Longboards have been a popular trend going on right now in the skateboarding world, so has its demand. As a result, the market is flooded with longboards, and it’s tough to figure out which one is actually good and which one is a gimmick.
If you are a beginner or someone looking to try a longboard on a tight budget, things must not be easy for you as it’s confusing to decide. But worry no more as I am here to introduce you to the perfect sub $50 longboard on the market right now.
This Hawkeye Freeride longboard has excellent reviews on online marketplaces. Also, I asked around the skate park and to my fellow riders, and they have the nicest things to say about this longboard.
So, now that I have got my hands on this longboard, will it be able to live you to its reputation?
Keep reading as we are about to find out.
Key Specifications
- Dimension: Width 9” x Length 41”
- Deck Material: 8-ply Canadian Maple Wood
- Weight Capacity: 330 lbs.
- Wheel Size: 70 x 52mm
- Bearings: ABEC-7 Rated
Maple wood construction, beautiful design, concave shape, aluminum alloy trucks, PU wheels and ABEC-7 bearings, is there anything that we are missing at such a low price?
Hawkeye longboard is an unbeatable longboard in its respective price range. I highly recommend this to anyone planning to shift to longboarding as a beginner.
Details On Hawkeye longboard For Freeride, Cruising, Carving, Freestyle and Downhill
Now that we had a quick look at the board’s specifications, I’ll share my in-depth experience with this board. Looking at the specifications, you must be wondering what the big deal is about this longboard that makes it so popular?
Well, I thought the same thing too. But if you look at the price tag for a moment, you’ll partially figure out what’s so special here. As for the rest, I’ll be discussing individual parts to give you a better overview of this longboard.
Shape
As the name suggests, this is a freeride longboard. Now, in case you are wondering what that is, let me clear that out. So, Freeride is basically a type of cruiser longboard, actually a pretty popular one known for great control.
Personally, I wasn’t too worried about the shape, and you shouldn’t be either. This longboard is mostly used for commuting purposes. So, the shape isn’t going to make much of a difference.
Next up, the longboard has a medium concave design all around. Now, unlike the actual shape, this is one thing I really appreciate about this longboard. This concave brings lots of benefits to the table.
You get a better grip, steering, and maneuverability for quick turns and a far better responsiveness overall.
Deck Construction
Let’s move on to the deck now. Before proceeding, I would like you to consider the price tag here before judging the construction. And from that perspective, this longboard has one of the most beautiful decks I have ever come across.
So, what makes this deck so good? Well, there are quite a few things to talk about. For starters, Hawkeye didn’t cut any corner on the material, and you are getting an 8-ply Canadian Maple wood deck.
Additionally, a maximum weight capacity of 330 lbs. further ensures the durability this deck will provide.
Next, the dimension is just perfect for all kinds of activity. The longboard is 41″ x 9″, so you get plenty of room for error on the deck. As big as the deck is, the weight was surprising lower. You won’t feel the deck slowing you down even for a single moment.
Lastly, I would like to talk about the grip tape. Nothing fancy there, but it had a decent amount of grip. I never felt like I would fall from the board by losing grip throughout my testing.
Design and Color
After the deck, it’s time to talk about this longboard’s beautiful design and colours. I know it’s not directly related to the board’s performance, but still, it can be important for some. If you are not one of them, you can skip this section.
Personally, I love the design Hawkeye longboard had. I mean, just look at those colourful floral designs below the deck! At a price pot this low, I appreciate the effort by Hawkeye to make the longboard as beautiful as possible.
Furthermore, the unique and vibrant graphic design will also make you stand out among hundreds of other conventional designs in the skate park.
The wheels also have a pinkish shade, which complements the deck’s overall design. There are a few colour options, and you can go with the one you like.
Wheels
Next, we have one of the most critical aspects of this longboard, the wheels. Usually, this is one section where manufacturers try to cut corners. In most cases, you need to change the wheels after a few weeks.
But to my surprise, that wasn’t the case for these wheels. Instead, the wheels were big, grippy and super responsive, even when I rode the longboard for the first time.
