One can hardly call the cost of acquiring a Loaded dervish deck cheap. But then again the experience of riding a legendary Loaded Dervish longboard can be considered a priceless experience. Also, you can surely find a Dervish, which is cheap compared to other places that charge over $400! Researching is key.

The Loaded dervish is a longboard renowned within the longboard community for its forgiving, smooth, lively, stable, agile and responsive ride. Loaded Carving Systems achieves this by making the dervish out of materials that have the right balance of flexibility and durability. The deck is made of a tri-axle fiberglass and epoxy sandwich with a vertical laminated bamboo core. When seen from the side, the dervish is shaped in a convex camber which compresses when the rider applies some force or his weight on it. This force is returned when the rider straightens up and releases some weight from the deck. This allows the dervish to lose little to no forward momentum when going in and out of turns.

The dervish is available in two different degrees of stiffness of flexibility to suit both the rider’s weight and his or her riding style. The Flex 1 board is the stiffer of the two and is thus suitable for riders with a more aggressive riding style and for sliding. The Flex 1 board is meant to accommodate riders who weigh up to two hundred thirty pounds. The Flex 2 board is for riders who prefer a smooth and flowing ride. This board is stable and is very responsive at moderate speeds which make it ideal for carving or for short commutes.

Along with the dervish’s flexibility, another factor which contributes to its stability and great handling is its low center of gravity. The dervish has precision machined cutouts designed to accommodate most drop-through kingpin trucks. Drop-through trucks allow the board to sit closer to the ground making it easier to push and slide. This stability also makes the board an ideal platform for dancing.

The board is also shaped differently from the typical longboard. It is narrower at its ends than it is at the middle. This eliminates the possibility of the deck biting onto the wheels when making sharp turns. This comes particularly in handy when avoiding obstacles when using the dervish to commute or sliding and riding down hills.

As can be seen, the dervish can be used to do practically all the things you can do with a longboard. One limitation which Loaded puts on the dervish however, is that it should not be used when riding at extremely high speeds on steep hills. Loaded recommends the use of a stiffer board when riding down steep hills as flexible boards can lose their stability at higher speeds. The dervish though, can be ridden without loss to its stability down moderate hills at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. Watch out for the cheap knock offs.

The Loaded bamboo dervish is a longboard renowned within longboard community as a deck which offers one of the most pleasurable and responsive rides.

The secret to combining just the right amount of stiffness, flexibility and durability, which Loaded Carving Systems discovered lies in how the board is made. The dervish is made of a tri-axle fiberglass and epoxy sandwich with a vertically laminated core. Loaded ups the ante on the dervish by shaping it in a convex camber, which is flexible enough to be compressed when a rider applies his weight or some force to the board. The board returns the force applied when the rider straightens his legs, taking his weight off the board. This results in little to no loss in forward momentum when going into and out of turns.

Flexibility and its low center of gravity also contribute to the board being one of the most stable decks in longboarding. The low center of gravity of the dervish is achieved by making precision cutouts on the deck used to attach drop-through reverse kingpin trucks. This stability has made it a favorite for riders who like dancing, carving, and riding down hills.
The board itself is shaped with both ends narrower than the middle, eliminating the possibility of the wheels biting onto the deck when taking those sharp turns. This ability to make difficult turns along with its responsiveness and stability make it a favorite of those who like to power slide and for those who use their longboards for short commutes. The narrow ends make shovits and manual tricks easier to pull off too.

Loaded recommends however, that riders avoid using the dervish for use down extremely steep hills. A stiffer board is more stable and responsive when one is traveling at very high speeds, where a flexible board will lose it. Nevertheless, Loaded maintains that the dervish can be used at speeds of about thirty miles per hour without losing its stability. More experienced riders may be able to handle faster speeds with the longboard, but for the rest of us, it would be wise to keep downhill skating with the dervish to moderately sloped hills.

While how the board’s looks has little to do with its performance, Loaded raises the bar higher by making a board that is easy on the eyes. Stunning Middle Eastern themed graphics decorate the board, drawing as its inspiration the graceful movements Muslim whirling dervishes make when participating in rights to remember their god.

Among all the Loaded boards, dervish decks are great all around boards to help you get started into longboarding or just upping your game if you already have started on it.

The dervish is a long board manufactured by Loaded Carving Systems and made out of an epoxy and tri-axle fiberglass sandwich with a vert-lam bamboo core.  When seen from the side, it is convex in shape which is what has built its reputation as a lively, agile and stable ride.  To give you an idea how this flexibility works, imagine taking a turn on your deck.  You and your weight press down on the board giving it a concave camber.  When going out of the turn, you straighten your legs and shift your weight allowing the board to spring back and use the force you used on it to turn to preserve your forward momentum.

Like all Loaded boards, dervish decks are beautifully crafted and feature graphics inspired by the motions of the Muslim whirling dervishes in the Middle East.

Because of its benign handling, the dervish is ideal for those who want to try out downhill longboarding.  Here are a few tips you can use to start off.

Safety comes first.  Always use safety gear when using your longboard.  This means a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and sliding gloves.  Even the pros use a full-faced helmet and leathers along with this protection when going downhill at speed.

Learning how to stop properly is also essential when carving in hills.  The most basic way of stopping is by taking one foot off the board and dragging it on the ground until you come to a full stop.  When going at higher speeds however, dragging one foot on the ground may not be the fastest way to stop (it’s tough on the shoes too).   You will have to learn how to slide.

Sliding is a great way to take sharp corners and comes in handy when you need to stop in a hurry.  When learning how to slide do so at moderate speeds.  This means finding a hill that is not too steep and with little to no vehicular traffic.  When moving at an adequate speed, bend your knees down as if you were reaching for the toe side of your board.  Lean back just enough so that you don’t tip over and put your hands on the pavement allowing them to drag as your board slides sideward.