Nat, if you email Blakkcross they can do custom stuff. they can make a deck for you, to your specs that will weigh nothing. For a pretty price though!

I was a bit shocked about the gnar of their materials, and didnt think it was a very good idea to be telling people, but at least they are upfront about it! haha!

They are all nice blokes actually, and the co owner speaks amazing english. I dont like any of their boards, but thats just personal preference. As is graphics.

The only two who have seen (and ridden?) and of their boards on this site seem to be in accord... It may be as River said, its personal preference, but various aspects which have come up steer me clear...
Although Im not a big eco bod myself, (I ride import canadian decks) I think that the carbon footprint of one of these blackkross decks is too high, and im not honestly convinced worth the money.



That is a simple fixer. Trampa mountainboards employ a similar material but different tecnique, and the result is fantastic.



Thats the final straw as far as im concerned, I'v seen many of Steve and his family's extensive quiver, and they do have good taste in boards... If he couldnt find something likable about these blackkross boards, then Im not going to hold out hope.

Don't give up hope Tom, you never know you might like them. It's all subjective. There must be lots of French folk who buy them and like them. I hear what you say about their input to the scene Chris, and the parts stock - Carvers, Kahalanis, blue Kryps, BRDs, GPSs, Loaded gloves, that sort of thing. Re the prices - of course the exchange rate doesn't do them any favours with UK buyers at the moment. Looking at the decks again I wonder if they might have started out as a ski or snowboard company. If any feedback is useful I'd say more natural wood and less weird science, less topside graphic and more proper black grip, less fancy cutout shaping - and in a nutshell more function, less form.

btw Censorship is a serious issue. It undermines the status of a site like this as a forum open to all for the free exchange of ideas. Censoring JJ's post for a bit of strong language sets a precedent for a limit on free speech. That's a bad thing.

I haven't tried these boards but I agree with you on the form/function. Although I expect there are probably a few snowboarders out there who love the boards for the topside graphics, there is definately such a thing as too much.

But open sites + bad language can equal complaints and could, if viewed out of the context of the rest of the site, give a bad and wrong impression of the community. At least because of the way it has been edited everyone knows JJ was using naughty words, so it's very mild censorship

I definitly agree - you can argue a point without having to use bad language (I'm perhaps starting to sound like my dad here though!).

the censorship on this site only edits swearing and abuse to other members. Its accessable by all the site admins.



We admin assume that every member of this site has attained a certain level of maturity, and thus be able to express themselves through mediums other than vulgar language. Swearing and vulgarity add nothing.

I happen to be the one who edited the swearing out of that post, as previously the same day id met and spoken to a young family who were interested in the sport and were pointed in this way. I can personally email anyone who asks a copy of the original post and the edited version if they feel it impeaches free speach, and they will see the only things edited out are the two swear words and a few spellings were corrected (a mild annoyance). Im a big fan of JJs outbursts, and he talks alot of sense some of the time, but swearing on a public forum can be seen by many as being as bad as making sexual refereces when drunk.

Swearing will be removed. End.

Now, any more info on this board? any more comments or opinions on it?
What was it about the boards (other than price) that put you off so much steve?

Well it was the feel of them. I used the word 'weird' which isn't very helpful I know, but I had no idea about fibre weave or whatever it may be that made them feel peculiar. Anyway maybe it's just me. I like the feel of a wood deck, and I like the sort of dialled-in flex you get in nice composites. These boards all felt bulletproof but a bit ... odd. Maybe the construction is the reason. Who knows.... ?

The more important issue of censorship needs to be followed up. What words are forbidden here? ??? I objected to the word 'spazz' recently on the forum here but I would never dream that it should be censored by a third party. I objected to it and that's fine. I wanted my objection heard, and the person who used the word then had the option to defend it or to explain it or whatever. God forbid my objection might have been taken as a call for censorship or for anyone to filter anyone's freedom of expression by cutting out words. This is authoritarian. Even where a contributor is overtly racist, homophobic or obscene I would have thought a public warning followed if necessary by a ban of that person from the forum would be the proper approach, not unilaterally altering individual posts according to some arbitrary measure of what is acceptable to certain people. It's a slippery slope and it should be resisted.
Anyone remember the feminist campaign in the 80s - Against Pornography and Censorship? It's a fine balancing act to exert positive pressure yet defend rights of free expression.

'Obscenity is not a quality inherent in a book or picture, but is solely and exclusively a contribution of the reading mind, and hence cannot be defined in terms of the qualities of a book or picture.' Theodore Schroeder

'The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion.' Henry Steele Commager

put it this way. what words would you be unhappy to have your son return from school and utter in front of you? swearwords in this case will be defined in the following: What would get you into trouble if you said such words to a teacher as a pupil? censorship is indeed an issue, one which many people have extrapolated on at length thoughout history. As stated above, swearing will be removed due to the age range that view this site. The most common issue regarding censorship is where does it end. As stated above the only thing that will be edited is swearwords and abuse. That is all!

Now this is off topic. back (once again) to the boards... I spoke to jj earlier, and he will hopefully be sharing some more insight into the deck constuction and its negatives.

WOW...
for anyone who's interested in this issue, or this forum as a whole, I made a considered response to Tom's message, and posted it up, and it's been removed entirely. That's what you get for discussing censorship... censored!
Maybe this post will be deleted too...

ps btw Tom you asked me a question about my son, and I answered it, but you've censored my answer. I'm amazed.

So will you put my deleted post back once you've taken out the two or three words that you don't like? I think it would be helpful to all concerned.