The pivotal turning point for almost any longboarder is the realization that not only do they want to skate, but they want to skate with soul. To describe the attributes of a soulful skateboard we can think of nothing better than the 47” of 11 ply goodness that is the Gravity Hypercarve. The board is crafted to provide something to the rider, nose cutouts and tail cutouts. The nose is prominent past the wheel well scoops and the tail is fanned out. The board has been on the Gravity lineup, literally since the beginning. Nothing has changed on the board but the graphic. 47” of 11 ply goodness for under 150$ complete.
It’s a flat deck, with slender gatherings at the front and rear trucks to serve as minimal wheel wells betwixt a rounded nose and a swept out, shovel tail. The gradual curves of the deck serve to smooth out its elongated shape and let the wheels step out from the deck like it’s lifted. The graphics available on these boards are usually beach inspired. Graphics and a shape like this aren’t breaking any molds but, some might point out, may have made the mold. It’s classic and not too clichéd by mall-board copycats, despite their best efforts. It all comes together--nothing out of place and keeping in line with the visual impact of the deck, this thing flows. The topside of the deck has a split dual pinstripe stringer and a fat G logo. It is simple, clean, and functional. It’s a mainstay in the Gravity lineup for a very good reason; simplicity and flowing design--a tried and true shape with a solid setup. For a longboard at this price, it’s hard to beat the Hyper Carve for what it is: a unique yet classic longboard with a lot of soul.
This board rolls into the Top 10 longboards for a very solid reason, staying power. This board continues to be one of the most popular longboards in the industry. It forgoes complexity and hype and instead delivers exactly what the consumer rider is looking for in an affordable, well designed board that is ready to cruise the boardwalks, take you to school or drift on some big hills. It’s a masterful example that less is more and that you really can buy an affordable board, that will actually grow with you, instead of wasting money on an entry board that rides like a ironing board nailed to the ground. The Gravity Hyper-Carve continues to change its image but never its shape.
Malakai Kingston is the mad genius behind the Silverfish Longboarding website, and has been sharing his expertise on longboarding and skateboarding for a long time.
