It’s been a while since I reviewed a skateboard, this time I tested the Landyacht ATV and I know many of you are curious about this board.
To be honest, I wasn’t that impressed mainly because it’s expensive. It’s heavy, requires a lot of effort to flip and I also wouldn’t recommend it as a cruiser.
The Landyachtz ATV is advertised as a trick cruiser skateboard that can do everything. The reality is that it’s an all-around skateboard that’s not good at anything, but can do a bit of everything. It offers a smooth ride and can handle technical tricks. Beginners will love it, experienced skaters should stay away.
The ATV Classic Howdy is great for those who:
- Want to learn how to ride a skateboard.
- Need something stable and lots of room for foot placement.
You will not like this board if you:
- Already know how to ride.
- Want to learn tricks.
- Think this board is great for cruising AND tricks.
Contents
What I Don’t Like About the Landyachtz ATV
It’s not all that great but I’m being super picky here. There are a couple of issues with this board which you should be aware of.
- It isn’t very carvy and you’ll lose stability when you want to make a sharp turn.
- The mellow concave and total weight makes this board hard to flip and ollie, it requires a lot of effort.
It’s very heavy, the trucks and deck weigh a ton which doesn’t make it very nimble. It feels sluggish, like skating a tank. This also means it’s pretty durable but if you want to ollie or kickflip, it feels a bit awkward.
One of the local skaters over here commented that he would break is ankles if he kept flipping the board. Check the video below:
Sure it takes some time to get used to, but it isn’t a great street skateboard. For that you should pick your own parts and assemble it yourself, more about that later.
What I like About The Landyachtz ATV
There are also a lot of positive things to say about the Landyachts ATV. For one, the wheels are insane! Grippy and smooth but they still allow you to pull of slides on slicker surfaces. They also look great, I love white wheels and they stay white for a long time.
It’s very stable, beginners will love this because it means it’s one of the better boards for those who want to learn how to ride first and learn tricks later. You get the feeling of how a popsicle shaped skateboard works but not the gittery movements of a street skateboard.
The soft wheels make it a breeze to ride, very forgiving and reliable. Hard and small street skate wheels for example will give you a hard time when you ride a skateboard for the first time.
The trucks also aren’t too carvy, so you wont be all over the place. They are heavy and wide, so it won’t do anything unexpected. An experienced rider will appreciate this less.
I also love this board for filming! It’s easy to carry around and it doesn’t do anything unexpected when you take it slow. I think if you’re an (adult) beginner that wants to learn how to ride, this is perfect
How it Rides
It rides fine, pretty comfy actually. A single push will make it roll for a long time, this also makes it a great filmer skateboard.
The wheels are awesome, this is the first Landyachtz setup with wheels I actually like and didn’t felt the need to replace them. They roll smooth, perform great on gritty asphalt and you can even plough through sand/gravel.
Maybe the circumstances were just right, but you can actually take this board off-road. Not that it keeps going, you need to keep pushing to keep momentum but you can pull it off. Should test this at our local BMX pumptruck some day.
I really don’t like the Polar Bear 155mm trucks, I’m not a fan of Polar Bear trucks anyway. They are heavy, feel sluggish, and the bushings never seem to do what you ask them to. They also make this board even heavier than it already is.
I didn’t feel comfortable enough to take on the really gnarly roads, I also carry expensive equipment and decided not to risk it. I’ll pad up soon and give it a try and update this review accordingly.
The wheels give away when you approach slick surfaces at a sharp angle, but stay firmly gripped on grittier asphalt. A deep carve feels unnatural, I don’t trust this board enough to push its limits.
Technical skating is where this falls short, it is not made for kickflips or ollies. It’s too heavy and sluggish for hardcore skating and my crash test volunteer felt very uncomfortable. Technical tricks are risky and you’ll land primo more often compared to a regular setup.
Here’s what my friend said; “This board feels super heavy and it makes my trained feel sore, this will hurt tomorrow if I keep flipping it”.
That’s where this board fails, it’s not technical at all. It’s sort of a cruiser and yet it isn’t.
Comparing The Landyachtz ATV to a Custom Setup
A while ago I assembled my own cruiser trick board, I had some parts laying around, I did not picked them specifically. Here’s the thing, that setup is cheaper, lighter, and far better for tricks. However, it doesn’t ride as smooth as the ATV.
