Advanced Layup Experimentation: Carbon Spine Development 

V1: Baltic Birtch Spine 

After collecting feedback from fellow racers, I established a set of performance criteria for the next iteration of my carbon spine board. One key takeaway was the need for a softer spine material to reduce the harsh ride quality seen in aluminum-to-maple designs—particularly on rough, chundery pavement. The original aluminum cutout also created stress concentrations that weakened weight transfer through the lower maple layers.

To address these issues, I replaced the aluminum with a pre-laminated spine made from two layers of 1/8" Baltic birch plywood, forming a 1/4" wood core that maintained stiffness while improving damping characteristics. The main deck was reduced from nine layers of maple to five to cut weight, then reinforced with four layers of biaxial fiberglass. Laminating the spine to the underside of the board also improved wheel clearance, accommodating the shift in race wheel sizes from 70mm to 90mm over the past decade.

To further improve stiffness, control, and rider ergonomics, I designed a custom foam mold with a specialized concave profile. This included front and rear wheel flares and an integrated rear W-concave—engineered specifically to support an aerodynamic tuck posture and create well-defined foot pockets. These features provide riders with stronger leverage points during slides with soft wheels and increased the structural rigidity of the layup without adding unnecessary weight.

However, the first layup suffered vacuum loss during the epoxy tacking stage. Compounding the issue, the layup failed to fully conform and adhere to the aggressive concave profile, resulting in excessive torsional flex. Additionally, the spine presented bonding challenges and early signs of delamination without a transitional section.

Skating V1 confirmed the critical importance of full mold adhesion and the effectiveness of the concave in enhancing ride stiffness and rider control. It also highlighted the need for a more gradual carbon-to-wood transition. Despite its shortcomings, V1 demonstrated several notable performance advantages. The combination of narrow-width racing trucks mounted to the spine and tall wheels enabled quick turn-in response and agile high-speed maneuvering—without introducing wheel bite. Additionally, the elevated center of gravity contributed to improved grip during corners and slides by increasing load transfer to the wheels under rider input. However, this same geometry also led to more unstable slides, particularly during higher-speed transitions, revealing the need for better balance between ride height and predictability. These insights directly guided the refinements made in V2. 

V2: Baltic Birtch Spine with Concave Adhesion 

V2's construction process benefited greatly from the lessons learned in V1. Using the same materials and layup sequence, I ensured proper vacuum bagging with consistent 15 PSI pressure across the mold and verified that the butyl tape provided a complete seal. This resulted in a flawless adhesion of the five-layer maple core to the mold. The aggressive concave significantly increased board stiffness compared to V1, while integrating foam along the edges of the spine solved the delamination issues previously encountered. The foam also helped reduce overall weight by preventing epoxy pooling in low spots.

Extensive riding confirmed that the new layup offered improved ride quality and vibration damping, thanks to the combined wood and carbon spine. However, the concave proved too aggressive for extended tucking, and the spine still introduced some mild instability during slides.

Change in Design Direction 

With the data from V2 in hand, I took a step back to rethink spine integration for V3. I began exploring the concept of embedding the spine between the maple plies, aiming to eliminate the external transitions that contributed to instability in previous builds. Moving away from a wood core, I opted to experiment with a full carbon fiber spine to leverage its high strength-to-weight ratio. This approach promised to maintain stiffness and vibration damping while significantly improving comfort, predictability, and long-term durability.

Integrating the spine into the layup would reduce the abrupt height change seen in V1 and V2, improving predictability—though at the cost of some wheel clearance. However, this tradeoff allowed for a lower center of gravity, making the board more suitable for standup slides and cross-discipline riding. Additionally, the integrated spine would provide a solid structural base, enabling further weight cutting of the previous fiberglass layers. With V3, the goal was to create a race-capable platform that also supported freeride versatility and without sacrificing rider control.

V3: Fully Integrated Carbon Spine

V3 marked a significant advancement in both material selection and construction methodology. This iteration featured a 12K unidirectional large-format carbon weave embedded through the center of each veneer, eliminating the need for full internal fiberglass layers thanks to the resulting increase in torsional stiffness. The maple base was increased from five to six plies to further reinforce the structure, with the layup tuned for optimal strength, weight distribution, and responsiveness.

The new mold introduced a less aggressive concave paired with microdrops, lowering the main platform of the deck while still achieving a higher center of gravity through the integrated spine. This combination struck a thoughtful balance between race-ready control and freeride versatility.

For the base, V3 utilized a forged carbon fiber bottom—the first of its kind in the industry—crafted from reclaimed carbon fiber scraps. This not only minimized material waste but also created a striking, one-of-a-kind finish while enhancing structural integrity. A 2K epoxy clear coat was applied to ensure full waterproofing and long-term durability.

This board became my go-to for over a year due to its refined ride feel and performance. It was eventually passed on to a local pro rider for upcoming races. The fully integrated spine proved to be the most successful iteration yet—delivering excellent stiffness, reduced flex inconsistencies, and a more direct, intuitive transfer of rider input into the board.