Stoop Decks is a company i've been following for quite a while, almost since its inception into the scene. with AJ (the owner) introducing an innovative twist to making decks, and also incorporating unique and awesome hand painted designs, Stoop was quick to gain a small but loyal following. using recycled school desks for veneer, and recycled skateboards for his mold(s), AJ has proved that there are endless possibilities for making decks, and fingerboarding in general. originality like this is what cements fingerboarding as an ever evolving hobbie/passion that can only get better and better over time.. AJ has since gained a steady following on instagram, and has just entered into the fbhq realm. i contacted him on insta for a custom deck off a whim, and he replied the next day sending off great vibes, and with a yes to my request! to thank him, i wanted to make a review here on fbhq so Stoop can get some more exposure! so, here it is
First Impressions: within about two weeks from me paying for the deck, i had received it from California with much anticipation. when i opened the package, i was super stoked to see that AJ had thrown in a free deck! along with some stickers, tape, and other neat oddities
heres an unboxing i made:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01i2L5ZZvuI ~ that being said, i am only going to review the custom deck i paid for, but i will reference the free deck later. my first thought was the deck looked even better in person than online. AJ did a great job incorporating his own art style into a beavis and butthead inspired graphic. i noticed the deck was kinda heavy, even a little heavier than my Spot Deck i previously reviewed. this worried me a bit in terms of the decks pop, more on this in a bit...
Craftsmenship: the deck is 33mm x 97mm and is AJ's new mold, with his older molds being considerably mellow. there are 4 plies of school desk veneer which are thicker than normal veneer, giving the deck its strength. the kicks are well rounded, somewhat boxy for you wide kick fans, and the edges are sanded but not perfect is some spots. the dips are more smooth than defined and the lacquer is shiny, smooth, and strong, giving the deck a quality gloss and finish. the paint is a bit subjected to chip at the edges, but i like the way it looks and the graphic it self so far is barely dug into. the molding is where my only real critique comes is. it seems the concave molding isn't 100% even around the deck, but on the free deck the molding is nearly perfect. i would suggest to AJ to try and make his decks more consistent.. granted im sure his technique is more difficult than normal molding.
Performance: i set the deck up with a piece of tape included with it, and after warming up to it for a few days, im using it as my main setup! the kicks are a solid medium, which really helps with the pop because of the weight. the nose is a bit steeper and longer than the tail, which i enjoy. the concave is mellow and although not perfect, im still able to get a nice flick off of both my nose and tail. the deck feels solid, dare i say.. "cozy" and i was able to pull off some new tricks with it
Conclusion: for $30, i am more than satisfied with my Stoop! the artwork and production alone is worth $30 and totally frame-able. but, being that the deck is also main setup worthy, i hands down recommend Stoop Decks to everyone! AJ seems more than deserving of the support he's gotten so far, and i hope to see him continue to push the boundaries of fingerboarding in the future \m/