Mine accelerates faster and is easier to flick or ollie and performs better in parks and bowls. The ATV keeps going for a longer time but requires a lot of effort when you want to do more technical stuff.
This is why the ATV is a master of none, it does everything but isn’t really great at anything. That’s what you get when you buy a complete. It has to appeal to the masses and when experienced riders like me take it for a ride, there is always disapointment.
Here’s what a custom setup like this would cost you:
- 8.5 Quality maple deck from Thank You: $60 (including grip tape)
- OJ Super Juice 60mm/78a or Bones Rough Riders 60mm/80a: $40
- Zealous Classics or Bronson G2: $25 / $20
- Paris Street trucks (149): $35
- 1/8″ risers: $5
- Hardware: $3
That would come down to $160-170 depending on where you shop and the bearings you pick. You’ll have a poppier deck and the setup wouldn’t feel as sluggish and heavy. For less and a bit of effort you get a better setup.
Landyachtz ATV Specifications
Let’s look at this setup and the individual parts. This setup is fine in general but there are a few things that could make it or break it depending on what you are looking for.
- Wheels feel bouncy but offer a very smooth ride, higher risk of landing primo.
- Quality 7-ply maple deck but the mellow concave is not for everyone.
- Heavy trucks make it harder to pop this board.
Wheels
The 60mm 78a Lil EZ Hawgs offer a very smooth ride but feel very bouncy at the same time. You really feel them bounce back when flipping the board, this also results in landing primo more often.
Great for a cruiser but maybe just a bit too soft for tricks. Since there is no such thing as the perfect cruiser trick board, something has got to give. I personally like my Bones 80A rough riders better, they feel less bouncy compared to the Lil EX Hawgs.
Deck
The deck is around 8.5″ wide, and 32″ in lenght with a 14.375 wheel base. It feels heavier compared to other 8.5″ decks I skated. It’s a quality board for sure and you won’t snap it easily. Despite its weight it still has pop and enough flex, though maybe a bit stiffer compared to other brands.
The wheel wells are a nice addition, not sure if they are really add anything. The mellow concave may be a bit boring when you’re an aggressive or technical skater. Beginners will appreciate the shape.
Bearings
The bearings are fine, they work great with the wheels and the ATV keeps rolling for a long time and doesn’t require you to push a lot. Bearings are overrated anyway, but if you wan’t something that accelerates faster, replace them with Bronson G2’s. If you want to focus more on cruising try Zealous Classics instead.
Trucks
As mentioned earlier, the trucks are bulky and heavy but beefy. Probably a lot of meat to grind through is that is your thing. The bushings require a few tweaks because they are rather soft. Ride is a bit, tighten the kingpin nut, and see if it works for you.
The trucks are placed on 1/8″ risers to add some extra clearance. We didn’t experience any wheel bit.
Other Landyachtz ATV Shapes
I picked this version because it comes close to a regular skateboard setup, the rest of the ATV boards are cruisers. I think if you are a person that just wants to cruise you’ll be better off with a wider version like the Ditch Life.
Since the ATV Classic board isn’t great for technical skating, you might as well pick a board that is better at cruising or assemble your own board.
Landyachtz offers pretty decent cruisers and longboards but street skating is something completely different. Their trucks are made for cruising, their wheels are made for cruising and so are their decks. Not hardcore skateboarding.
Conclusion
I was very biased about this board since it’s hyped so much. After testing many LY boards you kinda know what to expect. I have to admit, it’s a pretty decent board though, maybe a bit expensive for what you get. I thought my own skateboard cruiser setup would be a more comfortable ride but Landyachtz beats my setup in that regard.
It lacks the ability for technical skating; kickflips and ollies require a lot of effort and you will feel your joints and ankles when you do so. This is not how this board is advertised, the sales pitch tells you it can do everything.
While in theory this is true, it will take a really good skater to pull this off. And why would a really skilled skater buy this board anyway? Experienced skaters know what they like and stick to what the are used to, if this is you stay away from the LY ATV.
If you are a beginner skater or getting back into skateboarding and want something cruisable, ollie a few curbs, pull of some slappies, this board is perfect.
I’m an aged skateboarder and still shred responsibly. Started skateboarding 25 years ago, peaked in the 2000’s, and still ride to this day. I am a total geek when it comes to skateboard gear, love test to stuff and share my findings.