Grasp Surfskate Trucks Review: Better Than Carver CX?
The Grasp surfskate truck from South Korea is one of the newest additions to the market. Like the Carver CX, it is a reverse kingpin bushing-based design. Mechanically, it functions exactly like the Carver CX. But it has some key differences that set it apart.
In this review I’ll give you everything you need to know to decide if a Grasp surfskate is for you.
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Bottom Line Up Front
The Grasp surfskate truck feels very similar to the Carver CX. It does have some minor mechanical differences that give it more range of motion and slightly change the feel.
However, the feel of both the Grasp and CX is entirely dependent on the bushings you use. Because of that, the mechanical differences are hard to detect. And they are so slight that there’s not a clear advantage either way.
When you compare the exact same bushings on each truck, they feel almost identical.
Because both the Grasp and Carver CX are equally customizable with bushings, I can’t say which one feels better. It really just comes down to your bushings and your personal preference.
The Grasp does have one clear advantage over the Carver CX. That is that the kingpin nut sits below the hanger. This enables coping grinds without hitting the kingpin nut.
If you ride bowls and want to do coping grinds, I would recommend the Grasp over the CX. But aside from that, choosing between a Carver CX or Grasp for me just comes down to availability and price.
Both systems give you fantastic surfskate performance and you can’t go wrong with either. They both give you a minimalistic system that is easy to maintain and customize. Using bushings, you can make them feel almost identical, and you can customize each any way you’d like.
The Grasp truck is built almost identical to the Carver CX, but with some key differences.
Before illustrating the differences between the Grasp and CX, I need to point out something. For my comparisons, I’m using the new and improved version of the Carver CX trucks. These have hollow kingpins and axles, which makes them lighter. They also have softer bushings than the old trucks, which makes them easier to pump.
Grasp vs. Carver CX Front Trucks
Compared to the CX, the Grasp front truck slightly changes the angle of the pivot rotation. This is accomplished by adding material to the front of the hanger, which enables the hanger to lift. Mechanically, this enables a wider range of motion and deeper lean.
You can visually see the difference when I remove the bushings from each and show the turning radius:
However, this is deceiving because the feel of both trucks is entirely dependent on the bushings.
Furthermore, you don’t really access the increased range of motion or lean when pumping. In fact, with normal pumping the Grasp truck actually feels like it has less lean than the CX.
Changing the angle also enabled Grasp to position the kingpin nut below the hanger to allow for coping grinds.
This makes the Grasp truck about a centimeter taller than the CX, as you can see:
The Grasp surfskate truck also offsets your wheelbase by a ¼” compared to the CX (and ¾” compared to the Carver C7). You can visually see this by comparing decks with the same wheelbase with each truck on them:
Grasp vs. Carver CX Rear Trucks
As you can see, the Grasp baseplate is lower than the CX, and the hanger is slightly higher. As with the front truck, this enables coping grinds without hitting your kingpin nut.
How Much Does the Grasp Truck Weigh?
You can also see on both the Grasp front and rear trucks that they’ve added extra material for aesthetics. This also makes the Grasp truck slightly heavier than the CX. A full Grasp truck set weighs about 4 ounces more than a full CX truck set.
Grasp Surfskate Truck Weight
Carver CX Surfskate Truck Weight
In addition to their mechanical changes, Grasp trucks also come with custom bushings for the front truck. These are hollowed out inside.
This makes the Grasp truck feel much looser and gives it much more range of motion than with typical bushings.
But it’s not really fair to call this an advantage of the Grasp over the CX. Reason being, you can do the same thing with your Carver CX bushings.
To compare the CX versus Grasp, I set up two pairs of identical decks. I used two Soulboardiy Revolution Adams and two Abian Belharras. The only difference between each set-up was the trucks:
This meant that I wouldn’t have any time between testing them. I could switch back and forth to immediately feel the differences.
I used the Soulboardiys for college campus cruises, and the Abians for surfskate bowl riding.
For both trucks, I tested the following sets of bushings side-by-side:
- Stock Grasp bushings (standard)
- Stock Grasp bushings with the hollowed-out bushings on front
- Stock Carver CX bushings
- RipTide Carver CX bushings in 90a durometer
- RipTide Carver CX bushings in 87.5a durometer
In every case, here’s what I discovered when comparing the Grasp versus CX: When you use the exact same bushings in each, they feel nearly identical.
And the Grasp is deceiving because mechanically, it does enable a wider range of motion and deeper lean. However, because of the pivot angle, with normal pumping it actually feels like it has less lean than the CX.
You only access the full range of motion on either truck with the tightest turns. And even then, the difference is hard to tell.
Why the Increased Range of Motion on the Grasp Doesn’t Matter
Overall, I personally prefer the flow of the CX over the Grasp. But that could just be personal preference. And the differences are so minor that I can’t say which is better. It’s really just going to come down to personal preference.
The one clear advantage the Grasp has over the CX is that it enables coping grinds without hitting the kingpin nut.
You can flip the kingpin on a Carver CX to avoid this issue. But that’s a bit of a pain, and you can’t make any adjustments after doing so.
I categorize both the Grasp and Carver CX and “street cruisers” on my scale of the best surfskates:
And this categorization is a bit misleading. Reason being, you can customize both the Grasp and CX with bushings to make them looser and more flowy.
What Wheelbase is Best for the Grasp?
