Mindless are one of the very few longboard brands that are designed and developed in the UK, which makes for a good talking point for when someone asks where you got your super cool longboard from.
The design and the quality is on top par, and is often compared to US brands like Landyachtz, Bustin, and Lush.
They have quite the range of boards to offer, from full-sized cruisers and pintails, to mini cruisers, dancers, drop throughs, and a very good surf skate line.
And they build boards for every level of ability too, from beginners right the way through to pros.
They also cater for different tastes when it comes to aesthetic appeal. You could look at two different Mindless longboards and be completely convinced they don’t come from the same brand.
We’ll take a look at some specific ones shortly, concentrating on ones that are out on the market currently (since some of the older ones seem to be quite hard to get hold of in the US).
But before that let’s give you some more background.
Mindless take great pride in the quality of their boards, applying care and precision at each and every part of the production process.
They are particularly renowned for their pressing techniques in their decks and the urethane formula in their wheels.
Mindless longboards take their corporate responsibility very seriously, and their boards all manufactured in an ethical and sustainable way.
For example all the maple they use in their decks is sourced from accredited regenerative forests, and they use fast growing bamboo wherever possible.
When it comes to value for money, well, we’re going to come right out and say that Mindless longboards generally cost a lot of money, not out of keeping with other longboards, but certainly within the pricier end of the spectrum.
But you expect to pay more money when the quality is this good, and the large majority of customers tend to be very happy with their boards, regardless of which type of board they go for.
Top 3 Mindless Longboards Review
OUR TOP PICK
This is one of Mindless’s more affordable longboards, coming in at under $60.
It’s a little on the short side for a longboard, with a length of just 34 inches, and it’s quite wide at 8 inches in width, so you won’t have any problems getting both feet on. The wheelbase is in proportion to the board, coming in at a nice 23.8 inches.
The deck is made with both Canadian Maple (5 ply) with 1 ply of bamboo on the bottom, and as such it’s a little lighter than your typical 6 ply maple deck. This makes for a winning combination of strength and flexibility, and is more affordable than if it were made with bamboo alone.
It uses Mindless’ own trucks, the Mindless Six Star with Raw Finish, and they’re 5.5 inches long, meaning the wheels are partially hidden by the deck. That said, you shouldn’t get any wheelbite.
The wheels have a durometer rating of 80A, which is typical for a longboard, and much softer than skateboard wheels. This way you get the perfect balance between wheel grip and wheel durability.
The wheels are 70mm in diameter, which is the most common, and most preferred size for use on longboards. Large enough for rougher surfaces, but with a decent top speed.
Speaking of speed, did we mention it has ABEC-5 chrome bearings? You could do some serious cruising with this beauty, and with it’s dramatic convex kicktail not only can you do all your curve hopping but you could work it on steps too.
EDITORS CHOICE
Now, Mindless’ surf skate longboards are boards with a difference - they do not look like typical longboards, and as you may expect they feel different too.
We love the shabby chic look of this maroon one. And although in the photo it may look more like a skateboard than a longboard, we can confirm it falls into longboard territory, since it’s 30 inches long. It looks more skateboard like due to its wider profile, with a width of a whopping 9.5 inches. You can feel like a surfer as you cruise around.
The deck is really thick, composed of 7 ply Canadian Maple, with Bottom Stain Ply. This means the deck has a bit more strength and a little less flex than your typical 6 ply decks.
And there’s no concave drop for your feet, or kick tail, you get a nice flat board to ride on. It would suit beginners who want to concentrate on cruising rather than tricks.
It uses Mindless’ own trucks, the Mindless Surf Skate Trucks, and they are largely hidden by the deck. That said, you shouldn’t get much wheelbite when you’re doing turns.
The wheels are relatively small, at just 44mm, but that’s not such a bad thing because it means you get really good build up speed. And they provide a wide contact patch, giving you more grip. Again making it a great option for beginners.
The wheels have a durometer rating of 82A, which falls within the normal range of longboard wheels, providing more softness than a skateboard wheel. This makes it easier to slow down quickly when you need to. An excellent safety feature, that beginners will be grateful for.
The board comes with spare wheels, which is great because you know you’re going to need to change them if you use the board a lot.
BEST VALUE
If you like your drop through longboards, and you have money to spare, you should certainly consider this beauty.
It has a very nice aesthetic, stippled black plus the logo on top, combined with very smart art work on the underside depicting sunrise (or is it sunset) at a mountain scene.
For those who don’t know, drop through longboards have a number of advantages over your standard variety of longboard, and it all comes down to the lower centre of gravity. You get greater stability, especially at speed, pushing is easier, footbraking is easier, and it’s generally easier to control. They’re great for cruising, great for beginners, and great for going long distances. And of course you never have to worry about wheelbite if there are cut outs for the wheels.
The board is a very nice 40 inches long, and the wheelbase is not much shorter, coming in at 30 inches, while the width, though you may not think it to look at it, is 9.75 inches wide.
The deck is composed of 2 ply bamboo, plus 6-ply Canadian Maple, and a Zebra Veneer Bottom ply, so it’s quite thick and durable.
The wheels are 75mm which is fairly large for longboard wheels. This makes it better for skating on rougher surfaces, since they can more easily roll over cracks. And they also have a higher top speed to boot.
The durometer rating of the wheels meanwhile, is 84A, which is in the typical range for longboard wheels, providing the best combination of durability, in terms of the relative hardness, and grip on the ground in terms of the relative softness.
The rest of the board is all made from top quality parts too - for example, there’s Talisman V2 trucks, 94a SHR RACE BLACK MOJO bushings, and Mindless’ own Mindless Precision bearings.
Conclusion
The Mindless Longboards brand really does have something for every skater, regardless of ability level and personal tastes.
It’s not always a cheap option by any means, but when you buy from Mindless, you know you’re getting a top quality product, and your conscience is clear knowing you’re buying from an ethically minded brand, using only sustainably sourced materials.