“I’m going to be using my longboard primarily for commuting. Should I get the Pantheon Trip or Ember?”

This is probably the most commonly asked question we have received since we released the Trip about a month ago. It is very understandable, considering that we made two very similar boards that are both great for commuting and traveling distance via longboard.

Let’s first start by saying that either one of these skateboards are fantastic for commuting. The primary difference between the two is the setup that they are designed around. In short, we proclaim the Ember as the “Mini Cruiser” Commuter longboard. At 32.75 inches long and only 8.5″ wide, it’s a tiny board built for ease of travel and easy carrying. If this satisfies your size requirements, you could easily consider it as the best mini cruiser commuter longboard on the market. We even wrote a separate blog about it!

The Trip, then, we have dubbed as the Double Drop Distance Longboard. Though the boards are similar, the feel of the deck is what really matters. If you step on one and then the other, you will understand the different vibe and why we draw this distinction.

Trip vs Ember – Proper Setups for Efficient Distance Skating

The Ember is very specifically designed around Traditional Kingpin Trucks (TKP) aka street trucks. The Ember sets up with 149mm Paris Street Trucks, Independent, Bear Street, Caliber Street, or any other 149mm street trucks that you may have laying around in your garage. One of the beautiful elements of this style of setup is that you may already have 149mm street trucks laying around on some old pool deck that you aren’t riding. This is a cheap way to repurpose gear that you’re not using into something highly practical for everyday distance pushing and commuting. The other advantage of the Ember is its size. Though it is only a quarter inch shorter than the Trip, the width is 3/4″ narrower. That is fairly substantial when it comes to weight, but even more substantial when it comes to feel. It just feels smaller and easier to carry around, almost like a true mini cruiser.

The Trip is designed around RKP trucks and true LDP (long distance pushing) riding. RKP stands for Reverse KingPin, which is a somewhat classic style longboard truck. RKP trucks are more linear in how they turn, which in some ways make them feel a little less stable, because they are more nimble. However, the RKP truck’s geometry will feel more stable at speed. That doesn’t mean you can’t fit a TKP truck on the Trip. But you may find that the TKP truck on a Trip results in a lot more bottoming out and flexing the board to the ground. We do not recommend this for heavier riders. In general, I just say that if you want to run TKP trucks, use the board that they were designed for — the Ember.

Crescent Drop, Strength, and Flex

One of the key things to notice in the new Trip design is this difference in flex between the old Trip and the new redesigned Trip V2 for 2018. The new Trip has more flex. This is very intentional, and we are creating three different flex patterns to maximize the board for your style and your weight. We decreased concave in the body of the board to increase comfort and position the flex of the deck away from the drops. When you run over big cracks in the road, rail road ties, etc, the body flexes and puts less stress on the thinner, more vulnerable parts of your longboard deck.

We may be describing the neck as “vulnerable” here, but we need to put that in context. The crescent drop is the most radical wood bend in a production level skateboard. The bend is inherently strong. It retains concave through the entire length of the drop and neck where other drop designs have flat spots that will flex. This is what allows us to make a virtually indestructible construction out of less material than many competing boards. We do this so that you can have a high performance ride at a fraction of the cost of other high performance commuter / LDP boards. This curve is really revolutionary and is why so many people are looking to Pantheon longboard decks for their longboard pushers, downhill boards, and cruisers. We call this curve the “crescent drop,” and both the Trip and Ember have it. The Trip is just more radical and deeper.

Trip Pusher vs Ember Commuter – Key Design Points

Ember:

– shallower drop. Fits TKP trucks

– rocker platform puts the middle of the deck 1 inch below the truck mounts

– beef around the shoulders with a shorter neck strengthens the board for the stresses that TKP trucks put on drop decks

– narrower and slightly smaller longboard platform really ideal for commuting and taking your board with you

– ready to rock straight out of the box with our stock complete. Will feel loose and nimble but also stable when moving

Trip:

– wider platform with a deeper drop makes this deck have larger pockets. This makes the longboard feel a little more like a snowboard type of ride

– fits RKP trucks and really shines with Paris 150mm RKP, as they are thin and nimble, great for commuting

– slightly more stable at speed and slightly more nimble at slower speeds

– really feels like an “LDP” (long distance pushing) board made for pushing over longer distances with ease.

– we tested with stock bushings on Paris 150mm RKP and have been very happy with the results. If you want larger wheels or more wheel options than listed on the website, expect to tweak the bushings on 150s. It’s worth it though!

– the snappier nature of RKP trucks makes them a little more comfortable and controlled when sliding. This is expanded by the depth of drops and leverage points that the drops on the Trip provide. The Ember has this, too; it’s just that the Trip’s are more extreme.

Conclusion

There is a lot of information in this post. Please feel free to ask questions, either through email or through this post. We clearly make some pretty highly specialized longboards here. This may feel a little overwhelming, but we are trying to provide information to make it less intimidating. The specialization of the product means you will have way better function when it comes to commuting, long distance skating, skating for exercise, and covering ground with ease on your longboard. Ease of use will free your mind of the struggle of balance and staying safe. This will steer you toward that yogic experience of skateboarding that we are all striving for. THAT is the essence of these boards. Pantheon Longboards is dedicated to purpose built skate products. The Trip and Ember easy make for some of the best boards for beginners and are equally effective as push decks for advanced skaters. They are simply easy to ride, and especially effective with their recommended setups.