There was almost no break-in period, which is a very good quality for a complete longboard. Additionally, the wheels are made of PU material to provide you with the necessary durability.
Though Hawkeye advertised it as anti-shock wheels, which they are, you should avoid big dents on the road as the wheels might not be able to take that.
Lastly, these beautiful wheels of Hawkeye longboard is paired with ABEC-7 bearings to provide you with the smoothest and most satisfying riding experience possible.
Truck
This is the last part of the longboard I’ll talk about. Again, things looked pretty balanced for me underneath the deck. A 7-inch aluminium alloy truck with a steel axle connects the wheels to the deck. Again, nothing extraordinary, but still a decent offering from Hawkeye.
The trucks held up pretty well to my extensive riding sessions. I have recently seen some longboards around the same budget using plastic trucks. Compared to those, this Hawkeye longboard is definitely offering a better deal.
Extra Feature
As for now, there is nothing extra that this Hawkeye longboard is offering, like extra grip tape or something. However, Hawkeye managed to fit a very important thing within a price tag like this, a skate tool. If you have used this tool before, you should know how handy this tool can be.
Starting from longboard disassembly to tightening the trucks, you can do everything easily with the T-tool included with the longboard. Getting a $15 tool for free?
I mean, who wouldn’t love to have that!
Pros
- Spacious and durable deck
- Good grip from the tape included
- Come preassembled in the box
- Concave design for better manoeuvrability
- Vibrant and colourful designs below the deck
- Strong wheels provide for a smooth and responsive ride
- It comes with a T-tool
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- The wheels are not as shock resistant as advertised
- It might be a little too wide for some skaters
- Lack of flex in the deck
As you see, the Hawkeye longboard is stacked with features that are hardly seen in the budget range. I used this longboards for a couple of days, and I have to say, it held up pretty well to its reputation as one of the best value longboards out there.
Types of Tricks You Can Do With Hawkeye Longboards
Now, this is a very interesting topic I need to address here. If you have the slightest amount of knowledge about skateboarding tricks, you should know that longboards are by no means the first choice for skateboarding tricks.
However, no one said that you couldn’t perform some basic tricks with longboards. Longboards are famous for their versatility, and that versatility includes performing tricks too.
So, if you are concerned about what types of tricks you can do with Hawkeye longboards, let me assure you, almost every sort of flip trick and advanced ones are doable.
Admittedly, it gets little challenging when tricks are performed on longboards, especially for beginners. But with time and enough practise, you’ll get hold of this easily.
Lastly
If you are looking for a board to practice and see what longboards feel like, Hawkeye longboard is the one for you. On top of that, it can be a great gift for aspiring longboarders, too, offering an excellent price to performance ratio.
Alternatives For Hawkeye
Before passing the final judgment, I would like to draw your attention to some alternatives of Hawkeye Freeride longboard. It’ll help you. It’ll give you a good idea about the options available o the market and compare them.
Minority Downhill Longboard
Just like Hawkeye, Minority is also a well-known brand in the industry for longboards. Looking at this particular one, you’ll notice all the similarities it has with the Hawkeye Freeride longboard, including the maple wood deck, trucks, wheels and much more.
However, in a similar price range, the Minority longboard lacks the T-tool and have some complaints of rattling at high speed. If that is something you can consider, Minority longboard isn’t a bad option to check out.
Quest Rorschach Complete Longboard
Here is another amazing longboard in the same price territory. If a 41″ longboard is getting too bigger for you, Quest Rorschach might be the longboard you were searching for.
With a considerably smaller 34 inch deck, this longboard can be a great option for shorter people. As for the other features and brand reputation, it’s as close as it gets to Hawkeye.
Hi, this is Jerry, a skateboarder, who loves to talk about micro-mobility and future of that industry. Coming from motion engineering background, I am very enthusiast about speed, motion, balance and technology. I have taken a mission to carry the fuel free, environment friendly micro-mobile industry forward by educating people about micro-mobile products especially skateboards and longboards. I love skating around very much and encourage people to do so. Its a fun believe me.