Almost Skateboards have been around for quite some time. It was founded by old friends and skateboarding pioneers Daewon Song and Rodney Mullen way back in 2003 and, after almost 18 years, continue to dominate the skateboarding scene with their creative outlook, modern edge, and mission to add a touch of fun into the highly competitive sport.
It’s this quiet confidence that sets them apart from other brands, and might very well be the reason that Almost Skateboards has enjoyed an impressive upwards trajectory ever since the beginning.
Truly authentic, Almost Skateboards’ foundations are built upon the near-legendary status of Rodney Mullen and the brand’s message of putting the fun into skateboarding, clearly demonstrated by their social media hashtag #HaveFunSkateEverything.
Almost Skateboards is owned by parent brand Dwindle Skateboards and is one of the leading brands under the Dwindle empire. Standing the test of time, Almost Skateboards has been a staple part of Dwindle’s skateboard scene since the beginning, and boast an impressive collection of established pros and promising rising stars based all over the USA and Europe.
Skateboard Quality
You don’t have to be an expert skateboarder to know about the iconic status of Rodney Mullen. In fact, anyone with even the slightest interest in skateboarding history will be able to tell you about him.
Rodney Mullen has had decades of hands-on experience in skateboard design and has pioneered some of the deck shapes and concaves we’ve all come to know and trust in.
Therefore, we think it’s safe to say that Rodney has also acquired a vast wealth of technical knowledge and skateboard manufacturing, and his eye for detail and knack for skateboard innovation is clearly seen by the quality of his designs at Almost Skateboards.
With so many rider’s confidence in Almost Skateboards quality being taken from the Mullen and Daewon’s ownership tag, people can be quick to question how their skateboards perform.
Besides their sparkling brand image, the expertise poured into Almost’s decks is phenomenal, so you can be confident that their skateboards live up to their shining reputation and then some.
Mullen and Daewon are both are heavily-experienced skaters who take heavy tolls on the boards they ride, and Almost customers believe that the Almost decks are strong enough to withstand the demands of hardcore skateboarding.
Many skateboarders also strongly praise the technology used to make the Almost decks, such as by using carbon fiber and specialized types of resin.
Almost Skateboard fans also praise the way that the brand keeps careful control over their manufacturing quality by operating from their very own facility via Dwindle, as opposed to outsourcing to third party wood shops.
This results in stronger quality decks at a much better price, making them a high-quality choice that is more readily available to all budgets.
While Almost decks are about twice the price (around $60) of non-branded decks, riders feel the former typically last twice as long as the latter, making them a choice worthy of investing in.
Construction
Dwindle have their own very own manufacturing facility in China, which goes by the name of DSM Premium Woodshop. DSM ensures only the highest manufacturing processes and materials through research and development primarily taken from pro teams’ feedback and performance, which is then put into improving deck shapes and performance.
Unlike other brands, DSM imports its very own high-quality Canadian maple wood straight from the Great Lakes Region.
This careful and consistent choice and sourcing of materials result in higher quality products for Almost Skateboards, as well as other Dwindle brands. Not just that, but DSM also uses its own proprietary epoxy glue for bonding wood veneers together, resulting in lighter, stiffer, longer-lasting decks with less give.
The Almost decks are also single-pressed which means much higher consistency in the shape and feel of each deck, and cured in advanced deck curing facilities.
Dwindle’s reinforced Impact Support construction is built into the Impact series. This revolves around an 8-ply maple layup pressed with an epoxy resin glue, finished with carbon fiber laminate discs added as reinforcement at the truck mounts.
The Impact process results in longer-lasting durability and greater lifespan for Almost Skateboard decks, the most notable being:
- The Über Light: this model consists of a 7-ply Resin deck with a carbon fiber inner layer with a foam core. The design creates a stronger, lighter, and more rigid board in comparison to regular, non-branded wood decks. At the time of creation, only 500 Über Light boards were made but, as of May 2012, the boards are being regularly manufactured, and are praised for their agile style and long-lasting durability.
- The Double Impact: this series was created in 2010. This model features carbon fiber discs (including the Impact Support) with a 6-ply Resin construction and a carbon fiber top sheet. The Double Impact design features all the benefits of the Impact Support model but is lighter and much stronger. It also comes with a 45-day warranty, which protects your purchase and allows you to get a replacement if you encounter any issues.
Comparison to other skateboarding brands
In comparison to other skateboarding brands, Almost Skateboards are a definitive leader, and one way that this can be seen is from the customer satisfaction rate.
Many skaters feel that their Almost deck is up there with the best decks that they’ve ever ridden, not to mention being snappier than many other boards.
After checking out countless reviews, Almost Skateboards decks strong points are their durability, lightweight, and feel.
However, it is worth mentioning that some skateboarders feel that only the Impact Series are strong enough for hardcore skating.
In addition to this, many Skateboarder’s have commented that Almost Skateboards decks have a near-identical feel to other top brands such as Darkstar and Enjoi, which are brands that also share a similar reputation of creating high-quality products.
Skateboarders trust Almost Skateboard’s product defect guarantee, which varies from 15 days to 90 days depending on deck material and construction.
Riders who file guarantee claims are generally treated well and often get a replacement board, which is something that not all skateboard brands offer.
As a side note, many Skateboarders tend to choose an Almost deck over competing brands options due to loyalty.
Skateboards certainly offer a sense of community, and so they see many repeat buyers that like to support the brand’s pro team, as well as founders Mullen and Song.
However, while the majority of riders praise the outstanding durability of Almost Skateboards decks, some find Powell Peralta flight decks to be even more durable, even though they are often more expensive, while Flip is often named as being a very close contender to the quality and presence of Almost Skateboards.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Part of your purchase will help to fund the development of the Pro’s Team!
- The quality is guaranteed because of who owns and skates for the team (Mullen, Daewon, and the rest of the team). They’re known for being hardcore skaters that quite literally destruct their boards. This relentless, heavy-duty use that they give their decks is far beyond what the average-intermediate skater will do, so if the Almost decks can survive the regular use of their brand owners, you can be sure that they’re going to last you for, too!
- They have pioneered some of the skateboarding world’s leading technologies: inserting carbon fiber and using various resins to make a high-quality product - you really are paying for what you get.
- They’re longlasting and very durable. On average, an Almost deck is around 60 dollars, while a cheap, non-branded deck is around 30 dollars. Almost Skateboard Decks will last twice as long, are made of higher-quality materials, and feature plenty of advanced technologies that will help develop your technique and let you have more fun.
- The sense of community that comes along with it! When you buy an Almost Skateboard, you become part of the brand’s sense of identity. You’ll find that when Almost tours, announces a new Pro star or even merely posts a new video, you will feel a sense of pride that’s sure to make you skate with more confidence.
Cons
- They’re made in China. Many riders find that boards from China have slightly less ‘pop’, with many believing that this is due to the ply getting shipped from Canada to China.
- They’re a leading brand, so the decks are placed at a higher price point.
Conclusion
Whether you’ve been scoping the market for a new deck, or you’re simply interested in learning more about the brand’s interesting history, it’s clear to see that Almost Skateboards are still very much a hot brand that’s here to stay!
Their variety of deck series have mostly positive reviews right across the board, with the only downsides being that they do not have as much ‘pop’ or ‘feel’ as competing decks, as well as being more expensive than the everyday average.
Regardless of that, Almost Skateboard is a top competitor with an arsenal of best selling decks, a huge online presence, and the seal of approval of skateboarding enthusiasts worldwide… including ours!