Longboarding’s newest wheel is available right here in Calgary at Royal Board Shop. The Orangatang Balut comes in all three duro’s (80a, 83a & 86a), 72.5mm, they are all here!

Feb 2nd is the world wide release date, and Feb 2nd is the day you can get them in Calgary. Come check em out and see what all the hype is about.

Congrats to Royal Family Member Tyler MacRae for winning the Vail stop of the Gatorade tour last weekend.

Tyler MacRae gets the shiny “G” trophy and the trip to Finals that accompanies it “This was a super fun contest,” MacRae said after his win. “It was a great set up, and I had an awesome time.”

Inspiration

As we collectively began to dabble in new directions in sliding, we found ourselves in want of a new and unique wheel. Our existing lineup of freeride wheels (the Durian, Stimulus, and Fat Free) maintained a conservative balance of traction and driftability that is intended for downhill freeriding. The current emphasis is on the ability to grip and hold a line through corners at speed. The slide aspect of these wheels is focused on shaving off speed (in a pragmatic fashion) as well as to begin exploring progressive freeriding.

The Balut is the result of our desire to investigate the other end of the grip-slip spectrum: a freestyle slide wheel that allows for longer drifts and quicker, more numerous rotations with minimal speed loss. This is a first step in a new direction for us, and we’re excited to see where it takes us.

Baluts will be available in Calgary at Royal Board Shop as soon as humanly possible.

Specs

Diameter: 72.5 mm
Contact patch: 35 mm
Width: 44 mm
Durometers: 80a, 83a, 86a
Weight: 4.7 oz (per wheel)
Bearing seat: centerset

Design

The Baluts are centerset and symmetrical, allowing for maximum flexibility when rotating and flipping to promote even wear on all four wheels. By using a larger spoked core and removing significant amounts of urethane between the bearing seat and outer edge of the core, we were able to reduce the overall wheel weight for increased agility in slides and freestyle tricks alike.

The core used in the Balut is relatively wide in comparison to the wheel. Combined with a stiff and rounded lip profile, the core provides plenty of rigid support for the contact patch and facilitates smooth slides with a predictable release and hookup.

Urethane

In the development process, we quickly realized that the early protos of this shape lent themselves to unreasonably long standup slides and thus demanded a urethane that could withstand the inevitable abuse and was appropriate for this specific (narrow) shape. The shape was dialed almost a year ago, but we’ve been holding off on the release to find this magic thane. And thus the Euphorethane formula was created, offering exceptional durability and flatspot resistance while still retaining a smooth, predictable drift and reliable (albeit nominal) speed control.

Wheel Rotation

Good rotation habits can help even out wear patterns and dramatically extend the life of your wheels. Be aware, though, that wheel rotation can get a little confusing, especially since wear patterns often differ from rider to rider.

The simplest suggestion to remember is to swap your most worn wheel with your least worn wheel, swap the other two wheels, and flip when appropriate.

Beyond that basic principle, here are a few suggestions and info tidbits that we’ve found helpful in our sideways smile sessions:

Uphill wheels (on your heelside rail for heelside/frontside slides and on your toeside rail for toeside/backside slides) tend to cone (faster wear on the inside lip), while downhill wheels tend to reverse cone (faster wear on the outside lip).

On a board with a centered stance (snowboard style) most of the rider’s weight is typically over the front truck, so expect the front wheels to wear faster than the rear wheels. On a board with a rear stance (e.g. ridden with the back foot mostly on the kicktail) there is usually much more weight applied to the back truck, so the rear wheels tend to wear faster than the front wheels.

On a directional setup (ridden mostly in one orientation) we generally recommend rotating your wheels diagonally (front left with rear right, front right with rear left). On a symmetrical setup (ridden equally in both orientations) we generally rotate wheels on the same hanger (front left with front right, rear left with rear right).

A symmetrical centerset shape also allows you to flip each wheel to counteract coning. Whenever you rotate your wheels, check to see if any of your wheels are starting to cone and flip them as needed. Be sure to consider the wheels’ new positions on the board and your personal riding habits (if you do more heelside slides than toesides, you may expect your heelside wheels to cone and your toeside wheels to reverse cone).

We just got in our New Era Fitted Caps in 4 awesome colorways and every size you could want.

Come check them out while they last.

Check out all the Royal Shop Product available in our Online Store

As of January 1st we are now running on our winter hourly schedule. Here are our hours of operation.

Monday – 10am – 6pm

Tuesday  – 10am – 6pm

Wednesday – 10am – 6pm

Thursday – 10am – 8pm

Friday – 10am – 6pm

Saturday – 10am – 6pm

Sunday – 10am – 4pm

Vancouver’s Rayne Longboards are back in stock.

Visit Rayne on our Online Store to see what is back on the shelves.

Winsport Canada & Royal Board Shop have teamed up to bring a grass roots series to introduce new riders to a competitive, but fun atmosphere.

Boys & Girls Ages 6 – 12 | Beginner to intermediate abilities

Registration between 5-6 PM at the COP Visitor Information Center

Check out all the events over at our Facebook page

To celebrate Thrasher’s 30th year anniversary they teamed up with Volcom for a jacket, tee, and hat collab. The end result is so tight we are sure these will go quick.

GoPro cameras are used by more motorsports professionals, race teams and core enthusiasts than any other camera in the world. The HD HERO2: Motorsports Edition is the most advanced GoPro camera yet. Wearable and gear mountable, waterproof to 197′ (60m), capable of capturing professional full 170º wide angle 1080p video and 11 megapixel photos at a rate of 10 photos per second, the HD HERO2 is the world’s most versatile camera. Whether your goal is to capture footage of a spirited rip through backcountry roads or you want to capture and study lapping footage to learn how to set a new track record, the HD HERO2: Motorsports Edition is going to be one of your favorite motorsports purchases of all time.

Included are mounting accessories you’re most likely to use during motorsports activities. Other accessories are available via links on the right hand side of this page.

The HD HERO2: Motorsports Edition is compatible with all GoPro expansion accessories and BacPacs™, including the Wi-Fi BacPac and Wi-Fi Remote (coming soon).

Royal is proud to welcome Diamond Supply Co. clothing to the shop.
Diamond Supply Co. is a California based skateboarding accessories and clothing line that was started in 1998 by skateboarder and designer Nick “Diamond” Tershay. The Diamond Supply diamond logo is quickly recognizable, and is seen on the streets and at skate parks across the US and further.

So what’s everyone getting so worked up about? Diamond Supply are the talk of the town. Well, maybe it’s their catchy streetwear designs, quality made skate gear, and their own unique twist on street-skate looks.