Surf skating is one of the most straightforward things to explain and one of the most satisfying things to actually do. Here is the short version: someone looked at surfing, looked at a skateboard, and built a board that makes concrete feel like a wave. Every brand in this category is chasing that same feeling. Some get closer than others.
What Surf Skating Actually Is
A surf skate is a skateboard with a specialised front truck that allows the nose of the board to swing through a wide arc — pivoting, springing or compressing depending on the system — in a way that replicates the rail-to-rail movement of a surfboard. You pump through your hips and knees, the board responds, and you build speed and flow from the movement of your body rather than from pushing with a foot.
It is not a longboard. It is not a cruiser. It is not a regular skateboard. It is a specific piece of equipment designed for a specific purpose — and when you ride one properly, the purpose is immediately clear. The feeling of a well-executed pump on a surf skate is genuinely close to the feeling of a bottom turn on a wave. That is the point, and that is why surfers, non-surfers and everyone in between have adopted it.
The Brands We Stock and Why
Carver — The Original
Carver was founded in Venice Beach, California in 1996 by two surfers who wanted to train their surf movement on concrete. They built the first surf skate truck — the C7 — and in doing so created the entire category. Every surf skate brand that came after is, to varying degrees, a response to what Carver built.
The C7 is a spring-loaded front truck with a pivot mechanism that generates drive from the pump and allows the nose of the board to swing wide — similar to a high-performance shortboard bottom turn. The CX is Carver's springless system: a reverse kingpin geometry that creates a tight, fluid carve without the exaggerated range of motion of the C7. Both are benchmarks. Most riders start on the CX and move to the C7 when they want more.
We are one of the largest Carver retailers in Australia. We carry the full Carver range — completes across the CX and C7 systems in multiple shapes and lengths, replacement trucks and components, and the Carver accessories range. Free shipping Australia-wide on every order. If you are buying Carver in Australia, we are the right place to start.
YOW — The Spanish Challenger
YOW (Your Own Wave) is a Basque Country brand that has built a serious following among experienced surf skaters globally. The Meraki system — YOW's spring-loaded front truck — takes a different mechanical approach to the C7 but achieves a similar result: high-speed pump generation, a reactive front end and a loose, wave-like feel underfoot.
YOW deck shapes are genuinely beautiful — pintails, rounded pins and squash tails that mirror high-performance surfboard outlines. The graphics reference surf culture without being generic. If Carver is the California surf skate and YOW is the European surf skate, the difference in feel matches the difference in culture — YOW is precise, powerful and slightly more technical to master.
We stock YOW completes and components at our Richmond store and online.
Landyachtz — The Canadian Approach
Landyachtz is a Canadian brand better known for longboards and downhill boards, but their surf skate range — particularly the Luau series — deserves attention. The Luau uses a spring-loaded front truck and longer deck shapes that suit riders who want a more relaxed, flowing style of surf skating rather than a tight, high-performance carve.
Landyachtz surf skates are well-priced for the quality, well-built for Australian conditions, and a good option for riders who want the spring-truck experience without stepping all the way into the premium price point of a Carver C7 or YOW Meraki complete.
OBFive — The Australian Brand
OBFive is an Australian surf skate brand designed and built specifically for the Australian surf and skate community. The boards are shaped with Australian conditions in mind — the jarrah-lined carparks of West Australian surf spots, the beachside paths of Melbourne, the concrete bowls of Sydney — and the brand has genuine roots in surf culture rather than the lifestyle branding that surrounds some of the international players.
OBFive has built a loyal Australian following and their boards are worth riding. If you want to support an Australian brand that genuinely understands what surf skating is for and who it is for, OBFive is the choice.
Globe — The Australian Heritage Brand
Globe has been making boards in Australia since 1994. They understand the Australian surf and skate market better than almost any other brand and their surf skate range reflects that — well-priced, well-made, available in shapes that suit a broad range of riders from beginners to experienced surf skaters.
Globe surf skates are the accessible end of the quality spectrum — not beginner compromises, but genuinely good boards at a price point that makes surf skating approachable for people who are not ready to commit to a premium Carver or YOW complete. A Globe is also the right answer for parents buying for younger riders or for someone who wants to try surf skating properly before investing further.
Which Brand Is Right for You?
New to surf skating, background in surfing: Carver CX complete. The most intuitive introduction to the category from the brand that invented it.
New to surf skating, no board sport background: Globe or Landyachtz. More forgiving entry points with good build quality.
Experienced surf skater wanting more performance: YOW Meraki or Carver C7. Both reward technical riders who have the pump technique dialled.
Supporting Australian made: OBFive. No compromise on quality, genuine Australian brand story.
Come into our Richmond store — we have surf skates from all five brands on the floor and staff who ride them. The right board becomes obvious very quickly when you can see the options in person.
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