Ride longa – Onda Longa land paddle board review

On initial inspection the Onda Longa looks akin to a drop deck longboard skate sled with pram wheels attached. It’s certainly unique and therefore catches the eye. But as with everything in life, books shouldn’t be judged by their covers alone.

The large diameter 42″ X 11″ X 7″ wheels are what makes Onda’s Longa the versatile and unusual machine it is. Designed with crossover appeal in mind it’s a skate that straddles downhill cruiser, land paddle carver and even kite slider!

Its aluminium hanger and chrome plated, heat treated steel axles give extra strength and ensure rider weight can be up to 100kg – good for bigger boned sweepers. Its bamboo drop deck is super comfortable to perch tootsies and a wide profile with grippy top layer ensures no slippage.

When riding the Longa feels short. Although this isn’t street skateboard in size you actually lose some of the deck’s length due to the overhang. This makes for a loose and lively feeling board that loves nippy turning circles and leant right over edging.

If the surface you’re intending to sweep along is uneven or moist then those big wheels come into play once again making the Onda great for off season land paddling and winter conditions. Don’t worry though, it works just as well in summer…

Scooting along is a swift affair. While the Onda Longa doesn’t have quite the same ‘roll’ properties as other decks available the oversize wheels do eat up distance with relative ease. As such, cruisers will be well served while paddlers with carving in mind have access to a board that’s rewarding to arc a full power turn.

Conclusion

The Onda Longa is a super versatile land paddle machine that has unique looks and performance. Quick across uneven and rough ground, due to those oversize wheels, its nippy enough to keep manoeuvre orientated sweepers entertained while offering enough straight line tracking for cruising and covering distance. If sliding is your thing then maybe you should look elsewhere but for everyone else the Onda Longa would be a worthy addition to toy boxes.

Price: £169.99

Info: http://landpaddleuk.co.uk/longboards/64-onda-longa-longboard.html