I can run my 70mm centerset raceforms on 10” Calibers with no riser on the outer wheelbase and I can run my 75mm Bigzigs on paris 195 with only 1/8” of riser. Now, I am a fan of loose trucks so I was stoked to see the wheels wells in person-the placement is spot on. Bombsquad went and cut out some nice deep double wheel wells to accommodate tons of crazy setups on any of the wheelbases. Should be dope!Īnother feature I wanted to point out on this updated 2011 Saltflat is the wheel wells. But to all those searching for a beastly topmount with symmetrical concave, there is nothing to fear! That’s because this concave was only for a limited run and they will soon (or may have even started now) be running the Saltflat throwback with a deep tub or radial concave throughout. This model is great for those who love a directional board, something a little more race oriented. That being said, this version of the board may not be for everyone. I had never been a fan of W before mainly because I found it uncomfortable to stand on for long periods of time, but I couldn’t be happier with this mellow concave. Instead, I can just keep my foot right where it would normally be while I’m a tuck and push my toes into the little pocket where the W is. It is in just the right spot so that when I’m going around turns, I don’t have to worry about moving my foot to dig in on the edge or something. I’m a big fan of the W in the rear mainly for when I use the board for garages or hills (every once in a blue moon). The ½” up front keeps your foot where it should be and if there is any time you think you may slip off for some reason, the edges are wicked sharp and work great for digging in and throwing your board around. Personally, this is a great setup for me because I like my boards to not torture my feet I prefer mellow cave with gnarly grip (Gator is your friend!) rather than vice versa. The concave throughout the board is pretty mellow: the front is about ½” radial and the rear is a VERY mellow W. I wanted to make a special note on the concave since the version that I picked up was one of a limited run with a unique concave. Also, it feels great for early grabs and I actually am able to whip around 180 early grabs off flat ground-something that I was not able to easily do on my Bhangra. Due to its size, however, it is still very easy to whip around for freeride and sliding and whatnot. The 9 plies of maple feel extremely solid under my feet and it is stiff as a rail under my 175 lbs-literally zero flex.

The weight is considerable, but it is a wooden topmount speedboard so that is to be expected. Now this deck, as you might have guessed, rides like a responsive and agile bulletproof tank. Both setups were mounted on the longer wheelbase. The other setup was for a bit more speed and had paris 195mm (soon to try out Prandals w/ 42 baseplates) and some lime BigZigs. One was more slide oriented which involved 10” Fifty Caliber trucks and Sector9 Centerset Raceform 70mm 78a. I used this board with two different setups. It is drilled for three different wheelbases, 28.5, 29.5, and 30”, so you have some options. So, it has a fairly symmetrical shape with a taper from the nose to tail and has an asymmetric concave (which I will talk about later. At its widest point (right where your front foot sits) the board is 10.25” and tapers down to 9.5” right before the rear wheel wheels. The board is made of a solid 9 plies of tasty golden maple and is 37 inches long. Now, I did do a quick photo post when I first got this board with the specs and all, but I figure I’ll just post em again. Ladies and gentleman, please join me as we enter the Bombsquad Saltflat Throwback. It has gone through a few different iterations ( aluminum and wooden), but their most recent is my favorite. The Saltflat was one of Bombsquads first and most popular boards. It only makes sense then that their decks be just as beefy as their first products. Now, Bombsquad has been making bombproof products since day one (several years ago) when they noticed a demand for a beefier noseguard and began to deliver that very product to the public. Wes Coleman and Tanner Leaser are the founders and have been in many disciplines of the longboard scene for many years now. Yes, they are lesser known, but they have become quite popular among riders who are looking for performance decks developed for and by riders. Among those who have tried Bombsquad board, there is a bit of a cult following.

First, a short bit of history on this smaller company.

Bombsquad noseguard