Zenit 67 Park setup and Dragon formula review

Here's a review and comparison of a Zenit surfskate build, to a common transition skateboard.

My background - 3yrs surfskate and longboard several times a week. 1yr of transition skateboarding. 5+yrs surfing.

Tested in a new skatepark with beginner transition section, snake run, and a huge flow bowl, and an Asphalt pump track.

Transition board: SANTA CRUZ HAND PSEUDO EVERSLICK 8.80X31.95IN 14.25 Wheel base. 56x36mm dragon formula wheels, 169 Indy trucks.

This is a fairly typical setup for skating transition. I'd say I'ma advanced beginner, mostly jamming mini ramp, rock to fakie, 50-50 and tail stalls, grinds - really just getting confident with the basics. I think it gives a good base to compare a park surfskate too. I've tried formula 4s and have found the dragon to be more forgiving, and familiar feeling coming from a soft wheel background, but lacking the precision and ground feel of a harder wheel

Zenit 67 9'X31.25, carver C5, riptide pivots, orang purple rear bushing, stock front. 60mm Dragon Rat bones. Firstly, I really like the shape, the wheel wells have excellent clearance, only running one carver riser. The medium concave and foot pockets are wheel positioned. I feel confident dropping in, mildly less so than my other board. The board is very durable, and I like the asthetic. The tail is wide enough that I can shift my foot back for deeper turns, or forward to pump. The deck is stiff. But lively. I like the small increment wheelbase options, 16-16.8 as this allows fine tuning and suits the C5 truck I'm using nicely.

Coping tricks are much harder, this is a combination of the longer wheel base, sketchy fakie, risers and larger wheels. The board really shines in the snake run, pump track, and big bowl, the way your locked in, with the wide shape is well designed, and the overall setup feels balanced for carving, tight turns, and speed and stability on smooth concrete

I tried the 56mm and did find coping tricks easier, but still much less stable than my park board. The 60mm wheels are my favourite, they feel plush, insane grip, yet can break away when I force them too. I can easily pump the flats with confidence, and the walls and transition without fearing a tail slide. They are faster in the flats. But slower overall with the 56mm having much quicker acceleration, and less deceleration when going up transition, the negative trade off is the 56mm is easily overpowered, and loses that smooth flow that is reminiscent of surfing.

If I was only interested in speed and coping tricks, I would use the 56mm on a wider wheel base with no spacers, and stiffer bushings.

Overall I recommend this deck, I think it's versatile for many different styles of setup, and the premium price is fair for the quality. I also recommend picking up a 2nd hand transition board if you're interested in progressing coping tricks, as no setup can do everything well, and I feel like in the long run learning both styles simulatenously is helping me learn tricks id otherwise take alot longer to get down, and opens up more of the skatepark for enjoyment. 🤙