Another important point to note about the Grasp is that because of the pivot angle, it doesn’t work well on wide wheelbases. In fact, the wider your wheelbase, the worse it functions and feels.
I’ve tried both the Grasp and Carver CX on longboard decks 50” long and longer. On these decks, the Grasp does not work at all, but the CX works great.
When I test surfskate trucks, I compare them using 15 different variables. Here’s how the Grasp surfskate truck feels and performs on these variables:
Variable #1: Truck Feel
The first variable is what I call truck feel. By that I mean, is it more on the loose fluid and flowy side, or does it feel more tight, sharp, and snappy.
Relative to other trucks, it feels more tight, sharp, and snappy. This is why I categorize it as a street cruiser.
However, this is adjustable and customizable with bushings.
Variable #2: Flexibility/Range of Motion
The Grasp has more range of motion than the Carver CX, but less range of motion than most other surfskate trucks.
Variable #3: Rail-To-Rail Lean
The Grasp has more possible rail-to-rail lean than the Carver CX. However, you don’t really access or feel it with normal pumping.
It has more lean than some of the pure surf trainer trucks, including the Smoothstar Thruster D, Abian Pro, and Curfboard.
Variable #4: Stability
Mechanically, the Grasp has more range of motion and lean than the Carver CX. However, strangely, it actually feels more stable than the CX.
Variable #5: Suitable Skill Level
The Grasp is suitable for all skill levels.
Variable #6: Forward Momentum
The Grasp generates about as much forward momentum as the Carver CX.
Variable #7: Best Use
I categorize the Grasp surfskate truck as a street cruiser my list of the best surfskates. However, by customizing with bushings you can turn it into a surf trainer.
Variable #8: Suitable Riding Distance
The Grasp generates a lot of forward momentum. This means you can pump it for longer distances.
Variable #9: Suitable Riding Surfaces
You can ride the Grasp on either smooth or rough surfaces because of its stability.
Variable #10: Versatility
The Grasp is very versatile. You can do pretty much anything you want on it, from pure surf training to bowl riding to street cruising. This is especially true because you can customize the bushings.
Variable #11: Wheelbase Offset
On surfskate trucks, the front axle typically hangs back behind the pivot point. The Carver C7 axle does not hang back, so I use it as a baseline.
The Grasp has a ¾” wheelbase offset relative to the Carver C7, and ¼” relative to the Carver CX.
This is compared to 1” on the SpiceSkate SpicePilot, 1.5” on the Smoothstar Thruster D, 1.75” on the YOW Meraki, and 4” on the Abian Pro.
Variable #12: Weight
A full Grasp truck set weighs just over 2 pounds. This is 4 ounces heavier than a Carver CX full set, but lighter than most other surfskate trucks.
Variable #13: Quality
I believe Grasp trucks are very high quality and I think they’ll last you a long time.
I know they’ve had issues in the past with the kingpin breaking. But they have since fixed that issue by upgrading the kingpin.
Variable #14: Maintenance
The Grasp and Carver CX are the easiest surfskate trucks to maintain.
Variable #15: Cost
You can get a set of Grasp surfskate trucks in the U.S. for $149.95. This compares to a set of new Carver CX trucks for $108.
You can get a complete Grasp surfskate in the U.S. for $329.95. This compares to a complete Carver CX model for $224 – $243.
Grasp Surfskate Decks Review
Grasp surfskate decks are very high quality and have great size, shape, and concave. They are built with three layers of fiberglass. The front and rear rockers are reinforced by adding four extra fiberglass pieces.
The fiberglass makes them very strong and durable. However, it also makes them a bit heavy and stiff.
The concave is great and I really like the foot placement. I did have one minor issue with both of my Grasp decks. I felt the wheelbase was too narrow on them relative to their length. So I widened the wheelbase by 1” on both of them.
When you buy a Grasp surfskate model, you’re getting a great deck that will perform very well and last forever.
Grasp surfskate bushings are nearly identical to Carver CX surfskate bushings. On both the Grasp and CX, the boardside bushing is the same size, .65”. But a CX roadside bushing is .56” and a Grasp roadside bushing is .58”.
However, that slight difference on the roadside bushings doesn’t matter. This means that Grasp surfskate bushings are interchangeable with Carver CX surfskate bushings.
Grasp bushings are 90a durometer, compared to Carver CX bushings at 89a.
Grasp trucks come with two sets of bushings. The first set are standard bushings. The second set have two bushings that are hollowed out for the front truck.
When you use the hollow bushings, the Grasp feels similar to RipTide 87.5a bushings.
Grasp surfskates are available in the U.S. from Status Skate Shop in Carlsbad, California.
You can purchase Grasp surfskate trucks alone for $149.95, or a complete Grasp surfskate model for $329.95.
Conclusion: Is a Grasp Surfskate for You?
The Grasp surfskate truck offers a great, customizable surfskate experience, with a few minor differences from the Carver CX. The mechanical differences, though subtle, may appeal to those who prioritize versatility or enjoy bowl riding and coping grinds.
However, when it comes to the feel and performance, both trucks are entirely dependent on the bushings you choose.
If you already own a Carver CX, the Grasp may not offer a game-changing experience. But it’s certainly a worthy competitor.
If you’re looking for a surfskate that’s versatile and easy to maintain, the Grasp is definitely worth considering. It comes down to your personal preference, budget, price, and availability.
But no matter which you choose, you’ll be getting a high-quality surfskate that will do anything you want.