide no traction or purpose. The feel of the footwells is more intuitive than most designs, they are flat spots surrounded by concave that keep your feet stable throughout the slide and into switch riding. This keeps your weight over the board as the platform has a more natural feel, which gives the rider more control and direction of which way to slide. The board does provide a topmount option and performs
as a stable downhill deck allowing a slight crossover ability. It does not provide as much versatility as the Velocity model however.
Overall, TD Longboards shows true durability and versatility in their designs. With an ever growing plethora of shapes and constant rider feedback, they are definitely a company to keep an eye on.