Whether you’re looking to purchase your first or thirtieth longboard, Globe has a lot to offer you. The brand, however, has an enormous range of products, and it’s hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve done a deep dive into their collections and have put together the highlights for you.
Globe is known throughout the board sport industry for its unique style and impressive product selection. They are one of the world’s biggest distributors of board sports equipment and apparel.
Globe is an Australian company that regularly features local artists work on their boards. They have also been known to collaborate with artists from all over the world on projects inspired by the board sports scene.
In this article, we’ll be covering who Globe are, what they bring to the longboard industry, we’ll be looking at a few of our favorite longboards in their collections, and discussing why you need a longboard in your life.
About Globe
Globe - celebrating 30 years of hardcore, skate, and street
Globe is an international provider of all things ‘board sports’. The company’s three founding brothers - Stephen, Peter, and Matt Hill - began their journey in the industry by working for a third party distribution company before starting their own company, Globe, in the mid-90s.
The brothers describe themselves as a band of ‘unemployable’ people who when they came together became ‘a powerful, creative, and inspiring force’.
Globe is one of the biggest and longest-running board distributing companies in the world. They have a star-studded collection of staff, customers, and athletes. They have physical stores all over their native Australia, and a few locations in the US. They sell their products in over 100 countries.
Globe has a HUGE collection of longboards, so below we’ve picked out three of our top boards. Read on to find out what’s got us so excited.
Top 3 Globe Longboards
OUR TOP PICK
Our first pick is the Geminon Micro-Drop in the CocoHula pattern.
Let’s talk about the obvious things first. This is a stunning board with vibrant coral wheels, an adorable hula girl graphic with soft pink and black waves on the underside. It is a 37.5-inch board.
The board itself is made from a mixture of hard rock maple and repurposed coconut shell. We love this eco-friendly element of the board, it also gives the underside a unique texture.
This is what Globe says about the board, ‘The natural coconut fibers found on these boards allow us to use less maple wood for an eco-friendly deck that leaves a smaller carbon footprint. Coconuts are readily available, the husk requires minimal processing and they come from self-sustaining crops.’
The Geminon has a unique ‘W’ shape wave in the board that allows the rider to reach higher speeds without fear of the board being flipped by running over an obstacle. This is a great combination with the dropped wheels at both ends of the board.
The dropped wheels allow the rider more control when steering at high speeds, but they also allow the rider to reach higher speeds safely, as their center of gravity is a lot lower on this style of board.
The wheels of the Geminon are fitted with ABEC 7 Bearings and Super High-Rebound Bushings. The bushings allow easy customization of the wheels (so you can pick the ones that work best for you) and the bearings are designed to reduce the amount to have to push when picking up speed.
The wheels themselves are High-Rebound performance wheels. These are harder to allow the board to perform at higher speeds, they have increased grip and are designed to last longer.
NOTE - Globe has a whole range of Geminon boards. There is a whole host of patterns and board designs within this range. If you like the sound of this board but are looking for a more beginner-friendly shape do explore the rest of the Geminon range.
EDITORS CHOICE
Our second choice is the Pintail 34, in The Sentinal pattern.
The pintail shape is synonymous with the idea of carving down slopes, and riding a pintail longboard is often compared to the experience of snowboarding. The shape allows for smooth, controlled turning at higher speeds.
The dense Slant Reverse Kingpin trucks give the rider a high level of control on rough surfaces as well as on slopes and at high speed.
The board is a cherry-colored resin that is designed to be lighter than the average longboard, this again allows for more control during those moments of high-speed carving.
It comes with the same high-speed High-Rebound wheels and bearings, meaning that the board is efficient when cruising, but also copes well with the higher speeds.
Due to the position of the wheels and the lack of drop in the board, the pintail is not as fast as the Geminon, but you will have an easier time turning and cruising.
NOTE: Globe do offer other patterns and board bases in the pintail shape, as we’ve mentioned they really do have an enormous range, so do check out the other Pintail boards.
BEST VALUE
Our final choice is the Big Blazer board in the Cherry/Bamboo pattern.
This board is another board made of eco-friendly material. This is a 32-inch board made of bamboo. Globe explains, ‘The fastest-growing "tree" on earth, bamboo is harder and a little stiffer than hard rock maple. The harvesting process doesn't require replanting and crops mature many times over in the span it takes maple trees to grow.’
This board comes with the ABEC 7 Bearings (for more efficient cruising) and the same High-Rebound wheels that are found on the Geminon, this board however is wider and heavier.
These two factors make this board a perfect place for beginners to start. The heavy board provides more stability, and the wide board allows the rider to practice their foot placement more securely.
The board’s concave is very minor, and it comes with a kicktail, that allows for easier cruising. The pointed front allows for the rider to maintain their speed without having to expend too much effort to sustain it.
NOTE - Globe is in the middle of expanding the Big Blaze range, and it will soon be available in even more patterns.
Globe Longboard - Pros & Cons
Pros
- Quality boards - Globe has an international reputation for producing high-quality longboards, which are used by many amateurs and professionals alike
- Lots of choices - Globe has one of the biggest range of longboards in the world, they really do have an option for everybody
- Beautiful boards - in our opinion Globe offer some of the best looking boards on the market, they wouldn’t look out of place hanging on our office wall in place of some art
Cons
- Higher price point - when buying from Globe you are paying for quality, but still, they are a higher-end board company
- Shipping can be expensive - depending on your location, shipping from Globe can be expensive, and add an extra 15-20% onto the overall cost
Globe Longboard FAQs
What is the difference between a longboard and a skateboard?
The two main differences between the two types of boards are length and design. Skateboards are also known as shortboards, and they usually are no longer than 30 inches. Longboards (as you may have guessed by the name) are longer, usually ranging from 32 inches to sometimes over 50 inches long.
Skateboards are mainly designed to perform tricks. They are shorter, lighter, and easier to maneuver. Longboards, on the other hand, are more focused on traveling (also known as cruising), rather than tricks. Longboards tend to have heavier trucks and softer wheels, this allows them to be more stable on rougher surfaces, and travel further with less pushing.
Can I still learn tricks on my longboard?
You can learn tricks on a longboard but it is more difficult to. There is a whole wealth of training material online that you can use you to help you with this endeavor.
What is better for beginners, a skateboard, or a longboard?
Although tricks are harder to learn on a longboard, it is easier to learn the other basic skateboarding skills on the longboard.
The longboard is wider and easier to balance on. The heavy trucks and softer wheels allow them to absorb large amounts of shock, meaning they perform better on difficult terrain. They are also a lot more stable than the skateboard, so beginners are less likely to fall off and injure themselves.