When you have a board like the Loaded Basalt Tesseract dubbed “the spork of modern, all-terrain skateboarding” on your shelves, there’s only one way to properly showcase it’s intricate design and the unrivaled freestyling capabilities it enables: taking it to the streets.
However, it would be a shame to keep this marvel of longboarding innovation all to ourselves for testing purposes. Instead, we set our for the palm-lined promenades of Venice beach to pair our efforts with Dock Session LA.
Proudly supported by the Loaded Boards and Orangatang Wheels family, the LA contingent of the worldwide Dock Sessions movement is one of the most vibrant collectives of longboarding talent on the West Coast.
Not only are the riders who come out every week the ones who would most appreciate the lightweight build of the Basalt Tesseract, they’re also the ones who could use it to it’s fullest potential. Without further ado, we had a handful of regulars go for a spin on the brand new setup to get their thoughts.
First up was Mark Ponce. Known for holding expansive nose manuals down the length of the boardwalk and beyond, he wasted no time in getting the Basalt Tesseract on two wheels and kicking the session off. Speaking on the first run of the day, Ponce told us:
“I like how it’s symmetrical and that the Basalt makes it lightweight. I like that its W-concave, so for slides, I feel like my feet are locked in. It’s just really good for popping tricks because it’s so light. It feels like you’re riding a cloud. Nose manuals and manuals are super light since you can turn at ease.The grip keeps your feet locked in for sure and the cork underneath really dampens the vibrations of the pavement so you have a nice solid smooth run.”
Next up was Corey Cade, who had similar things to say about the feel of the board. Though he’s usually busting kickflips left and right, he kept the session rolling by busting out a handful of tiger claw variations. After a few lands, Cade reflected by saying:
“It’s like riding a cloud. It’s really soft and has smooth wheels with the Orangatangs and it just has nice carving momentum that you’re able to build and keep. Then again, with freestyle, the pop is incredible. You get such insane pop to send your tricks super high and that’s honestly my favorite thing about it.”
Rounding out the session, Randon Moore took a few runs as the sun began to set. Enthusiastic from start to finish, he seemed ready to unleash a barrage of bigspins when the Basalt Tesseract came his way. After a set of smooth roll aways, Moore concluded by telling us:
“It’s so diverse. You can dance and carve if you want to but you can also throw the street tricks and ollie up curbs and bash sidewalks and stuff. It’s a great all around board.”
With a cast of riders backing the most active riders that Los Angeles has to offer backing it, it’s clear that this board could be the next great addition to your quiver, or even replace it entirely.
From the variety of features Loaded has packed into it’s wood to the assortment of tricks proven possible on it, the Basalt Tesseract was an undeniable favorite at Dock Sessions LA and is sure to hold true as a favorite no matter where these riders will take it next.
Looking for a piece of the action? Feel free to check out our available options of the Basalt Tesseract here or shoot us a message directly here for any comments, questions or concerns.
All photos shot and authorized to use by Andrei C.
